Single shot rifle in 357

Anything Fullbore rifle related, Hunting, Target, Match.

Moderator: dromia

Message
Author
User avatar
mag41uk
Posts: 1838
Joined: Sat Oct 13, 2012 3:50 pm
Home club or Range: Aldershot R & P Club
Location: Reading
Contact:

Single shot rifle in 357

#1 Post by mag41uk »

You may recall I was wobbling on a while back about a rifle in 357 to get out to 300yds.
Appears to be sod all available and/or any importers not interested.
Still toying with the ruger 77/357 as they are available.
As I have been sorting through the sec58 rifles which I am thinning out I find I have 1 and a half Remington rolling blocks.
I say 1 and a half as one has no hammer and various bits missing.
Both these rifles are in 43 Egyptian and judging by the lack of rifling have seen much use - as they apparently did.
It got me thinking about having one rebarreled in 357 maximum.
Barrel blank should be easy to source - say 1 in 20 twist - not sure what thread is required but the old barrel will give a clue assuming it comes off.
Maybe 22 inch barrel. Extractor would need reworking which I think maybe the tricky part.
I can do the woodwork. No open sights but drilling and tapping for a scope mount.
Any one done a similar conversion?
Am I wasting my time?
User avatar
Sim G
Past Supporter
Posts: 10729
Joined: Sat Nov 06, 2010 9:09 pm
Contact:

Re: Single shot rifle in 357

#2 Post by Sim G »

If you can't find what you want, then that conversion fits the bill perfectly.
In 1978 I was told by my grand dad that the secret to rifle accuracy is, a quality bullet, fired down a quality barrel..... How has that changed?

Guns dont kill people. Dads with pretty Daughters do...!
User avatar
dodgyrog
Site Supporter Since 2015
Posts: 4096
Joined: Wed Jan 05, 2011 11:17 pm
Home club or Range: Three Counties Sporting Club & Gardners Guns
Location: Consett, County Durham
Contact:

Re: Single shot rifle in 357

#3 Post by dodgyrog »

Why not just reline the old barrel?
Purveyor of fine cast boolits.
All round good guy and VERY grumpy old man.
User avatar
Sim G
Past Supporter
Posts: 10729
Joined: Sat Nov 06, 2010 9:09 pm
Contact:

Re: Single shot rifle in 357

#4 Post by Sim G »

A mate who had an old Winchester 45-90 relined said there was only one bloke left in the country who does it, Arthur Smith. Took ages and wasn’t cheap!
In 1978 I was told by my grand dad that the secret to rifle accuracy is, a quality bullet, fired down a quality barrel..... How has that changed?

Guns dont kill people. Dads with pretty Daughters do...!
User avatar
dodgyrog
Site Supporter Since 2015
Posts: 4096
Joined: Wed Jan 05, 2011 11:17 pm
Home club or Range: Three Counties Sporting Club & Gardners Guns
Location: Consett, County Durham
Contact:

Re: Single shot rifle in 357

#5 Post by dodgyrog »

Sim G wrote:A mate who had an old Winchester 45-90 relined said there was only one bloke left in the country who does it, Arthur Smith. Took ages and wasn’t cheap!
It looks easy enough if you have the right equipment:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZ7sQya7tyk
Purveyor of fine cast boolits.
All round good guy and VERY grumpy old man.
FredB
Site Supporter Since 2019
Posts: 969
Joined: Fri Dec 10, 2010 8:33 pm
Home club or Range: stourport
Location: Wolverhampton
Contact:

Re: Single shot rifle in 357

#6 Post by FredB »

If you are going to use an old rolling block action with a modern, higher pressure cartridge, then don't forget the firing pin. Old actions have large pins in sloppy holes and the increased pressure of the 357 Max will cause the primer to set back and flow around the pin. It needs to be drilled out and bushed for a smaller pin.
Fred
User avatar
mag41uk
Posts: 1838
Joined: Sat Oct 13, 2012 3:50 pm
Home club or Range: Aldershot R & P Club
Location: Reading
Contact:

Re: Single shot rifle in 357

#7 Post by mag41uk »

Thanks for varied replies!
Its possible the old barrel wouldn't come off intact any way.
I think fitting a new barrel wouldn't cost much more than a reline - assuming anyone could reline it.
Nice video btw on the 22 reline.
At least with a new barrel it would be better metal more equipped for a higher pressure round.
The only down side I can see would be the extractor as it was designed for a much larger case.
Maybe I could get an extractor from a smaller cartridge rifle.
Hmmm.
Will have a chat with a couple of gun plumbers.
User avatar
GlockworkOrange
Posts: 98
Joined: Fri Oct 26, 2018 3:29 pm
Home club or Range: Parkstone Gun Club
Location: Winchester
Contact:

Re: Single shot rifle in 357

#8 Post by GlockworkOrange »

I've got a Pedersoli Rolling Block .410 shotgun, which is rather useless, and have been considering doing something similar. Would be a shame to lose the barrel though, it's incredibly heavy and proofed at 2240kg (nearly 32000 PSI by my calculations?), so I can't help but wonder if it could simply be rifled and rechambered for a suitable rifle cartridge.
User avatar
dodgyrog
Site Supporter Since 2015
Posts: 4096
Joined: Wed Jan 05, 2011 11:17 pm
Home club or Range: Three Counties Sporting Club & Gardners Guns
Location: Consett, County Durham
Contact:

Re: Single shot rifle in 357

#9 Post by dodgyrog »

H&R Handi Rifle in .357 Mag bores out to maximum easily enough - IF you can find one!
Purveyor of fine cast boolits.
All round good guy and VERY grumpy old man.
User avatar
shugie
Past Supporter
Posts: 1602
Joined: Sun Apr 29, 2012 3:42 pm
Home club or Range: Sperry at Bisley
Location: near Reading
Contact:

Re: Single shot rifle in 357

#10 Post by shugie »

If shooting out to longer distances with 357 mag would you not be better off with some sort of miniature cannon arrangement to make getting howitzer trajectories that bit easier?
Careful now/that sort of thing
Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 5 guests