Double action .357 & 9mm?

[cstrack]

I have been looking at the Blackhawk .357/9mm revolver, but my hesitations with the pistol are a.) single action and b.) time needed to eject shell casing and reloading (one at a time). This lead me to a question, "Does Ruger make (or did they make) a double action verions of the .357/9mm combo? If they do, then what is it called?

If Ruger does not make this pistol, then does it exist with any manufacturer...revolver or non-revolvers?

Thank you.

 

[Terry T]

Ruger offered their Six Series double action revovers in both 357 mag. and 9mm (in the fixed sight version) but not as a convertable.

However, it's fairly easy to swap cylinders. One could find, say, a 9mm version and then pick up a 357 mag. cylinder set and then just swap them out when needed. Might take some fitting.

Might just be easier to get two guns, one in 9mm and one in 357 mag. :shock:
Terry

 

[stantheman86]

I believe the 9mm versions of the Six series will have a tighter bore than a .357/.38 version, but I could be wrong.

I have heard that the 9mm/.357 Blackhawk conversions are not exactly one-hole tackdrivers with 9mm, since the bore is sized for .357. The bullet diameter for 9mm is .354-.355. No doubt good enough that most of us wouldn't even notice a slight decrease in accuracy over say, a P89 or some such.

 

[eveled]

It would be a nice setup to have..

 

[ProfessorWes]

A gunshop sales clerk told me today that Ruger's making a limited run of 1500 stainless Flattop Blackhawks in .357/9mm convertible for a distributor. Is this true?

 

[anachronism]

9mm pretty much sucks in a revolver anyway. If you want a toy, buy a GP100, and send the cylinder out for a moon clip conversion for the best of both worlds.

 

[WAYNO]

9mm pretty much sucks in a revolver anyway. If you want a toy, buy a GP100, and send the cylinder out for a moon clip conversion for the best of both worlds.

Again, everybody has a different idea.

I've actually shot lots of 9mm's out of a revolver, and I really like it. The 9mm is somewhat hotter that a .38 Spl, and costs a bunch less to shoot, assuming you're buying ready-made ammo.

WAYNO.

 

[rammerjammer]

9mm pretty much sucks in a revolver anyway.

That is ridiculous! My two 9mm SP101s would have to disagree with as would my wallet after saving hundreds of dollars already by shooting 9mm and not 38 Special or 357 Mag.

 

[anachronism]

My experiences 940s disagree with yours with SP101s, or they would if I hadn't sold them off. I came to loathe revolvers that require moon clips to function. Also, the recoil from the 9mm in revolvers is much sharper than even hot 38 Spls. I now keep 640s & 649s in 357 mag for that purpose. I seriously thought 9mm would be really neat in a compact until I spent some time with one. I didn't learn my lesson, and bought a second one a few years later, only to sell it off too. The extra bulk of the SP101 may dampen the recoil a bit, but I had a 357 SP101 and sold it because I felt it was too heavy for practical pocket carry. I'm sure others feel differently. I cast almost everything I shoot for practice, so most of my ammo cost is pretty much the same.

 

[cstrack]

Thanks for the replies. Some interesting points were made.

It would be a nice setup to have..

The rational for my question was:
"IF" mass chaos erupts across the world and I am forced to one pistol and scrounging for ammo, then I want to maximize my odds of finding ammo. [BTW--I'm not a big proponent of the world ending this year, but it wouldn't hurt to be prepared for such an event...if/when it ever happened.]

Since 9mm (and .22) is the ammo with the highest volume shipments across the world, I would want a pistol that could handle 9mm. But, if my one pistol was capable of handling 9mm, 357 mag, and 38, then I would have more choices when ammo scrounging. The convertible Blackhawk has this capability, but it takes longer to reload than a double action and you need to be a cowboy action shooter to send multiple rounds in a short time interval. Hence, the double action version of the convertible Blackhawk seemed like a reasonable thought.

I located a double action 357/9mm convertible pistol on GunBroker. It's a Manurhin from France. The $5K price tag excludes me from this club.[/u]

 

[Terry T]

A Ruger LCR in 357 mag and an LC9 in 9mm would meet your basic concept for not too much money.
The Ruger double action 9mm revolvers are no longer in production and are bringing a premium on the used market. They were offered in Speed Six, Service Six and SP-101 configurations. (I have only 6 double action 9mm revolvers :shock: ).

