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April 7, 2012
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Hi there,
first id like to introduce myself: i'm a 34 yo beginner to sports shooting from Munich/Germany. Since a couple of month i'm member of a local IPSC shooting club. So normaly i should be worrying about which pistol i should get first, but since i shot the S&W .44 Mag of our clubs president i'm pretty adicted to wheelguns...
Since the weapon laws in germany are a bit tight (but hey, on the other hand every 16yo old can order a beer here) i am restricted to own only a few handguns. And this is where the DW comes into play.
So first it would be very handy to have a lot of different barrel length in just one handgun, but it would be even better to also have different calibers.
So my thougt was: Is it possible to convert a DW .44 Mag to a .357 caliber?
afaik all DW .44s and .357s base on different frames. So it should not be possible to put a .357 drum in a .44 frame. The only solution to this that came to my mind, was to find a competent gunsmith (which are not hard to find here) who makes a drum with the identical measures of the .44 drum but with .357 chambers.
The next problem would be the barrels. My hope is, that all the measurements (diameter and length of the thread) and the locking mechanism of the barrels and shrouds are identical between .357 and .44 barrels. Do I have any chance here?
i think that there shouldnt be any problems with the rest of the gun. So all of the complicated stuff like trigger/firing mechanism/drum movement should stay untouched.
What do you think of my idea? Interesting? Realistic? or just plain bs? Could it work that easy?
Greetings from Munich
Felix
August 28, 2009
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First, welcome to the forum. Your idea of multiple calibers has been brought up and discussed many times. One of the primary reasons the gun is not manufactured to switch calibers is because of the liability risk of firing a cartridge with the wrong barrel installed on the gun. This is why the barrels for each caliber have a different size thread, so that you cannot screw the wrong caliber barrel into the frame. Now if this is a project that you undertake yourself as you describe, there shouldn't be any reason couldn't shoot multiple calibers from the same frame if you were able to have a new cylinder and barrel manufactured to fit. In fact, DW did make a .360 DW caliber in the large frame size which is a slightly lengthened .357 mag. cartridge. If you were able to have a gunsmith duplicate the cylinder and barrel is should be workable, however, I believe it may be difficult to duplicate without the drawings.
Question…..have you considered the Janz JTL-S revolver, which is manufactured in Germany and will interchange calibers? It's a beautiful system but is extremely expensive! I spoke to the people at the Janz factory a while ago and considered the possibility of importing one to the US, but the cost far exceeded my budget capabilities!
April 7, 2012
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Hi Harly,
thank you for your answers! I didn't mentioned it in my first posting, but there is also a monetary factor involved. 😉
The Idea was, after buying one .44 DW-Revolver (about 500 EUR / 650 USD) and investing about the same amount in the .357-drum every DW-barrel could be used. So for around 1500 EUR i could have like 6 different revolvers in one. 4" 6" and 8" in both calibers.
Having the same options with a Janz-Revolver will cost a multiple sum.
Unfortunately the different threads make it all much more complicated. When every .357-barrel has to be specially made for this project everything will get more complicated and expensive.
i'm just having one other idea, but i don't know if i am making any friends here with it. It could be easyier to get .357 6" barrel, cut it down to 4" and put the right thread on it.
On the other hand, it's not that easy getting any DW-parts (barrels) here in Germany. I guess here they are even more seldom in comparison to S&W and Colt then they are in the US.
Anyway, thanks for your help!
Greetings,
Felix
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Dans Club
March 27, 2009
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Felix,
Another possible way to go the super mags! Frames I think are the same, largest of the Dan Wesson family, thew 357max, or 445 super mag!
I will be corrected if I am way off. I Don't have the 445 so I can not compare!
Hey Welcome to this place!
Dave
June 5, 2008
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Fellows the small frame DW's are 22, 22 magnum, 32, very rare 9mm, 38 and 357 magnum. The 44 and supermags are large frame guns and the 44 barrel would, according to Kieth @ DW, would not leave enough metal left to withstand the 10mm (40 cal) or larger calibers like 41 or 44 magnum.
