3rd Model Dragoon Bored-Out to use .490 Balls!

[Dave Rosenthal]

Anybody ever hear of this or do this to one of their own Dragoons? A friend of mine picked this thing up at a Gun Show, lol!

It was the strangest thing I've ever seen...a .457 fell into the chambers and rolled back out! I've heard some scuttlebut about ROA's being bored-out to make them .50 cal to meet hunting specs in some states, but I've never actually seen one.

I'm gonna try to help my friend shoot it at some point. Anybody have any ideas as to starting loads? The chambers have to be almost Walker-sized after the boring-out?

Thanks!

Dave

 

[rodwha]

The Ruger is completely reworked. The cylinder is swapped with a 5 shot and the timing changed.

Got a pic?

 

[AZbpBurner]

Is the barrel still rifled? It may be a touchy subject to run an oversized ball down the factory diameter bore.

 

[hawkeye2]

Back in the late 70's a dealer had imported a number of Dragoons from Italy in .50 caliber. I suspect this is one of those. I have no idea how many he brought in and don't recall who it was. Someone who was in the N-SSA and attended Nationals at Ft.Shenandoah might be able to help as that is where I saw them. They were available up into the early 80's so I expect a significant number were produced. I do not know who the Italian maker was nor do I know which model Dragoon it was. I guess I'm not really much help am I? :grin:

If you can provide a maker's name and date of manufacture we might be able to solve this issue.

 

[Dave Rosenthal]

I only got to look at it for less than 5 minutes since I had to leave the range for an appointment. I'll call the new owner and ask him to bring it to the next Match the club runs.

It did appear to be of older manufacture, and although I didn't take it apart, it did appear to have rifling at the muzzle. Placing a .457 in my hand, I was able to turn the 3rd Model Dragoon (with the flip-up sights) upside-down and put the muzzle down completely onto the .457 ball :idunno: :shocked2: so when the owner called me yesterday and told me that a .490 seemed to work just fine, it made sense.

Do you have any idea WHY this special order was conceived? In the meantime, I'll ask to see the gun again so I can check the stampings for manufacturer & dates.

Dave

 

[Many Klatch]

Sounds like one of the Italian fantasy guns like the 1851 Colts made in 44 caliber. If 44 is good, 50 must be better.

Many Klatch

 

[zimmerstutzen]

The special order was probably prompted by a desire to fill the US need of bigger faster and more powerful. Look at the posts on some sites about hunters using 150 grains and conical bullets in their guns for 130 pound white tail deer.

Can't speak for other areas of the country, but here, the deer haven't significantly evolved into the ferocious, armor plated, fire breathing carnivorous beasts some hunters seem to fear.

I know that if an Italian company made a run of copies of the 58 caliber C&B revolvers that were made in England, I'd probably buy one.

 

[hawkeye2]

If I remember correctly the person who imported them had requested that they be made in .50 rather than the idea coming from Italy. I believe the idea was to have something different rather than any motivation for hunting. I didn't pay much attention and had no interest as they weren't N-SSA approved (wrong caliber), not historically correct and I didn't have any disposable income at that stage of my life.

 

[cynthialee]

I would love to have a revolver in .490! Would make my round ball casting better. No need for two molds would be cool.

 

[Dave Rosenthal]

I was thinking the same thing...maybe was ordered by someone who wanted just one size ball to cast, lol!

It does make me wonder though about the maximum qty of powder you could cram into those chambers! I routinely use 45 grains in my 3rd Model Dragoon. Bored-out to .487, I imagine you could easily get 55 grains in there since at 45 grains there's still room for a wonder-wad with room to spare!! And what would be the recoil and ballistics? Probably pretty good on Hogs, too!

 

[nkbj]

Is anyone converting Walkers?
Just kidding. What I'd really like is one that would use .53 ball.
What a shame that no one uses modern high strength alloys in reproductions!

 

[Zonie]

What tha hell. Why not go for a .62 or a .75 cal revolver? :rotf:

 

[nkbj]

Because I thought it'd be a bit cumbersome. The Brits made the .58 revolver once they'd experienced Chaostan hospitality but I don't think many officers appreciated the dimensions!

 

[Wes/Tex]

Not a problem...set aside about $8000 and buy an Adams! Adams double action percussion was available in both .45 and .50 back in the day. Some British officers carried them to the Crimea and thought pretty highly of them.

 

[Wes/Tex]

Webley made a .58 and Tranter a .58 and a .69...and the chances of finding one is really long odds! :thumbsup:

 

[Wes/Tex]

My thoughts would be to make a very accurate measurement of the distance between chamber walls. Boring out a Dragoon cylinder from .45 to .49 can't leave a lot of metal between the chambers!

 

[M. De Land]

I'd worry more about the cylinder notches in a six shooter. I've heard of Uberti's bulging in the notches on some of their .45 Colt chamberings. MD

 

[Dave Rosenthal]

Distance between chamber walls is a concern, although if it was indeed a special order and not a home-made job, then wouldn't it have had to be PROOFED in its' current configuration PRIOR to importation?

Using 3Fg Goex instead of hotter powders like Swiss and Triple-7 would however be indicated IMHO. The only thing stopping this example of a .490 ball's performance would be barrel length and the cylinder gap, otherwise with 55 grains of powder I'd expect rifle-like numbers from the Chrono.

 

[Dave Rosenthal]

What tha hell. Why not go for a .62 or a .75 cal revolver? :rotf:

ONLY if YOU engineered it my Friend! And gave it at least a 9" Walker-length barrel to help tame the MANLY recoil (no offense Cynthia Lee)! :rotf: :shocked2: :grin:

 

[gl1200a]

"I've heard some scuttlebut about ROA's being bored-out to make them .50 cal to meet hunting specs in some states, but I've never actually seen one."

These are offered by Clements Custom Guns.

About a 1300$ mod. 5 shot .50 that will shoot a .490 ball at 1250 fps, with a 6 3/4 barrel.
When I win Powerball I'll order two.