Any conversion kits for reliable snubbies?

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Jabr0ney

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Im going to be turning 21 soon and im pretty much set on something like an LCR or a 642, but because of .38sp ammo costing so much, im not going to be able to get in nearly as much practice as i want to get.

Im wondering if there are conversion kits for any guns similar to these in size that can easily convert to a .22 for practicing, then back to a .38 (or any other suitable caliber) for when i carry. Im even almost considering a Bond Arms Derringer because i could carry an extremely large caliber such as a .45 or even shot shells, but then i can buy a .22 barrel for it that easily switches out when im at the range. I know derringers aren't the most desirable choice of cc weapon, but id rather have something ive practiced a lot with.

And once again im only turning 21, so money isn't to disposable for me. Im trying to stay under the $400-$450 mark

Any input is appreciated! Thanks
 
keep checking the used gun(junker) tables at the gun shows.i see a lot of rough looking guns with good solid actions and decent prices. with patience you could buy two guns and still stay in budget. combined price on my main carry charter arms and my "drop in pocket" mousegun was under $200. just get as much info as you can on the older guns and remember RG is German for crap
 
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When I was your age, I'd already been reloading rifle ammo since the age of 10 with my grandpa and knew the procedures. I had a Lee hand tool, I think I gave well under 20 bucks for. I even used it in speech class to give a "demonstration" speech. :D Not sure now days what they'd run, but I see used ones all the time at gun shows. That got me through living in apartments and such until I graduated, bought a home, and had a more permanent place for my presses. I also got into casting initially to save money. I also got into black powder with a cheap '51 Navy replica.

For your purposes, I'd get an inexpensive, portable type set up, probably Lee, maybe the hand press and dies or a classic hand loading kit like I've still got out in the shop. It's slow, but it loads decent ammo for cheap.

A reasonable quality .22 revolver is a good thing to have, but not that inexpensive.

Look around at www.midwayusa.com

Mmm, edit, they still sell it. :D

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/default.aspx?productNumber=459280
 
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ive considered reloading ammo, but im pretty sure my local gun ranges only allow factory ammo, but then again they dont check so im sure i could just bring it in a bag.

Also, do you really save a significant amount reloading?
 
Adapters to change centerfire revolvers to rimfire aren't going to be worth fooling with, if you can even find them.

Almost regardless of how much you might practice with one, a derringer is a really sub-optimal gun. Better than nothing, but there are MANY better cost-effective options out there.

It is possible that your local ranges are requring factory ammo, but that would seem to indicate you're only looking at commercial ranges. You'll spend nearly as much to shoot at many of them as you will on ammo. Consider looking around for a shooting club with reasonable fees. Don't know where you are, but in many parts of the country a good (or GREAT) club might cost you less than $100/year (mine's $55/year) in dues which would be less than the cost of five boxes of ammo.

Just suggesting this because it might be a way to save enough money to make a big difference in your shooting budget.

Reloading can save you money, if you shoot enough to make it worth your while. The less you spend on the equipment (like for a lee hand press) the more time investment you'll face to make any quantity of ammo. You could spend less than $200 on a lee single-stage press kit and some componants and have something that would probably serve you well for years without necessarily becoming a chore you don't enjoy. (The hand press might.) Reloading is worth the effort, but if you're this new at this, it's kind of a lot to jump into.

Now, saving up for a few months to buy a used Ruger Mk II or other quality .22 handgun to learn and practice with would be a really sound idea.
 
I save a lot. If you buy commercial cast bullets, with the powder and primers, not including brass (lasts nearly forever with light .38 loads and is readily available) about 8 bucks a box is the MOST you'll pay. I cast with free lead I dig out of the backstop at the range now days, private club, I can do that. I pay around 2 bucks a box of 50. I've got enough brass hoarded I doubt I'll ever have to buy anymore, but I pick up once fired now and then when I come across it for a good price. I load for multiple calibers. .45 Colt really pays over factory ammo. I load on progressives for the most part and I have hot loads for hunting and such. I can't remember the last box of factory .38 I've bought, think it was a box of Federal Nyclad I found on sale and bought to test. It wasn't worth a toot for accuracy, so I went back to my handloads. Some will call me an idiot for carrying handloads, but I trust mine more than i trust the factory and I think they read too many Mas Ayoob articles. :D I live in Texas. We're more free than the north east. :D

