Single six to 44 special ....?

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Sure, if you replace the frame, barrel and cylinder with appropriately sized components. Then it would be called a "Super Blackhawk".

As a practical matter, no.
 
The lockwork would need to be changed as well. A gun timed for 6 shots won't lockup correctly with a 5 shot cylinder.
 
Nope. The largest cartridge an Old Model Single Six can be converted to is a five-shot .41Spl. Which is basically a .41Mag trimmed to .44Spl length. The largest cartridge a New Model Single Six can be converted to is the .38Spl. This being due to the transfer bar channel in the frame limiting how much the loading port can be opened up. Either conversion is more expensive than a five-shot .475 or .500 conversion on a large frame gun. Expect at least $2500 for the conversion alone. David Clements has done them but may no longer offer the service due to the work involved. Alan Harton and John Gallagher are two I know will do this work. Many won't tackle it.
 
The problem with putting a 5 shot cylinder in an Old Model Ruger is that conventional wisdom will make it a 4-shooter. Either carry it with an empty chamber under the hammer or depend on the quarter cock.

A friend has a 5x.38 OM Single Six and it is a real cutie, but of limited utility.

I'd rather round up a .32 H&R Ruger. If I wanted more zip, I'd have it converted to .327.


John Gallagher said he was leery of a .38 NM SS because of the risk of cutting into the hammer block channel. But would not mind making a 9mm. Hmm.
 
Emmmm?

They made them in 5 & 6 shot versions.

But the two cylinders were not interchangable in the same gun.

rc
 
The cylinder from my S&W 686 dropped in and timed up on my 686+.
Six or seven shots, it didn't care.
But when I had S&W make the change permanent with a new 6 shot cylinder, they replaced the hand.
S&W doesn't time like Colt. I don't know about Ruger.
 
There is much internal work to be done to convert an Old Model to a five-shot. Which is one reason why Clements won't do any more. They're more work than a big bore.
 
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