The double action revolvers can use the 9mm rounds without the half moon or full moon clips but the ejector does not work without the clips and the rounds must be removed from the chambers with a pencil or some such small rod.

I think the chances of Western Civilization As We Know It ending are remote. However, local chaos is quite possible and would seem like The End to those caught up in it. Just look at those poor folks in Syria.

First priority for gunnies is to have ammo and lots of it. First thing that gets closed in a riot is the gun stores. If you don't already have it, you won't be able to get it. :shock:
Second priority is fire control – there is no re-supply line! :shock:
Just my $0.02 worth,
Terry T

 

[contender]

cstrack,,, Welcome to the Forum!

Now,,, your reasons for wanting a very versitile revolver is understandable. A single gun, capable of handling several types of ammo is desirable. Your thoughts on quick reloads etc may not be as big an issue as you may percieve. In real world issues,,, especially a survival type of senario, you will WANT to slow down & not expend much ammo. So,, a Single-Action design could easily be beneficial. As for speed shooting,, a SA can easily be fired VERY quickly,, if needed. Reloading is definately slower than a DA or a semi-auto, but still not as slow as you may think. (Go to a SASS match & watch how fast the cowboys who are required to load an extra shell to complete a stage.)
All in all, to fit you needs,,, a Blackhawk in 9mm/357 will cover centerfire easily, (w/o spending a lot on customizing a gun,) and a SIngle-Six can easily cover the 22 LR caliber you mentioned.
Just a bit of musing here.

 

[Glupy]

I've actually shot lots of 9mm's out of a revolver, and I really like it. The 9mm is somewhat hotter that a .38 Spl, and costs a bunch less to shoot, assuming you're buying ready-made ammo.

WAYNO.

And I don't have to chase brass around the range either.

I like shooting my 9mm Blackhawk.

Glupy

 

[roaddog28]

Hi,
Your not going to find a better revolver that won't cost a fortune than a Blackhawk 357/9mm revolver. They are meant to be the perfect all around revolver. Yes, you will give up some accurately in the 9mm mode, but not that much. I have one and its a joy to shoot. From full power 357 magnums to target 38 specials and finally 9mm which is the cheapest to shoot, a person can bring one revolver to the range. Loading does not bother me.
In a combo revolver I don't know of anything better.
Good luck with your seach,
Howard

 

[stantheman86]

My usual response to the "end of the world" ammo scenario is that you want to have as much as you can get NOW and not have to "scrounge"........I have read all the crap about having NATO "ammo commonality" because, yeah, the US military is going to be giving out 5.56 and 9mm ammo to citizens :roll:

It doesn't matter if you're chosen caliber is 30-40 Krag or 9mm, if you don't already have it, don't rely on having to find it after chaos breaks out.

It may seem wierd but a 10-22, a Mark III or some such and a few 100's of thousands of rounds of .22 LR could be your best friend in this scenario.......

 

[Lost Sheep]

Thanks for the replies. Some interesting points were made.

It would be a nice setup to have..

The rational for my question was:
"IF" mass chaos erupts across the world and I am forced to one pistol and scrounging for ammo, then I want to maximize my odds of finding ammo. [BTW--I'm not a big proponent of the world ending this year, but it wouldn't hurt to be prepared for such an event...if/when it ever happened.]

Since 9mm (and .22) is the ammo with the highest volume shipments across the world, I would want a pistol that could handle 9mm. But, if my one pistol was capable of handling 9mm, 357 mag, and 38, then I would have more choices when ammo scrounging. The convertible Blackhawk has this capability, but it takes longer to reload than a double action and you need to be a cowboy action shooter to send multiple rounds in a short time interval. Hence, the double action version of the convertible Blackhawk seemed like a reasonable thought.

I located a double action 357/9mm convertible pistol on GunBroker. It's a Manurhin from France. The $5K price tag excludes me from this club.[/u]

Medusa revolver. Will also handle 9x18 Makarov and 9x17 380 Auto and (I think) the 38 Auto as well.

