Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns 357 Bain and Davis

I am interested in converting a DA 357 into the 357 B & D (357/44) for hunting. I have found a little info on this conversion and have called Bain and Davis Inc. I was advise that nither Bain nor Davis "was with B & D Inc. and the details were lacking (no web page, no lit, ect) They did quote prices but I am a little lerry of this outfit.
Does anyone have any experience with the 357 B & D and/or know of anyone who does this conversion. Anybody know if the actual Bain and Davis are still around and doing business.
Thanks,
Don

On page 2 (or where-ever) of this handgun forum-
"Markh" posted a thread: "Any one shooting a .357 bain & Davis???"

This post received only one reply from someone who had no idea what he was talking about. ...Me. There, (on that post)- I refered the poster to a couple of sites; and now, you also, if they may be (by-chance) found helpful.

With all this new-found "virtual" advice experience- I can offer you yet another site that is not only INTERESTING, but also-
informative, factual, and comprehensive, regarding the 357/44 Bain & Davis wildcat cartridge: History, the handgun conversion platforms, reloading / reaming / resizing data /powder selection / bullet weights, other cartridge comparisons, ballistics, and much more related information in a five page PDF article plus a couple appendix's.

This site is: ww.singleactions.com

The article is: .357 Bain & Davis
----------- by: Lee Martin (Arlington, Virginia)

This- "Single-Actions" site offers:
"Articles", "Galleries", "Links" and "Contact" ... and seem well worth exploring.

Your post and the previous 357/44 B&D post has got me more than curious- ...Interested! & Excited! ...I'm really contemplating hand-loading; and wildcatting would sure be "special".

Good-luck on your endeavor-
---------------------------------- Weed

(The cartridge was developed by gunsmith Keith Davis and 1st announced in an article by Dan Cotterman appearing in the Jan. '64 issue of Gun World magazine.) I've also come across speculation that the B&D would make one heck of a small, compact, but powerful leveraction rifle round

Oop's! ...(wasn't quite done yet... ...still got some "gas" left)

>>> ..."powerful leveraction round"...<<< (that's where I get interested- LOVE little Marlin lever-guns).

...The B&D cartridge would in a rifle put the 180 grain bullets about 500 fps over the .357 magnum levergun velocities with the same bullet. Probably pushing the 180 Remington JHP to 2400 / 2500 fps. And that's around 2500 ft. lbs. of muzzle energy also... ..."It's a very practical Wildcat" --Paco

Weed:
Thanks for your post; I had Lee Martins piece on the 357 B & D. In fact, that piece was the reason I decided to go ahead with the B & D project. I logged onto the GunBroker Auction to look for a good deal on a S & W Model 27 to convert. I found out right quick there are no good deals on a Model 27 BUT there was a S & W Model 27 aready converted to 357 B & D for $329.00 for sale! GunBroker No. 41239015. I jumped right on it. If the B & D dosen't work out I will replace the cyclinder with a 357 Mag cyclinder and still have a Model 27 at about 1/2 the going rate.
I also shoot a 35/30-30 built on a Martini Cadet action (you can see I like wildcats); I shoot a Hornady Interlock 180 grain .358 rifle bullet for small deer. I want to check out if there will be any problem shooting this .358 bullet in the 357 B & D. I plan on using the B & D for small deer at reasonable ranges.
Next is finding a set of dies; RCBS and Hornady both offer them but I haven't checked yet if either are in stock.
Again, thank you for your post and help.
Don

Re: "... problem? ... shooting this .358 bullet in the 357 B&D.

Don: I found a site some time ago that referred to the 358 bullet in a 357/44 B&D article. I was able to again retrieve this artcle and will quote the referrence.

--------------PRACTICAL WILDCATS----
------PART 3.....357/44.....BAIN & DAVIS.....PACO

The author, Paco, apparently used the 358 bullet regularly as he comments:

"... I have extensive experience with 357/358 bullets of all kinds, at all velocities from very mild (38 special) into the 3000 fps bracket (with 35 Whelen). And I know that at the 1800 fps to 2100 fps levels the 358 caliber is deadly. A 180 grain bullet

Oop's again. ... Continuing:

>>> A 180 grain bullet at those velocities are in the 30-30 range of velocities and power. Want thirty-thirty power in a handgun ...try the Bain & Davis 357/44 ...in a strong re-chambered 357 mag revolver frame."

Paco's main load for the B&D was: 24 grains of WW296 and the 173 grain Keith cast 1 in 15, for close to 1900 fps.

If you want to find Paco's complete article (it covers a lot of stuff) try Googling in the search words of the title.

NOTE: The original page has been removed, so "click" on "cached" as the article survives (only as a photograph) in Google's "cached archives".

--Weed

Found it! Great stuff

Thanks,
Don

I would also check with Gary Reeder to see if he offers something similar. He offers several necked rimmed revolver cartridges and claims to get easy extraction at full power.

I have thought about the .357 B&D for a carbine but am not really happy with the short neck.