My Cusrom Ruger Single Eight in .25ACP and Etc.

I have received my completed Customized Ruger 'New Model Convertible Single six .22 Cal' rebuilt into a Center Fire eight shot 10-5/8" barreled custom Revolver.


Left Side of the completed eight shot Revolver.


Right Side of eight shot revolver with Cylkinder removed and with cartridges.


Close up of the Modified 8 shot Cylinder, it has not yet been remarked for Cartridge change.

We used a "Lothar Walther (LW) .25ACP/6.35 Browning Cr-Mo Pistol Barrel Blank" to make the tapered 10-5/8" barrel to match the original Ruger ejector rod housing and front sight.
The Cylinder(s), four purchased so far, are Replacement eight shot '22-MAG' and they were reamed out and chambered with a PT&G 'Match grade' .25ACP Finish Chamber Reamer employing Replaceable Pilot bushings.
My gunsmith made the Conversion firing Pin and a Replacement Firing Pin Bushing to seat against the Shoulder in the frame hole and have a slightly crowned face to take up some of the Cylinder 'Play' when a Cartridge is present in firing position but leave the cylinder free to turn otherwise.

I have fired about 130 rounds so far, f both Factory and some Handloads.
The Hand Loads include one using a 63 grain FP Lead Bullet ahead of 3.0 grains of BE-86 in PPU Brass (.613" case length) and WSP primers with an overall length of .900".
Another is a 52 grain RFN Lead bullet ahead of 3.1 grains of BE-86 with the rest of the details the same as the above.
Interestingly both Hand Loads seem to shoot to the Same Point of Aim as Factory Ammo at 7 yards distance.

This is my First Long barrel Revolver and I need more practice to get used to its 'muzzle heavy' feel.

Best Regards,

More On my Project:
My second cylinder is being chambered in a 1.250" case length "Mildcat", the ".250ALRM and 6.35x32mmSR Stewart".
This is a cartridge developed from both a .22 Hornet parent (the.250ALRM) and a 5.7x28mm Parent (the 6.35x32mmSR Stewart by Swaging down the case diameters all the way to the rim top to .276 and trimming to length. These also act as parents for other "Mildcat" designs.

The Third Cylinder will be chambered in ".250ALS and 6.35x28.6mmSR Stewart" with a Case length of 1.125".

The Fourth cylinder will be chambered in ".25 Magnum Auto and 6.35x26mmSR Stewart" with case lengths between 1.056" and 1.020". The 1.055" length is the Nominal length of a .22WMR case. I am also calling a slightly shorter length a ".25MACP" (.25 Magnum Automatic Colt Pistol) at this time.

All of the "Mildcats" are loaded to an Overall Length of 1.405" Maximum, 1.395" nominal to fit the 1.415" long cylinders.

Most development of loads so far have been for my Stevens Favorite Single shot rifle and are at about 1100fps or slower. with OAL at a suitable length for the rifle's chamber.

Best Regards,
Chev. Willaim

Very nice. Scads of fun in that one!

I am liking this a lot.

There was an article in the latest "Handloader" by Brian Pierce, "Ruger Single-eight in .250 Magnum?" that proposes a similar project. It is interesting, for sure--we're all "rifle loonies" and "handgun loonies" here and ANYTHING that shoots is interesting and I say applaud ANYBODY who experiments like you.

Personally, I don't like extra-long barreled handguns. I won't buy any handgun I can't carry a long way comfortably and over many years of trying, I find that anything over 6" long requires a horse to pack. My only remaining longer-barrelled handgun, an 8 3/8" S&W M48 just sits. Can't bring myself to sell off a handgun that pretty and good shooting. But all the rest have gone down the road. If I want a longer barrel, I pull out a carbine. Just my personal experience/prejudice; I know others who happily carry a carbine-sized handgun. And I understand it makes sense for a basis for experimentation, what the old cartridge factories used to call a "testing mule."

As for the cartridges you mention, well I love .25s of all flavors. Starting with a .25-20 M92 my granddad gave me when I was 8, I've had all the milder ones up to a .250-3000 and still have a couple of rifles and one handgun.

As experiments and fun-to-mess-with projects, your ideas seem great and I hope you KEEP workin' on these!

