Dave DeLaurant
Member
Probably a frequent repeat topic, but I'm relatively new so bear with me.
There was considerable discussion about revolver cartridge leverguns on another recent post, which prompted me to consider the lower-power end of my own longarm arsenal. I would be interested to see longarms owned by others that are chambered for revolver and pistol cartridges, in any type of action but excluding rimfires, and to learn what uses they have been put to.
Speaking for myself, I currently have four carbines that fit into this category. The only one of my group that was purchased with personal defense in mind was the Ruger PC9. The remainder are, first and foremost, fun plinkers which could serve as small or medium game hunting carbines. My NEF HandiRifle it actually fitted with two barrels that would qualify, in 357 Maximum and .38 Super. The Maximum barrel is just a factory Magnum barrel rechambered and then refinished by Armoloy, but the .38 Super barrel started life in .22 Hornet. I sent it to the late Dick Nickel for shortening to 17", reboring and rechambering. The original barrel markings have been removed and new ones re-engraved, and then the entire barrel Parkerized. The original Hornet ejector was replaced with a .223 ejector, which provides an interesting degree of flexibility. The barrel will chamber .38 ACP, .38 Super, 9mm Largo -- and in a pinch, 9x19 Parabellum. The shorter cartridge has to be placed into the chamber in a rather fiddly manner so that it headspaces on the ejector, but not only does it work in an emergency, it even groups! The barrel is fitted with a NoDak Spud rear ghost ring sight.
The strange little Martini carbine (nicknamed Marteenie) was built on an old military action I purchased from Australia. The date of manufacture was 1876 (right side of the receiver); in 1900 it was converted to .303 (marked on the left side.) I had a local gunsmith rework a surplus rolling block carbine barrel in .44 Magnum to fit this action, manufactured by the Spanish company Star. The rim dimensions of the .44 nicely fit the existing .303 extractor without modification. The buttstock was military surplus, but I had to make a new forestock from a walnut turning blank. The buckhorn rear sight was chosen mainly to cover the rather large factory dovetail on the Star barrel. Somewhat to my surprise, this kluged-together carbine project gun actually works and shoots great! The action ejects empty .44 brass much more positively than it did the longer military cases, and the rifle handles so nimbly that shooters usually end up giggling after a few shots. I had the metalwork Parkerized to make the various components match, and had the stock disk engraved to resemble a .44 Magnum case headstamp.
The Ruger 77/44 is basically factory stock plus a few tweaks. It is such a light rifle that recoil can actually seem rather stiff with heavy bullets.
There was considerable discussion about revolver cartridge leverguns on another recent post, which prompted me to consider the lower-power end of my own longarm arsenal. I would be interested to see longarms owned by others that are chambered for revolver and pistol cartridges, in any type of action but excluding rimfires, and to learn what uses they have been put to.
Speaking for myself, I currently have four carbines that fit into this category. The only one of my group that was purchased with personal defense in mind was the Ruger PC9. The remainder are, first and foremost, fun plinkers which could serve as small or medium game hunting carbines. My NEF HandiRifle it actually fitted with two barrels that would qualify, in 357 Maximum and .38 Super. The Maximum barrel is just a factory Magnum barrel rechambered and then refinished by Armoloy, but the .38 Super barrel started life in .22 Hornet. I sent it to the late Dick Nickel for shortening to 17", reboring and rechambering. The original barrel markings have been removed and new ones re-engraved, and then the entire barrel Parkerized. The original Hornet ejector was replaced with a .223 ejector, which provides an interesting degree of flexibility. The barrel will chamber .38 ACP, .38 Super, 9mm Largo -- and in a pinch, 9x19 Parabellum. The shorter cartridge has to be placed into the chamber in a rather fiddly manner so that it headspaces on the ejector, but not only does it work in an emergency, it even groups! The barrel is fitted with a NoDak Spud rear ghost ring sight.
The strange little Martini carbine (nicknamed Marteenie) was built on an old military action I purchased from Australia. The date of manufacture was 1876 (right side of the receiver); in 1900 it was converted to .303 (marked on the left side.) I had a local gunsmith rework a surplus rolling block carbine barrel in .44 Magnum to fit this action, manufactured by the Spanish company Star. The rim dimensions of the .44 nicely fit the existing .303 extractor without modification. The buttstock was military surplus, but I had to make a new forestock from a walnut turning blank. The buckhorn rear sight was chosen mainly to cover the rather large factory dovetail on the Star barrel. Somewhat to my surprise, this kluged-together carbine project gun actually works and shoots great! The action ejects empty .44 brass much more positively than it did the longer military cases, and the rifle handles so nimbly that shooters usually end up giggling after a few shots. I had the metalwork Parkerized to make the various components match, and had the stock disk engraved to resemble a .44 Magnum case headstamp.
The Ruger 77/44 is basically factory stock plus a few tweaks. It is such a light rifle that recoil can actually seem rather stiff with heavy bullets.
