Ruger Alaskan in .50 Special?
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Thel
Blackhawk
Hamilton Bowen has built some RH/SRH's in .50 cal so it is possible he may have done an Alaskan.
Varminterror
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I'll place my bets that an Alaskan hasn't been converted to 50 Special, although I'd expect someone has made an Alaskan Clone from a standard SRH in 50 Special, the only resulting differences then being the "Alaskan" engraved in the side, the integrated scope mounts, and the choice of the gunsmith for the front sight method/design. Rebarreling the Alaskan's is a chore not worth pursuing, as the gunsmith has to use an expanding mandrel inserted inside the bore to remove it, which runs a high likelihood of damaging the barrel AND frame. I've not heard of anyone reboring barrels with them still installed, especially when they can't be independently supported. I've pulled an Alaskan barrel once, I wouldn't care to do it again.
Alternatively, pulling a barrel from a standard SRH is straight forward, then a new barrel blank can be used instead of reboring. Pulling a barrel, cutting and threading a new blank, milling in a front sight is an easy project for an SRH. Getting that Alaskan barrel out isn't.
Alternatively, pulling a barrel from a standard SRH is straight forward, then a new barrel blank can be used instead of reboring. Pulling a barrel, cutting and threading a new blank, milling in a front sight is an easy project for an SRH. Getting that Alaskan barrel out isn't.
Varminterror said:
OK so the frame and barrel are one machined piece with the actual rifled bore being pressed in?
Wondered how that thing was put together!
Just a thought on what a fine package the Alaskan would be in something like a .50 Special.
Varminterror
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The Alaskan barrels are threaded and screwed into the frame, like any SRH, however, their flush cut muzzle with only the slightest shoulder depth doesn't leave any exposed barrel shank upon which the gunsmith can gain purchase to unscrew them. An expanding mandrel has to be inserted into the bore, expanded against the inner wall of the barrel, and then used to screw out the barrel. It's not pretty, not convenient, and effectively destroys the existing barrel with the tooling damage to the rifled bore.
Yes, Hamilton Bowen does 50 Caliber conversions on the SRH Alaskan. He will only start with the 44 mag, not the 454 or 480 Alaskans. Something to do with adhesive or something used in barrel threads. He removes the barrel, cuts the snout off flush and builds from there. He does up to the 500 Linebaugh in the 5 shot conversions.
http://www.bowenclassicarms.com/catalog/ruger_double_action_big_bore_caliber_conversions.html
http://www.bowenclassicarms.com/catalog/ruger_double_action_big_bore_caliber_conversions.html
CraigC
Hawkeye
If I was going to do it, this is how I'd go about it. With the expense of doing an oversized five-shot conversion on a DA and the state of barrel reboring today, I'd go whole hog for the .500Linebaugh or JRH and then just load to whatever velocity I wanted. Although I still think the blued Bowen Redhawk .50Spl featured in a Taffin article nearly 30yrs ago is still one of the coolest DA sixguns I've ever seen.
Snyd said:Yes, Hamilton Bowen does 50 Caliber conversions on the SRH Alaskan. He will only start with the 44 mag, not the 454 or 480 Alaskans. Something to do with adhesive or something used in barrel threads. He removes the barrel, cuts the snout off flush and builds from there. He does up to the 500 Linebaugh in the 5 shot conversions.
http://www.bowenclassicarms.com/catalog/ruger_double_action_big_bore_caliber_conversions.html
Varminterror
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The Bowen stipulation on the 44mag version of the Ruger SRH's is a reference to the Target Grey finish of the old SRH's.
The barrel adhesive thing, and similarly the "crushable liner" rumors about the Alaskans are nothing more than rumors, with absolutely NO founding to them. A few select users on different forums have propagated these two particular rumors for years. A call by ANYONE to Ruger will confirm, there's no adhesive or liner used in the Alaskan. I've pulled one myself with a brass mandrel, there's nothing different about an Alaskan barrel from a standard SRH barrel - only how you have to gain purchase on it.
The barrel adhesive thing, and similarly the "crushable liner" rumors about the Alaskans are nothing more than rumors, with absolutely NO founding to them. A few select users on different forums have propagated these two particular rumors for years. A call by ANYONE to Ruger will confirm, there's no adhesive or liner used in the Alaskan. I've pulled one myself with a brass mandrel, there's nothing different about an Alaskan barrel from a standard SRH barrel - only how you have to gain purchase on it.
CraigC
Hawkeye
Bowen has long not wanted to remove barrels from the .454/.480 SRH's due to thread galling, not the finish. Exacerbated by the stub barrel of the Alaskan. The finish can be bead blasted or polished away.
While Varminterror did not post anything that is wrong, "how the barrels are assembled" has still not been posted. Alaskan barrels start out longer than needed with a flat on each side near the muzzle for a wrench to grip. After being torqued in the excess length is cut off then they are crowned.Mus408 said:
Varminterror
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When I contacted Bowen 3yrs ago regarding a 475L Alaskan, planning to use my 480R as the donor, the target grey finish was his explanation for the note on his web page.
I'll reiterate, there's absolutely NOTHING different on the threads or frame of the Alaskan vs. the standard SRH's.
I'll reiterate, there's absolutely NOTHING different on the threads or frame of the Alaskan vs. the standard SRH's.
CraigC
Hawkeye
Maybe I'm remembering it wrong but if I recall correctly, it's the alloys used that caused the issue, making the original barrels extremely difficult to remove without damaging the threads.
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