H&R HANDI-RIFLE .357 Magnum--re-chamber to .357 Maximum

[1894c]

Hi-- I bought a H&R Handi-Rifle in .357 Magnum over a year ago (see pics, model SB2). It's been fun to own and to shoot. I was wondering if I can re-chamber this for the .357 Maximum. Will this Handi-Rifle Model handle the pressure, and can I still shoot the .357 Magnum and .38Spl. in it, and is there a gunsmith out there that does this sort of work? I thank you in advance... :)

[Rusty]

If you go over to Graybeard's outdoor forums they have a special forum for Handi Rifles. One of the popular topics there is the .357 Mag/Max http://www.go2gbo.com/forums/hr-centerfire-rifles/

I'm not sure what the current status is but for a time they were renting out the reamer you need to make the swap. All you need is a is a tool handle and a supply of cutting oil. It's a very easy DIY project from what I have read. From reading reports there a .357 Max can be handloaded well into the area of what a .35 Remington can do.

[Larkbill]

Mike Belm's Contender Shop are the experts in this. Go to their website and read about this before doing it yourself. It can be done at home, and some of the ones done this way are good shooters, but not always. Belm gets more consistent results. This cartridge is pretty picky about the throat. I was lucky enough to get a 10" Contender barrel that shot better than most, it shot up to my ability, but many were not great. Then again maybe it didn't take much to match my ability. Good enough to shoot AAA in Production IHMSA with the odd International score on my days I could see well.

[AJMD429]

There CAN be some issues with ones that use the 'shotgun' receiver, as the firing-pin hole is too large, according to some articles I've read. Graybeard Forum does have the most information and probably the most current though, so whatever they say is probably pretty accurate.

[Pete44ru]

.

The Handi was also factory chambered for .500S&W - ergo, a Handi can handle cartridges that your shoulder cannot.


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[harry]

You might want to check on if you have an SB2 frame, all factory 44 and 357 were built on SB1 frames. But you can run the 357 max on an SB1 frame. If you look at the link about half way down the page it has a caution about the SB1 frame.
http://www.hr1871.com/Firearms/Rifles/handiRifle.asp

[1894c]

Thank you all for the input--I discovered "Graybeard's outdoor forums" last night (late) and found out that my handi-rifle was made in 1973 and has a SB2 frame, will do some more reading before I make my decision, again, thank you... :)

[Ji in Hawaii]

As far as action strength no problem. As far as accuracy some problems. After reaming your chamber longer for 357 max, when you shoot 357 mag the bullet has to jump a longer distance before engaging the rifling. This can negatively impact the accuracy of 357 magnum loads though every gun is unique so your's may be the exception to the rule.
Another option is 360 DW ammo which is a happy medium between the 357 mag and 357 max. Best part is no reaming of chamber necessary as the factory H&R chamber is long enough to chamer the 360 DW mag. Brass is available from Starline Brass.

[AJMD429]

You might want to check on if you have an SB2 frame, all factory 44 and 357 were built on SB1 frames. But you can run the 357 max on an SB1 frame. If you look at the link about half way down the page it has a caution about the SB1 frame.
http://www.hr1871.com/Firearms/Rifles/handiRifle.asp

I don't have the exact link, but like others have said "The action is plenty strong" and it IS chambered for some heavy magnums, but there are different frame types, and 357 Maximum is pretty high pressure. If I recall the breech-face and firing pin type have a lot to do with what you can and can't do safely.

What I always thought would be cool would be to rechamber for 357 Max and have the barrel threaded, to push out some heavy-for-caliber lead solids about 950 fps through a suppressor. You'd need a rapid twist rate though with that combination of heavy bullet and slow velocity.

[BAGTIC]

It is not just the pressure of the cartridge that determines how strong an action need be. It is breech thrust the pressure times the maximum chamber diameter. A .357 Max case has to be loaded to pressures 42% higher than a .44 Magnum ( 1.42 x 36,000 = 51,120 psi.) to generate the same stress on the gun.

[Grizz]

I thought breech thrust was based on the diameter of the case at the bolt face where the pressure is transmitted. I thought that implied that a 44 mag, for a given bullet weight and muzzle velocity developed a lower breech thrust than a 357, in the same way that a 45/70 has a lower breech thrust than a 44, all else being equal, because the thrust is measured in pounds per square inch, and the smaller cases have less square inches of contact, and thus inherently more pounds per.

not to ignore that the thrust is mitigated by the friction of the chamber when the case is in its expanded state.

is this way off-base?