Are NM 357 Flattop cyls the same length as 44spl & 45clt?

Are NM Flattop & new vaquero (mid frame) 357 cylinders the same length as 44 special and 45 colt flattop cylinders?

yes

Curiosity got to me, so I went and measured.......

Stainless 357/9mm convertible = 1.587 without ratchet or boss
Blue 44 Spec = 1.588

Sugar River said:

Curiosity got to me, so I went and measured.......

Stainless 357/9mm convertible = 1.587 without ratchet or boss
Blue 44 Spec = 1.588

Click to expand...

Yeah, me too. The OAL are within .005" but the chamber length on my 357 is 1.585" but my 44 spec. is 1.610".

In my case, the 357 cyl. would go in the 44 but have an unacceptable cyl. gap. The 44 won't fit the 357 without machining.

Thanks fellas!

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, as I read this many moons ago.

Ruger cylinders are all the same length overall and would fit into the frame window of similar sized frames. BUT, by design, a cylinder for a larger caliber cartridge cannot be inserted into the frame of a smaller caliber gun.

The way I read that was to prevent a .44 Magnum cylinder being inadvertently loaded and fired in a frame with a .357 barrel, which would produce disastrous results.


Bob Wright

Bob, I've read & believed that myself & in general it is so, or was. A stellar idea.

But this same subject came up just a few weeks ago & I checked again after many years & got a surprise.
A 45 Colt BH cylinder of mine not only fit, but fit well into a 44 mag. BH. Maybe a one off incident, but something can & did slip through the cracks on these 2.

Disastrous results for sure.

gunzo said:

Bob, I've read & believed that myself & in general it is so, or was. A stellar idea.

But this same subject came up just a few weeks ago & I checked again after many years & got a surprise.
A 45 Colt BH cylinder of mine not only fit, but fit well into a 44 mag. BH. Maybe a one off incident, but something can & did slip through the cracks on these 2.

Disastrous results for sure.

Click to expand...

I don't have enough .357 Magnum Blackhawks to really make a definite statement, but the one I tried it in had too much barrel stub projection to allow a .44 Magnum cylinder to fit. The onther .357 Magnums I have are the older three screw Models which are smaller frames.

Bob Wright