Ruger Blackhawk 4 5/8" , 45 ACP
- Thread starter Ben
- Start date
Brad,
I have had this revolver for 3 years now.
I have 2 cylinders , the 45 ACP and the 45 Colt.
Ironically, I've yet to fire a 45 Colt out of this
revolver at this point in time.
I have about 2 K pieces of nice clean 45 ACP once fired brass,
I'll probably never ever come close to using 1 K of it.
Ben
I have had this revolver for 3 years now.
I have 2 cylinders , the 45 ACP and the 45 Colt.
Ironically, I've yet to fire a 45 Colt out of this
revolver at this point in time.
I have about 2 K pieces of nice clean 45 ACP once fired brass,
I'll probably never ever come close to using 1 K of it.
Ben
Last edited:
Buy a 1911 and that will change. And fast.
I own a similar revolver but only have the 45 Colt cylinder. Good shooter, easy to carry in a holster when hunting. Actually shot a deer with it once.
Mine needed the throats opened up but that was easy enough. First real gun modification I did.
I own a similar revolver but only have the 45 Colt cylinder. Good shooter, easy to carry in a holster when hunting. Actually shot a deer with it once.
Mine needed the throats opened up but that was easy enough. First real gun modification I did.
Ian
Notorious member
Buy an AR-45 and a bump-firing device and that brass situation will change even faster!
I have an Uberti SAA 4-5/8" convertible and the ACP cylinder makes 25-yard groups a third the size of the .45 Colt cylinder. I've talked with quite a few people about this and those with similar revolvers have universally found that the ACP cylinder shoots better. I don't know why it is, but it is. Fun little gun and no guilt shooting it a lot since the brass is practically free.
I have an Uberti SAA 4-5/8" convertible and the ACP cylinder makes 25-yard groups a third the size of the .45 Colt cylinder. I've talked with quite a few people about this and those with similar revolvers have universally found that the ACP cylinder shoots better. I don't know why it is, but it is. Fun little gun and no guilt shooting it a lot since the brass is practically free.
My exact thoughts also Ian. ( Not on the AR-45 
)
45 ACP Brass is basically free. Powder charge is minimal, fun factor very high. What's not to like. Sort of like a 44 Special with respect to ballistics, but with free brass.
If the 45 Colt cylinder will match this ACP in the accuracy dept. ( which I seriously doubt ? ? ), I'll be good to go.
Ben
)45 ACP Brass is basically free. Powder charge is minimal, fun factor very high. What's not to like. Sort of like a 44 Special with respect to ballistics, but with free brass.
If the 45 Colt cylinder will match this ACP in the accuracy dept. ( which I seriously doubt ? ? ), I'll be good to go.
Ben
Outpost75
Active Member
I have the same gun, with both cylinders. The .45 ACP gets the most use for the reasons you state. My general-purpose load is the H&G68 200-grain SWC with 4.5 grains of Bullseye. I had DougGuy ream the throats on both of my cylinders to .4525" and I can now shoot as-cast and unsized H&G68s tumbled in diluted Lee Liquid Alox or 45-45-10. In the .45 Colt I use 7.2 grains of Bullseye with a 230-grain flatnosed Cowboy style bullet from Accurate.
Ian
Notorious member
Outpost75: Do you find that the Bullseye/Accurate combination in the .45 Colt loading shoots low?
All my SAA-style .45 Colt revolvers from 4-1/2" to 7-1/2" barrels have a very low POI with bullets weighing less than 250 grains and powders "faster" than WW231. Oddly, the switch-cylinder Uberti/Taylor's shoots to the "sights" (if you can call the top strap groove a sight) with either Bullseye or Titegroup and either 203-grain Lyman Devastator HP or Accurate 45-230M, in any combination. But with the .45 Colt cylinder I have to go back to eight grains of Unique and 250-260-grain bullets to get the same POI.
All my SAA-style .45 Colt revolvers from 4-1/2" to 7-1/2" barrels have a very low POI with bullets weighing less than 250 grains and powders "faster" than WW231. Oddly, the switch-cylinder Uberti/Taylor's shoots to the "sights" (if you can call the top strap groove a sight) with either Bullseye or Titegroup and either 203-grain Lyman Devastator HP or Accurate 45-230M, in any combination. But with the .45 Colt cylinder I have to go back to eight grains of Unique and 250-260-grain bullets to get the same POI.
Outpost75
Active Member
The .45 ACP 200 SWC requires the adjustable rear sight on the Ruger to be raised, but the correction needed is well within the normal range of sight adjustment. 230-grain bullets in .45 Colt with sights zeroed at 25 yards for the H&G68/.45 ACP hit "on" at 50 yards. I did not take anything off the front sight.
