41 Bore Medium Frame BH

[AxeHandle]

Kings6 gave me an 8 3/8 ribbed barrel from a S&W 41 mag... I hear it arrived yesterday with the FT 44 but I won't see it until tomorrow... I was thinking about using the barrel on the 414 Short Bisley but don't know if that is what I really want to do with it. The latest 3 screw 357 I picked up got me to thinking....

Tell me about the 41 bore on the 357 size Blackhawk. Is this a time to go 44 Special to make a little more bullet room in the stock length cylinder or go full 41 magnum?

[nobearsyet]

I'll be following this one close

[Lee Martin]

My dad converted an OM 357 to 41 Magnum years ago. Nice little shooter and not nearly as common as 44 Specials. You can't really go wrong with either though....

-Lee
www.singleactions.com

[zeus]

Kings6 has a OM 357 to 41 Mag conversion that Gallagher did for him a few years back. If I'm not mistaken, that's one of his favorite shooters.......

[AxeHandle]

Yeah, that makes sense... First Zeus sends me some 265 grain 41 bullets.... Then Kings6 had 414 brass and a cylinder. John has the skills. So we get set for a reamer. Then all a sudden Kings6 has a barrel too..... Zeus, Kings6, and John Gallagher are in the center of a 414 short conspiracy... There I was... Thinking that I was actually running this thing... If Kings5 hadn't gotten into such a frenzy sending me stuff I'd have never figured it out! ;D

[Aggie01]

Want help?
Put the S&W ribbed barrel on the 414 Super Special, then use the stock barrel from the Bisley (cut down and turned down) on the .357 to .41 conversion. (threads match, more than enough barrel protrusion from a .41)

Once I decide on a smith, I'm doing a .41 mag on my .357 anniversary. Gonna set it up to be a twinkie to my Lipsey's .44 Special.

My max cartridge length seems to be around 1.65 - 1.66, which is more than I would get out of the Model 97 (which was my other option).

[AxeHandle]

You sure about that 357 and FA 97 relationship? I have a picture in my archives that leads me to believe otherwise... Is it an optical illusion provided by the diameter difference or perhaps the recessed case heads?

[Aggie01]

I measured the cylinder with a case in it a few nights back and got 1.65 (or so, with a digital caliper) from the back of the case to the front of the cylinder.

My phone calls to FA led me to understand that their stated max OAL is 1.60, but you can get up to a 1.62 because they allow a little for tolerances and bullet creep when they quote OAL.

My even less scientific method of holding a post it note up to the screen and comparing your two cylinders confirms this. It may be the recessed case heads throwing your calibrated eyeball out of kilter.

Unfortunately, I don't have an FA 97 to check specifics with.

[AxeHandle]

Well.... Why didn't you say so! .... I'll pull a pair of mine...
Believe it or not... recoil shield to recoil shield the Ruger 357 cylinder is actually slightly longer than the FA 97 Cylinder...

[kings6]

OM 357 conversion to 41 Mag or 41 Special. Zeus is right, John did the 4" brass bisley 41 mag conversion which is one of my favorite guns. Ranking right next to it is the OM 357 conversion to 41 Special tha Andy Horvath just did that has the Smith & Wesson ribbed 41 barrel. If you really want to make a mid sized slammer, send the OM 357 to John with the ribbed barrel and have him make a custom long cylinder (414 Supermag short special) for that little thing. I think it was Bowen and JT who both said this is just about the most punch you can get out of a midsized package.

Oh by the way, I have LOTS of 41 Special brass for you to buy! ;D

[zeus]

I should have known I'd get dragged into this twisted thing somehow as a enabler What is that they say??? "Those who can't afford, Enable others that can" I do what I can.......

[nobearsyet]

I agree, out the S&W barrel on the Bisley

[dennyl]

Sounds like just the thing