Texan barrels and bottles?

[Loki67]

If I understand it's construction correctly the different caliber Texans all use the same frame, hammer, etc.
If you took a .45 and put say a 24" .357 barrel and .357 bottle on it you would basically have a .357.
Or am I missing something?
And since the top hats all work with the same hammer, couldn't you cobble together a .357 with a .45 bottle?

Basically I'd like to try the .35 airbolts and don't want to buy another gun to do so.

[YEMX]

Pretty much, yes... 

[aceflier]

I would think all you need is the barrel. I haven’t had a .357 in my hand though.

[Loki67]

Thought so...
But they don"t offer caliber changes "yet". ;-)

[dyotat100]

I pretty sure the top hat is smaller OD. You would need a breech also.

[YEMX]

I pretty sure the top hat is smaller OD. You would need a breech also.

You're probably right Doug...  I just figured it would all be the same, the only difference being the caliber of the barrel...  It would make for a cheaper manufacturing process.

[nielsenammo]

Doug texted me about the top hat diameter.  I will measure my 357 and 457 and see what they are.

[T3PRanch]

I have heard that AirForce does not sell separate Big Bore barrels because they are not interchangeable between calibers on the "Big Bores". They have released a new .357 barrel that is shorter to allow use of Air Venturi "AirBolts".

[nielsenammo]

I rebarreled my 357 to a short barrel with in my opinion a better twist rate.  My barrel only sticks past the frame an inch or two.

[rsterne]

What twist are you using, Nick?....

Bob

[nielsenammo]

What twist are you using, Nick?....

Bob

I am using the TJ 1:26.  That barrel is very accurate.  I added a picture of the end of my Texan, you can see the barrel does not even go past the end of my barrel bushing I made to accept my 2 inch diameter silencer.

I measured the top hat, the 45 is larger diameter of the smaller part of top hat and the same on the outer diameter of the larger portion.  Hope that makes sense

[Loki67]

Interesting about the top hats.
If possible could you take a couple pictures?

[nielsenammo]

not sure what you want a picture of -  the top hats in a picture will look like the same size

[YEMX]

What twist are you using, Nick?....

Bob

I am using the TJ 1:26.  That barrel is very accurate.  I added a picture of the end of my Texan, you can see the barrel does not even go past the end of my barrel bushing I made to accept my 2 inch diameter silencer.

I measured the top hat, the 45 is larger diameter of the smaller part of top hat and the same on the outer diameter of the larger portion.  Hope that makes sense

Nick, is that "just" a end cap?  or does it somehow connect to a 1 piece barrel bushing? 

[Loki67]

not sure what you want a picture of -  the top hats in a picture will look like the same size

No worries, I googled a bunch more after asking and found the pictures I was looking for.
It appears the .357 does use a hammer with a smaller inner diameter, and the .457 has a larger inner diameter.
I guess the real way to know is to have both the barrels side by side and to mic them.

I can see now that the .457 may be able to use the .357 barrel but it will not be plug and play.
If someone made a sleeve to go over the back of the .357 to make it's outer diameter the same as the .457 you could run it with the bigger id hammer.

I have a mini lathe so I ordered the .357 barrel to try it.
If it looks like more hassle than simply sleeving the end I may just buy a Rex and leave the .457 alone.

[Loki67]

Top is the .457 bottle, bottom is the .357 bottle.
It appears you could go down in caliber with a smaller caliber barrel sleeved to have the same OD as the .457 barrel.

[dyotat100]

The barrel OD has to match the top hat OD. I can see that I was right that the 357 is smaller OD. So you will need the breech, hammer, valve and barrel.

[Loki67]

The barrel OD has to match the top hat OD. I can see that I was right that the 357 is smaller OD. So you will need the breech, hammer, valve and barrel.

I was pretty sure you were right too.
What do you think of the possibility of sleeving the od of the .357 barrel to match the .457 barrel od?

[dyotat100]

You will get tank dump. A barrel with a smaller hole leaves a big lip that the air sees. Same reason you can't put a .177 in a .25 condor without changing out the valve return spring to a super stiff one.

[YEMX]

The barrel OD has to match the top hat OD. I can see that I was right that the 357 is smaller OD. So you will need the breech, hammer, valve and barrel.

Yup, I figured you were right Doug...  Dang it!