g.willikers
New member
It's just in the nature of the beast.
If it's possible, just like Mr. Keith, ya' just gotta' try.
Like land speed records or breaking the sound barrier.
357 Blackhawk
- Thread starter kcub
- Start date
If it's possible, just like Mr. Keith, ya' just gotta' try.
Like land speed records or breaking the sound barrier.
If you buy a large-frame Blackhawk in 357, get one with a second factory cylinder in 9mm. You then mail the cylinder to Gary Reader who reams it to 356GNR - a necked-down semi-wildcat 41Magnum shell firing .357 projectiles. You also need reloading dies and Gary's spec sheet on reloading it.
The frame and barrel need no mods. The original .357Mag cylinder will still work and you can swap between cylinders whenever you want. A locking base pin is recommended
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356GNR ballistics are very similar to the 357Max but in a standard-length frame and cylinder. This is really what Ruger should have done with the Max from the beginning and had they done so it would have been insanely popular.
The frame and barrel need no mods. The original .357Mag cylinder will still work and you can swap between cylinders whenever you want. A locking base pin is recommended
.356GNR ballistics are very similar to the 357Max but in a standard-length frame and cylinder. This is really what Ruger should have done with the Max from the beginning and had they done so it would have been insanely popular.
356 GNR, shown here on the left. On the right is the standard factory 357 magnum. This cartridge is a necked down 41 magnum and gives the 357 bullet as much energy as a 44 magnum. Simple to load and no backing out in the cylinder makes the 356 GNR an excellent revolver cartridge for medium sized game. A 125 grain jhp will do almost 2100 fps.
Cool! but it sounds like a lot of (continuous) effort
I was handling my 357 Colt SAA and a 45 Colt SAA both with cavalry 7.5" barrels. That 357 is quite a bit heavier, thicker steel in the cylinder and barrel.
I have mammoth ivory grips I was cautioned not to shoot magnums with, do you think it would be ok? For the grips, I know the gun can take it.
I have mammoth ivory grips I was cautioned not to shoot magnums with, do you think it would be ok? For the grips, I know the gun can take it.
.357-44 B&D, .357 GNR; there is a third option. Get a frame-filling, unchambered Blackhawk cylinder (available from various sources) and chamber it for the .360 Dan Wesson. This is the .357 Maximum shortened to 1.415". Velocities with 140 and 158gr bullets will approach .357 Maximum velocities.Brass is available from Starline.
Actually, the ticket to a hot-rod .357 isn't the Ruger Blackhawk, but the Redhawk. It can be rechambered for the .360 DW and loaded to original .357 Maximum (48-50 kpsi) pressures. The result is a cartridge that surpasses even the .353 Casull. If single actions are your thing, look to a rechambered and rebarreled .22 Hornet BFR.
Actually, the ticket to a hot-rod .357 isn't the Ruger Blackhawk, but the Redhawk. It can be rechambered for the .360 DW and loaded to original .357 Maximum (48-50 kpsi) pressures. The result is a cartridge that surpasses even the .353 Casull. If single actions are your thing, look to a rechambered and rebarreled .22 Hornet BFR.
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Thought I would Weigh In...
It is true that the 45 Colt cartridge can be "souped up" to 44 mag levels. But why? To me it's like putting one-ton springs on a half-ton pickup and using it for one-ton level tasks. The frame, tranny, and axles aren't up to it, and probably not the engine, either. Likewise, 44 mag guns are built from the ground up to be what they are, do what they were intended to do. In most 45 Colt revolvers (except for Rugers), the frames are lighter, the springs are lighter, the barrels are usually thinner, and the cylinder walls are thinner.
Years ago a friend of mine hot-loaded 45 Colt ammo that he could barely hang onto his 4" Blackhawk with both hands and were punishing to shoot in his Winchester Model 94 Trapper. I bought those guns from him. The Winchester had to be rebuilt, the damage was so heavy, but, as you might guess, the Ruger was as tight as new.
It is true that the 45 Colt cartridge can be "souped up" to 44 mag levels. But why? To me it's like putting one-ton springs on a half-ton pickup and using it for one-ton level tasks. The frame, tranny, and axles aren't up to it, and probably not the engine, either. Likewise, 44 mag guns are built from the ground up to be what they are, do what they were intended to do. In most 45 Colt revolvers (except for Rugers), the frames are lighter, the springs are lighter, the barrels are usually thinner, and the cylinder walls are thinner.
Years ago a friend of mine hot-loaded 45 Colt ammo that he could barely hang onto his 4" Blackhawk with both hands and were punishing to shoot in his Winchester Model 94 Trapper. I bought those guns from him. The Winchester had to be rebuilt, the damage was so heavy, but, as you might guess, the Ruger was as tight as new.
I have always been of the opinion that it was done to promote its use in smaller guns. One simply cannot shoot (or shoot for very long) the original 1935 load levels in K frame size guns. And don't even think about it in smaller J frame size guns, no matter what the factory says they are rated for.
Even if the GUN can take it, your hands (and your nervous system) are another matter.
45 Dragoon
New member
ElVaquero,
You answered your own question. In your scenario, the Ruger is the 1 ton truck. Everyone agrees and even you said it's up to it so . . . . . what's wrong with hot rodding some .45s and having some fun hualing a "ton" instead of a "half ton".
Besides, it's fun to have a versatile six shooter instead of a gun for every different setup you want to shoot. I have a .45 acp cyl for my El Patron Comp and it's fun to be able to switch but, shooting hot 45s and reg. 45s from the same cyl/same gun is akin to shooting 44 spl in a 44 mag minus the chambering length difference. See, actually makes more sense when you think about it!!
Mike
www.goonsgunworks.com
Follow me on Instagram @ goonsgunworks
You answered your own question. In your scenario, the Ruger is the 1 ton truck. Everyone agrees and even you said it's up to it so . . . . . what's wrong with hot rodding some .45s and having some fun hualing a "ton" instead of a "half ton".
Besides, it's fun to have a versatile six shooter instead of a gun for every different setup you want to shoot. I have a .45 acp cyl for my El Patron Comp and it's fun to be able to switch but, shooting hot 45s and reg. 45s from the same cyl/same gun is akin to shooting 44 spl in a 44 mag minus the chambering length difference. See, actually makes more sense when you think about it!!
Mike
www.goonsgunworks.com
Follow me on Instagram @ goonsgunworks