Ever fired your range DW without a barrel or shroud? Has this been discussed? Here’s my story. About 1,300 words / about 4 minutes to read. It's not posted to be accurate, I hope you get a chuckle.

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I’d thought of shooting the WidowMaker (44mag), with the same full loads, without a barrel or shroud. What could I expect?  I tried it and it was really a non-event.

Later I thought of the bullet. Where did it go?  So I posted my question on rec.guns newsgroup, back in 2006. I liked newsgroups a lot.

Several responders made excellent comments, it was fun.

Flash – use C4

Doug T. – the bullet ‘pops’ out like a cork

Gunny – he starts reload development

Flash – an ‘allen pepperbox’

Doug – designs a forcing cone

Here is an edited version of the thread

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ANSWER – FLASH

It depends on a LOT of factors.

Mainly, what powder,

then, how much of it,

is it compressed,

what primer,

what chamber size (length, diameter, taper?)

and so on.

Probably, you would not get much velocity unless your propellant were something like C4 or somesuch. But if that were the case, none of US would want to be holding the thing to fire it, would we?

 

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ME

Nosler 240gr JHP

22.5gr H4227

not compressed – medium crimp

federal 155 primer

why would chamber have anything to do with it? (it's a Dan Wesson 44 mag which is why it's easy to test – just remove barrel & shroud). I would think the crimp isn't going do much and the bullet will exit at whatever velocity can be instantaneously built, not having the advantage of the burn and pressure of the barrel. I thought there was an experiment done along these lines in Handloader, back in the 70s or 80s, but I can't find it.

 

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ANSWER  – Doug

The frame has nothing to do with it.  The length of the cylinder is the only consideration.

That is called a "night gun."  Close your eyes when you fire.  Then the bad guy is blinded, and you walk over and whomp him on the head with it.  Never mind where the bullet went; it was just used as a cork to hold the powder in.

 

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ME

Yes, I understand that. What i was trying to say is the bullet is exiting the cylinder & then is free.

# The length of the cylinder is the only consideration.

If, as i said, it's just a revolver then why is the cylinder length relevant? Isn't the bullet free after exiting the case?

#That is called a "night gun…whomp" 

true

 

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Answer – Gunny

On this one, the funny thing is, using a smaller powder charge will give you the best velocity.  Why?  Because with a very small charge, you can seat the bullet all the way down into the brass case until you have a compressed charge and the bullet will actually be using the brass case as its "barrel".

With a standard cartridge, the instant pressure begins to build, the bullet will probably just pop out and you will get a lot of powder spraying out but no significant forward movement of the bullet.  If you reduce the charge to a small volume/fast burning powder and set the bullet back into the case you will actually have some pressure build and the bullet will get at least some

forward momentum as it moves down its very short new smoothbore barrel. You would probably get the best results with a small caliber and long brass case.  Maybe something like a .357 magnum case loaded with the smallest bullet available, or maybe a .22 magnum with a slightly undersized bullet seated down in the case.   There is no real way to calculate the probable velocity.  There are too many variables.  A chrono is the only way.

 

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ME

That all makes sense.

I've had the DW for yonks but never tried the no barrel & shroud. Last year I thought about it and gave it a go.  ………

Anyway, I didn't notice the "Night Gun" effect Doug mentions because it was noon. Probably too busy worrying about recoil, which was non existent because of the pop gun effect pointed out.

Pretty hard to aim & calculate target drop, without a barrel! Oh well. I'll try & trace the Handgunner article.

Thanks for the help all

 

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ANSWER – Flash

Chamber "may" matter, if it is bored like S&W and Colts are.

Is your DW bored "true cylinder" straight through, or is its inside diameter reduced slightly, ahead of the case-mouth?

Depending on your powder/bullet combination, especially if you have a softer lead bullet, the base of the bullet might just "upset" (as is normal in firing) – that is, to become shorter and wider, thus expanding to fill what is a very short smoothbore.

 

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ME

interesting. never heard this before. i'll guess/bet it's straight

through. will check and report though.

 I use fmj

so, in my case not an issue. but for the lead guys this means them? Regardless of the presence or lack of ANY barrel/shroud. Interesting, but i don't think this may be practically true.  (me wrong)

 

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ANSWER – Flash

H4227  is an extruded powder, and one of the (relatively speaking) "SLOWER" powders.  It would not be likely that very much of it would burn AT  ALL in the firing, even outside of the chamber.  That powder, in the usual loadings, requires the confinement of a case and barrel of

some length to ignite properly.

Most likely, in your scenario, the primer's firing would be enough to pop the bullet out, and the powder would fly out as well, maybe some portion of it would ignite.

Concerning my comment about C4 —   if the powder were extremely FAST , as in Bullseye, which is a good choice for short-barreled revolvers, the likelihood of the bullet attaining some velocity would be higher.

Interesting thought – no barrel.  Like in "Allen Pepperbox, huh?

 

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ANSWER – Doug

If it was me and I planned on doing this much, I would seriously consider making a barrel. Take a piece of DW barrel cut it just long enough to have the proper cylinder gap and come out the frame far enough to put a locking nut on the barrel. If you really wanted the flat look of the bare frame a counter bore could be cut for the barrel nut. Or for just a smoother look without modifying the frame a thin button head shaped nut could be made.

 

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ME

I love it! You're adding the forcing cone. …. brilliant dude!

Now i got another problem, but a neat problem!

 

(Just drawing on a napkin)