Ian
Notorious member
Thank you. It was a very educational project for me a few years ago to work up a load that shot to the sights at 15-25 yards in six different fixed-sight revolvers (Uberti/Stoeger Open Top, Ruger New Vaquero, Uberti/Stoeger Bisley, Uberti/Taylor's Gunfighter, Uberti/Taylor's switch-cylinder model). I gave up and filed the front blade a bit on the Ruger because it shot low with everything I tried until I sized down Lee 340-grain bullets and worked up a standard-pressure load for them with Blue Dot.
Ben: I also have a S&W Model 25, but for casual range shooting I find the moon clips to be fussy. The single-action platform is MUCH more fun from my point of view. The Smith, like most of my Smith revolvers, tend to be safe queens.
Ben: I also have a S&W Model 25, but for casual range shooting I find the moon clips to be fussy. The single-action platform is MUCH more fun from my point of view. The Smith, like most of my Smith revolvers, tend to be safe queens.
I am a 625 fan. My 5" Model 625-6 and my 625-8 JM Special both shoot extremely well. Well under 1" at 25 yards with a variety of bullets and powder.
I have not shot my Ruger SS Bisley Convertible nearly as much but right after I reamed both cylinders to .4525", here is what I saw from the .45 ACP cylinder using the Mihec H&G #68 ahead of 4.0 grs. of Bullseye. It was COLD outside so this was shot at fifty feet indoors off a makeshift rest:
Shooting outdoors the .45 Colt with an NOE mould for the Lyman 454424 (a 250 gr. Keith) ahead of 8.5 grs. of Unique seems to shoot well, also. I'm too old and feeble to drag a deer out of the woods, these days, but I would LOVE to take a deer with that .45 Colt. All of my deer have been taken with .44 Magnum revolvers...
FWIW
Dale53
I have not shot my Ruger SS Bisley Convertible nearly as much but right after I reamed both cylinders to .4525", here is what I saw from the .45 ACP cylinder using the Mihec H&G #68 ahead of 4.0 grs. of Bullseye. It was COLD outside so this was shot at fifty feet indoors off a makeshift rest:
Shooting outdoors the .45 Colt with an NOE mould for the Lyman 454424 (a 250 gr. Keith) ahead of 8.5 grs. of Unique seems to shoot well, also. I'm too old and feeble to drag a deer out of the woods, these days, but I would LOVE to take a deer with that .45 Colt. All of my deer have been taken with .44 Magnum revolvers...
FWIW
Dale53
Ben, thanks for the kind words.
I neglected to mention that the Mihec version of the RCBS .45-270-SAA bullet would be my choice of a first rate hunting round for big game. It weighs 285 grs in my standard alloy (WW's+2% tin), shoots extremely well, and with it's heavier than usual weight and extra wide meplat should be a near perfect hunting round for great "smack" (technical term) and penetration. I wouldn't hesitate to use it with "Ruger Only" loads for the heaviest of game. Further, it works very well at "standard" power levels but definitely extends the usefulness of the .45 Colt well over the old standard factory .45 Colt loads.
Don't misunderstand, I still fully respect the .44 Special and .44 Magnum for general woods rambling as well as serious hunting use, but there are no flies on the .45 Colt when properly loaded (in the right platform).
Using the .45 ACP cylinder, I have safely loaded and shot the NOE version of Lyman's 454424 bullet in .45 Cowboy Special brass (.45 ACP capacity with .45 Colt rims that perfectly headspace in my convertible cylinder) with 7.0 grs. of Unique for 900+ fps. This gives excellent accuracy with the power of the original .45 Colt and a MUCH better shaped bullet. This all within the pressures of standard .45 ACP (21,000 psi or less).
Just a thought or two...
Dale53
I neglected to mention that the Mihec version of the RCBS .45-270-SAA bullet would be my choice of a first rate hunting round for big game. It weighs 285 grs in my standard alloy (WW's+2% tin), shoots extremely well, and with it's heavier than usual weight and extra wide meplat should be a near perfect hunting round for great "smack" (technical term
) and penetration. I wouldn't hesitate to use it with "Ruger Only" loads for the heaviest of game. Further, it works very well at "standard" power levels but definitely extends the usefulness of the .45 Colt well over the old standard factory .45 Colt loads.Don't misunderstand, I still fully respect the .44 Special and .44 Magnum for general woods rambling as well as serious hunting use, but there are no flies on the .45 Colt when properly loaded (in the right platform).
Using the .45 ACP cylinder, I have safely loaded and shot the NOE version of Lyman's 454424 bullet in .45 Cowboy Special brass (.45 ACP capacity with .45 Colt rims that perfectly headspace in my convertible cylinder) with 7.0 grs. of Unique for 900+ fps. This gives excellent accuracy with the power of the original .45 Colt and a MUCH better shaped bullet. This all within the pressures of standard .45 ACP (21,000 psi or less).
Just a thought or two...
Dale53
James W. Miner
Active Member
Want to see the ACP better with a revolver? Use SP primer brass. 50 foot groups will be at 25 yards.
