.357 Bain & Davis Conversion

[Lee Martin]

I picked-up a used .357 Blackhawk and added a second cylinder in .357 Bain & Davis. It's identical to one we did years ago so it won't look like this for long:







The only other upgrades were a trigger job and grips from Arizona Customs (which were a perfect fit). I'm going to shoot it as is for a while. But by year-end I'll add a Super Blackhawk hammer, 9.0" barrel from Shilen, #5 basepin, Bowen target rear, and our post front sight. And there's an outside chance it'll be converted to a Bisley.

Oh, and the cylinder? It's made from that 465 alloy you all go crazy over.

 

[contender]

Tempting us again I see! Nice one Lee!

 

[Jim Puke]

Boy, that is a throwback from back in the day...

 

[gunman42782]

Been a long time since I heard anyone mention that round!

 

[don44]

Been a long time since I heard anyone mention that round!

+1

 

[coach]

I never heard of it. I thought bottleneck cartridges in revolvers tended to be problematic. Looks like plenty of powder behind that bullet.

 

[Diamondtreo]

Woo Hoo! I've got one of those too - except for it is a S&W model 28-2 6" bbl. A real fire breathing dragon!

 

[Mike Armstrong]

Interesting idea. I always thought the B&D looked a lot like a .38-40 WCF; just more bottlenecked.

Bain and Davis still exists in San Gabriel, CA, a good gunshop. They don't have the custom gunsmithing capabilities they had back in the day, according to a customer I know. I've never had them do anything more complicated than a D&T for scoping a rifle.

I considered having my .357 TC Contender Carbine rechambered to the B&D cartidge but finally just had MGM make me a custom .357 Max barrel, which also shoots .38s and .357 Magnum really well.

Let us know how that B&D shoots! Can you match .357 Max ballistics?

 

[Joe S.]

I hear it gets real close to Max ballistics. That's the perfect use for those big ol Super framed 357 guns. I'd love to do that too. Are dies still commercially available?

 

[RSIno1]

Joe, you can still get the dies for it...or at least, the last time I looked, you could...not that long ago.

You can but they are very proud of them @ $170

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/680540/rcbs-3-die-set-with-roll-crimp-357-44-bain-and-davis

 

[ThomTender]

Had a Contender barrel and dies for the 357 B&D back in the 70's . Sorry now that I sold it. Would buy a barrel and dies today if I could find them at a reasonable price. Thomtender