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Post by waterboy on Mar 2, 2012 21:04:27 GMT -5
I have had this commissioned for some time, as funds allowed and time passed it is closer. I sent old Reeder a stls .44 SBH to start. It had been treated roughly but still shot straight. The new caliber is a .44 Mag. necked to .401 cal. (10mm). Think of it as a cross between a .38/40 and .357 B&D. Or a .38 WCF that has very roubust brass to work with. Other cylinders for .40 S&W and maybe .38-40, .401 Herters, etc. are in the works. It does have some interesting styling cues you may note. From here it will be subjected to my personal tastes and desires so's you might not recognise it later. Much less like it. Just for your interest. The #5 gripframe is not very good for all, but certainly unique. My others are .44 Spec. and .510 GNR.
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Post by 2 Dogs on Mar 2, 2012 21:28:33 GMT -5
Scotty, I think its cool. I especially like the scallops. I'd love to shoot that one. Hope to meet you soon and help you get some wear and tear on it!
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Post by Lee Martin on Mar 2, 2012 21:39:02 GMT -5
Looks like you're on your way to another fine custom. Gary's 10-44 has roughly the same capacity as my 1.40" 401 Bobcat. I think you'll be impressed with the performance. -Lee www.singleactions.com
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Post by whitworth on Mar 2, 2012 21:55:24 GMT -5
Very nice, Scotty!
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cubrock
.401 Bobcat
TLA fanatic and all around nice guy....
Posts: 2,836
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Post by cubrock on Mar 2, 2012 22:24:06 GMT -5
I like what I see so far. I especially like the thinning of the frame at the front and the scalloped recoil shield. Nice treatments on that gun.
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Post by AxeHandle on Mar 2, 2012 23:31:02 GMT -5
With all the weight saving measures why not flute the cylinder too? Heck there is a lot of extra steel in a 40 bore barrel. We could flute the barrel too!
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sal
.30 Stingray
Posts: 315
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Post by sal on Mar 3, 2012 1:42:50 GMT -5
Go Scotty, Go Scotty. Lookin good
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hairy
.30 Stingray
Posts: 319
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Post by hairy on Mar 3, 2012 2:39:07 GMT -5
I am sure I will work my way around the photo sometime today ... I seem to be having trouble getting past that georgious piece of wood in the foreground.
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Post by AxeHandle on Mar 3, 2012 8:15:39 GMT -5
Tell us more about that grip frame. Gary has those made right? Does he make one that works on the OM Rugers? Could do it on a NM if I had to... Maybe a FT. I'm picturing a Blue Octagon barreled 44 Special... Maybe something more exotic like a 357GNR. That 401 would work in a medium frame gun shouldn't it?
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Post by waterboy on Mar 3, 2012 12:28:33 GMT -5
Gary has some shop do his frames (maybe Pine Tree Castings? aka Ruger) I know FA had the 2008 frames done there. Anyway he designed them. I too have a ground up Reeder #5 but it is more exotic, basically a FT 3-screw Ruger .357 frame clone in stainless and with the transfer bar added. Quite a feat actually. The transfer bars were a bit frail initally and he had a lot of frames that did not meet the specs. He shifted gears and added the gripframes to Ruger chassis' and even has one for the old 3-Screw guns. Say what you will, he is busy and has some interesting ideas.
The .401 GNR is close to the .401 Bobcat and JD has a 10mm on the .454? Mainly for single shots. I love the .41 Magnum but think the .401 Herters (got one too) was way ahead of it's time. More central than the .41 Mag. betwixt the .357 (too small) and .41 Mag. (closer to the .44 Mag.). Herters was good but the gun is big and funky.
*What I desire is a .40 cal. 180-200 gr. cast bullet running from 1500 up to maybe 1750 fps from a 6.5" SA. Possible?
The .401 GNR is fine for a 6-shot on the std. Ruger frame but Gary would be hesitant to do the .357 Med. chassis in it as a 6-shot as pressures should be up in the .44 Mag. range and more?
I have not given up on a modified .401 Herters reamer to use on that smaller Ruger .357 chassis. I have been making .401 brass from .41 Magnum run through a .40 S&W carbide sizer. You have to shorten then turn the "belt" off in a lathe. The belt is fromed from the unexposed web in the shellholder while sizing. A web won't swage down in my experience.
I figured. Why not do a reamer that allows for the extra length and handles that micro belt? Skip all the extra steps of .401 Herters forming. Got to get that project going. Since the .41 Mag. can be done in the .357 Med. chassis a ".400" magnum should be a no brainer. Still should be fine if perchance someone wanted or could fire an original .401 herters in there too.
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Post by Lee Martin on Mar 3, 2012 13:43:35 GMT -5
My 401 Bobcat will do an honest 1,650 fps with a 200 gr slug from a 6" barrel. I would think the 401 GNR can do the same. -Lee www.singleactions.com
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Post by CraigC on Mar 3, 2012 14:23:41 GMT -5
Sounds a lot like JD Jones' .40-44 Woodswalker. Something that has always interested me as well. I've also considered doing a convertible on my next custom mid-frame. Maybe a .38-40/.401 convertible. Through experimentation with an 1873 rifle, I've just about come to the conclusion that the 180gr Gold Dot at 1500fps will do fine on whitetail. Have yet to test the 200gr XTP and 200gr Beartooth LBT.
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Post by humphrey on Mar 3, 2012 15:12:13 GMT -5
Any thoughts on the 10mm Magnum?
on a second though, 30 remington or 6.8 spc can be trimmed back to make a rimless 401 herters.
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Post by Lee Martin on Mar 3, 2012 15:50:03 GMT -5
The 10mm Magnum is rimless so it headspaces off the mouth. Can be a problem when crimping. I almost built one back in 1993, but designed the 401 Bobcat on 220 Swift brass instead. -Lee www.singleactions.com
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Post by humphrey on Mar 3, 2012 21:30:12 GMT -5
Lee if you don't mind me asking what prompted the use of the 220 swift case as the parent over other rounds similiar in size. Any particular reason not to use a 30-30 case cut to 1.400" instead?
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