Yesterday was the first time I've been shooting in over three months. Got out to the range just to check out some handloads. It was right at 30* with a breeze, so it wasn't the greatest day to be shooting, but this time of the year beggars can't be choosers..
Anyway, I shot my .444 Marlin Contender, around 25 times with my hunting loads. 270gr Speer Gold dot @ around 2110 fps. By the way, these loads show no pressure signs & are 1.5 gr below the powder manafactures max. I've probably put around 150 rounds of this power level thru the gun since I had the Pachmeyr forend off last.
I went to pull the forend after shooting, & the forend retention screw was bent, & fairly severly. I know it wasn't bent before, & I know the gun hasn't been dropped or bumped hard. I can think of nothing that could bend the screw except recoil. I guess if they can sheer scope mount screws the can bend forend screws. Has anyone else experienced this? At what point are we abusing the gun?

I also shot my 30-30 AI. It has an Ingram 15" custom barrel.
As I was shooting I noticed the forend was loose. Grabbed the allen wrench to tighten it & couldn't make any headway. Pulled it off & the forend mounting lug had pulled off. This barrel uses a single mounting lug that sat in a slight dovetail & was tack welded on the edges. Looks like it should have been a deeper dovetail or a better weld. It's fixable, but when you shoot two guns, & they both end up with problems it takes a bit of the fun out of it. Both guns were shooting well by the way.
Days like that kind of remind me why I like shooting a longbow.

I am guilty of the same abuse. The only exception is that I destroyed two Burris 2-7x posilock scopes in under 100 rnds. I am using the 378 GNR in a 14" super 14 barrel. The first scope never made it home. I shot it twice at the gun shops range and the reticle was filled with dust and something that looked like a hair. We sent it back to the dist. The second one came about two weeks later. It survived two trips to the range. The third trip I began to notice that the reticle tube has twisted way off center. It is boxed and ready to go back to Burris.

Can you guys give me any advice on how or what to do about the scope problem besides get a smaller caliber?

I've been using an old TC "recoil proof" 3x on the .444 & so far it's held up fine.
What bullet weight & velocity are you seeing in the 378 GNR?

The load I am using is a 270 gr hornady over 56 gr or imr 3031. The load measured 2085 fps over the 35p. I was afraid the scope would move so I mounted three millet angle-loc rings on an epoxied Tsob mount. I guess there is just too much force to control.

Possibly posi-align rings which grip better and have more surface area than regular rings or three ring system and a 4x leupold fixed. Make sure you have two of the rings if a 3-rings system on the back half of the scope as that is where the sheer is the worse in handgun recoil (at least that is what has been explained to me).

Vance,
As good as Burris scopes are, I have no faith in them for hard kicking handguns. My .444 and 35-06JDJ will destroy them very quickly. The Leupold and the Bushnell 3200 Elite are holding up fine on these barrels. With a 350gr Spiral point, I'm getting 1800fps out of my 15 inch Contender. It's brutal but I haven't had any problems. Stay Safe.
Ed

Back to my original question, has anyone had problems with bending forend retention screws?

sorry fer hijackin the post vance, but i've had no problem on the 14" 44mag/pachmayer forearm ...yet.


did ya properly align or even lap those 3 rings? the millet angle loc rings wouldn't be my first choice. they could easily be out of alignment during mounting, and bend the scope tube when tightening down. if ya lapped them etc, they may be fine. those rings tighten from both sides, so if you were a little off, or one-sided with one er two rings, i could see scope problems arising.

I don't care if it gets hijacked as long as eventually we remember it's all about me!!!!
seriously, I've had no scope problem with the old TC Recoil Proof. It was builder 45 that was having scope problems.
I was thinking about sticking my 4x Burris that's on my 30-30AI on my 444, & putting the 2-7x NC Star that's on my 22 Hornet on the 30-30AI to see if it would hold up, but for now maybe I'll leave well enough alone.

Vance, you will not get pressure signs (other than the bullet going out the barrel) from a .444 marlin case before you are too hot in a Contender. You might notice a slight flattening of the primer or maybe some stickiness in extraction with some chamberings, but as a general rule the Contender will max out before you get any cratering of the primer or loose primer pockets, etc, except with the .223 diameter size case head.
Your velocity is about right for a max load in the .444 if you are using a 14" barrel - max for the .375 JDJ with a 270 gr bullet is about that. Other than that you would have to go to a load book and check what pressures that load should develop (somewhere around here I have figures for max in the Contender for a .444 Marlin case but can't remember and can't find them).

The only thing I can think of is a bind at the forarm rest. Is something holding the forarm when you shoot?

Yes I had a screw bend when using a wooden forearm on my 45/70. I have since switched to the Pachmeyer grip and forearm on my hard kickers. It uses a hanger that attaches to the mounting lug(s). The pocket molded into the forearm slips tightly over the hanger, then a single screw holds the forearm to the hanger.
No problems since.

Thanks for all the help guys.
Rob, I've been working from data I got from Accurate Arms tech guys. Their position is that 53 gr of 1680 behind a 270 gr bullet should be max, specifically for a Contender, at TC's max pressure levels. 51.5 got me an average of 2110 fps & I think I'll stop there, or maybe even back down to 2050 fps. Like you said, if it's OK in the 375 with the same bullet weight, velocity, & case head dia., it should be OK for the 444. It is a 14"(plus the brake) barrel.
I have been miking the case webs & comparing them to factory 265 gr ammo, & am getting less than .001" difference in expansion after firing.
If I decide to chase brownies with it I may go back up to 2100 plus, but for moose & blackbear, I don't think I need that kind of velocity. Hopefully I won't loose accuracy as I loose load density.
Chief, the forend was sitting on rice bags covered with old denim pants legs, so there shouldn't have been any binding.
Bob, I have noticed a certain burn in the elbow joint after shooting a fair amount in one setting . I'm sure it can't be good for you.
The gun does have a good brake.
As for going to the 375 JDJ, I'm not sure that would help much. If I just load down 75 fps I'm comporable.