OT - Which gunsmith for this?

41bear · Post by **41bear** » Thu Feb 21, 2008 7:21 pm

I've got one of the Ruger Blackhawk SA special runs that is in 32/20 and 32 magnum. The new .327 Federal really sounds great and I was wondering who would be the best to change the .32 mag. to the .327 Federal? I understand you can still shoot the 32 mag also which would be good.

1886 · Post by **1886** » Thu Feb 21, 2008 7:35 pm

I do not know about the feasability of your project. I know nothing of the cartridge but I have had great luck with Jack Huntington of Grass Valley, Ca. He is a straight talkin' kind of guy. Good luck. 1886.

Terry Murbach · Post by **Terry Murbach** » Thu Feb 21, 2008 8:06 pm

YOUR IDEA IS ENTIRELY FEASIBLE AND VERY EASY TO DO.
YOU MUST NOTE THIS THOUGH : YOU WILL REALLY SHOOT BIG HOLES IN THE COLLECTOR VALUE OF THAT CONVERTIBLE BLACKHAWK SIXGUN BY DOING SO. TO BE BLUNT IT'LL HAVE NO COLLECTOR VALUE LEFT ATALL !!
NOW, ALSO FILTER THIS THROUGH YOUR THOUGHT PROCESSES. THE 32-20 CYLINDER IN THAT CONVERTIBLE WILL DO JUST ABOUT ALL THE 327FEDMAG IS GONNA DO AND IT'LL DO IT IN STYLE.
AND I HAVE NOT EVEN MENTIONED YET THAT THE 32MAG IN THAT PARTICULAR SIXGUN WILL DO WHAT THE 327 CAN DO IN THE SMALLER GUNS, IF YOU ARE A HANDLOADER.

marlinman93 · Post by **marlinman93** » Thu Feb 21, 2008 8:53 pm

You might consider sending it back to Ruger and having a .327 Fed. cylinder fitted to it. This will give you the ability to shoot the .327, and rather than kill your gun's collector value, it would actually increase it a lot.
But I agree with Terry, the .327 wont do anything better than a .32-20 does.

PPpastordon · Post by **PPpastordon** » Thu Feb 21, 2008 11:22 pm

Terry wrote:
"AND I HAVE NOT EVEN MENTIONED YET THAT THE 32MAG IN THAT PARTICULAR SIXGUN WILL DO WHAT THE 327 CAN DO IN THE SMALLER GUNS, IF YOU ARE A HANDLOADER."

I agree. I also am sure it will do at least a little more with a little creative loading, like seating the bullet to a longer OAL. Oh, and the longer barrel will also help.
Grace and Peace.

Texican · Post by **Texican** » Fri Feb 22, 2008 11:47 am

If that's the Buckeye model, then it's plenty strong for hot loads. Alan Harton, of Single Action Service (Houston, Texas) could build you a new cylinder for it if you're dead set on it, though. But please don't ream the original cylinder...

J Miller · Post by **J Miller** » Fri Feb 22, 2008 12:59 pm

Why not ream out the original cylinder? Why does everything have to be a "collectors item". It's gun, a tool, if 41bear wants to alter it to better work for him where's the problem.
How many really nice Old Model .357 Blackhawks have been converted to 44 Spcl, and other calibers? Isn't that ruining collectible guns?

Same thing.

41Bear, I can't suggest a gunsmith to do that, but it sounds like it would make a gem dandy multi cartridge revolver.

Joe

Lefty Dude · Post by **Lefty Dude** » Fri Feb 22, 2008 1:50 pm

Hamilton Bowen can do the job for you.

I have a 3 screw Ruger .357 I may convert to a 44 special. Replace the barrel with a 5". Why you ask

Because the new Rugers are not built like the old ones, and I hate transfer bars under a hammer. And the Super BH in 44 mag is just to large and has no use other than a HAMMER. They will never make the new Vaquaro in 44 anything.

Colts are for shooting and collecting, Rugers are for abusing & converting.

