Help with multi-caliber guns

[Nickotym]

I know i have seen it somewhere here before, but not sure what to search for:

What calibers can shoot other calibers out of them?

For instance:

.357 mag can shoot .38spcl
.454 Casull can do .45 LC
.460 can do .454 casull and .45LC
.44 mag can do .44 spcl

Any other regular production revolvers that can do multiple calibers?

Can .41 mag shoot 10mm with moon clips?
Can 10mm w/ moonclips shoot .40sw w/ moon clips?

 

[MCgunner]

Can .41 mag shoot 10mm with moon clips?

No

Can 10mm w/ moonclips shoot .40sw w/ moon clips?

Yes

Just get into reloading and you can load whatever power level you want in any caliber. I like .45 Colt. Some folks yearn for a .45ACP switch cylinder gun (comes with a cylinder in .45ACP), but that's totally useless to me. I can handload .45 ACP power level for my .45 Colt. Being as it's a Ruger Blackhawk, I can handload .44 mag power level, too! I don't own a .44 mag and don't really care about that either.

Blackhawks have been made in .45 Colt with a spare .45 ACP cylinder and also in .357 mag with a 9x19 cylinder. In that gun, you could fire .38 special, .357 mag, and 9mm with the other cylinder. I THINK you can fire .38 S&W in a .357, too, but I've never even seen a .38 S&W (aka .38 &W Long) cartridge.

 

[45+]

I remember shooting 38 Long Colt in a 38 Special years ago.

An old Speer reloading manual I have says not to shorten 38 Special brass to load 38 S&W, it will rupture due to being undersize, which makes me think the 38 S&W would be oversize for a 38 Special.

You can shoot 44 Russian in a 44 Special and a 44 Mag. I think you can shoot a 44 American in a 44 Special and a 44 Mag.

I also seem to remember a friend who shot 32 Auto (which has a rim) in a 32 revolver one time. I do not remember if the 32 revolver was a 32 Mag or a 32 S&W. Someone who knows for sure chime in so we will have the info correct. Edited to add: There is another thread with a thorough discussion of this particular practice.

 

[mortdooley]

One time when I was at a local gun range two shooters were sharing a S&W .357. They were having trouble getting their cartridges to chamber for some reason. The box label on their table proudly proclaimed it as .38 S&W and everyone knows .357magnums will shoot .38s however they usually could only get about three rounds to chamber. Being a noisy know-it-all I pointed out that .38 S&W was larger in diameter then .38 spl and not meant for .357s and they informed me that they were using a Smith and Wesson brand .357 and it will shoot .38s. At that point I decided to mind my own business and watch as they finally gave up because something was obviously wrong with their gun.

 

[johndoe1027]

revolvers chambered for 410 gauge will chamber 45 LC

 

[SDC]

You might try to find a Philips & Rodgers Medusa, which is supposed to be able to safely fire 25 different 9mm/38/357 cartridges (9mm Luger, 38 S&W, 357 Mag, 38 Super, 9mm Largo, and a whole bunch of others) all in the same revolver.

http://www.kitsune.addr.com/Firearms/Revolvers/Medusa_Model_47.htm

 

[Ranger 40]

The old Mdl. S&W 53, in 22 Jet. This was a Rem. .357 case necked down to take a .223 or .224 slug. It came with a set of inserts that allowed you to shoot all the .22 Rimfire Rds. The delux set came with an extra .22 Rimfire Cyl.

I carried one for years on the trail. I would load 2 Jets, 2 Long rifles, 2 rimfire shot loads. The little Jet could spit out a 50 gr. slug at over 1,200 fps. or a 40 gr. slug at 1,500 from a 61/2 inch tube. It would take down targets up to 50 lbs. with ease. The .22 rimfires took rabbits, grouse etc. The shot loads wacked many rattlers over the years, and Pack Rats that raided our camp goods.

Due to problems with set back in the 22 Jet S&W dropped it after a few years. This problem was caused by hand loaders not knowing how to load. Too bad it was a fine set-up.