lever action for rimless cartridges

[Whirlibird]

Bingo, bullet nose against the next primer.
And with the large diameter of the ACP cartirdge keeping the cases in a nice straight line unlike the .30-30, the nose will always be on the next round.

And with the commercial primers being more sensitive than military primers, it's not a risk I'm gonna take. Besides flat points are more effective.

[DwightG]

Certainly a valid concern. It would be interesting to experiment to see how much of a problem it really is. Stack them in a tube and drop them from a height to see how much energy it takes to get a det from the softest primers. Sound like a job for Box o' Truth.

But, I have a different solution in mind for the problem so I'll agree it's best to err on the side of safety WRT tubular magazines.

[Whirlibird]

Actually there was a test done in either Rifle or Handloader a while back, @10 years or so.
I'll dig it out if anyones interested.
Fairly complete and repeatable.

[HTRN]

If one were wanting to convert a levergun fairly easily, I'd look at a .357 LC 1873 to start with.
Take the barrel off and sell it.
Pick up a .45 LC barrel, set it back and rechamber to .45 ACP. Take a .44 Mag/.44/40 magazine tube and fit it to the barrel.
Punch out the front of the lifter for the .45 ACP cartridge, just far enough back to deal with the longest flat point you're gonna use. There are aftermarket aluminum lifters available.

1)If you get 50 bucks for the factory barrel, I'd be shocked.
2)It may work with the factory .357 mag tube - Largest diameter of .357 is .440 for the rim, largest dimension of the .45 ACP is the .474..


HTRN

[SoupOrMan]

Hmm. If a .357 magazine tube is .440 at the widest, and both 10mm and .40 S&W have a maximum width of .424 at their rim, and since most of the bullets used in those calibers are flat-nosed, that might be even easier than switching over to .45ACP. Find an overbuilt barrel for a .38/40 and go to town, perhaps?

[HTRN]

No, you misinterpreted - a .357 magnum cartridge has a .440 rim, therefore the ID on the tube has to be larger.


HTRN

[SoupOrMan]

Ah. I got it now, I think. I was thinking the inside diameter of the magazine tube would be a little bigger than .440 so the .424 outside diameter of the 10mm would be able to fit easily.

[Whirlibird]

Actually you could use the .357 magazine for .40 or 10mm but then you're talking about pressures that the '73 won't handle.
The Marlin 94 will handle them fine though.
And your 94 .357 breechblock will work with little modification to the .40/10 case rim dia.