5.7x28mm revolver conversion?

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R.W.Dale said:
Regardless of rim configuration bottleneck = case setback
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Thanks Dale.

I think I can grasp what is being said here, but after a little research, I think I've become even more confused. The image below shows an factory, unmolested 5.7x28 cartridge on the right, and a mystery .224 revolver cartridge on the left. What's intriguing here, is that the rimmed cartridge shown, apparently doesn't have the setback problems alleged here (at least it hasn't been mention in any reviews I've read). Otherwise, they probably wouldn't be selling a revolver chambered for this round in the first place.

* Both shown are 'necked' cases.
* Both are straight-wall cases.
* Both share almost identical ballistics.
* Both are .224".

So why one and not the other?

2w1xmap.png
 
If its a bottleneck cartridge in a revolver it HAS setback issues unless its a very low pressure low performance round

What makes you assume the cartridge on the left is a revolver round?

Looks like a K hornet to me

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a mystery .224 revolver cartridge on the left.
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If it is unidentified, how do you know it is a revolver cartridge?

Looks an awful lot like a .22 Super-Jet wildcat to me.
It was developed by Dan Cotterman in 1962.

Based on a necked down .357 revolver case, but for use in single-shot varmint rifles.

rc
 
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Silverlugs said:
http://www.gunblast.com/Freedom97-224-32.htm
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Two facts to keep in mind

A freedom arms is the utmost pinnacle of precisely made revolvers. If they made watches a Rolex would look like a Timex in comparison.

Second you're reading a gun media article. At best they didn't shoot or handle the gun long enough to see all issues. At worst serious faults get glossed over or not mentioned.

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http://www.go2gbo.com/forums/index.php/topic,161193.0.html

(post #6, about page down) I assume Bob Baker is the FA CEO and developer of the .224-32 cartridge.

"Earlier this week we tested 3 new unfired revolvers just to verify the case forming and loading process. 60 cases were fired 5 times each using different powders, primers and bullets. We didn’t loose a single case or have any extraction or rotational binding problems." Bob Baker
 
Two facts to keep in mind

A freedom arms is the utmost pinnacle of precisely made revolvers.
Click to expand...
Until you handle one, this statement doesn't sink in. They really are works of art. Precision instruments.
 
Silverlugs said:
http://www.go2gbo.com/forums/index.php/topic,161193.0.html

(post #6, about page down) I assume Bob Baker is the FA CEO and developer of the .224-32 cartridge.

"Earlier this week we tested 3 new unfired revolvers just to verify the case forming and loading process. 60 cases were fired 5 times each using different powders, primers and bullets. We didn’t loose a single case or have any extraction or rotational binding problems." Bob Baker
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they're swabbing the cylinder bores with some kind of solvent too then. I'll bet ya I'll bet ya. That statement tells me they know about the binding issues of such revolver cartridges in advance.

Of course being so well made, square, seamless and smooth a FA revolver may just not give setback cases anything to bind on. But again my 30-30 revolver would if I didn't punch the bores with solvent.
 
BCRider said:
Could it be that the shoulders on these rounds are so small that there just isn't enough metal to move far enough to cause a binding issue? These ARE really small cartridges after all.
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Do you want to spend a couple grand on a conversion to be the first to answer that question?

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The Harvey Kay-chuk seemed to work, perhaps because it had no more shoulder than the 5.7. I think of the 5.7 as a Rimless Hornet although the dimensions are not really the same.

There were some revolvers chambered in .218 Bee that were reported to work ok. Single actions with Christy barrels and cylinders, as I recall.

The OP glosses over the matter of extraction, which is not trivial in the DA revolvers he refers to. A single action would not care.

Like most Internet Projects, this one runs up against the hard facts of economics and priorities. The conversion could be done IF
1. You didn't mind the expense, which would be considerable.
2. You didn't mind the risk of it having setback and becoming an annoyance to deal with.
3. You could find a competent gunsmith who would be willing to put the time into it at risk of having his name attached to a flop if it didn't work.
 
Remember the old 44/357 bobcat round? they got around the setback issue with a pressed-on plastic collar that made the neck the same diameter as the case. It was developed for the Ruger blackhawk convertible as something to do with the 9mm cylinder. It was a pretty hot number, too. I almost did it with my pistol, but didn't want to get into reloading at the time. I'm sure something similar would work here, but the cost...
 
As does the 32-20 WCF, 38-40 WCF & .44-40 WCF.

But I have not seen a 25-20 WCF chambered revolver.
They are loaded to 28,000 CUP.

But none of the four are loaded to 50,000 PSI like the 5.7x28 is so shoulder set-back is not that severe..

rc
 
ok i have this Tarus Raging Hornet.....hornet is bottle necked and it works just fine...i shoot some loads as high as 43k pressure.....it has never locked up?

S3010329.jpg
 
rcmodel said:
As does the 32-20 WCF, 38-40 WCF & .44-40 WCF.

But I have not seen a 25-20 WCF chambered revolver.
They are loaded to 28,000 CUP.

But none of the four are loaded to 50,000 PSI like the 5.7x28 is so shoulder set-back is not that severe..

rc
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Agreed... But, there seems to be folks here that say the cyl. will lock up even on lower pressure cartridges.

Also that the idea is to replace the 22WMR with something similar that's reloadable. 25/20 works very good in a revolver, and will fill the bill.

DM
 
Compare the .22 Hornet's slight 5 degree 38 minute shoulder angle to the 5.7x28's sharp 35 degree shoulder angle.

Like the WCF series mentioned earlier, the Hornet shoulder angle is so slight, set-back is not nearly the problem it would be with the 5.7x28.

rc
 
25/20 works very good in a revolver
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Again, I am not familiar with any 25-20 WCF revolver ever being made commercially.

Colt supposedly made one protype and gave up.

Not thinking of 32-20 WCF revolvers are you?

rc
 
rcmodel said:
Again, I am not familiar with any 25-20 WCF revolver ever being made commercially.

Colt supposedly made one protype and gave up.

Not thinking of 32-20 WCF revolvers are you?

rc
Click to expand...

No, i'm not thinking about the 32-20, the OP is considering a "custom" and there have been more than a few 25/20 revolvers built. I'll politely add, just because you haven't seen one, doesn't mean they don't exist...

The 25-20 makes a nice revolver cartridge, you just have to choose your bullets wisely, as pointed ones make for long cartridges.

DM
 
I recently ran across reference to a .257 magnum revolver cartridge, which is made by tapering a .357 to .25 cal. I have no idea if it has any inherent problems with setback...
 
That would be a .256 Winchester Magnum.
Neither Colt nor Ruger could make it fly in a revolver. Ruger put it in the odd Hawkeye single shot and Marlin made some rifles. Not a bad round but it did not do what they wanted it to.
 
Well, you don't see Hornady reinventing it and calling it the .257 Federal.
And Ruger making revolvers for it do you? :D

rc
 
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