But even with your (and Pearce's) enthusiasm, I doubt very much that we need another COMMERCIAL .25, either rifle or handgun. The .25 ACP's virtues and vices are NOT the fault of the cartridge, which as Pearce points out, is very stout and can be loaded to greater energy and lethality than it currently is. The problems are the diminutive size of the handgun and the large number of poorly-made (Spanish, Belgian, US) .25s out there. I'm sure my 1950s "Baby Browning" could stand a hotter load, just enough to truly expand Winchester .25 ACP Silvertips at close range. But I wouldn't try it in a Raven or a Melior, or a no-name Spanish job from the 1920s.

Your "mildcats" are a great idea, as long as they stay "wild." But I can't see much of a commercial market for them, as Pierce seems to suggest there is. Proven "mild" .25s like the .25-20 WCF and .25-35 have been circling the toilet bowl of extinction for years. Only us rifle loonies keep them afloat at all, and increasingly with reformed cases from other calibers that are still current.

There is a .25 "mildcat" that has been with us for a long time, the ".25 Hornet." Not sure when it cropped up, but it was certainly before I did in 1943. Originally it was used to rebore shot-out bores in the very earliest .22 centerfires like the .22-15 Stevens and .22 WCF. These early .22s were often found in rifles that couldn't handle a steady diet of .22 Hornets when relined or .25-20 WCF Hi-Speed "rifle loads" when rebored to .257. But you could shoot a .22 Hornet case in the .25 Hornet chamber and come up with a mild wildcat that was accurate and recoiless and wouldn't bust a Stevens "Ideal" Model 44, a late model "Favorite," a cast iron Ballard, or a small action Forehand and Wadsworth single shot. I've even seen them in Stevens "tip-up" target pistols, which have a pretty weak action. The only .25 Hornet I have ever had is a rebored Win 1885 Lo-Wall single shot. A true "mildcat" with all the virtues you mention!

Keep up the good work. My remarks are just that, not meant as criticism. Worth every cent you paid for 'em.

Mike Armstrong (aka on other sites as 2520wcf).

I think it's cool that this is the opposite of what the big bore nerds would do.

I'm sure that the long barrel with a tiny hole through it is muzzle heavy! I agree that the OP's approach to a custom revolver is refreshing. I can't tell you how sick and tired I am of reading about all those 'identical' custom .44s, .454s, .480s, etc. Good on you mate!



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How about a cylinder for the .256 magnum.
gramps

gramps said:

How about a cylinder for the .256 magnum.
gramps

Click to expand...

Are you asking about the Winchester Magnum or the universal/Ferret or some other .256 Magnum?
the Rim/Head diameters of those I found info on seem to be in the .44 or .45 Cartridge range. So I would guess you could start with a 44 Magnum strength frame Revolver and build a Cylinder to match your chosen Cartridge.

Personally, I will stay down in the Small calibers, .327 Fed Mag and Below with "light bullets and Small Charges (much more Frugal in costs of bullets and propellants). I do Own and Occasionally fire M1 Carbine and .30-06 Rifles but my "play" area is in .32 Long Colt and .25 Stevens sizes. .22 rim fire is nice but more expensive than reloading .25ACP and about the Same as .25MACP or .25ALS/.25 Stevens sizes.

A 63 grain Bullet ahead of 3.0 Grains of BE-86 in a .25ACP Case and OAL is a "Firm" recoil round in my Eight Shooter. Yet it still will allow over 2300 Reloads per pound of Propellant.

1000 bullets of Lead, commercially hand cast, just cost me $310 including.shipping. 50 grain FMJ cost around $18 per hundred Retail.

"Hunting" paper targets at my local outdoor range cost me $6 Last Thursday afternoon, All within my Budget as a Retired person.

Best Regards,
Chev. Willaim

wow.....EXTRA BIG!!!!!

You probably know this: the .256 Win Mag uses the same basic case and head as the .357, not the big 'uns you mention.

BTW, I applaud your frugality/economy. Exactly how dead do you have to kill a paper target? Big bangs mean big bucks and not necessarily the antlered variety!

Chev. William said:

1000 bullets of Lead, commercially hand cast, just cost me $310 including.shipping.

Click to expand...

Is that right? Seems high.

I agree, that's about 3-4 times what most cast slugs cost even with shipping. That's more like what you would pay for quality jacketed rifle slugs.

djw54 said:

Chev. William said:

1000 bullets of Lead, commercially hand cast, just cost me $310 including.shipping.

