Rifle cartridge revolvers?

[gunnutery]

This may be a dumb question, but why don't they make revolvers that accept rifle cartridges? I know they Taurus made the "Raging Thirty" for the .30 carbine round. But why not say... 223 or 5.7 or (fill in the blank)? Is it a pressure issue?

Thoughts?

 

[Sam1911]

While there are a few revolvers (the BFR series comes to mind) that are chambered in rifle cartridges, the biggest problem is that many rifle cartridges are tapered enough that the case will set back against the recoil shield on firing. It can and often does bind up the cylinder.

Straight-walled cartridges (like the .45-70, or the .30 Carbine) that look a lot like traditional revolver cartridges in basic form do work fine.

-Sam

 

[DWFan]

Taurus tried to come out with a Raging Bull in .223, but couldn't resolve the case set-back issue that would lock the cylinder up solid. Although there are bottle-neck cartridges that can work in a revolver, (the .357-44 Bain & Davis, the GNR wildcats, the .38-40 and .44-40), as Sam1911 said, typical rifle cartridges have both a case taper and shoulder angle that work against this idea. Magnum Research does offer a .30-30 caliber BFR, but I've heard no reports of set-back issues with it.

 

[Nathanael_Greene]

Didn't somebody used to make a single-action in .30 carbine? Ruger, maybe?

 

[Sam1911]

Didn't somebody used to make a single-action in .30 carbine? Ruger, maybe?

Yup. The Ruger Blackhawk comes in .30 Carbine. I've got one and it's a lot of fun. Especially if you like "M-80" style muzzle blast.

Cool round for the gun -- I usually like loading Sierra 125 gr. Flat Point Hollow Points.

-Sam

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

Didn't somebody used to make a single-action in .30 carbine? Ruger, maybe?

Yes, they produced the Blackhawk in this caliber for many years. I am unsure if they currently produce it. A single-action revolver does not need a rimmed cartridge or moon clips for extraction.

 

[Archie]

Some outfit - I think "BFR" Company - used to make a huge single action in .45-70 Govt. (Be first on your block!) There was a joke many winters ago about the late Elmer Keith having a double action revolver in .45-70.

The problem is two-fold. The bottleneck, tapered case problem is one and length is the other. A six-shooter in .30-06 is going to be looong in the frame. Aside from that, what real advantage does this give the owner? I cannot think of a problem to be solved with a six shot double action revolver in 7.62x39.

Or am I just a party-pooper?

 

[Jeff H]

Rifles are made that shoot 357, 44mag and 45Colt.

 

[Sam1911]

Some outfit - I think "BFR" Company - used to make a huge single action in .45-70 Govt.

Yup. That's Magnum Research. The same folks who brought us the Desert Eagle line. By all accounts the BFRs are VERY well made guns, quite accurate, and a joy to shoot.

http://www.magnumresearch.com/BFR.asp

Available in 45/70, .480 Ruger/.475 Linebaugh, .450 Marlin (WOW!), .500 S&W, .50AE, .444 Marlin, .30/30 Winchester, .45 Long Colt/.410 (not for sale in CA), and the new .460 S&W Magnum - as well as .454 Casull, and the unique .22 Hornet.

-Sam

 

[atlanticfire]

I have one and have been looking at the 45-70. The 30-30 would be neat too, since I already load for my 30-30 rifle. Here is my 500 mag.

 

[eldon519]

.500 mag single-action! Does that hurt to shoot?

 

[atlanticfire]

It did at first, but I have gotten used to it. Now I love to shoot it. 400 gr bullet over 40gr of H110. Oh here is a pic of some of my 700gr loads. Those can hurt a little.
There is a 180gr 357 mag in there for comparison.

 

[gunnutery]

Thanks for all your input. It explained it a little better. Although if someone can do the .30-30 then surely someone can do it in any cartridge couldn't they?

Oh, and yes Archie, you're being a party pooper

 

[Ohio Gun Guy]

Dude....Thats not a pistol!



Its a cannon!

 

[buttrap]

Problaby has to do with why they dont put Mann Diesel engines in hatch back sedans...

 

[Sam1911]

Although if someone can do the .30-30 then surely someone can do it in any cartridge couldn't they?

It CAN be done, but a lot of rifle calibers do set back enough to bind revolvers badly. The .30-30 apparantly works. There were a number of mildly tapered and bottlenecked revolver cartridges back in the day (.38-40, .44-40, etc.) that were very successful, but higher pressure cartridges with more substantial shoulders have proved to be a problem.

The .22 Jet (.357 necked down to .22) was tried and worked kindof ok, but most owners had to swab out their chambers with solvent regularly or the cases would set back and bind up the gun.

-Sam

 

[DWFan]

Quote:
"Although if someone can do the .30-30 then surely someone can do it in any cartridge couldn't they?"

You might think so but each "case" (excuse the pun) is a different story. The .22 Jet mentioned is an excellent example as, while it gained a reputation for serious setback issues, some shooters never experienced a problem. The same is true with the short-lived .218 Bee Taurus. The slower taper .22 Hornet, which Remington tried to reproduce with the Jet, has no problems at all. Neither does the .38-40, even at Linebaugh pressures, even though it has nearly the same case taper and shoulder angle as the Jet.

 

[Sam1911]

The slower taper .22 Hornet ... has no problems at all.

Bullfrogken was telling me last night that there are some Ruger Blackhawks that have been reamed out to take .32-20 with great success. It does seem to be dependant on shoulder angle and/or rate of taper.

-Sam

 

[DWFan]

The .32-20 loaded with a .308" bullet, commonly called the .30-20, is a popular rechamber for the .30 Carbine Blackhawk and does work very well. Another is the .30 Streaker; a shortened version of the .30 Herrett.

 

[rmfnla]

Y'all are nuts!

In the '80s, when I was 'smithing at Tamiami Guns in Miami, Thompson/Center introduced their first rifle barrel for their single-shot Contender.

I was .30-30 and we had a customer who just had to have one, but when he mounted it the gun misfired at least half the time!

It turned out that the Contender's hammer spring was not strong enough for the rifle primer's thicker cup. T/C did not have a replacement spring available and our boy wanted his new toy to work NOW so I modified the spring as a temporary fix until the new ones would be available.

The rub, however, is that misfire repairs MUST be properly test-fired, so I grabbed a box of factory ammo and headed for the high-power range in the back. DAY-UM! Even with a shooting glove that thing kicked like a mule, and five rounds later I had had enough.

Don't get me wrong; I'm no wimp. I have had numerous maggies and I love them all, but even the "lowly thutty-thutty" puts those guys to shame!