a 5.7X28 wheel gun?

R

RightWinger

Member
Joined
Feb 18, 2009
Messages
610
Reaction score
48
Location
TN
Does anyone think it would be possible to rechamber a 617 to this caliber? Not sure what could be done about the barrel since there is a considerable size difference, but would this not be a cool gun? Imagine an N frame with 10 shots? I think we would be limited to a 617 or 648, or 647 since we would have to bore the chambers out. Am I the only one who has considered this or has anyone else fantasized about some weird caliber conversions?
 
Register to hide this ad
I'm waiting for a 5.56 caliber X frame revolver. That's supposedly the reason why they made the cylinder 2.25" long.
 
Really? I have never heard anything about that. Is this just a pipe dream floating around this forum or have you read this in a magazine or something? With an X frame you might be able to fit 10 or 11 rounds in the gun....pretty cool idea actually!
 
RightWinger,

I've thought seriously about it and had conversations with Hamilton Bowen and a couple other custom 'smiths. It would work, but you would have to use moon clips for extraction (unless the factory could come up with something like the special extractors for the 547 9mm revolver).
What I'm thinking would be a better option would be a Ruger Blackhawk fitted with a Bowen cylinder and a S&W .22 barrel. Using a 617 or 648 barrel as a basis should work. The single action Blackhawk would eliminate the extraction issue. It would be very similar to their .30 Carbine revolver.
I've already started shopping local pawn shops for a cheap used but not abused Blackhawk to use.
I considered other frame options, but the Bearcat and Single Six are way too short. It has to be a cylinder and frame window long enough for a .44 Mag to use factory ammo. Lighter bullets would make it shorter, but you'd be limited to handloading all the time.

I originally considered trying this on a K frame, but decided to have Mr. Bowen make me a .327 Federal Mag instead. Much easier.
 
a 5.7mm is larger than a .22 cal though, can a barrel be re-rifled for a slightly larger bore? or would you just have to buy a barrel blank and start from scratch?
 
RightWinger said:
a 5.7mm is larger than a .22 cal though, can a barrel be re-rifled for a slightly larger bore? or would you just have to buy a barrel blank and start from scratch?
Click to expand...

Not always. Most .22 rimfires are .223. The Harvey K-Chucks worked just fine in rimfire barrels.

arfmel said:
Isn't that a bottlenecked cartridge? Seems to me there are problems with bottlenecked cartridges in revolver use due to setback problems.
Click to expand...

Again, depends on the shape of the bottleneck. .22 Jets were a poor design. Too much taper in going from a .357mag case down to .22. Harvey K-Chucks didn't experience this problem, nor do hot .32-20s or .25-20s in revolvers. Several other factory and wildcat bottlenecks have been used successfully. (.357-44 Baine Davis? and some .38-40 wcf's)

I doubt there would be any problem with the 5.7 FN either.
 
The K Chucks were firing revolver cartridges or rifle, Moon Clips would be needed for semi auto, like the 45 ACP and 9MM.
 
5.7x28mm uses .224 bullets just like a .223, I'm don't remember why they chose the 5.7 designation but there was some reason. Probably just so it sounded different than another 5.56xwhatever. IIRC 5.56 is the lands diameter and 5.7 is the groove diameter.

There are lots of things in this world that serve no purpose other than being cool, especially in the gun world :) So I am not one to ever question or doubt what another person wants, but I myself don't see the utility in chambering a revolver for a bottlenecked round. The S&W revolvers chambered for the .22 Jet had many issues (from what I have read, no personal experience) with setback. Essentially the case was pushing back out of the chamber and locking up revolvers. Can it be done with the FN 5.7 round? Can it be designed and eliminate the setback issues? I don't know but I don't see S&W making it. Good Lord, look how much effort it was and how long it took to get a 10mm back in the line up, and I haven't even seen one for sale yet (310). I would think that a revolver in 5.7x28 would be a small market so I would be thinking of a custom conversion if I were truly wanting one.
 
Setbacks are usually no problem with a sharp shoulder cartidge. P.O. Ackley cut the locking lugs off a Win. 94 in 30-30 & then fired his improved version of the cartridge & it all held together. The brass expands very quickly to grab the chamber walls & avoids the back thrust against the bolt. Or in a revolver case,the recoil plate.
 
Why not just scout around for a used 22mag? The 5.7x28 is one of those "ingenious solutions to a non existant problem" cartridges.
 
