Converting a 357 Three Screw to 44 Special?

[Driftwood Johnson]

Howdy

Just yesterday I picked up a three screw 357 Magnum Blackhawk that I had on layaway at a local shop. I am considering having it converted to 44 Special.

No, there are reasons why I cannot just buy one of the nice new 44 Specials that Ruger is currently selling.

Anyway, I went to Hamilton Bowen's Classic Arms website to see how much it would cost. Not cheap, although I did not expect it to be cheap.

Just wondering, are there any other gunsmiths that can do this conversion, or is Bowen the only one?

 

[RonEgg]

I have used Clements Custom Guns. Great work, but takes awhile.

 

[Boge Quinn]

+1 on Clements. Jeff had one converted by Dave a long time ago, Dave now calls this conversion the "Jeff Quinn Special":
http://www.clementscustomguns.com/rugerrevolvers.html
http://www.gunblast.com/Clements.htm

...or Bowen...
http://www.bowenclassicarms.com/catalog/ruger_single_action_basic_caliber_conversions.html
http://www.gunblast.com/Bowen-No5.htm
http://www.gunblast.com/Boge_Bowen-PerfectedBearcat.htm
http://www.gunblast.com/Bowen-327s.htm
http://www.gunblast.com/Boge_BowenBearcat.htm
http://www.gunblast.com/Bowen-SP101.htm


...or Alan Harton...
[email protected]
http://www.gunblast.com/AlanHarton.htm
http://www.gunblast.com/Harton-No5.htm

...or Ben Forkin (http://www.gunblast.com/Forkin44Vaquero.htm)...

...or Jim Stroh (http://www.alphaprecisioninc.com/)...

...any of these guys will do great work; it won't be cheap, it won't be quick, but you will be happy.

 

[CraigC]

Lots of `em! This one was done by the aforementioned Jim Stroh about twelve years ago.

 

[Hammerdown77]

John Gallagher

http://www.gallagherfirearms.com/

 

[Hammerdown77]

Lots of `em! This one was done by the aforementioned Jim Stroh about twelve years ago.

That's great, is that hard chrome?

 

[rugerguy]

yes, "lots of them..." any good gunsmith can do the job, here is one that was done by Vans Custom guns over here in Sandusky,Ohio.........started out as a 30- prefix BKH...........

 

[Boge Quinn]

John Gallagher

http://www.gallagherfirearms.com/

I knew I was forgetting somebody! I have a nice Gallagher 41 Special conversion on an Old Model Single-Six.

 

[CraigC]

That's great, is that hard chrome?

Yep, thanks!

 

[RonEgg]

I should have added this. 45 convertible by Clements

 

[flatgate]

I have a conversion that was done at a local shop.........

flatgate

 

[DeletedMember275]

Lots of `em! This one was done by the aforementioned Jim Stroh about twelve years ago.

Ooh, pretty! Me want.

 

[Robb Barnes]

Don't forget Andy Horvath as well. He has one of the quickest turn around times last time I checked.

 

[SAJohn]

Check the Classified and cry about the Dave Clement's that just sold here for $700.

 

[RonEgg]

I had been on the forum all morning and had left to take my granddaughter to dance class or that puppy would have been mine!

 

[Zeus]

I had one by Gallagher that I really liked. His prices are very reasonable also. Great guy to deal with.

 

[Brules]

Don't forget Andy Horvath as well. He has one of the quickest turn around times last time I checked.

Andy Horvath converted my 357 to 38-40. He did a great job.

 

[Hondo44]

Driftwood,

Ruger 357 to 44 Special just may be the most proliific conversion.
I've seen them from Mild to Wild or roughly three levels. In each case you get what you pay for.

The premium 357/44 Spl custom conversions are often 'fixed packages' with premium prices that come from the top pistolsmiths mentioned above. They include line boring, premium Douglas barrels, superb tolerances and accuracy, also many bells and whistles like:
custom sights, locking cyl pin, fancy finish, grips, alloy parts replacement w/steel, action job, and custom caliber remarking, etc.

The next or moderate conversions are more basic but can include line boring, Douglas barrel, may be steel replacement parts and custom caliber remarking with a little extra for some optional bells and whistles.

Ruger purist conversions usually use only Ruger factory parts re-worked/re-used, Ruger steel replacement parts, hand stamped caliber remarking, and are the least expensive. More along the original Skeeter level of conversion.

