Interchangeable handgun
- Thread starter Bezoar
- Start date
Jim Watson
New member
Janz in Germany makes a revolver convertible for various calibers .22 to .454.
Of course you will have to "put down" a good deal of money which seems to be a major obstacle for Internet Inventors.
Of course you will have to "put down" a good deal of money which seems to be a major obstacle for Internet Inventors.
Glocks aren't my favorite..??....
but no, I would not pay for a revolver with interchangeable barrels and cyclinders..../ I have a lot of S&W revolvers....( K, L and N frames )...but I like each of them for what they are.../ I have a nice Freedom Arms in .357 mag and I didn't want the 9mm cyclinder option for that gun either...
one gun that would do everything/ interchangeable calibers.....nope, not for me.... thanks.
but no, I would not pay for a revolver with interchangeable barrels and cyclinders..../ I have a lot of S&W revolvers....( K, L and N frames )...but I like each of them for what they are.../ I have a nice Freedom Arms in .357 mag and I didn't want the 9mm cyclinder option for that gun either...
one gun that would do everything/ interchangeable calibers.....nope, not for me.... thanks.
I wonder...
I wonder if there is enough of a market. All of the pieces are in place and have been for years - Dan Wesson had switchable barrel guns. A number of manufacturers market dual cylinder revolvers......so.....I can't believe that they have not done a market study (which is kinda what this is).
Thompson Center sure hit the jackpot with their switch barrel single shot....so a revolver...???
Pete
I wonder if there is enough of a market. All of the pieces are in place and have been for years - Dan Wesson had switchable barrel guns. A number of manufacturers market dual cylinder revolvers......so.....I can't believe that they have not done a market study (which is kinda what this is).
Thompson Center sure hit the jackpot with their switch barrel single shot....so a revolver...???
Pete
I really don't get the caliber swapping thing. Trading one effective SD caliber for another doesn't seem like something that makes the extra barrel worthwhile. Even if there is an obvious cost difference between calibers, you have to shoot a lot of rounds to make up for the barrel cost.
.22 adapters make more sense, but you can usually buy a .22 pistol for the cost of a .22 adapter.
As far as I can tell, most Magnum revolvers are already very caliber convertible.
.22 adapters make more sense, but you can usually buy a .22 pistol for the cost of a .22 adapter.
As far as I can tell, most Magnum revolvers are already very caliber convertible.
It's easier to have seperate guns because you'd not only have to switch barrels and cylinders, but sights as well.
The guns would have to be built to handle the largest cartridges, so they would be excessively heavy in smaller ones
With varying tolerances it would be very difficult to keep cylinders aligned with the center of the bores, as well as in the proper position for the firing mechanism.
It's simply not worth the expense
The guns would have to be built to handle the largest cartridges, so they would be excessively heavy in smaller ones
With varying tolerances it would be very difficult to keep cylinders aligned with the center of the bores, as well as in the proper position for the firing mechanism.
It's simply not worth the expense
Revolver No!. But they have been around for years and years! 357 Mag & 38 Spl, 41 Spl & 41 Mag, 44 Mag & 44 Spl, 45 Colt & 45 ACP, 45 Colt and 410 Shotgun shells. And that's just in Revolvers, in Semi-Auto's a simple barrel swap will make some 40 S&W into 357 Sig or barrel & mag swap into a 9 mm. The ones I am aware of are Sigs, Glocks, XD's, FNH's & Beretta pistols.
Are you related to Rip Van Winkle?
Jim
And yes, I converted a FNP-40 into a FNP-357 with just a barrel swap. It is not as un-common as you may think.
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While I'm sure there is a market for this sort of thing, I actually own a G19 and G23. I had the G23 first, and I didn't want to just plop the 9mm barrel into it; I actually wanted a separate gun. I'm positive that not everyone is like me though, so I'm sure someone, somewhere would buy it for the right price, of course.
Magnum Wheel Man
New member
I don't normally post on these kinds of threads... but 
so I noticed one post was talking about self defense... I wouldn't think that would be your "market" it would be more for an enthusiast, not someone specifically looking for CCW... ( as mentioned, the frame would have to be sized to fit the largest cartridge intended ) ... & as Thompson Center found out... yep the frame is too small for that cartridge, gotta make a bigger one... ooops... the parts from one don't interchange with the other...
also cost is another issue ( unless we lose our gun rights, & need to cut down on "actual" guns ) the cost of extra swap parts must be less than the cost of another gun... often on "premium custom weapons" there is a much larger cost than for production runs from the same manufacturer... just for example, lets say S&W was going to do this ( they already own Thompson Center ) a Performance Center ala Dan Wesson style revolver with 3 cylinders & 3 different barrels, would likely cost more than 3 standard S&W revolvers... also take into account the complexity of double actions, verse single actions... most revolvers with extra cylinders are single actions... so to do this with double actions, would command a premium price, & thus prove my point on buying production guns...
