Ruger 77/357 converted to take Uzi suppressor

[Cortland]

Here's a fun Uzi-adjacent project gun of mine that I just got back from my gunsmith.

It's a Ruger 77/357 that's been SBRed and re-barreled. The new barrel is threaded for an Uzi barrel nut type suppressor and contoured the same as an Uzi barrel. I think the completed look is awesome and it gives me an excuse to pull out the Companion Shooting Supplies suppressor I bought from Vector Arms but rarely ever use.

I haven't shot it yet but expect it'll be a long, fun project doing load development.

 

[Hey...]

Thats awesome bet you could cook up something super quiet with that.

300blk not as quiet for a change.

 

[JRH]

What barrel and twist did you go with?
And what gunsmith?

I have been shooting 190hr lead bullets from Hunters Supply through my 77/357 sbr. I am getting NO leading in my YHM suppressor with their coated bullets. It is a blast to shoot. I am sure you know but don’t use a lead bullet with a gas check. Guy damaged his suppressor using them. Haven’t killed anything with it yet. But it will shoot completely through a dead 260 pound hog laying on its side from backbone out the leg at the joint.
Ordered some 245gr to load in 38SPL brass and haven’t had time to try them yet.

 

[Cortland]

I should confirm but I believe it's a 1:14 twist and .355 bore. I've ordered a bunch of heavy .355 and .357 spire points bullets to play around with. These are all plated but the Uzi suppressor is disassembleable so I'm sure I'll mess with plated or lead at some point. Years ago I put a ton of lead bullets through this suppressor with my Uzi and it does clean up.

Gunsmith is a guy local to me that I shoot pistol matches with. He does a lot of long range rifles and his work is great.

 

[JRH]

Thanks. I would be interested to know more about the barrel if you get details. Did the gunsmith do the stock work also? It looks really good.
Did he bed the stock?

 

[Cortland]

The barrel was made from an X-Caliber blank. He threaded both ends, cut the chamber, etc. We went with a .355 bore instead of .357 to have more bullet options (thinking about .350 Legend bullets specifically). A .355" groove diameter is still SAAMI spec for .38 Special.

He also did the stock, yes. He told me he used a 90 degree block and clamped the stock vertically to his vertical mill and then came straight down into the forend with the quill using an end mill or a boring head or something (not sure what exactly). I think he did a really nice job.

He didn't bed the stock but that's something I may do myself later. That would be the one of part of the whole project that's within my capabilities. 😁

 

[r]

surprised you went with .355 others have being doing heavy 357 with 9mm cans theres a penn state 230 graindbl wad cutter "thunderhead' that can be set deep for pump guns (like IMI Timberwolf that will hold 9 +1) then theres the 200-250 grain 358 rifle bullets (jacketed) to play with. I personally have settled with a ideal 358318 mold to make a cast 245 grain for an NEF single shot. Does better with solids that the hollow points unless the HP is exactly concentric. Setting those out long requires a long throat in the gun search 9X33R to follow some of this on castboolits

 

[Cortland]

At subsonic pressures/velocities I'm thinking squeezing those .357 bullets down a .355 bore won't be an issue. And they'd be easy enough to swage manually. I've bought but haven't yet loaded some of Hornady's 250 gr. SUB-X bullet meant for 350 Legend, as well as some others. I'll dig around on castboolits, too -- thanks for the info!

 

[chili17]

Not that it matters but Ive shot a reasonable amount of .357 bullets in 9mm

 

[Garrett]

Not that it matters but Ive shot a reasonable amount of .357 bullets in 9mm

Similarly, I have been playing with a T/C Contender chambered in .32 H&R Mag, but with a .308" bore. I find it will shoot .30 cal (.308") and .32 cal (.312") bullets equally well. No overpressure signs from the larger bullets.

And I have also found .357" bullets can work well in a 9mm bore, but I have some guns that don't always like to chamber them, so I mostly stick with .355/.356 bullets in 9mm.