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Post by nobearsyet on Jul 5, 2009 16:07:31 GMT -5
As many of you have read, I have picked up quite a few guns over the last couple months, a lot of them are beater 3 screw 357 Blackhawks I bought for later conversion to 44 Special, 44-40, 45 Colt, etc.. What I am wondering about is thier ability to handle the heavy loads due to the smaller frames and thereby cylinders and the related wall thickness. Also, where's the maximum for caliber on these conversions?
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Post by jforwel on Jul 6, 2009 17:37:29 GMT -5
I could be wrong but take a look at the 50th Anniversary .357, the New Vaquero, and the Lipsey .44 Special. They are all on the "new" medium frame which is the same size as the old 3 screw medium frame. That should give you some idea of what an old model can be re-chambered for.
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Post by AxeHandle on Jul 6, 2009 18:15:27 GMT -5
Remember why Ruger made the larger 44 mag Blackhawk in the first place? Pull your Sixguns by Keith and read a bit.... Sure you can hot rod anything you want... We have a local guy that gleefully blows them all up... If I want a 44 mag I'll select a 44 mag...
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woody
.375 Atomic
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Post by woody on Jul 7, 2009 5:05:11 GMT -5
Get a .44 magnum for that purpose.
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Post by zeus on Jul 7, 2009 8:36:03 GMT -5
I like the 41 magnum on the OM frame size. Probably about the most power that you really "need" to try and shove in that frame with a 6 shot cylinder. There are several of them owned by members of this forum...
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Post by nobearsyet on Jul 7, 2009 11:53:52 GMT -5
My Sixguns hasn't arrived yet, still waiting on Barnes and Noble, but I'll keep this in mind, I was thinking 44 Special, 44-40, and 45 Colt, and maybe a 480 Achilles after I see how it shoots in th ecurrent project
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Post by rep1954 on Jul 7, 2009 19:33:48 GMT -5
The Ruger med frame isnt the limiting factor here. The cylinder itself is the limiting factor here. If you want to rechamber an exishting cylinder to 45 Colt youll have a 255 x 950 gun using slower powders. Remove some stock from under the top strap and off the table top and build a new larger dia. cylinder and you can make a six shot that will push that 255 up to 1100. Then no reason you cant build a 5 shot from a med. frame Ruger that wont do anything a five shot FA 97 can do.
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Post by AxeHandle on Jul 7, 2009 21:43:26 GMT -5
The 6 shot cylinder in my Clements 44 Special built on an anniversary FT 357 is oversize and stainless... Of course that also means the entire gun got hard chromed... I'll get us some measurements when I get it home....
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Post by nobearsyet on Jul 8, 2009 12:35:01 GMT -5
... push that 255 up to 1100. Then no reason you cant build a 5 shot from a med. frame Ruger that wont do anything a five shot FA 97 can do. Hmmmmmm..............and you do realize I'm reffering to the 3 screws here right? |
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Post by Lee Martin on Jul 8, 2009 12:48:16 GMT -5
Hmmmmmm..............and you do realize I'm reffering to the 3 screws here right? Did you miss the part about opening the frame window and increasing the cylinder diameter? -Lee www.singleactions.com |
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Aggie01
.375 Atomic
max
Posts: 1,779
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Post by Aggie01 on Jul 8, 2009 12:50:10 GMT -5
The cylinder is the weak link.
The mid-frames have essentially the same frame cross section as the full size Rugers.
Bowen has done at least a couple 44 mag 5 shots on mid frames.
I imagine a good rule of thumb is that if it'll handle a 44 mag, it'll handle a Ruger only 45 Colt.
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Post by nobearsyet on Jul 9, 2009 11:32:56 GMT -5
LEE, I didn't miss anything, and Aggie, I'm really wanting to stick with a 6 shot cylinder and was looking at this from more of a what will they take without going to the extra trouble (read expense) of a seperate custom cylinder, I mean how far can you push a 3 screw before something goes? I am planning conversions later down the line to 44 Special, 44-40, 45 Colt, maybe a 480 Achilles (350grn bullet at 45 ACP pressure), maybe a 41 (prefferably of the magnum variety, but I colud live with a 41 Special) and was wondering if there where any other off the shelf options, and how far could those options be pushed before I get myself in hot water. Somebody here has to have tried it.
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Post by AxeHandle on Jul 9, 2009 12:43:31 GMT -5
We routinely see 3 screw 357 cylinders bored to 45 Colt... This does not make a Ruger Only load gun.. This makes a Colt SAA level load gun... Go 41 mag if you want the most power out of the mid frame Ruger without a custom cylinder.... IMHO if you want modern metalurgy to save you buy a FA 97...
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Post by rep1954 on Jul 9, 2009 18:14:55 GMT -5
nobearsyet, A well executed 44 Spl on a med frame Ruger will easily handle a 240 gr. LSWC at 1200 fps with a taylor KO of 17. A 41 Mag medium frame Ruger with a 210 gr LSWC at 1350 fps has a Taylor KO of 16. Correct me if I'm wrong here as I have never had a OM 41 Mag but are they not already on a medium size frame? Wa La works all done if it is but it dont come with the romance one gets with the 44 spl. 44 Spl or 41 Mag either one will give you the most you can get from a OM medium frame 6 shot standard cylinder Ruger in terms of distructive power and in a nice convinant package. I just did a major 45 Colt conversion on the OM medium frame but I was just looking for a relaxing plinking and conversation gun.
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carl
.327 Meteor
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Post by carl on Jul 10, 2009 10:38:59 GMT -5
A 41 Mag medium frame Ruger with a 210 gr LSWC at 1350 fps has a Taylor KO of 16. Correct me if I'm wrong here as I have never had a OM 41 Mag but are they not already on a medium size frame? The ONLY Old Model produced on the "medium frame" was the .357 Flattop and, after July of '62, the .357 Blackhawk with the "protected sight" cylinder frame. The other centerfires were produced on the Super Blackhawk sized cylinder frame. New Models with the "medium frame" include the New Vaquero, 50th Anniv. .357 and the Lipsey's .44 Special chamberings. Carl |
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