"Cattleman's Carbine"...why not?

Status
Not open for further replies.
W

Weedy

Member
Joined
Feb 22, 2009
Messages
246
Location
VA
Does anyone else think that a "Cattleman's Carbine" type gun based on, say, a Super Redhawk or a Raging Bull would be awesome? Double action, .454 Casull, .44 mag, or .357, 16" barrel. It just seems like 6 or 7 quick shots of any of these cartridges in a little carbine would make a lot of sense. You could load one up with hard cast bullets and use it for bear defense.
Seriously, if Taurus or Ruger (or whoever) made something like this I'd get one for sure! I'm guessing that there is something about a revolver-based carbine that makes it undesireable though, since they don't really exist (just the Uberti blackpowder versions I think)...is it the blast that comes from the front of the cylinder being so close to your face? I realize you would have to keep your hands away from that area (put a vertical grip on it!), but besides that, why would somebody NOT want one? Is there some blatantly obvious downfall to this type of gun that I am failing to see?
 
Is there some blatantly obvious downfall to this type of gun that I am failing to see?
Click to expand...

Yes, very few would sell. I personally like the idea, especially the .454 heh heh. I just don't think you'd get many guys going for a modernized cattlemen carbine. I don't think they sell many of the original style models to begin with.

I still like your idea though, especially the thought of stainless steel.:)
 
I don't think a heckuva lot of folks would buy them either, but MAN I just think it would be cool! Stainless would be great too, definitely. It just seems so practical...
 
Build one with a switchable cylinder shield, protect the weak side arm/hand from cyclinder flash gap, something that unlatches for reloading? Just a random thought.
 
I'm just guessing, but I would wager that the blast through the cylinder/forcing cone is such that it is detrimental in a carbine. I personally don't want any part of my hand or arm in front of that area with .454+ pressures.
Click to expand...
That's why such carbines haven't been popular in the past. Usually, they have a grip of some sort hanging down from the trigger guard, to encourage people to keep their hands behind the cylinder gap.

Somewhere on this board, as I recall, there is a photo of a hand missing a few parts, because the shooter got it too close to the cylinder gap of a .500 S&W.
 
Seems to me I saw a 454 lever rifle made by somebody.

I agree that it would likely not be a big seller.

I have a Winchester in 44 Magnum and a 240 JHP loaded over 22 grains of 2400 leaves the muzzle at 1980 FPS. How much more does one need?
 
Lever rifles are great, but it would be nice to be able to just sqeeze off rounds double-action.
And speaking of taking fingers off, I saw a Mythbusters where they put some chicken parts in front of the cylinder gap of a .500 S&W....it didn't cut through the bone, but it did look like it would do quite a bit of damage to your hand.
 
It's a nitch that has been filled by the 30-30 and other lever rifles a long time ago.
 
Revolving carbines proved a total failure 150 years ago due to the safety issue of having your off hand torn literally off in the event of a chain fire.

Chain-fires are not a problem with cartridge revolvers, but the ferocious side-blast from the cylinder gap on the big magnum calibers is probably just about as dangerous to the shooter and bystanders.

Don't look for it to happen in todays liberal legal climate.

rc
 
Last edited:
A revolver rifle with a "sealing-cartridge" design like the Nagant revolver, could be a possibility. For those not familiar, the Nagant revolver fires an odd cartridge with a case mouth that extends past the bullet, which, in combination with the forward-moving cylinder, forms a gas seal at the cylinder gap when firing.
 
Chain-fires are not a problem with cartridge revolvers, but the ferocious side-blast from the cylinder gap on the big magnum calibers is probably just about as dangerous to the shooter and bystanders.
Click to expand...

Yeah. Ever see the burns through range sandbags, from people sighting in revolvers?

I love revolvers, and big ones, but I wouldn't get a revolving carbine, since I don't want my wrist or hand anywhere near the forcing cone.:)

Also, note the pretty uniform grip angle and design of modern DA revolvers? This shape is something that has evolved over the years, and it works. Shooting DA with a different grip shape could result in displaced shots, so the advantages of having DA would be minimal at best.
 
you can buy the Ubertie carbine & the conversion drop in Cyl in 45 long colt. & your idea has come to life. i wouldnt be scared to shot it. not for a second. i have shot the B-P,C-bine & i would not put my hand in front of the cyl. but with a drop in 45 long colt im not sure if this would still be a problem or not
 
Last edited:
DA in a rifle wouldn't make any sense and I like my fingers to stay un-BBQed
 
The Striker actually is a 12 gauge version of what you want: a big, shoulder-fired DA revolver. It gets around the cyclinder-blast issue by enclosing that whole portion of the gun in a sheet metal shell; that's the part that is often mis-identified as a drum magazine. You have to load it one shell at a time through a gate like a single action revolver. The DA trigger pull is awful and doesn't mate well with a pistol grip and shoulder stock.
Overall, the Striker pretty well sucks and I think your dream gun would too.

ps I actually have a Striker, so I know what I'm talking about WRT suckitude here.
 
Man, thanks for destroying my fantasy gun you guys. I guess if I want my double action revolver carbine I'm going to have to enroll in engineering school and make my own...I'm gonna need to brush up on my calculus.
 
Does anyone else think that a "Cattleman's Carbine" type gun based on, say, a Super Redhawk or a Raging Bull would be awesome?
Click to expand...
It'd be awesome right up to the point where the high pressure gasses eat into the flesh on your non-firing arm.

Cool thought, I've had it before, but utterly impractical.

If you really want one, try to find a Mateba Autorevolver Carbine.
 
Like Armoredman said, it just needs a bit of a guard.

A small piece of curved sheet metal blocking the cylinder gap would solve all the issues there.

Seen Rossi or someone did or does make a long, stocked revolver.
 
You'd have to do something...there was a video sometime ago of a dude who was holding a big boomer pistol by the grip and the cylinder, upon ignition, he launched 3 of his fingers to the moon! oouch!

I think it was a 454 Casull, the video went on to say that there was NO failure of the revolver, but hot gasses escaping the cylinder caused the injury...well duh!
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

feedthehogs
  • Locked
Cattleman's Carbine
Replies
1
Views
667
Phil DeGraves
P
D
  • Locked
7.62X25 Carbine
2
Replies
38
Views
6K
Nestor
N
H
  • Locked
Glock carbine!
2
Replies
41
Views
2K
jhb
jhb
D
  • Locked
Semi-Auto .357 carbine
2 3 4
Replies
80
Views
29K
BCCL
B
U
  • Locked
Uberti Cattleman question
Replies
3
Views
600
quiknot
Q
Back
Top