Wayne M said:
Why not just scout around for a used 22mag? The 5.7x28 is one of those "ingenious solutions to a non existant problem" cartridges.
Click to expand...

1. Because it would be neat and unique.

2. Because it's a reloadable centerfire and would be fun to work up loads with. Plenty of bullet options. Brass and factory loads are readily available. (Brass for the old .22 Jet is nearly impossible to find and must be converted. No one offers it in a factory load.)
 
If I had a donor gun and some money to tinker around I would look into a custom conversion before I would ever buy a Taurus.....Althought they have come up with some more unique chamberings than Smith, I am not a fan of Taurus and never will be. I think the round would make a great defense round, and if in an N frame you could stuff at least 10 rounds in there I'm sure. Its a low recoiling round with little muzzle flash....I do think it has a small place in the market.
 
I had myself a dream.

I dreamt of a Model 29 with a much higher capacity then usual :D

Had been doing research on BC (ballistic coefficents) prior to taking a nap.

I have Always found the standard pistol/revolver bullets to be instinctivley just wrong. Now the 5.7x28 looks more like it to me. Much sleeker shape aerodynamic..

Now revolver case's are usually longer then that of their semi-auto version no?

So what I was thinking was a revolver shooting a 5.7 by say 5.7x32-35. Thru a 6+ inch barrel with the applicable rifling etc etc..
I do not know much of anything about such being only a dreamer due to being stuck in a more weapon restricted place:o then most anyone :(

Well anyway my thaught was that such a revolver with ammunition of this sort aught be able to send possibly as many as 9-10 projectiles downrange at a rather high velocity with high precision resulting in nice penetration and other good stuff depending on the bullet makeup/Construction (what the thing was made of).

ed
It is my opinion with my miniscule understandiung of physics.
That:
1. With a 6-7 inch barrel.
2. Aprox a 33% increase in bullet weight. (28,31 and 40 grain) add 33% or even 50% to that :)
3. An increase in powder of above mentioned cartridge.
4. Equivolent bullet characteristics

said hypothesized system one would produce some nice Hydrostatic shock goodness.
Due to high muzzel velocitys. Of atleast 2000 ft.s. Sadly it is my guess that "hotter" rounds would not be available to the public, just like the 5.7x28 rounds which are limited to 17XX ft.s can not come up with a sensible reason for why that is so but most nothing makes sense so guess we will have to live with it.
ed

Well that was more or less what i was dreaming about before the Dream chased me online to see if such a revolver existed..

Yt. 327Munte
 
Last edited:
I hope not. Neither 5.7 nor 5.56. Once someone makes a pistol in a cartridge any and all steel core ammo gets banned from future production or at least distribution to the public. This means m855 62gr gren tip would go away.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using Tapatalk
 
flundertaker said:
I hope not. Neither 5.7 nor 5.56. Once someone makes a pistol in a cartridge any and all steel core ammo gets banned from future production or at least distribution to the public. This means m855 62gr gren tip would go away.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Many companies already make .223/5.56 pistols and this ammo doomsday hasn't happened yet...?

Old thread anyway.
 
Finally

Andy Griffith said:
Taurus is building a 5.7x28mm revolver snubbie right now.

I'd play with that first before setting on customizing something just to find out it didn't work well and spending gobs of money in the process.
Click to expand...

Finally, a gun actually made for a woman. Any instructor should have been waiting for this for years. This will be the best selling revolver for women in history. Too bad, it's mad eby TAURUS. Innovation without quality is like peanut butter & jelly without bread. S&W will catch on to this and perfect it like they did the Governor (except they made it 1/4 too short in the cylinder) why fit a 3" .410 shell that can fire, but not rotate the cylinder??) Im sure thats been beat to death in another post.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Bill_in_fl
Wildcat cartridges in revolvers.
Replies
15
Views
13K
Jim Watson
J
westczek
Why can't I stop thinking about an L-Frame 41 Special conversion?
2
Replies
26
Views
8K
ddixie884
ddixie884
eaglerider
  • Locked
FS - CT Grips for S&W Revolvers
Replies
3
Views
882
eaglerider
eaglerider
Skip Sackett
Because YOU asked!!!!!!!!!! Well, kinda! .358 WSSM
2 3 4
Replies
60
Views
22K
Skip Sackett
Skip Sackett
T
Auto Caliber Chambered Revolvers
2 3
Replies
48
Views
16K
M2MikeGolf
M2MikeGolf

Latest posts

Back
Top