Click to expand...

Is that right? Seems high.

Click to expand...

The Manufacturer long ago dropped the Bullet design from their product lists after my original buy.
Much Talking and Pleading got them to Run off My needs as a Hand Cast product in a Machine Production Factory which would have cost the Employee who Volunteered to run them much Production line time at a Higher pay rate.

The Premium for Getting them made the Next day after my order was placed, then packed and Shipped 'Priority Mail I think is Worth the Price paid.

I am 73, and do NOT own any Casting Equipment and only three molds:
The first is an Accurate Mold in 311090A for my .32 "Colt" bullets and held by "Matt's Bullets" for him to make product from.
The Second is a New Lyman #257420 two cavity mold I hope to place with a Commercial Bullet Caster to make nominal 65 Grain .257" basic slugs fo rme to Lube and Size to .251"-.252" for my .25 Caliber use.
The third is a .44 caliber one I bought long ago and used a Friends casting equipment to make Lead bullet sfor my Original Winchester 1873 in .44-40/.44WCF that has a Barrel that slugs .434". commercial loads are using .429" bullets which seem to rattle down this bore and come out flying sideways.

Best Regards,
Chev. William

m657 said:

wow.....EXTRA BIG!!!!!

Click to expand...

????????

Mike Armstrong said:

You probably know this: the .256 Win Mag uses the same basic case and head as the .357, not the big 'uns you mention.

BTW, I applaud your frugality/economy. Exactly how dead do you have to kill a paper target? Big bangs mean big bucks and not necessarily the antlered variety!

Click to expand...

Ah Ha! No i did not think of that one.
Although Ruger does, I believe, Chamber a cylinder and the "Convertible Single Six" in it, I don't think they can fit That Cartridge into an Eight shot cylinder in that frame Size.
There is also the "Problem" of Overall cartridge length as it would need to fit the nominal 1.410" Cylinder Length.
The SAAMI 1.590" OAL just would not fit.

Best Regards,
Chev. Willaim

Man that is a VERY COOL PROJECT!!

I enjoy shooting my 32 cal Single Sixes with 32 S&W, the short ones.

I had my 6.5" out today shooting it, but also have the 9.5" 32 cal. At 50 yards, the report has gone silent before the bullet hits the steel. It's a fun little shooter.

Where do you live?

I was thinking of the .256 magnum a la Ruger from back in the 60's? I believe they made a single shot for it called a Hawkeye. Never understood the single shot thing. Obviously no else did either, cause not a lot of them were sold.
gramps

Joe S.,
I live in Sun Valley, CA in the San Fernando Valley Area of the City of Los Angeles.

Gramps,
I think the 'Single Shot Pistol' idea was just before the TC ones came out. Also, the Ruger was built on the 'Blackhawk' frame which limited the ability to change Cartridge and Barrel while the TC design, being a 'Tip Up' style was more easily adapte do to other Cartridges and barrels.
It seems the "Single Shot Pistol" idea is a continuing market but NOT in one fixed Caliber/Cartridge or Barrel length.

Best Regards,
Chev. William

the "Hunters Supply" (HS) 63 grain .258" diameter FP bullets arrived.
I weighed 5 samples of the AS Cast Bullets and they averaged 61.4 grains.
After First Tumble Lube and sizing to .251" they weigh about 62.8 grains.
I have not yet decided if I will apply a Second Tumble Lube to them.

HS said they were done in their 'Soft" alloy Lead so it looks like I will not be using these in high end loads, too much chance of over-driving them and 'stripping' the the engaged Rifling layer off the core and leaving the stripped lead in my barrel, NOT something I would Like.

"QuickLOAD" software indicates this 63 grain bullet ahead of 1.1 grain of Bullseye in a .612" Case and loaded to OAL of .900" would leave my 10-5/8" barrel (using 12" in calculations) at about 923fps and have 119ft-lbs Muzzle Energy. The Muzzle Exit Pressure is calculated to be about 575psi from a Peak Pressure of about 21,685psi; 96.2% fill and 93.07% Burn/44% Ballistic Efficiency.
This is a "Ruger Only" load as I am using a MAP limit of 25,000psi in the Calculations rather than the 17,400psi of the CIP Spec.
Chev. William

Best Regards,
Chev. William