Handguns that fire multiple forms of ammo

[Enter_Narne]

Hi, just doing a little research. I'm trying to find handguns that can use multiple forms of ammo without having to swap out barrels or changing any of the internal mechanics of the firearm.

I know a .357 Magnum revolver can fire .357 Magnum rounds and .38 Specials. I didn't know until yesterday that the same .357 Magnum revolver can also fire 9mm Luger Parabellum rimless rounds (used in 9mm semi-automatics) with the use of moon clips.

I assume a .22 Magnum revolver can fire other forms of .22. Is this true?

Can the Sig Trailside Target pistol fire other forms of .22 rounds? I know it's designed for the .22lr, but can if fire others?

Can you suggest other handguns that can fire multiple forms of bullets?

Ideally I'd like to know if there are handguns out there that are specifically designed by it's manufacturer to fire multiple forms of ammo. I'd also like to find out if there are handguns out there that can be modified by a gunsmith to use multiple forms of ammo.

Thanks

 

[bensdad]

I'm not an expert, so hopefully others will post with definite info, but I've never heard that you can shoot any 9mm out of a 357.

I would not shoot .22lr out of a .22mag. If it were safe and o.k. then the Rough Rider would not have to come with two wheels. It does, so I wouldn't.

Don't do any of this (mixing of ammo) until you know for sure. Hearing it from a dude at the gun store does not constitute knowing for sure. Either check with the manufacturer or get a strong consensus on this board from people with zillions of posts. See how many posts I have? See how I'm not making recommendations other than "be careful"?

 

[MikeRussell]

S&W 610 (revolver) is chambered in 10mm, but can also fire .40smith.
Any .44Mag revolver can shoot .44special, and I believe revolvers that shoot .44special can shoot .44Russian.

 

[Enter_Narne]

Thanks for the info and words of caution. I'm fully aware of checking with manufacturers. I have no intention of firing ammo that is not designed for firearms. Safety is my first concern when dealing with firearms. I'm just doing a mental scavenger hunt for multiple ammo firearms.

 

[Enter_Narne]

How difficult is it to swap out the cylinders on the Ruger Single Six? What is the process?

 

[Sunray]

"...with the use of moon clips..." Not with any accuracy and you'd have headspace issues.
"...can it fire others..." Not and cycle the action. You'd get lube gunk in the chamber too if you fire shorts or longs. Shorter ammo wouldn't feed reliably out of the mag either.

 

[kingpin008]

Enter - I think what you might have been told about 9mm through a .357 is a bit skewed, as I've never heard of it being possible, wth or without moon clips. It seems to me that even if you were able to fire the rounds, the bullet would smash against the forcing cone of the revolver and do very, very bad things.

However - Ruger sells revolvers (the Single Six being one of them) that have swappable barrels, in different calibers. One of them is a .357/9mm combo. Each cylinder is seperate, and you can't fire .357 in the 9mm and vice versa, but you can swap the barrels and shoot away. That way you have a revolver that is capable of shooting .357, .38 Special, and 9mm. Not a bad value, as long as you don't mind it being single action only.

 

[lee n. field]

Hi, just doing a little research. I'm trying to find handguns that can use multiple forms of ammo without having to swap out barrels or changing any of the internal mechanics of the firearm.

Any .357 Revolver can also shoot .38 Special. Any .44 Magnum revolver can also shoot .44 Special. Any .22LR revolver will also shoot .22 Short and .22 CB caps. .32H&R Magnum + .32 Special. There's probably others I can't think of now.

Autoloaders are going to be iffy, on account of feeding and extraction issues.

There's an obsolete Astra autoloader that will shoot several kinds of 9mm diameter autoloader ammo. Headspaces on the extractor, is my understanding.

 

[tsidorus]

32 h&r Mag > 32 long
38 long colt > 38 spec > 357 mag

good luck finding the XX long rounds

44 russian, 44 special 44 mag (already pointed out)

460s&w, 454 Casull , 45 colt

22 short, long and longrifle (assuming it will feed) can be used interchangeably

22 mag cannot

the std 22s are a taper heeled bullet meaning the bullet is flush with the case when loaded. The 22 mags case is slightly larger like most ammo and has a small lip. You may be able to get a lr to go off in a 22mag but the case is most definitely undersized and asking for trouble

that's all I know about, im sure there are more but just cause it fits doent mean its a good idea (ie 380 in 9x18mak or 38super in 38 spec)

-Tsi

forgot to add... get an encore/contender and swap the barrel to shoot anything you want...

 

[Enter_Narne]

tsidorus,
Are you saying that a .357 Magnum revolver will shoot a 38 Long Colt round also... if I can find them?

 

[tsidorus]

yes but they are going to be way more expensive then the 38 specials...
kinda novel but not practical, Just buy some 38spec target/cowboy loads and be happy or better yet start reloading and use a starting load of bullseye/unique/insert favorite pistol powder for some really tame rounds...