Post by **Hobie** » Fri Feb 22, 2008 4:42 pm

Hey Joe,

Why not point out the collector value of a gun? Fella asked for free advice, didn't he?

So maybe he doesn't care about it. Just makes "mine" more valuable. Still, in fairness, why not just let him know there IS some collectibility to the gun.

RSY · Post by **RSY** » Fri Feb 22, 2008 5:02 pm

J Miller wrote:Why not ream out the original cylinder? Why does everything have to be a "collectors item". It's gun, a tool, if 41bear wants to alter it to better work for him where's the problem?
How many really nice Old Model .357 Blackhawks have been converted to 44 Spl, and other calibers? Isn't that ruining collectible guns?

Same thing.

I couldn't agree more.

Scott

Texican · Post by **Texican** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 2:04 pm

Hobie wrote:Hey Joe,

Why not point out the collector value of a gun? Fella asked for free advice, didn't he? So maybe he doesn't care about it. Just makes "mine" more valuable. Still, in fairness, why not just let him know there IS some collectibility to the gun.

Two side to every issue. Guns were made to be shot, so I don't have any collectibles. But I don't intentionally de-value them either. I say let the options/opinions be known. The .327 is not a proven marketing success yet. Now if it was a like new matched set of Buckeyes in sequential serial numbers each with the original cylinders in .32-20/.32 H&R and .38-40/10mm, why not have a 3rd cylinder fitted? Blank cylinders are available from Brownells and the .327 reamer would most like have to be purchased anyways. If the gun is a 'shooter' with some wear on the finish and only one original cylinder, well then, maybe. I'd still wait a bit to see how the cartridge develops in the market. Anyone want to buy a .41 Action Express?

Don McDowell · Post by **Don McDowell** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 3:19 pm

The 32-20 cylinder will likely do anything a 327 will, and maybe a bit more. Just need to push the envelope a bit on the reloading bench.
As far as the 32 h&r is concerned you can push it to some pretty respectable velocity with blue dot powder and 100 gr bullets 1100 fps+ isn't out of the question.
I'm thinking it's likely best to work with what you have until the 327 hits its stride (or not)

Be kind of bad to have a gun that once had some collectors value, but since the rebored cylinder job, and not being able to get new brass or factory loads for the 327 sometime in the future........

41bear · Post by **41bear** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 6:09 pm

Thanks for all the great answers to my question. Yes, it is a Buckeye model, I should have said that right off. I never thought about a third cylinder being made and although I'm a shooter I don't like the idea of totally blowing up the collector value.

As far as the 32/20 getting on up there, you are right as I've gotten a 120 gr. plain base up to 1350 with Lil'gun and it's not showing any signs of being overloaded so I'm sure it can be pushed higher.

Again thanks for all the input.

marlinman93 · Post by **marlinman93** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 7:57 pm

The question seems almost too simple. "Why not just ream out the cylinder?" Well I guess so he doesn't take it in the shorts if he ever decides to sell the darn gun!
Sure it's his gun, and if he wants to drag it behind his truck to make it look like it's been through every war in history, then he can do that too. But it's always good to think about things before jumping into them.
There are just a certain number of collectable guns made, so if a guy wants to modify one, then there's one less and everybody else's will go up in value.

Leverdude · Post by **Leverdude** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 8:34 pm

This .327 thing. Its a .312 bore?

Papa · Post by **Papa** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 10:48 pm

Yep, it's a .312 bore.

I just took two Buckeye's to Hamilton to have him ream them out to 327.

One only had the 32 Mag cylinder with it when I bought it, the other had both.

The one with only the 32 Mag cylinder will soon wear a 2x Swift scope, and the other will remain open sighted. (I look at it as increasing it's value because now it can shoot an additional cartridge.)

I don't believe in safe queens, and shoot every gun I buy(when I can find the time), because it's a tool to me as Joe stated.

We've also started a Single Six project in the 327 loading, that he's pretty excited about, and me too:D

Papa