Local gunsmiths usually do the latter level. I prefer the latter mainly because I can do those myself.

What level did you have in mind?

 

[Robb Barnes]

This is a picture of the one John Gallagher did for me on an old model 357 flat top. He built the octagon barrel and fit the Clements bisley parts and the brass bisley gripframe. John also fit the black micartas but the gun is at Roy Fishpaws right now getting French walnut.

 

[CraigC]

That'll look great with some Fishpaw walnut on it!

 

[Boge Quinn]

I realize this doesn't really forward our conversation, but I just can't help showing off my favorite 44 Special conversion, done on an Old Model Ruger Flattop 357 - unfortunately, the 'smith (Bill Grover) is no longer with us.

This is one of the famous "Skeeter Guns", seven special sixguns made-up to memorialize the great Skeeter Skelton. The first, SS1, was commissioned by Skeeter himself, who never lived to see it finished; SS1 went instead to John Wooters. SS2 went to Bart Skelton, SS3 to Bob Baer, SS4 to John Taffin, SS5 to Bill Grover, SS6 to Terry Murbach, and SS7 to Sheriff Jim Wilson. There will be no more authorized sixguns in this series. Taffin was kind enough to send me a "family portrait" of the sixguns with their owners at a memorial shoot for Bill Grover held by the Shootists in 1992; framed, it holds a place of honor on my wall. I would post it, but I don't have permission to share.

Here's an article by Taffin: http://www.sixguns.com/range/customsa.htm.

Anyway, I had begged Terry to sell me SS6 for YEARS, realizing I could never afford it as an original Skeeter gun would easily command five figures. Still, Skeeter was a boyhood hero to me, and to have any one of the SS sixguns, especially SS6 because of the close relationship I have with Terry, would be a dream come true, verily a "Grail" sixgun, so I bugged Terry every chance I got. Finally Terry agreed to leave me SS6 when he passed away, which left me in the position of hoping I never received it.

At the Shootist Holiday in June of 2009, Terry brought SS6 for me to shoot a bit, as I'd never actually seen it in the ferrous flesh; I ran a box of ammo through it, and was well pleased. When I brought SS6 back to Terry and thanked him for letting me shoot it, he just said, "Keep it, it's yours!" I was flabbergasted, to say the least; Terry went on to explain that he was afraid SS6 would fall through the cracks and not find me if he left it to me upon his passing, so he'd eliminate the guesswork by going ahead and giving it to me. Obviously, this is my most prized sixgun, both for what it is and for what it means. Truly priceless. And still looks good, for a gun that has seven thousand rounds down the pipe!

Here's Terry Murbach presenting me SS6. What a day that was, and what a friend!

 

[CraigC]

Boge, you should feel free to post pics of your Skeeter gun any time you have the urge. I know I never tire of seeing it. Great sixgun, great history, great story. :D

 

[Driftwood Johnson]

Howdy Again

Thanks for all the leads. Plenty for me to look into.

Also, thanks to Boge Quinn for a great story and letting me see a fantastic gun.

Hondo44 asked what level did I have in mind? Great question. I too read everything Skeeter wrote that I could get my hands on when I was a kid. But my aspirations for my Three Screw are a bit more modest than some of the guns pictured in this thread.

Here is what it looks like right now. The gun is 50 years old, so it has a bit of wear on it, but overall, it's condition is not too bad. Sorry the first two photos are a bit fuzzy.

I had to think about it for a while, but I think I want the gun blued, I do not want it case hardened. I am a little bit tough on my guns and I would feel really bad if I had it beautifully case hardened and then scratched the colors.

I really like the 6 1/2" barrel, so I want to retain that feature, whether it is a new barrel or a replacement. I also really like the sights, so I want to retain them too. I will be shooting this gun in Cowboy Action shooting every once in a while, so no white outlines on the rear sight. And I like the front sight just fine too, so either keeping it, or replacing it with something very similar with some serrations on the rear is what I want.

The loading gate is showing some nice plum, but it also has some scratches on it, so I think just blueing the entire gun will be the best solution for me.

The hammer is a bit stained on the sides, so I think I would like to have that polished back to its original shine.

I think to add a little bit of weight I would like to have the grip frame replaced by a steel grip frame.

