.375 Revolver ctg?

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joecrab

Bearcat
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Mar 25, 2022
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mi.
Like most gun nuts, I am never satisfied with what's readily available. I have been thinking lately of a .375 or .380 Revolver ctg. I am thinking of a case length of 1.28 and bullets that run between 140 and 200 grs. and loaded to pressures of 40K to 50K or so. I think it would fit nicely in the GP100 or the smaller frame Blackhawk. It will likely not happen, but it is something to think about when it's too cold outside for much of anything else.
 

needsmostuff

Blackhawk
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Sep 4, 2008
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525
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Tucson,AZ
Since .357 is actually a 36 caliber splitting the difference between 36 and 40 would have a purpose.
But as I'm still waiting for a 40 cal. rimmed my votes are still tied up.
 

needsmostuff

Blackhawk
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Tucson,AZ
I do have a 401 Powermag that also fills the bill, but it is brass challenged.
Yeah, 38-40 could due in a pinch but that's a lot of case volume that's not much needed.
A smaller straight wall modern cartridge designed around smokeless powder would be much more efficient.
You know, like a 10mm with a rim.
If you had a 10mm rimmed, you could then neck it down to a .375 and make joecrab happy.
 

375supermag

Blackhawk
Joined
Jan 1, 2013
Messages
553
Like most gun nuts, I am never satisfied with what's readily available. I have been thinking lately of a .375 or .380 Revolver ctg. I am thinking of a case length of 1.28 and bullets that run between 140 and 200 grs. and loaded to pressures of 40K to 50K or so. I think it would fit nicely in the GP100 or the smaller frame Blackhawk. It will likely not happen, but it is something to think about when it's too cold outside for much of anything else.
There already is a .375 caliber revolver cartridge.
The .375 SuperMag. Dan Wesson built them back in the day for silhouette shooters.

I own one and shoot it regularly.
 

joecrab

Bearcat
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Mar 25, 2022
Messages
47
Location
mi.
There already is a .375 caliber revolver cartridge.
The .375 SuperMag. Dan Wesson built them back in the day for silhouette shooters.

I own one and shoot it regularly.
I don't think that one would work in a GP100 or a Blackhawk.
I am not thinking about a super hi-powered cartridge, just something that is easy to pack and provide a little more punch than the .357 Mg.
 

COR

Blackhawk
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Aug 7, 2007
Messages
850
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Pittsburgh, Pa
That's called a .41 Magnum.

In a 4" N Frame or a 4 5/8" Ruger BH… a man could do a lot worse for the perfect woods walkin gun

I get what you're thinkin, you just have to balance practicality vs cost and overall benefit… handloading allows you to bridge that gap and not "wildcat". Nothing wrong with thinking like you are… it's why we are here
 

joecrab

Bearcat
Joined
Mar 25, 2022
Messages
47
Location
mi.
That's called a .41 Magnum.

In a 4" N Frame or a 4 5/8" Ruger BH… a man could do a lot worse for the perfect woods walkin gun

I get what you're thinkin, you just have to balance practicality vs cost and overall benefit… handloading allows you to bridge that gap and not "wildcat". Nothing wrong with thinking like you are… it's why we are here
Well it's cold outside and over the years I have lost my apatite for bucking snow drifts and getting all bundled up. I can only watch so much television before everything looks like the same plot, so dreaming up new reasons to buy another handgun is my main pastime.:unsure:
 

gunzo

Buckeye
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Kentucky
375 Supermag brass trimmed back might be the ticket, but could get too thick at the case mouth. Plus, it's not real plentiful. Both 30-30 & 225 Winchester cases to 1.280 should work, depending on brand & thickness. Starline might custom make you some brass with your own headstamp if you order enough.
Reamer grinders, custom die makers & bullet mold makers are willing, you supply the blueprint & the cash.
Yep, it would bridge the gap between the 357 & 40 or 41, while remaining in a medium frame, unlike the 41 & up, usually requiring a bigger heavier frame. A S&W model 69 the exception.

Yes sir, something to dream up on a cold winter day or while reading old gun stories & how things came about. I hear ya. I still have cut & trimmed brass, sample bullets & notes from vendors concerning a 375 revolver cartridge of my own from bout 20 years ago. ;) I eventually decided it wasn't worth the effort for me. But that's just me. YMMV.
 