Who in the world shoots in feet???? Why not a stick or spear?
Who in the world shoots in feet???? Why not a stick or spear?
James W. Miner
Active Member
Agree that they are close range guns. My friend has one, S&W and we could not get it right. I sat at the bench and stared at the rounds, told him "Too much primer for a revolver, pushes the bullet too early." I made bushings to take SP primers and the groups got very small at 25 yards.
He bought 1000 Speer cases for SP primers and they even shoot better from his 1911.
He found brass at Once Fired Brass.com.
He bought 1000 Speer cases for SP primers and they even shoot better from his 1911.
He found brass at Once Fired Brass.com.
James W. Miner
Active Member
Nothing to lose, keep us informed.
It is why I never use a mag primer in the .44 with any powder. Mag primers will triple groups. Even the .45 Colt does better with a Fed 150 but WW primers do good in it. I move to the Fed 155 at the .475 and up, even in the 45-70 BFR where it is better then a LR primer.
Primer testing is like everything else we test, powder, lube, case tension, etc. Primers are critical.
Lube is very important too, many just want to stop leading and is all they look for but accuracy is affected more then you think. Here is a test between lubes at 50 yards. Left is a hard LBT Blue compared to Felix lube.
There is nothing I have not tested. I do not clean the barrel between tests either, I just move from one to another.
It is true that I hate Alox in any form but temper with wax and it does work better. Still, there is better. I do not tumble lube anything and use Felix on TL boolits. You should get no smoke or stink from a lube, only powder smoke. Lube must spin off a boolit at muzzle clearance so the grooves are clean. A layer should remain in the bore so the next shot cleans everything out. Alox burns and leaves ash in the bore.
A very slippery lube will break case tension in a revolver before good ignition so you need some "sticky." Lanolin works best.
Primers vary in force so you do not want primer pressure to move a bullet/boolit before good ignition. You change airspace.
Federal makes very accurate .44 ammo. I called them and the nice lady checked records to find Fed NEVER used a mag primer in the .44.
A friend brought factory cast .44 loads here, I shot them and told him they have mag primers. He said NO, he knows the owner so I called and was told YES, CCI 350's. I lost my friend over it. Can I tell the difference? yes I can. I posted and was told I humiliated him but truth is more important.
I was kicked off the SA site, then lee Martin came to shoot and seen what I did with a revolver. He wanted me back but I refused. Taffin is there and attacked me as did his followers.
I do not lie, NOT EVER!
It is so bad I was booted from Graybeard when I had forgot I was a member for years and years. Could not sign in. I know Veral Smith so I called him. He said he does not know why, came from higher up.
If you want to learn cast, get books from Veral and toss gun rags and writers as fast as you can. Most are done with the first flush. We lost the best and now they sell products. I want Elmer, Jack O'Conner and Ken Waters back.
It is why I never use a mag primer in the .44 with any powder. Mag primers will triple groups. Even the .45 Colt does better with a Fed 150 but WW primers do good in it. I move to the Fed 155 at the .475 and up, even in the 45-70 BFR where it is better then a LR primer.
Primer testing is like everything else we test, powder, lube, case tension, etc. Primers are critical.
Lube is very important too, many just want to stop leading and is all they look for but accuracy is affected more then you think. Here is a test between lubes at 50 yards. Left is a hard LBT Blue compared to Felix lube.
There is nothing I have not tested. I do not clean the barrel between tests either, I just move from one to another. It is true that I hate Alox in any form but temper with wax and it does work better. Still, there is better. I do not tumble lube anything and use Felix on TL boolits. You should get no smoke or stink from a lube, only powder smoke. Lube must spin off a boolit at muzzle clearance so the grooves are clean. A layer should remain in the bore so the next shot cleans everything out. Alox burns and leaves ash in the bore.
A very slippery lube will break case tension in a revolver before good ignition so you need some "sticky." Lanolin works best.
Primers vary in force so you do not want primer pressure to move a bullet/boolit before good ignition. You change airspace.
Federal makes very accurate .44 ammo. I called them and the nice lady checked records to find Fed NEVER used a mag primer in the .44.
A friend brought factory cast .44 loads here, I shot them and told him they have mag primers. He said NO, he knows the owner so I called and was told YES, CCI 350's. I lost my friend over it. Can I tell the difference? yes I can. I posted and was told I humiliated him but truth is more important.
I was kicked off the SA site, then lee Martin came to shoot and seen what I did with a revolver. He wanted me back but I refused. Taffin is there and attacked me as did his followers.
I do not lie, NOT EVER!
It is so bad I was booted from Graybeard when I had forgot I was a member for years and years. Could not sign in. I know Veral Smith so I called him. He said he does not know why, came from higher up.
If you want to learn cast, get books from Veral and toss gun rags and writers as fast as you can. Most are done with the first flush. We lost the best and now they sell products. I want Elmer, Jack O'Conner and Ken Waters back.