I like the original style grips, I do not want any fancy grips. These grips are a bit bunged up, but not too bad. I am thinking that perhaps they can be sanded down just a bit to fit a new steel grip frame, or else new grips of a similar type be fitted to a steel grip frame

And to complete the package, I think I would like a steel ejector housing.

Nothing fancy, just a nice refinished blued gun, all the steel the same color and some nice original type grips. Chambered for 44 Special.

Mechanically the gun seems quite sound, there is no endshake at all, and the cylinder locks up relatively tight for a 50 year old gun. There is a little bit of rotational play, but not more than any other revolvers I own of the same age.

I only picked up the gun this week and have not had a chance to shoot it yet. Step number one is to take it apart and clean out any hardened oil inside, relubricate it and put it back together again.

Step number two is to take it to the range and put some 357 Mag and 38 Sp ammo through it and see how it performs.

Step number three will be to decide if I want an action job with it, and decide who to send it to for the modifications.

That's the plan anyway.

 

[Wyandot Jim]

Alan Harton. 45 Colt

D J,
Looks like you have either a Type one Transition (Micro Marked Rear Sight) or a Type 2 Transition ( Alum Rear Sight and steel ejector housing) S/N 43416???? Both kind of scarce. Yours looks like a steel rear sight. If so 1000 made.
Type 2

 

[Old_School]

Driftwood, I don't know if those grips can be adapted to a different grip frame, but I believe those dents on the bottom could be steamed right out. A light sanding & refinish job could make them look like new!

 

[ndcowboy]

Lots of `em! This one was done by the aforementioned Jim Stroh about twelve years ago.

WoW! Can I ask what those grips are made of?

 

[CraigC]

Thanks! They're antique paper micarta by CLC. It's a new material available from Sheffield Knifemaker's Supply and is a dead ringer for the old Westinghouse stuff.

 

[Driftwood Johnson]

Jim:

Here is a photo of the rear sight.

Ejector housing is aluminum. Non-magnetic anyway.

You are close with the SN but not quite. Let's just leave it at 434XX.
I hope you are not going to tell me that this pistol is really rare and I should not consider converting it?

 

[Wyandot Jim]

Jim:

Here is a photo of the rear sight.

Ejector housing is aluminum. Non-magnetic anyway.

You are close with the SN but not quite. Let's just leave it at 434XX.
I hope you are not going to tell me that this pistol is really rare and I should not consider converting it?

Well if you consider a 1 of 1000 Type 1 Transition not many known, ya might consider it a weeeeeeeeeeeeee bit rare.
I bet the ERH is steel looks steel in the picks anyway. Me I would keep that shooter the way it is and just replace a few things. Another grip frame with grips and reblue the cylinder. Just to get rid of that ugly turn ring. After reblue take the blue off the ratchet and cyl. bushing.
Or we could make a deal. You want an OM I will always take a Type 1 to go with my Type 2 :lol: :lol: :lol:
Ya got a good one,
Jim

 

[Hondo44]

Driftwood,

Well you certainly have a great candidate and I heartily agree with your preference for level of conversion. That happens to match mine exactly and here's my "do-it-myself" example:

My economy "Double Eagle" conversion (one on the frame and one on the barrel).
1958 357 Flat Top ‘before’ photo:

Completed conversion to 44 Spl, all steel FT:
OM Super Blackhawk barrel with eagle cut to 4 5/8" with resoldered sight.
Ruger 44 Spl factory cylinder, only now available because of the NM FT mid-size Blackhawk 44 Spls.
Replaced original steel offset slot ejector housing with new straight slot hsg for additional ejector length.
Super Blackhawk cylinder pin w/collar; shortened on both ends.
XR3RED Old Army carbon steel grip frame (new from Brownell's) polished ready for bluing but I just may leave it in the white, with SBH wide trigger to fill the wide slot.
I had originally adapted a new model XR3 steel grip frame but some of my loads rapped my knuckle.
Ruger factory grip panels but with black OM medallions, and blued screw and escutheons.
Self tuned action.

It's dialed in to shoot to point of aim at 25 Yards with my lighter bullets and faster powders with sight adjustment as shown or with heavy bullet loads, it hits the 200 yard ‘gong’ but with a lower rear sight adjustment, shoots to point of aim at 25 yards.