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357/44 Bain & Davis: 357 Bobcat

Ambrose
Back in the 70's, there was a rash of magazine articles on rechambering revolvers for these cartridges. I sent in the 9mm cylinder from my Ruger Blackhawk to Bain & Davis to have it converted. It's an interesting cartridge but, of course, shares the problems associated with bottle-necked cartridges in revolvers, ie, set-back freezing the cylinder. About the time you start to get good velocity, the cylinder won't turn! That problem can be somewhat alleviated by keeping the chambers completly dry of any trace of oil, but it's still there. That gun was stolen in a break-in of my residence 10 years ago. A few years ago, I ran across a Blackhawk advertised as chambered to 357/44 Bain & Davis. Since I still had dies and cases, etc., I bought it. However it turned out to be chambered for the 357 Bobcat. Now, both the Bain & Davis and the Bobcat are simple neck-downs of the 44 mag case to 357 (though not identical). However, the B&D has a bottle-neck chamber while the Bobcat has a chamber cut to the depth and diameter of a 44 mag case. You slip a plastic(?!) collar over the neck of the cartridge before you insert it in the cylinder. This Bobcat revolver was useless to me since I had no dies or collars to use with it but it was an old 3-screw and I wanted to get it shooting. The dealer that I got it from was kind enough to offer to pay for a replacement 357 cylinder from Ruger and after some stumbling around with Ruger, I got a cylinder and split the cost with the dealer. A short time later, I found another Blackhawk in 357 Bobcat. This one with dies, cases, collars and a Leupold scope and for a good price. Strangely enough, the Bobcat works! There's no freeze-up, cases eject easily, and it's easy to get considerably more velocity than standard 357 out of it. I remember when I read about it thinking that it was a silly idea. Plastic collars in a revolver cylinder--ridiculous!!

Is anybody old enough to remember these cartridges or had occassion to fool around with them?
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Comments

8 comments

Date Votes
  • Hawk Carse
    Just so you don't feel like an old fogey, I remember reading about the .357 Bobcat but did not fool with it.

    There was another weirdcat where the .44 to .357 adaptor was internal, and slid forward against the barrel breech when fired. Semi- gas seal, woo, woo. I don't remember the name.
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  • golferboy426
    I still have one with the dies. They were awesome!! Wicked powerful. We used to shoot right thru steel plates 1/2 inch or so as I remember
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  • Colt Super
    I used to hang around the Bain & Davis shop, but never worked up the courage to buy one.

    Small shop, nice people.

    I wonder if they are still around ??

    1900 fps out of a 6" 27 with 158 gr half jacket hollow points.

    SMOKIN" !!

    Doug
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  • mrbruce
    I shot a 10 inch 357 B&D in a Contender for years as my main hunting pistol, it was a solid performer with 158 grain Hornady XTP flat points... and WW-296.......
    I still have the reamer for it, but sold the dies and the barrel a few years ago when I went to the XP-100 and a .284 Winchester chamber......
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  • b0400879
    quote:Originally posted by Doug Wilson
    I wonder if they are still around ??

    Sure are, Doug.
    Exact same spot too (amazing). Only now: completely surrounded by immigrant merchants. Divide & conquer, I guess .....

    Used to live somewhat nearby them in the SGV, however never shopped there for anything.

    http://local.yahoo.com/slideshow.php?id=20766788&start=
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  • Ambrose
    b0400879: Thanks much for the info. I found their email address and set them one. I'd like to play around with that B&D again so I'll get another 6 1/2 Blackhawk or (ideally) a Bisley and send them the cylinder if they still do that work (their quality was excellent). I think there are a couple of other pistol smiths that will do this but I'd rather go to the source, if possible.

    BTW; It's comforting to know that I'm not the only one crazy enough to fool around with this stuff![:D]
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  • Colt Super
    quote:Originally posted by b0400879
    quote:Originally posted by Doug Wilson
    I wonder if they are still around ??

    Sure are, Doug.
    Exact same spot too (amazing). Only now: completely surrounded by immigrant merchants. Divide & conquer, I guess .....

    Used to live somewhat nearby them in the SGV, however never shopped there for anything.

    http://local.yahoo.com/slideshow.php?id=20766788&start=



    Yup.

    Dat b d place.

    Long ago and far away I lived down there. I hung out at the Playgirl before topless, and with my biker Friends at the Pit for hot Pastrami.

    There was a time when LA was a helluva lot of fun. Had a new BMW R69S, and a '55 Ford 2 door post with a built 331 HEMI.

    Thank the Lord for those sweet memories.

    Doug
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  • Ambrose
    mrbruce, I remember that the B&D enjoyed a brief popularity in the Contender--no cylinder to freeze up. One of my old Hornady reloading books has data for the B&D in the Contender. Also, W296 seemed to be the powder of choice; that's what I'm using in my Bobcats. I tried Blue Dot but it gets too hot too fast. I'm guessing H110 and 2400 might be good, too. I'm going to try to work up some loads with those powders when I get this d---d left leg to working again. Herniated discs are no fun!
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