Your only real option there in Germany for multi caliber is find a 32 caliber and ream it out for 327 Federal caliber, or go with the 38/357 in small frame gun, or large frame 44/44 magnum. Also you could get 357 Supermag and you would be able to shoot 38 special, 357 mag, and 357 supermag. These are the only way you will have multi calibers with out spending a fortune.
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Dans Club
February 22, 2009
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Hallo, Willkommen im forum. Ich leben in Schweinfurt 1988-1991 mit der u.s. armee.
I think your idea is great, but will be difficult to achieve. Keep the calibers in the same frame size and things would be easier. Either way- the guys here will always be happy to help you out.
Ron
Technically, the glass is always full; half liquid, half air....
April 7, 2012
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So thanks for all the information! After all I learned, it brought me to some ideas:
- first, get the biggest gun there is: .445 Magnum
- second, get a second drum machined with .357 Chambers
- third, and thats the new one: Get .357-barrels machined, that again have the .44 outer dimensions but inside the .357 dimensions. These ones could be used with the original .445 shreads.
There is a maker of barrels here in Germany, named Lothar Walther (http://www.lothar-walther.de/), who makes pretty much every barrel to your specified parameters. I'd like to make a inquiry how much such a barrel would cost. For this i would need some information:
First, are the .44 and .445 barrels are identical?
What is the outer diameter of the .44 barrels?
What thread is used and how long is the thread?
What rifling is used in the .357 barrels?
I understand that some people will say that it would be much easier and possibly also cheaper to just buy two guns. And they are right!
But then again, I have to deal with the german gun laws which allow me only a small amount of handguns, and since i also want to get some pistols, i'd like to keep the number of revolvers down.
For the pistols i have kind of a similar plan: Get a Glock 22 (.40 S&W) and an IGB-9mm-barrel . The rest is pretty easy: Change the barrel (less than a minute of work) and put in a 9mm-magazine. Somehow all this revolver-stuff seems to be a bit more complicated...
Thanks for all your help!
Felix
June 5, 2008
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I like you idea now that I have come to understand it better. I say you guys with the skills give him the help he needs so the gunsmith in Germany can get it started.
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Bob Tail RZ 10mm - Bob Tail RZ 38 Super by Keith @ DW - DW 38 Super Guardian
November 23, 2008
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Greetings and Welcome
I have changed calibers using DW frames.
The first was to fit a 414 Supermag cylinder (drum) to a 375 Supermag (SM) frame. Requires fitting the cylinder to the parent frame and getting a custom made barre in caliber .410 correctly threaded and outside diameter turned to fit within the shroud. You may have to get a new cylinder lock fitted to the frame for the new cylinder to get timing perfect. I can within an hour return this revolver to 375 SM.
My second caliber change was to fit a 32/20 cylinder to a model 15-2 frame. Again the cylinder may need fitting to the frame. Again I had to get a custon barrel made for the frame. Again this revolver can be returned to a standard caliber.357 mag within an hour.
My next conversion will be to adapt a 45 Colt cylinder to my 41 mag frame.
So yes the caliber adaption is possible although the barrel manufacture can be costly unless you can come up with your own barrel blanks.
I was stationed in Viernheim near Manheim from December 72- July 74. I have very fond memories being with Lepord tankers roaming about the hills of Grafenveir.
Mike in Peru 
May 3, 2011
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I understand that the European countries only allow citizens to own a couple of hand guns there. I know the DW and T/C pistols are very popular there due to the multiple barrels offered for them.
What we know in calibers that is already proven, is what has been mentioned. The 357 SuperMag or Maximum will shoot the .38 spl, 357 mag and of course the 357 SM round. You could hand load these calibers up or down to create ctg. similar to a few other calibers.
The 445SM as you know is versatile and will shoot the .44 spl, 44 mag and the 44 SM. You could hand load these calibers up or down to create ctg. similar to a few other calibers too. The .445 is similar to the .454 Casull.
You have more versatility with a T/C pistol because they make so many calibers for it. They produce more power because they do not allow gases to escape from the cylinders. DW makes one of the most accurate wheel guns out there. For me I would choose the DW and T/C to have the best of both worlds. Good luck and welcome to the DWF
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