Dan in MI

Moderator
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There already is a .375 caliber revolver cartridge.
The .375 SuperMag. Dan Wesson built them back in the day for silhouette shooters.

I own one and shoot it regularly.

I shot a borrowed .375 Super Mag one summer when my .41 was back at DW getting worked on. That was an awesome gun. VERY accurate with great power. I should have bought it.
 

joecrab

Bearcat
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Mar 25, 2022
Messages
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mi.
375 Supermag brass trimmed back might be the ticket, but could get too thick at the case mouth. Plus, it's not real plentiful. Both 30-30 & 225 Winchester cases to 1.280 should work, depending on brand & thickness. Starline might custom make you some brass with your own headstamp if you order enough.
Reamer grinders, custom die makers & bullet mold makers are willing, you supply the blueprint & the cash.
Yep, it would bridge the gap between the 357 & 40 or 41, while remaining in a medium frame, unlike the 41 & up, usually requiring a bigger heavier frame. A S&W model 69 the exception.

Yes sir, something to dream up on a cold winter day or while reading old gun stories & how things came about. I hear ya. I still have cut & trimmed brass, sample bullets & notes from vendors concerning a 375 revolver cartridge of my own from bout 20 years ago. ;) I eventually decided it wasn't worth the effort for me. But that's just me. YMMV.
The .225 Winchester would be a good case to use cut back to 1.28" because it is a case developed for higher pressures and the rim is smaller than a 30/30 case. I am think about the clearance between the rims in a smaller frame Blackhawk or the GP100 or the Smith L frame. I think I will get some .225 brass and cut it back just to see how it looks. OOPS..The base diameter is .422 which would make for a very thick neck, so that won't work so well either. I want a case with a base diameter of about .400" so the neck wall thickness would be about .012 or so.
 

needsmostuff

Blackhawk
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Tucson,AZ
I think I will get some .225 brass and cut it back just to see how it looks.
Before you decide that's a great plan do a little shopping.
225 brass has become unobtanium and valuable.
I have 2 rifles in 225Win and plenty of brass stash but would not consider cutting a single one.
.
 

aciera

Bearcat
Joined
Jul 23, 2016
Messages
76
375 Supermag brass trimmed back might be the ticket, but could get too thick at the case mouth. Plus, it's not real plentiful. Both 30-30 & 225 Winchester cases to 1.280 should work, depending on brand & thickness. Starline might custom make you some brass with your own headstamp if you order enough.
Reamer grinders, custom die makers & bullet mold makers are willing, you supply the blueprint & the cash.
Yep, it would bridge the gap between the 357 & 40 or 41, while remaining in a medium frame, unlike the 41 & up, usually requiring a bigger heavier frame. A S&W model 69 the exception.

Yes sir, something to dream up on a cold winter day or while reading old gun stories & how things came about. I hear ya. I still have cut & trimmed brass, sample bullets & notes from vendors concerning a 375 revolver cartridge of my own from bout 20 years ago. ;) I eventually decided it wasn't worth the effort for me. But that's just me. YMMV.
Always fun projects
I have a 10mm single six. Could ream it out to 10mm Mag.
Or do the "shorten, cut the rim and ream for a rimmed 10 mm out of 30-30,219 or 225 brass.
I have no shame in building revolvers……….
A 6 shot 475 in a BlackHawk
Even in a Colt.
 
Last edited:

joecrab

Bearcat
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Mar 25, 2022
Messages
47
Location
mi.
The more I dig into this, the more I am coming to the conclusion that if it ever happens, it will have to be done by people with considerably deeper pockets than mine. That being the case, I don't think it will happen. If there was brass available to start with, I could handle the expense of the dies, a bullet mold or 2 and converting one of my guns. I have a 6" GP100 with full underlug in .357Mg. that I don't shoot that much anyway and I could get someone to convert it to a wildcat chambering, but if I have to get Starline to make brass, that's a game stopper for me. Anyway, it is something to talk about ain't it?
 

