multi cailiber handguns

kgeter · January 15, 2008, 09:44 PM

hi yall, i was thinking. how many handguns can shoot multiple calibers with little or no modification. i know the obvious .38 special and .357 mag (and the .44 equivalents) . i know there are .22lr conversions for glocks, 1911's, cz, etc...

but what other ones can shoot different calibers with out much work. basically to get more than one gun out of one gun. thanks

s4s4u · January 15, 2008, 10:33 PM

Mus' be dejavu or sumtin', or another place? Anyhoo, the obvious ones are the Ruger revolvers that swap cylinders, 357mag/9mm and 45colt/45acp and 22lr/22mag and 17m2/17hmr (no longer in production). Another that comes to mind are the barrel swaps, 40s&w/357sig and 45acp/400corbon. EAA Witness has uppers for everything that interchange on the base frame in short order. I know there's others..........

SDC · January 15, 2008, 10:40 PM

Probably the most versatile one was the Phillips & Rodgers Medusa (later built by Cadco); this is a K-frame-sized revolver that was supposed to be able to shoot 25 different 9mm/.357/.38 cartridges without any modifications, but it's now out of production and collectable. See http://www.kitsune.addr.com/Firearms...a_Model_47.htm

SIGSHR · January 15, 2008, 11:12 PM

Read an article in G&A years ago, the author took a Colt 38 Super, installed
a 9MM barrel and magazine, worked fine. Depending on how you define your
terms, a .357 cane fir everything from 38 Short Colt through 357 Magnum.
I suppose if you have a 357 Maximum, that can fire all the .38 Short/Long Colt
based catridges. Get a spare cylinder for an S&W 38/200, you can fire 38 Specials.
IIRC a 22LR/22Magnum handgun is great in theory, due to bore differences, not so great in practice. Technically speaking, 9MM has a bore diameter of .355, 357 of .357, so accuracy might not be so great. Ok, you talked me into it, I'm going to get my Old Model Blackhawk .357 Convertible, compare these catridges.

Buzzcook · January 16, 2008, 03:12 AM

HECKLER-KOCH HK4

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/Vie...?Item=89829249

Swap out kits for .22lr .25acp .32acp and .380

SOSARMS · January 16, 2008, 06:57 AM

3 that come to mind that i have are the H & K4 as previously mentioned and the Jericho 941....9mm/41AE. as well as the UZI pistol 45/9....

Magnum Wheel Man · January 16, 2008, 07:39 AM

just to add... revolvers in 357 Maximum, fire all the 38 / 357 cartridges, the 445 Supermag fires all the 44 cartridges... er...well atleast the 44 Special, 44 Mag, & 445 Supermag...the 460 S&W, fires 45 Colt, 454 Casull, & 460 Mag, the new Ruger 327 Mag fires 32 Acp, 32 S&W ( long & short ) 32 H&R Mag, & the new 327 Mag... all these guns fire those respective cartridges, just by inserting them into the cylinders, with no change needed to the gun... some can be machined to accept auto cartridges like the 9mm or 45 ACP into rimmed cylinders with theaddition of moon clips

still there are the switch cylinder models in 22 / 22 Mag, 9mm / 38 / 357, & 45 ACP / 45 Colt

& 45 Colt / 410 Shotgun

& Witness & similar 1911 & Glocks that offer change out barrels & magazines in respective catridges

the Desert Eagles do as well...

Wuchak · January 16, 2008, 08:10 AM

I remember an article about the Medusa in Popular Mechanics back around 2002 and I thought it sounded interesting. I wish I had picked one up while they were in production.

chris in va · January 16, 2008, 01:54 PM

Sorry I can't remember the name of it, but some polymer framed semiauto is coming out with switchable slides, and more than just the typical 40/357 sig types. The article also pointed out the grip would be modular to fit different hand types.

Hemicuda · January 16, 2008, 02:21 PM

Thompson Center Contender and Encore...

Rifle, pistol, and shotgun calibers in rifle and pistol length barrels... and just about anything you want, caliber wise...

root · January 16, 2008, 02:51 PM

Sig P250

chris in va · January 16, 2008, 04:46 PM

That's it, the Sig 250.

Upon further reading it looks like most of the actual 'gun' is contained in the trigger group and slide, while the 'frame' is simply there to support the upper.

So I'm guessing it would cost a fortune to buy all 4 calibers in the slide/trigger group.

http://www.sigsauer.com/Products/Sho...183&play=close

nutty ned · January 17, 2008, 02:36 PM

S&W 610---- 10mm and .40s&w no changes of any kind and could mix ammo in the load, if you wanted.
Ruger blackhawk----------- .357/9mm or .45 colt/.45acp

January 15, 2008, 09:44 PM	#1
kgeter Member Join Date: August 29, 2006 Posts: 83	multi cailiber handguns hi yall, i was thinking. how many handguns can shoot multiple calibers with little or no modification. i know the obvious .38 special and .357 mag (and the .44 equivalents) . i know there are .22lr conversions for glocks, 1911's, cz, etc... but what other ones can shoot different calibers with out much work. basically to get more than one gun out of one gun. thanks

January 15, 2008, 10:40 PM	#3
SDC Senior Member Join Date: January 23, 2001 Location: People's Republic of Kanada Posts: 1,652	Probably the most versatile one was the Phillips & Rodgers Medusa (later built by Cadco); this is a K-frame-sized revolver that was supposed to be able to shoot 25 different 9mm/.357/.38 cartridges without any modifications, but it's now out of production and collectable. See http://www.kitsune.addr.com/Firearms...a_Model_47.htm __________________ Gun control in Canada: making the streets safer for rapists, muggers, and other violent criminals since 1936.