with semi autos, Desert Eagle has done this, the reason being for the 50 A.E. ( with it's rebated rim ) was so it would work with the bolt from a 44 magnum
so I noticed one post was talking about self defense... I wouldn't think that would be your "market" it would be more for an enthusiast, not someone specifically looking for CCW... ( as mentioned, the frame would have to be sized to fit the largest cartridge intended ) ... & as Thompson Center found out... yep the frame is too small for that cartridge, gotta make a bigger one... ooops... the parts from one don't interchange with the other...
also cost is another issue ( unless we lose our gun rights, & need to cut down on "actual" guns ) the cost of extra swap parts must be less than the cost of another gun... often on "premium custom weapons" there is a much larger cost than for production runs from the same manufacturer... just for example, lets say S&W was going to do this ( they already own Thompson Center ) a Performance Center ala Dan Wesson style revolver with 3 cylinders & 3 different barrels, would likely cost more than 3 standard S&W revolvers... also take into account the complexity of double actions, verse single actions... most revolvers with extra cylinders are single actions... so to do this with double actions, would command a premium price, & thus prove my point on buying production guns...
with semi autos, Desert Eagle has done this, the reason being for the 50 A.E. ( with it's rebated rim ) was so it would work with the bolt from a 44 magnum
g.willikers
New member
The timing issues, with different calibers and size cylinders, would be a hassle.
Multi caliber guns and conversions seem to only make sense in places that severely limit the number of guns one may own.
Or make it difficult to get additional ones.
And we have such places, right here in the formerly good old USA, come to think
Multi caliber guns and conversions seem to only make sense in places that severely limit the number of guns one may own.
Or make it difficult to get additional ones.
And we have such places, right here in the formerly good old USA, come to think
Maybe you should tell us what you think this is going to accomplish / or why you think this is a good idea .......??
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a. do you think people only want one gun...( I won't even restrict myself to one S&W revolver per caliber - let alone barrel length, etc...) ....
b. is saving money the goal - for some reason ...
c. performance issues...do you think it solves something...
d. is a Dan Wesson revolver - supposed to be a standard for something ...
e. do you think typical revolvers, from S&W as an example, are too expensive...
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a. do you think people only want one gun...( I won't even restrict myself to one S&W revolver per caliber - let alone barrel length, etc...) ....
b. is saving money the goal - for some reason ...
c. performance issues...do you think it solves something...
d. is a Dan Wesson revolver - supposed to be a standard for something ...
e. do you think typical revolvers, from S&W as an example, are too expensive...
Is an SW to expensive? well yes and no. I cant get a brand new or even a used sw for the prices you guys can. A worn out 38 special j frame made in 1968 is priced at the CURRENT MSRP for that same model and caliber.
How many here are willing to pay 800 dollars for a jframe made in 1968 thats just a few boxes of ammunition from needing a complete rebuild at the sw custom shop?
Why should the cylinder length change at all? is the cylinder length of your .357 "el patron" shorter then the cylinder of your .45 colt "el patron"?
How many here are willing to pay 800 dollars for a jframe made in 1968 thats just a few boxes of ammunition from needing a complete rebuild at the sw custom shop?
Why should the cylinder length change at all? is the cylinder length of your .357 "el patron" shorter then the cylinder of your .45 colt "el patron"?
chris in va
New member
EAA/Tanfoglio Witness.
9mm, 40, 45, 10mm, 22.
9mm, 40, 45, 10mm, 22.
I can think of dozens of reasons why such a gun would be totally impractical or extremely expensive (I am talking thousands of dollars, not hundreds). But "great ideas" don't sell. All I can say is, raise the capital, make a working model, then peddle it around to the gun companies, or tool up to make and sell it yourself.
IMHO, this is another case showing that just because someone can think of something doesn't mean that it would be practical to manufacture or profitable to sell.
Jim
IMHO, this is another case showing that just because someone can think of something doesn't mean that it would be practical to manufacture or profitable to sell.
Jim
Most people found the Dan wesson barrel swap was too much hassle and simply kept one barrel installed. Its why itsnot tooo uncommon to find those online with just one barrel.
Timing issues makes me laugh hard. Look at all the revolvers made in the 1800s. Very little work is needed to make a cylinder from one peace maker work in the frame of another peacemaker. Same with percussion revolvers.
Just because its labelled DA/SA revolver with a swingout cylinder, doesnt mean the complexity or cost of manufacturing go up.
Timing issues makes me laugh hard. Look at all the revolvers made in the 1800s. Very little work is needed to make a cylinder from one peace maker work in the frame of another peacemaker. Same with percussion revolvers.
Just because its labelled DA/SA revolver with a swingout cylinder, doesnt mean the complexity or cost of manufacturing go up.
g.willikers
New member
Swapping cylinders of the same caliber and diameter, with the lock notches in the same place, and using the same barrel is one thing.
Caliber changes for a revolver are quite another.
But maybe there's a way to simplify.
How about one cylinder with inserts for different calibers?
And barrels would all be of the two piece design, with the sights on the outer part?
Caliber changes for a revolver are quite another.
But maybe there's a way to simplify.
How about one cylinder with inserts for different calibers?
And barrels would all be of the two piece design, with the sights on the outer part?