-tsi

 

[Quiet]

Phillips & Rodgers/CADCO Medusa Model 47

It could fire any .355 cailber bullet.
Such as...
.380 ACP, .380 Revolver, 9x18mm Ultra, 9mm Browning Patronen (long), 9mm Glisenti, 9mm Largo, 9mm Long, 9mm Luger/Parabellum, 9mm Mauser, 9mm Steyr, 9mm Win Mag, .38 ACP, .38 Colt Super, .38 Long Colt, .38 Short Colt, .38 S&W, .38 Special, .357 Magnum.

www.popularmechanics.com/outdoors/sports/1277301.html
www.obscure-reference.com/guns/medusa/index.html

Last I heard it was no longer in production and the desgin may have been sold to S&W. If you search hard enough you may find "used" Medusa Model 47s in the $500-1400 range.

 

[tsidorus]

now that is cool, that thing just jumped to the top of my want list...

 

[raginrednek]

ruger used to offer a blackhawk with 357/38 cylinder, and a 9mm cylinder.
they also offered a 45 long colt with a 45 acp cylinder.
if you can find some 45 auto-rim cartridges, they are 45acp with a rim and will work in 45 long colt gun. they are scarce.

 

[armoredman]

The Medusa was sold to Colt, was produced for about 30 seconds as as the Colt Survivor. Now it sits locked away, patent paid for. Medusas must be going for a fortune, now, if you can find one.

 

[shu]

and...... 45 Schofield in a 45 Colt.

 

[IA_farmboy]

Enter_Narne,
The closest I've seen to what you want are some Ruger revolvers that have two cylinders. The ones I saw were 9mm/.357, .45Colt/.45Auto, and .22LR/.22WMR. I do remember seeing a .45Colt revolver with a very long cylinder so that it could also fire .410 shotgun shells. I'm not sure why someone would want a snub nose .410 but they are out there.

Oh, one more thing, it seems the process of changing the cylinders on the Ruger revolvers is a simple process requiring no tools and takes only seconds to perform. Makes me almost want to buy one.

Shoot safely everyone, and have a great day.

 

[shooter1]

I didn't know until yesterday that the same .357 Magnum revolver can also fire 9mm Luger Parabellum rimless rounds (used in 9mm semi-automatics) with the use of moon clips.


NO!! The 9 x19 cartridge will not fit in a .38/357 chamber. The 9mm case is about .012 larger dia. at the web than the .38/.357.
To fire the 9mm in the .38/.357 would require a cylinder bored for the 9mm.

As a safety issue, it is wise to use only the ammunition that a gun is chambered for. FWIW, a .600 nitro express fits the chamber of a 20ga shotgun, but they are sure as hell not interchangeable! Be careful out there guys!!
str1

 

[campbell]

What shooter1 said, .357 cylinders need to be rechambered to shoot 9x19.

The Ruger Super Redhawks in .454 will shoot .454 and .45 Colt, and you can have them machined for moon clips for about 80 bucks and shoot .45 ACP as well.

 

[Enter_Narne]

So a person wouldn't even be able to get a 9mm bullet in a .357 Magnum revolver's cylinder to fire it unless it is a bored for 9mm. If you did have a cylinder bored for 9mm would you be able to fire .357 Magnums bullets with it? I assume you can't. I would think the .357 bullets would have a lot of play in the cylinder.

 

[kingpin008]

Enter - The rim of the .357 would likely prevent the round from, say, falling through the 9mm cylinder, but even if they did, the case expansion the extra room in the cylinder would allow would probably cause some serious issues.

That, and the fact that if you had a cylinder specifically meant for 9mm cartridges, the .357 would be too long to even close the cylinder.

 

[mgregg85]

I doubt many people have a .38 S&W but it will take the british .380 webley mark II. I think the .38/200 is the same thing just a different name but it will also accept that. I inherited a HR Model 925 in .38 S&W and have spent many hours wishing that it was just a .38 special for ease of finding ammunition.

 

[MPanova]

You can also get the Taurus "Judge" which shoots the .45 long colt and the .410 shot shells

On a side note. I have shot 45gap through my Taurus 24/7 .45acp. It is not something I would recommend but I wanted to see just how tight the tolerances where on the pistol and whether it would function with the shorter GAP round. I functioned 100% with all 50 GAP rounds I tried. Again its not recommended by the manufacture nor am I saying anyone else should try it,

 

[Alphazulu6]

Just buy a glock 22 and you can switch out barrels for 9mm and .357 Sig

 

[GunTech]

The most idotic thing I ever did was sell my very early medusa. It was one of the S&W conversion guns. If I knew then what I know now!!!

Be warned, if you use a have a medusa, you will not be reloading any of the brass.