We just finished rechambering the 9mm cylinder of a 357/9mm 6 1/2" Blackhawk to 357/44 Bain & Davis and I am curious to hear any loading information or tips anyone has. I have the load data in the Hornady and Accurate manuals (I also have Ackley's Handbooks but understand that information is dated and often third/fourth party) but would be interested in seeing any other data. I have had a problem ejecting the cases but understand this is pretty normal. The only loads I have really messed with are 21 and 23 grs of 296 and 158 gr FMJs and JHPs. The only chrono'ed load was 23 grs with the 158 XTP for 1640 fps.

I have a Contender in 357-44 BD 10" barrel.Its fun to shoot easy to form brass but this one will not shoot anything over 158-160 grain bullet ( they keyhole).W296 is what I use with a 158gr XTP.

I've converted a few Blackhawks to .357 B&D. There's an article on my website that details the conversion (to include load data).

Lee Martin
www.singleactions.com

sharps54

Lee has some good info on his site, be sure to check it out. I have a Marlin 1894 in 357x44 B&D and absolutely love it, I also have a couple of Encore barrels in B&D and 2 Ruger blackhawks in it. Win 296 is a very good powder in it but I have found that in my guns Hodgon Lil'Gun gives better velocity and it seems to do it at lower pressures. My Marlin really likes Lil'Gun with Speer 170 gr GDSP bullets, so far I have only tested them at 14 gr. to 17 gr. of Lil'Gun with fantastic accuracy and no excess pressure signs, the Hornady 180 gr XTP HP's at the same loadings, with the best accuracy being with the 18 gr of Lil'Gun and the 180gr XTP, if I read my scribbling correctly it was running about 1865 fps.in the marlin 18 inch barrel.
I haven't chrono'ed any of the loads in the Blackhawk but the main one I shoot seems to like the Lil'Gun better also. It also turned in one of it's group with 14 gr of 296 with the 180 XTP's.
At the Koko Head shooting range over here I had a ball shooting the Marlin with some 125 gr SJHP over 2400 fps. As always these are safe in my guns and am not responsible for their use in any other firearm, work up load data accordingly in your firearms. Enjoy your B&D, hopefully it won't be your last. I plan to use mine on Whitetail when we get back to the mainland and it'll make a good short range first deer rifle for my kids.

Steve E...........

I also had the conversion done on the 9mm cylinder of my 6 1/2" Blackhawk. My two best loads:
21.0 gn. 2400, 125 JHP, CCI-350 primer.
and:
17.0 gn. Blue Dot, 158 JSP, CCI-350 primer.

The case sticking can be helped by keeping the cylinders scrupulously clean and free of oil. I would even go so far as to swab them out with a Q-tip and some alcohol.
Hope this helps...
Cheers,
Don

Don

I never really had a setback problem to speak of, with certain loads I would get one every now and then but after I started to degrease my cylinder it stopped. When I head to the ramge I usually pop out the cylinder and spray it inside and out with carb cleaner and it is good to go. Have never tried Blue Dot, isn't that the same or about the same as 2400? No problem on set back in the Marlin at all. I can't wait to try it on Yote's back home with the 125 gr sjhp's at around 2350 fps or so. Should turn one inside out, I don't think it'll blow up too much to get a pass through. For my 6.5 inch Blackhawk I have 357 Mag, 357 Sig, 357x44 B&D, 9mm and 9x25 Dillon cylinders. No dies for the Dillon cylinder yet, hope to rectify that soon. The 9mm's are like shooting a bb gun after shooting the Mag or B&D cylinders. I ordered a 38 SPL Match Encore rifle barrel(22 inch) from Fox Ridge Outfitters and had it sent to Mike Bellm to rechamber to 357x44 B&D and as usual he did a first rate job on rechambering it as it is very accurate.

Steve E..........

Thanks for the feedback, nice to know I'm not the only one that likes "retro" wildcats! Lee's site was actually one of the reasons I decided to do the conversion. I hope to get a chance to reload some one night this week so I can play with some other powders and loads. I have talked to a friend about doing a converion on a 1894, Steve E's post sure makes me want to make good on that! On the Blackhawk conversions you guys have did the gunsmith's leave the reamed chambers "bare" or did they reblue the cylinders? I'm just trying to decide what to do with mine.

sharps54
The Marlin conversion is pretty simple, rebarrel a 44 Mag 1894 Marlin with a 357 Mag barrel and cut the new chamber. Mine required no adjustment on the carrier or anything else. On my cylinders I just slapped a little cold blue inside them just for the simple reason I thought it might help against rust, whether it does or not I don't know but it sure helps my mind think so. One of my dream guns would a double rifle built on something like a 410 double barrelled shotgun and chambered in 357x44 B&D, but the cost would probably be more than a small house.

Steve E.......