Reeder Custom Guns - Ruger Blackhawk cylinder

Gary, I have an opportunity to buy a 30 carbine Ruger Blackhawk for a song. The only problem is that I have literally zero interest in 30 carbine. I have however wanted to put together a 25-20, 256 win mag, or 6mm wildcat based on the 357 mag case (like a 256 win with a longer neck and shorter body) for some time now (I actually have a 6mm pistol barrel on hand). The barrel swap is a non issue, but the cylinder certainly is. Do you sell unchambered cylinders? I noticed you have a rechamber service for revolver cylinders, but I can’t imagine that you can go down in caliber unless the chambers are being filled some how and then rebored?

Thanks,
Josh

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I am having a blast(literally) with mine. It is a very flexible cartridge from 100gr to 150gr bullets. Not that there isnt a place for the 25s. Gary can set you up any which way you go. Either way I imagine he will want the gun to get it set up right. You will want minimum cylinder gap and tight chambers to get it to work right. I have been texting Huey on some of my testing and have seen some impressive results.

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I tested it at length in the Contender single shot and it surpassed my expectations and really surprised. I wanted to shoot cast bullets from it and just now have the components to do that. Not many folks shoot .243 cast bullets! It did great up to 75 gr. bullets.

It would be interesting in a revolver. I also have a .255 Banshee in both Contender and Revolvers. Cast bullets for it are a little easier as they made them for the .25-20.

Gary figured it out long time ago and you need to give pause to your Wildcat idea. There is some line you cannot cross in a revolver application. A ratio between case diameter and neck down ability. It locks the gun up with sticky cases prematurely. Straight sidewalls keep it from backing out but the neck is a problem. Working with the .300 GNR I found if I made cases with "half-necks" I could get away loading them hotter. As soon as the neck clears the cases just fall out. I also found that when you overwork cases they get sticky, lose their elasticity. They don't spring back after grabbing the case walls. Cases are so strong they fail in this manner before splitting, usually. The Hornets get lose primer pockets or split when overworked.

I'd think Gary would be inclined to do a 6mm on the .32 H&R case or maybe .327 case. He has the .250 GNR done on the H&R. I have not spoken to Blake about it but he really rung out the .250 GNR and I have the .255 Banshee in a wheelgun. Huey too. It would be interesting to discuss the merits of the .250 vs the .255, as to their parent cases characteristics and performance characteristics in the revolver.

Frankly I do not think a 6mm/.357 would work in a revolver. Too much of a neck-down. But keep thinking!

Photo shows the steps of making a .240 Banshee from .22 Hornet.
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32-20 would be cool

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that it may not clean out all the old chamber with a .32 WCF reamer. Maybe GNR has done it before. I don't really see any difference between the .32-20 and .327 Federal except that it's less versatile. A .327 can also fire .32 ACP, .32 Short, >32 Long, and .32 H&R.

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you can only neck a cartridge down about 2 calibers for it to work in a revolver. Anything more than that causes it to back out. We came up with a 32 H&R and a 327 both necked down to 6mm. Neither worked in a revolver. Even the 32 necked down to 25 caliber is touchy. We have done several in revolvers and you really have to play with it to have it 100% reliable. You have to find the right bullet weight and right load or it will back out. The long necks you mentioned never work in a revolver. Way too much taper just like the old 22 Jet. The case has to be straight wall with a sharp shoulder and short neck for reliable functioning. Your best bet would be the 240 Banshee or the 255 Banshee for reliable functioning. I would have to have the gun in here to build the cylinder and barrel for it. The job would be a full package as you would need a new barrel, cylinder, sights, action job, and a full reblue. So it is not a quickie, easy job if you want it done right.

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without spending a lot of money. It is the 357 mag necked to 32 caliber. All you would need would be a new cylinder and reblue as the old logo and caliber have to come off, by law.

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I think if he got to really messing with the GNR Proprietary rounds he'd like them.

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Is that a .312 caliber 32? If so could I send in a spare cylinder to be reamed and keep the original to shoot 30 carbine (if for some reason I don’t forsee at this moment I wanted to)? I’ve toyed with the idea of using a short neck 300 blackout reamer on a spare cylinder, I’ve actually passed a few 357s through a die to see how feasible that would be and it was easily formed. The blackout has a slight case taper, but it’s pretty minimal and the neck on the resulting case is quite short.

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I think it could be done on a Single-Six CF action with some considerations. The .255 is a delight.

I have a 100 gr. .244" cast mould that I hope to test the Contender .240 Banshee soon. Being much slicker than jacketed, and with all the bullet on the bore in that caliber, the 100 gr. should perform better than most would think. We'll soon see.

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they were done on Blackhawk frames.

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Ruger Blackhawk cylinder

Have Gary rechamber the 30 carbine to 321 GNR

Gary has the .240 Banshee on the Hornet case

rechamber

The .30 Carbine has such a thick case neck

Josh, the 357 case to 6mm, in most cases, doesn't work

Amede mentioned the 321 GNR. That is the best way to go

And keep his old cyl. to shoot .30C.

321 gnr

Grrrrr...

Has anyone commissioned a .240 Banshee revolver?

we have done both the 240 Banshee and the 255 Banshee but