But, that's another subject. Anyone posts on this subject, I won't reply. You won't change my mind so don't bother. But, for practice ammo, the only ammo you should load with that Lee hand tool, you can really do it on the cheap even if you DON'T cast. Search out deals on bulk bullets. Gun shows are a good place to look and there are commercial manufacturers. I like wadcutters for practice. That Lee tool scoop, I used to load with green dot (one of the choices with that kit) and loaded 158 SWCs. Anyway, way cheaper than buying another gun and it'll get you into another hobby, assuming you WANT another hobby. :D
 
If your primary concern is ammo cost you can use Air cartridges - http://www.me-sportwaffen.de/dispitem_092.php?item_no=320227. They use .177 or .22 cal. airgun pellets. But, without trying to start a war here, it's advisable to train with the weapon and ammo you intend to carry. For learning shooting essentials any cheap air-pistol with decent trigger is OK. You can't go any cheaper than this and you can shoot in your house.

Boris
 
Ive checked around and there arent any clubs, just ranges. None of them allow reloaded ammo. The best deal ive seen is a Shoot Straight and its 225 a year.

So aside from reloading, my best bet is probably just getting a .22 thats similar to my CC
 
Those cartridge length .45/22 gizmos are worthless except for firing .22 blanks. Hitting anything except the ground is purely random.

Buy a decent .22 revolver, have fun learning at low cost, and save up for a center fire.

Jim
 
Too bad your local range doesn't allow reloads.

When I was a young fellow, and I wanted to shoot more for less, and was about as broke as I could have been, I bought a "Lee Loader" to reload 38's.

You can still buy them. Back then they cost about ten bucks, today they're closer to $50.00 I suppose. I had to buy a few other little hand tools that made the job easier, but even buying those I suspect you could get everything you need for less than $100.00. Case lube pad, Lee-Auto primer, chamfer tool, case trimmer and lock stud...and a plastic mallet. You didn't really NEED any of the extra's, they just made things easier and a little faster.

I spent hours reloading a couple of boxes of 38 brass over and over. It wasn't fast, but it was inexpensive and it worked.
 
Too bad your local range doesn't allow reloads.
Click to expand...
Properly done reloads, packed back in empty factory box's, are indistinguishable from the factory loads that came in the boxes.

I'd challenge any range to ID my reloads as reloads, if I didn't tell them they were reloads.

rc
 
I agree about the whole reloads thing at the range-- What difference would it make whether you shot reloads or factory ammo. This of course being said with the understanding you are well versed in reloading and took your time and were careful. I have seen failures with factory ammo so the whole reload Vs. factory ammo is a mute point. Now onto reloading being cheap? Gear costs. So do primers, powder, bullets etc. I have enough brass to last me to my "golden years" and probably just as much lead (about 18-19 5 gallon buckets of Wheel Weights). Having said that, I will say this...I can shoot .38 special and .32 S&W-L with my cast bullets cheaper than I can shoot .22LR. I have done the math. A box of 50 quality .22LR ammo is about $2.50 and up. Not talking Remington bulk (Thunderduds=junk) ammo or other ammo of equally dubious quality, I am talking about quality ammo. It creeps up from there for "better" ammo when you get into the Green Tag, Match, Super Match, Target etc.
 
Most rental ranges I've used want only factory ammo they sell in the guns you rent and don't care what you run in your own gun.

But I think you'll be better served by buying a used beat-up .22 revolver that somewhat replicated the one you intend to carry, and getting away from the commercial range to a gun/conservation/hunting/IDPA/CASS club with a range. Mine runs $75/year for a 100yard outdoor range I can use whenever there's daylight and a 50yard indoor range I can use 24/7/365 ... I just have to drag a table to the desired firing-line distance on either and work around scheduled events. Considering that I could spend $75 on range fees and a rental gun or three in one trip, I think my club is a bargain ... in fact I like it so much that I maintain a membership for the wife even though she could just use the club on my membership.
 
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