Crazy Idea

[manatee1947]

A while back we cussed and discussed getting a custom run of handi's but could not get an agreement and it  would take 250 rifle orders to get the whole gun........... How about this----stay with me here, follow the logic. You guys say that the full blown SBS action will hold anything a standard dolt gun will, right? And the company will not just sell barrels, right?? How about them selling a whole gun, with the barrel fit, but UNCHAMBERED ? You could get a 308 dia barrel, 1-10 twist, and make a 32-20, or a 7.62X 39, or a 308 , or a 300 win whisper or savage? You guys recut chambers quite a bit, right? Surely there would be at least some regional points where this could be done.
 
In other news, since they are no longer furnishing sights on pistol caliber barrels (I guess to save money) the extra 5.5 inches of barrel is pretty much worthless also, so why not go to 16.5 inch barrels. It would make a big difference in some mag rifle caliber, but in the pistol cartridges there is very little gain. Tests show that the 500 S&W is no faster from a 20" barrel than from a 15" TC encore barrel, so save the steel. There are no iron sights, so the sight radius is meaningless. Short stiff barrels are often superior in accuracy to longer ones, so length is only useful in velocity or sight radius. There is a great deal of difference in handling quality between a 22" and a 16.5 barrel. I have shot Contender carbines with a super 16 barrel and they are sweet !! I considered bobbing my own barrel, but just could not force myself to put the hacksaw to my barrel (which does have rifle sights also- a 22inch barrel) If I had one without sights, I might have the nerve to just start sawing. Talk about "handy", I could envisage a 357 max handi ( really a 32/20 would be better, but...) with the 16.5 std contour barrel, with one of the new funky thumbhole stocks and superlight forend, and a compact scope. Probably not over 5 1/2 pounds at most, about 32 " overall.

[wreckhog]

Mail your barrel to ADCO or someone similar. They mostly do AR15 barrels, but can contour, cut, thread, etc your barrel to your specs. Ie. if you want your 22" standard contour 30-30 taken down to an 18" Superlight contour under the forearm, then back to standard contour, but with dimples, threaded for a 7.62 muzzle brake, and parkerized, it can be done. That is almost exactly what they do when they turn an HBAR (had to have it in 1990) rifle barrel into an M4 (had to have it 3 years ago) carbine barrel. Seems to be trivial compared to reverse engineering a barrel lug.

[tykempster]

"Tests show that the 500 S&W is no faster from a 20" barrel than from a 15" TC encore barrel, so save the steel."

There's no way!  It's very similar to a 45-70, which gains speed from even a 22" to 32", where the powder is much more burnt.

[trotterlg]

It just doesn't work that way, a 32-20 is not a .308 bore nor are some of the others.  Get them to make a run of something chambered in something that can be re-chambered in lots of other chamberings, like a 30 Carbine or a .32 ACP and you may stand a chance it would work out.  With a 30 Carbine, 32 ACP barrel, 221 Rem FB barrel and the 17 HMR barrels you will probably have as many options for re-chambers as you will ever need.  Larry

[lee1954]

You cant't say that handi owners don't think outside the box!



 --I'd like an aftermarket / $200 blank barrel,  I'll supply a H&R shotgun lug...I'd like 24" in 30 -- 32-- 35  or maybe 7mm



I'm the worst for wanting something for allmost free  ......  the good part is atleast I'm a presistent cheepO .........
    DAN

[blind ear]

trotterlg; if the extractor would push either rimmed or rebated that would be great.

+ 1:  32 ACP with universal extractor,  eddie

[manatee1947]

Per Trotterlg & tykempster:
 New Lwman Manual # 49, loading for the 500 S&W, found that the 20 " pressure barrel stats gained less than 50 fps over the 15" Encore loads. Bore dia vs capacity. 45/70 is somewhat different.

Also, my 32-20 is indeed a 308 dia bore, so was the custom Blackhawk. They both shot 312 dia with no problem, swaged them right down. #32/20 dies come with 2 expanders, a 308 and a 311.