DOC,
Back in the 1970's, a well known gun writer, Skeeter SKELTON wrote in SHOOTING TIMES magazine about converting several handguns into his favorite calibers.
He did a conversion of a .32ACP COLT Pocket Hammerless 1903 model, into .380ACP. They were the same gun, except for the caliber specific parts. He was much fonder of the .380ACP round.
He also did an article about converting .357 magnums into the no longer in production (at that time) .44 Special caliber. Both were 6 shot .357 magnums and were based on the S&W N-frame which was the original gun made for the .44 Special cartridge.S&W and RUGER both switched to the .44 magnum, in their large frame guns.
The S&W used was a model 28. The model 28, was the service grade version of the more expensive model 27. It had a duller finish and was priced to sell to police departments.
I think that all Skeeter needed were the parts, for the model 24, which he could still get. The 4 inch .44 barrel on the model 28 frame with a .44 Special cylinder, made for the model 24, would fit perfectly. Otherwise, you could bore out a .357 magnum cylinder. He never reported any trouble with either gun.
A .45ACP n-frame would start with a .45ACP barrel, like the model 1950 or the thicker, heavier 1955 barrel, but need a new shorter .45 ACP cylinder, but S&W is still making these.
Skeeter was trying to get a regular price on the .44 Special revolvers which were already becoming collectors items in the 1970's. He liked the .44 Special model 24, because it was lighter than the .44 magnum, model 29, which he found to heavy to carry when on uniform police work.
Some other gunsmiths did a .44 Special conversion on the RUGER Security Six, using a 5 shot cylinder, but Mas AYOOB reported that one blew up during one of his Lethal Force class he was teaching.
Jim
Back in the 1970's, a well known gun writer, Skeeter SKELTON wrote in SHOOTING TIMES magazine about converting several handguns into his favorite calibers.
He did a conversion of a .32ACP COLT Pocket Hammerless 1903 model, into .380ACP. They were the same gun, except for the caliber specific parts. He was much fonder of the .380ACP round.
He also did an article about converting .357 magnums into the no longer in production (at that time) .44 Special caliber. Both were 6 shot .357 magnums and were based on the S&W N-frame which was the original gun made for the .44 Special cartridge.S&W and RUGER both switched to the .44 magnum, in their large frame guns.
The S&W used was a model 28. The model 28, was the service grade version of the more expensive model 27. It had a duller finish and was priced to sell to police departments.
I think that all Skeeter needed were the parts, for the model 24, which he could still get. The 4 inch .44 barrel on the model 28 frame with a .44 Special cylinder, made for the model 24, would fit perfectly. Otherwise, you could bore out a .357 magnum cylinder. He never reported any trouble with either gun.
A .45ACP n-frame would start with a .45ACP barrel, like the model 1950 or the thicker, heavier 1955 barrel, but need a new shorter .45 ACP cylinder, but S&W is still making these.
Skeeter was trying to get a regular price on the .44 Special revolvers which were already becoming collectors items in the 1970's. He liked the .44 Special model 24, because it was lighter than the .44 magnum, model 29, which he found to heavy to carry when on uniform police work.
Some other gunsmiths did a .44 Special conversion on the RUGER Security Six, using a 5 shot cylinder, but Mas AYOOB reported that one blew up during one of his Lethal Force class he was teaching.
Jim
