a wish gun

[texashoosier]

I got one for you guys; and maybe someone who is better funded (and has more interest than I do) might even follow up on it. Follow my logic and see if this isn't possible....
Dave Clements does a conversion of the Ruger GP-100 to 10mm. The 10mm and the 10mm Magnum operate at the same pressure, so if the GP-100 cylinder can handle a 10mm, it should handle the 10mm Magnum. The Ruger GP-100 has a cylinder long enough for 1.60+" oal .357 Magnum length cartridges so the 1.55" oal 10mm Magnum should fit.
Now here's where it gets interesting. The 10mm Magnum is dimensionally very close to a .401 Herter's PowerMag, so why couldn't a Ruger GP-100 be converted to .401 Herters?

[Lee Martin]

A 401 would work....for all the trouble though, why not do a 41 Magnum? Brass and bullets are much easier to come by.

-Lee
www.singleactions.com

[Lee Martin]

BTW, if we're talking PowerMag or 41 Mag, you'd need a five-shot cylinder.

-Lee
www.singleactions.com

[Bile]

Feb 3, 2010 10:02:28 GMT -5 Lee Martin said:

A 401 would work....for all the trouble though, why not do a 41 Magnum? Brass and bullets are much easier to come by.

-Lee
www.singleactions.com

Agreed. There are obsolete cartridges and then there are really obsolete cartridges. I think the .401 fits in the later category. I've always wanted to build a hunting rifle on a fine Mauser action reminiscent of those used in early 20th century Africa. What would I chamber it in? 30/06 Springfield of course. A fine firearm begs to be used, and it is hard to use one that requires hard to find and make ammo.

BTW, I have these kind of ideas from time to time as well. But once I get over all the excitement that comes from the perception of an original thought, I immediately commence to reason and talk myself out of it. I'm not always successful. Have you every tried to sell a wildcat? I have.

[dtrain]

A 5 shot 41 Mag or a 5 shot 44 special GP 100 could be a serious contender for a Home Defense or Carry piece I bet...

Dtrain

[Aggie01]

I went through the motions on this one back when I had acquired a GP-100 with a cracked cylinder.

It wasn't worth it, no matter what 'smith I talked to, so I sent the GP-100 back to Ruger for a 5.5" SBH.
Most of the responses I got from 'smiths were that they didn't want to do it, or I didn't want to hear what the cost and the wait times would be (because they didn't want to do it). I got the hints.

[madbadger]

Aggie, Looks like you've been reading my mail! I've been down the 5 shot DA cylinder road several times myself and also was "discouraged" by the 'smiths. Some politely & some not so.

Guess that's also why I snapped up four extra 696 cylinders and fixin's when I had the chance a couple years ago.

We should compare and post our notes and make some project concepts "sticky". Would save us all a lot of scheming & would save the 'smiths a ton of time responding and dashing our dream guns to bits. Then they could spend that time accelerating delivery on projects that are possible. Sure would suck to be that logical though.

[Aggie01]

I don't want to derail the thread, but here's a couple more I have been "discouraged" on.

tapered ribbed ovate barrel. - H Bowen -
Recommendation - use a S&W N frame barrel - rebore as required. The ribbed ovate can double the cost of the conversion...

Putting a Bisley Gripframe on a JT BFR - C Clements -
Recommendation - sell it and do a 5 shot conversion on a $500 stainless "acusport" - and come out money ahead.

.475 cooper on a six shot blackhawk standard cylinder -
Most gunsmiths thought I was crazy.
Ended up with a .480 5 shot standard size cylinder.

some non standard projects I have been encouraged on:
(you will notice some of these are done)

reforming a Vaquero topstrap to match a S&W (more than just making the sight fit) A. Harton

.38 special designed to run at .357 magnum (38/44) pressures in a single six
A. Harton

Lowering an FA hammer spur
A. Harton

.41 magnum/special midframe NM ruger.
(a switch cylinder custom for under $1K - including base gun)
J. Huntington

.500 Linebaugh Maximum
(Bowen and Clements said "no")
J. Huntington

CCH and stainless
A. Harton

Restoring the OM .45 that someone ground the loading gate area out and the barrel protrusion.
A. Harton

You can see a pattern here on who I call first with a nontypical project, huh...

I was talking to Alan once, and he said (paraphrased) "you know, the first time I was asked to do (and rattled off a few things) I was surprised that someone would want that, but I did them and they were happy."
I asked if that list of things was all requested by Fermin Garza, and when he stopped laughing he said yes.