44 rem mag questions

[Grumpybear]

I got a used 44 rem mag and just got around to shooting it. I noticed some problems. The brass seems to have a noticable swell on one side and its a replacement barrel.
 
WhenH&R replaces a barrel do they use a vibrating engraver on the lug or is it stamped? This one has a vibroengraved serial number on it last 3 digs.
 
The swelling on the case is not all the way around. I have some rifles that will swell the case slightly but its round not on 1 side. So i micd the fired case and a foactory case.
                Factory    Fired
open end   452         455
mid case   450         457
above web 451        460
on rim       450        451
 
The uneveness is what bothers me.
 
I too the thing apart, no evadence of tooling marks in the chamber from what I can see, It is a sb2 fram it has the reliefs cut like the pictures show in the faqs. Serial number NN, almost no wear on the latch pin and some uneven wear on the shelf.
 
So, .. what to do? Stop shooting it, cast the chamber, I dont have any cerosafe but I do have wax, call for repairs, scrap the barrel add another, caliber? I have 45-70 and 38-55. rechamber?
 
Any ideas or advice? Thanks Grumpy

[quickdtoo]

H&R always(unless they forget sometimes, but that's an exception) marks the underlug with the last 3 or 4 digits of the frame serial # when they fit a barrel, sometimes they stamp em, sometimes electric pencil.

Please define replacement barrel, is it a new accessory barrel, or an old replacement for a bad barrel, ejector or extractor? Pre-99 barrels had large deeper ejector notches and caused the exact symptom, since you have an SB2 44mag which they haven't made since 2007, it's likely an old style barrel. The work around is to partial size just the neck and not work the brass if you handload, if just factory, don't worry about it if it shoots good. A chamber cast would tell you if it's withing SAAMI specs, and you always have the option of returning it to H&R for repair.

Tim

[Grumpybear]

If I understand it the origonal barrel would not have the reciver serial number on it, so I assumed (oh oh) its a replacement barrel.
 
It also kicks a spent shell 5 or 6 feet over your shoulder when you open it so its a ejector. It measures .310 in width if that helps.
 
Grumpy

[quickdtoo]

ALL underlugs are marked, not just accessory/replacement barrels. The ejector notch depth is the difference, not the width, I should have said deeper, not larger. 

Tim

[Grumpybear]

This looks like the top one in the picture, so it has the thinner ejector.
 
I haven't started handloading for the 44 yet but I will so neck sizeing is not a problem, I need to check the bore diameter soon and order a boolet mold for it.
 
Thx
Grumpy

[gcrank1]

Dont get too hung up about slugging the bore, you need to fit the cast bullet to the throat, which is likely bigger dia. than the barrel groove dia. You can get an idea of what that dia. needed is by seeing what dia. fits into the fully fire-formed case mouth (but make sure there is no remnant of the roll crimp still up there).

[quickdtoo]

Probably just a chamber done to max specs, not unusual, lots of previous discussions on the same problem, although usually the chamber produces brass that's consistent oversize and not just on one side. I've never checked either of mine, both being late model barrels which bores can vary depending on when in the life of the toolin the barrel was made, I have a 2007 barrel that has a bore on the min end of SAAMI specs, never noticed the brass issue tho when it was a 44 mag, I rechambered it to Supermag, still shoots good.   For cast bullets from many, many reports on 44mag Handis,  at least .432" is the key to sizing, gcrank offers good advice. 

Tim