January 16, 2008, 07:39 AM	#7
Magnum Wheel Man Senior Member Join Date: July 26, 2006 Location: Southern Minnesota Posts: 9,333	just to add... revolvers in 357 Maximum, fire all the 38 / 357 cartridges, the 445 Supermag fires all the 44 cartridges... er...well atleast the 44 Special, 44 Mag, & 445 Supermag...the 460 S&W, fires 45 Colt, 454 Casull, & 460 Mag, the new Ruger 327 Mag fires 32 Acp, 32 S&W ( long & short ) 32 H&R Mag, & the new 327 Mag... all these guns fire those respective cartridges, just by inserting them into the cylinders, with no change needed to the gun... some can be machined to accept auto cartridges like the 9mm or 45 ACP into rimmed cylinders with theaddition of moon clips still there are the switch cylinder models in 22 / 22 Mag, 9mm / 38 / 357, & 45 ACP / 45 Colt & 45 Colt / 410 Shotgun & Witness & similar 1911 & Glocks that offer change out barrels & magazines in respective catridges the Desert Eagles do as well... __________________ In life you either make dust or eat dust...

January 16, 2008, 02:21 PM	#10
Hemicuda Senior Member Join Date: September 13, 2001 Location: Michigan Posts: 1,757	the REAL multi-caliber platform is: Thompson Center Contender and Encore... Rifle, pistol, and shotgun calibers in rifle and pistol length barrels... and just about anything you want, caliber wise... __________________ Hemi. gun and car collector. Rare cars, and rarer guns.

January 15, 2008, 10:33 PM	#2
s4s4u Senior Member Join Date: September 22, 2007 Location: MN Posts: 365	Mus' be dejavu or sumtin', or another place? Anyhoo, the obvious ones are the Ruger revolvers that swap cylinders, 357mag/9mm and 45colt/45acp and 22lr/22mag and 17m2/17hmr (no longer in production). Another that comes to mind are the barrel swaps, 40s&w/357sig and 45acp/400corbon. EAA Witness has uppers for everything that interchange on the base frame in short order. I know there's others..........

January 15, 2008, 11:12 PM	#4
SIGSHR Senior Member Join Date: September 13, 2005 Posts: 4,700	Read an article in G&A years ago, the author took a Colt 38 Super, installed a 9MM barrel and magazine, worked fine. Depending on how you define your terms, a .357 cane fir everything from 38 Short Colt through 357 Magnum. I suppose if you have a 357 Maximum, that can fire all the .38 Short/Long Colt based catridges. Get a spare cylinder for an S&W 38/200, you can fire 38 Specials. IIRC a 22LR/22Magnum handgun is great in theory, due to bore differences, not so great in practice. Technically speaking, 9MM has a bore diameter of .355, 357 of .357, so accuracy might not be so great. Ok, you talked me into it, I'm going to get my Old Model Blackhawk .357 Convertible, compare these catridges.

January 16, 2008, 03:12 AM	#5
Buzzcook Senior Member Join Date: November 29, 2007 Location: Everett, WA Posts: 6,126	HECKLER-KOCH HK4 http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/Vie...?Item=89829249 Swap out kits for .22lr .25acp .32acp and .380

January 16, 2008, 06:57 AM	#6
SOSARMS Senior Member Join Date: June 13, 2006 Location: The great Buckeye state...where nuts are not just for eating Posts: 623	3 that come to mind that i have are the H & K4 as previously mentioned and the Jericho 941....9mm/41AE. as well as the UZI pistol 45/9....

January 16, 2008, 08:10 AM	#8
Wuchak Senior Member Join Date: June 1, 2007 Location: Shawnee, KS Posts: 1,093	I remember an article about the Medusa in Popular Mechanics back around 2002 and I thought it sounded interesting. I wish I had picked one up while they were in production.

January 16, 2008, 01:54 PM	#9
chris in va Senior Member Join Date: December 26, 2004 Location: Louisville KY Posts: 13,806	Sorry I can't remember the name of it, but some polymer framed semiauto is coming out with switchable slides, and more than just the typical 40/357 sig types. The article also pointed out the grip would be modular to fit different hand types.

January 16, 2008, 02:51 PM	#11
root Senior Member Join Date: October 17, 2005 Location: Colorado Posts: 137	Sig P250

January 16, 2008, 04:46 PM	#12
chris in va Senior Member Join Date: December 26, 2004 Location: Louisville KY Posts: 13,806	That's it, the Sig 250. Upon further reading it looks like most of the actual 'gun' is contained in the trigger group and slide, while the 'frame' is simply there to support the upper. So I'm guessing it would cost a fortune to buy all 4 calibers in the slide/trigger group. http://www.sigsauer.com/Products/Sho...183&play=close

January 17, 2008, 02:36 PM	#13
nutty ned Senior Member Join Date: November 26, 2006 Posts: 765	S&W 610---- 10mm and .40s&w no changes of any kind and could mix ammo in the load, if you wanted. Ruger blackhawk----------- .357/9mm or .45 colt/.45acp