aciera

Bearcat
Joined
Jul 23, 2016
Messages
76
The more I dig into this, the more I am coming to the conclusion that if it ever happens, it will have to be done by people with considerably deeper pockets than mine. That being the case, I don't think it will happen. If there was brass available to start with, I could handle the expense of the dies, a bullet mold or 2 and converting one of my guns. I have a 6" GP100 with full underlug in .357Mg. that I don't shoot that much anyway and I could get someone to convert it to a wildcat chambering, but if I have to get Starline to make brass, that's a game stopper for me. Anyway, it is something to talk about ain't it?
Exactly. I like a 10mm in a SingleSix because it gives more beef to the cylinder than with a 41. Hence 41 special
30-30,226,219 all have the right base for a 10 mm.
And a 10mm set of dies are fine for reloading.
.030 rim is fine…..I like my headspace
 
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the Great State of Wide-open (WY)
It's generally not cheap, to build a firearm chambered for a wildcat cartridge. But there are definitely different degrees of "not cheap"!

At one end of the budget scale, you find projects like the .700 Nitro Express: custom made-from-scratch brass, bullets, barrels - basically everything. Kind of interesting to read about, but something only the ultra wealthy could actually do.

At the other end of the scale are projects that maximize existing resources, and absolutely minimize the custom work. Years ago, I got together with a gunsmith and outlined a relatively high-performance 30 caliber lever action wildcat - picture the .300 Savage with a long neck (51mm case). It used off-the-shelf bullets (.30-30), brass (.308 Win), and dies (.300 Savage sizer, .308 seater). The rifle was a Marlin .35 Remington, which would be rebarreled with a factory .30-30 barrel rechambered using standard .300 Savage reamers. IIRC, the gunsmith said the only custom work might be a little "clean up" on the chamber after reaming, and maybe opening up the .35 Remington bolt face a hair (some Marlin bolts apparently come from the factory able to accept 0.473" case heads). Oh, and he could convert the rifle to a "take-down" version, if I wanted to pay for that!

Wish I could tell you how it shoots - but I never gave the gunsmith the OK to start. If you've got a wildcat project in mind that you can actually afford (whatever it looks like), I would say "go for it", or you'll likely regret it later!
:)
 

joecrab

Bearcat
Joined
Mar 25, 2022
Messages
47
Location
mi.
It's generally not cheap, to build a firearm chambered for a wildcat cartridge. But there are definitely different degrees of "not cheap"!

At one end of the budget scale, you find projects like the .700 Nitro Express: custom made-from-scratch brass, bullets, barrels - basically everything. Kind of interesting to read about, but something only the ultra wealthy could actually do.

At the other end of the scale are projects that maximize existing resources, and absolutely minimize the custom work. Years ago, I got together with a gunsmith and outlined a relatively high-performance 30 caliber lever action wildcat - picture the .300 Savage with a long neck (51mm case). It used off-the-shelf bullets (.30-30), brass (.308 Win), and dies (.300 Savage sizer, .308 seater). The rifle was a Marlin .35 Remington, which would be rebarreled with a factory .30-30 barrel rechambered using standard .300 Savage reamers. IIRC, the gunsmith said the only custom work might be a little "clean up" on the chamber after reaming, and maybe opening up the .35 Remington bolt face a hair (some Marlin bolts apparently come from the factory able to accept 0.473" case heads). Oh, and he could convert the rifle to a "take-down" version, if I wanted to pay for that!

Wish I could tell you how it shoots - but I never gave the gunsmith the OK to start. If you've got a wildcat project in mind that you can actually afford (whatever it looks like), I would say "go for it", or you'll likely regret it later!
:)
I had a .300 Savage that I extended the neck on with a 30/06 reamer and then used government .308 brass run through the .300 Savage die resulting in a .300 Savage with a longer neck. I did the same thing on a .223 so I could use .222 Mg. brass. That allowed me to seat bullets to just short of the rifling for better accuracy. That one reduced the average group size by 1/4". A lot of .223 rifles have a 5.56 chamber in them, hence the long throat. I have 2 other wildcats, one a 6MMx47 and a 6.35x47 both using .222 Mg. brass. both required replacing the barrels and chambering reamers, then RCBS dies. Someone asked me what I accomplished by it and I said nothing really, but it scratched an itch. 😁
 
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