Lost Sheep

 

[cstrack]

I appreciate the thoughts and musing from all of you.

I was unaware of the Nato ammo commonality strategy...my thoughts were based solely on maximizing my odds of finding ammo in a caliber that would work in my one pistol. I doubt the military will hand out ammo, too.

If I don't need to select just one pistol, then I have some options. For instance, I have .22 covered with a pistol and rifle, which I've owned since the late 80's. Also, I have a 20 gauge and 30-30. Recently, I purchased a 9mm SA, and I'm anxiously waiting for it's arrival. Assuming I could carry all these firearms, as well as the ammo, I could survive...at least until the ammo ran out.

In order to "round out my collection", I'm in the market for a .357/38 revolver, but I want to select a pistol that is as versatile as possible. Sounds like the .357/9mm Blackhawk is a good choice, but I will need to practice shooting and reloading. The $30/hr range fees are my largest hurdle for practicing, since I currently live in a moderately-size city.

If I find a .357 magnum Blackhawk but it is not the convertible model with a 9mm cylinder, can I purchase a 9mm cylinder (and will it work without a pistol modification)? In other words, is a plain .357 Blackhawk the same as a convertible .357 Blackhawk, other than the 9mm cylinder with the convertible model?

Ammo. I do need to increase my reserves. Any recommendation on locations to buy some? The local Wal-Mart always seems to be out of stock (except .22), and the local gun stores think I'm made of money...based on their prices.

 

[Terry T]

Once and a while Cabela's has $5 or free shipping on orders over $100. Their prices are competitive and the internet usually means no sales tax and the free shipping makes it much more of a deal. Don't even have to spend fuel to drive to the local shop!
I like to support my local shops so I usually buy one or two boxes of the really good stuff there for every day carry. Then I use the internet, if I can for the bulk, end of the world, stash.
Big 5 just had a pretty good price on 250 rd. boxes of 9mm FMJ. Not my first choice but better than thowing rocks! :shock:
Terry T

 

[Lost Sheep]

I appreciate the thoughts and musing from all of you.

I was unaware of the Nato ammo commonality strategy...my thoughts were based solely on maximizing my odds of finding ammo in a caliber that would work in my one pistol. I doubt the military will hand out ammo, too.

If I don't need to select just one pistol, then I have some options. For instance, I have .22 covered with a pistol and rifle, which I've owned since the late 80's. Also, I have a 20 gauge and 30-30. Recently, I purchased a 9mm SA, and I'm anxiously waiting for it's arrival. Assuming I could carry all these firearms, as well as the ammo, I could survive...at least until the ammo ran out.

In order to "round out my collection", I'm in the market for a .357/38 revolver, but I want to select a pistol that is as versatile as possible. Sounds like the .357/9mm Blackhawk is a good choice, but I will need to practice shooting and reloading. The $30/hr range fees are my largest hurdle for practicing, since I currently live in a moderately-size city.

If I find a .357 magnum Blackhawk but it is not the convertible model with a 9mm cylinder, can I purchase a 9mm cylinder (and will it work without a pistol modification)? In other words, is a plain .357 Blackhawk the same as a convertible .357 Blackhawk, other than the 9mm cylinder with the convertible model?

Ammo. I do need to increase my reserves. Any recommendation on locations to buy some? The local Wal-Mart always seems to be out of stock (except .22), and the local gun stores think I'm made of money...based on their prices.

It sounds like you are thinking about a SHTF scenario and going it alone, perhaps on foot.

Not practical. The sound of gunfire only brings the zombies to you. If you are not an experienced woodsman, you are unlikely to survive the first winter.

If you want to survive the breakdown of civilization, it is best to move to a rural area, become a part of the local community and survive as a group. Develop skills that contribute to the society (farming, veterinarian, small engine repair, stuff like that) and make yourself indispensable.

Be practical.

There is more to survival than bullets.

If I misread your thoughts, please forgive me.

Lost Sheep

 

[Wheelgunner]

cstrack,

If we get to that stage, my first pick wouldn't be a handgun. I'd be hauling around my .38/.357 mag. Browning B92. It would give me more versatility until someone with longer range took me out.

Take Care

Wheelgunner