Unusual Rifle Caliber Revolvers?

[Roswell 1847]

Hi there New Member here.

My question is about the various types of Rifle Caliber Revolvers, but not so much about the more common Colt Winchester complimentary calibers like 44/40, 38/40, and 32/20.

A friend who'd been in South America on business back in the early 70's told me of a practice among local ranchers of having custom pistols constructed in the same caliber as their favorite medium/small game rifles. Partially due to restrictions on common calibers of pistol ammo.

The guns were often constructed using cutoff rifle barrels and sleeved and rechambered cylinders of pistols that were worn out or corroded beyond being refurbished for use with the original caliber.
Calibers like .22 Hornet were the sort most commonly encountered.
Frames came from old Colt SAA, and various Colt and S&W double action revolvers.

I'd been considering having a barrel and cylinder made up in 25/20 to convert a very doggy (no grips, almost no original finish and very nicked and scarred metal) yet still solid Ruger Single Six (probably shot very little but not treated well looks like it spent decades under the seat of a pickup truck) I recently aquired. I just obtained a near cherry Savage 23B in that caliber. I'd intended to convert the rimfire Single Six frame to centerfire myself but then I remembered that there are .32centerfire versions of the Single Six.

Till I make up my mind on this I figured I should ask around about any such conversions the folks here may have come across, and whether the centerfire versions of the Single Six Rugers are too rare or expensive for such a project.
Also whether the standard Single Six cylinder has enough meat on it to be rechambered for the 25/20 cartridge. Also is the frame strong enough for 25/20 pressures. Though most shooting would be done with mild handloads, I'd want to be able to use the hottest factory loads in a pinch.

 

[BlkHawk73]

calibers like 44/40, 38/40, and 32/20.

Those are chamberings not calibers. Caliber is the bullet diameter measurement.
As for much better details on your quest, ask at http://single-actions.phpbb3now.com/ if anyplace has the info you'd need and the directions/suggestions it's the folks there.

 

[19-3Ben]

I dunno if it'll help you but Magnum research makes rifle caliber revolvers.

http://www.magnumresearch.com/Browse.asp?Category=BFR:Revolvers

 

[Roswell 1847]

Just checked the OAL of a fresh Factory 25/20 round and found that its far to long for the Single Six frame opening even if a custom made longer cylinder were fabricated, with the barrel breech set near flush with the frame.

A custom handload could work even with a standard length cylinder since the 25/20 neck is so long, plenty of room to seat the bullet deeper. Probably have difficulty finding a .25 bullet profile that would work well though.

Those are chamberings not calibers. Caliber is the bullet diameter measurement.

Yep I get sloppy with my Nomenclature at times.
I've found that cartridge designations often have little to do with actual bullet diameter. The .38 cartridges for example are the aproximate diameter of the cartridge casing rather than the bullet size, while the .357 Magnum is named after the bullet size. The .44 Magunum fires a .429 bullet from an Aproximately .44 case diameter.
The .46 Remington Revolver cartridge was a true .44 fired from a .46 diameter chamber, to take advantage of leftover Civil War era Remington 1858 revolvers and unfinished stocks converted to cartridge use.
Another oddity is the .56-.50 Spencer the 56 being the original Spencer caliber and the .50 being the bullet size of this necked down variant of the Spencer cartridge line.
Theres really no standard method of naming cartridges, it varied for manufacturer to manufacturer.

PS
Just remembered that some of the South American revolvers I mentioned sometimes used sections from two frames welded or brazed together, while others used frames fabricated by local gunsmiths.
Cylinders could also be spliced together like this, if a sleeve were used for the chamber.

The internal mechanisms used either handmade parts or parts salvaged from old worn out guns.

I dunno if it'll help you but Magnum research makes rifle caliber revolvers.

I think they are more geared towards those monster killing .45/70 and larger chamberings.

PS
Another thing I just remembered. I once saw an article with photos of an experimental .45/70 caliber Colt Calvary revolver. This pistol was meant to use a special cartridge which was loaded with a short conical bullet and three small diameter buckshot.
I think they only made one or two of these for testing.

I'll probably just restore this Single Six. The bore is good (only a few light scratches from careless cleaning), and the chambers show no damage.

I've been considering a custom grip like the one used by Steve McQueen in the movie "Nevada Smith". I have an old magazine around here somewhere showing this type of grip.
A Colt style grip frame requires a lot of reshaping for this sort of grip but the Single six frame would only require cutting way a bit of the lower part of the front stap where the little finger rests. The Nevada smith grip is set back at that point.
Since my strong hand little finger is a bit drawn due to a hand injury this could improve my shooting. I suspect the unconcious curling up of that finger has been throwing off my grip by applying unwanted pressure.
I don't have the same problem with my small rounded bottom gripped I frame .32 Hand Ejector, or with short grip framed pocket autos where the little finger doesn't make much if any contact.
When firing a 1911a1 I generally remember to not allow the little finger to make more than light contact. Thats an old US Army Pistol Marksmanship trick.

 

[1 old 0311]

A company in Indiana makes/used to make a SAA in .45-70. It was HUGE!

 

[oklahoma caveman]

i like the idea. id like to do something like that.

 

[smee781]

rifle?

I want something cool in 7.62x25!

 

[mnrivrat]

Might want to take a look at the Judge made by Taurus. Long cylinder to shoot .410 shells (2&1/2 inchers). Could maybe be sleeved for a varity of cartridges.

Heard mention Taurus developed a .223 Rem pistol likely off this frame, but don't know the status of production on them yet.

 

[Stainz]

I buy nice new .32-20 brass for my 7-shooter, which is DA-capable, although most folks won't believe it when they try that trigger. Of course, I have to take ~.010" off the headstamp, .024" off the rim, and squish them into an M1 Carbine die before loading them with .32 dies. The cases are still too short to gas-seal as the proper 7.62x38r ammo would in my 1895 Nagants. Still, they are reloadable - and mostly fall out without the need for the SA-style ejector rod. Okay, it's a push... but they once were .32-20 cases... and I use .312-.313" bullets.

Stainz

 

[Cosmoline]

found that its far to long for the Single Six frame opening even if a custom made longer cylinder were fabricated, with the barrel breech set near flush with the frame.

Oh I see your problem. That may be why the .25-20 was never chambered in a handgun. You'd have to start with something like a Blackhawk and have a custom barrel and cylinder made. It would be pretty cool in the end though.