Need a .385" groove pistol barrel blank, any suggestions?

[Ardent]

Need to find a way to get or have cut a .385" groove diameter barrel blank to turn a revolver barrel from. Any suggestions? Twist can be between 1:9" to 1:16". I'm already considering .38-55 barrels as a close mark and altering the bullets slightly, but a lot of .38-55's are actually sporting .375 bores now rather than ~.378", a ful 10 thou under ideal.

 

[ben hunchak]

Ardent...Alot of the Uberti 85 highwall clones in 38/55 sport .382" bores, as I'm told that they used an old gun/specs for initial dimensions. I think their twist is 16".

 

[mattimoose]

Good luck, what a strange caliber selection?

 

[Ardent]

Thanks Ben, fantastic advice. Might buy a Uberti, lop off 5" to turn my barrel, recrown and resell her.

 

[Ardent]

Hopefully I can find somebody with an H&R .38-55 to say what its groove diameter is.

 

[trevj]

You get a .41 LC with some funky chambers?

I'm curious as to the specific need for an off size barrel.

Cheers
Trev

 

[Ardent]

No, just looking at doing a .41LC "proper". Doing a custom cylinder with throats, and a .385" barrel. It's a neat cartridge, basically a "real" .38 Special, just never got its shot as it was never given a proper chamber and barrel groove diameter.

 

[ben hunchak]

Slug that Uberti bore before you lay out any cash, there are used ones turning up now and then, I sold one very quickly when all my favorite 38/55 bullets were hitting sideways because of the big bore.