45 ar in blackhawk cylinder

I remember reading some time ago of someone who can machine a 45acp Blackhawk cylinder to accept 45 auto rim. If anyone knows of or can recommend someone to do this work I would appreciate it.

Most any good gunsmith can cut the cylinder properly to do this.

I've not had much luck finding a gunsmith in my area that can do the job. Was hoping someone who has had this done might recommend a reliable gunsmith.

I see you are from Jersey. My apologies,,, as I failed to grasp the fact you live in an area where gunsmiths aren't "around."

May I suggest you contact a member here,,,, DougGuy as he does a lot of minor work & can either do it,,, or knows someone who can. I can say he does excellent work on cylinders that need reaming, honing,,, throating etc.

Thanks Contender, I'll give him a try.

Thank you guys for thinking of me, I have a small lathe that may or may not be up to the task, and I would hate to find out the hard way it just isn't quite ready for shaving a cylinder.

And then there is this awful Executive Order that Osammy signed 7-22-2016 that makes doing a conversion on a cylinder from simple gunsmithing into "manufacturing" so I have refrained from doing any conversions that might "enhance or accurize or otherwise add capability" to the weapon that it didn't leave the factory with. Hopefully Trump will just rescind all of his moronic orders but until I hear this one has been changed, I'm just not taking in conversions.

Thanks Doug. I wasn't sure,,, but I know your work is top notch.

Once they undo his misdeeds, and we can do simple gunsmithing again, and you have a 45 ACP Vaquero or Flattop Blackhawk, and you want to do something different with the 45 ACP cylinder, think about having it converted to 45 Schofield! I did mine JUST before the EO went into effect, and the Schofield is the perfect size case to take full advantage of the "tier 2" 23,000psi pressure ceiling of these medium framed guns.

You can use a longer, heavier boolit than you can use with 45 ACP, with your choice of crimp since it doesn't headspace off the case mouth, and midrange loads are more consistent than downloading the 45 Colt to target velocities.

I was able to get a 250gr LBT WFN boolit to 1200fps from my 5 1/2" Vaquero using H110 and it isn't nearly as punishing as the Lee 300gr RF boolit in the full size Vaquero or Blackhawk. Pressure was within the 23,000psi ceiling according to QuickLoad, accuracy was great and fired cases dropped right out of the cylinder.

Personally I would not face off the rear of the cyl. I like the way Ruger's cyl encases the ACP case head.

Just recess the chamber mouths for the 45 AR Rim thickness, .100", if the ACP case chambers flush with the rear cyl face. If not flush, reduce the .100" by the amount the ACP case protrudes from the rear of the cyl.

Once you get some prices to have this done by those below including shipping back and forth, you can compare it to renting or buying a 45 AR reamer and doing it yourself. This particular operation is not rocket science and quite simple and safe for one to do themselves. It's about a 10 minute job in a drill press or with a hand drill.

Here are some Ruger specialists to do it:

David Clements - Clements Custom Guns
276-238-8761
2766 Mt. Zion Rd.
Woodlawn, VA 24381
[email protected]
http://www.clementscustomguns.com/

Ben Forkin - Forkin Custom Classics
PO Box 444, 205 10th Ave SW
White Sulphur Springs, MT 59645
406-547-2344
mailto:[email protected]

John Gallagher - Gallagher Firearms Inc.
(205)384-5229
3923 Bird Farm Road
Jasper, Alabama 35503
[email protected]
closed website: http://www.gallagherfirearms.com

Alan Harton (Colt SAAs also)
713-772-8314 or 713-907-6031
[email protected]
Sharpstown, Texas, West S/W of Houston
Makes a .327 Fed Mag Bearcat; http://www.gunblast.com/Harton-327Bearcat.htm

Andy Horvath - DIAGONAL ROAD GUN SHOP
14131 Diagonal Rd.
La Grange, OH 44050
(440) 458-4369, (440) 355-5618

Long Hunter
Amarillo, TX
http://www.longhunt.com/web/
Sounds like a nice package for $135.
Taper cylinder and ejector rod housing $45.00 USD
http://www.longhunt.com/web/index.php?page=models-ruger-vaquero-blackhawk-bisley

Vans Custom Guns
Sandusky, Ohio
NIGHTOWLS 1996, Utah
http://nightowlsgunsmithing.tripod.com/index.htm

Harry Lawsons
520-326-1117
Tucson, AZ.
They do not have a web site.
You need to call before noon if you want to talk to the gunsmith.

Oglesby & Oglesby Gunmakers
Bill Oglesby
744 W Andrew Road
Springfield, IL 62707-4626
Phone: (217) 487-7100
Cool video: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Oglesby-Oglesby/166638046696474

Hondo44 said:

Personally I would not face off the rear of the cyl. I like the way Ruger's cyl encases the ACP case head.

Click to expand...

Just facing the rear of the cylinder is not enough, in any case. The web at the cylinder also must be machined for clearance.

Might give TK Custom a shout and see if it's something they might do.

Thanks all for the info. I'll contact the recommended gunsmiths. If this is done I will post results.

edlmann said:

Hondo44 said:

Personally I would not face off the rear of the cyl. I like the way Ruger's cyl encases the ACP case head.

Click to expand...

Just facing the rear of the cylinder is not enough, in any case. The web at the cylinder also must be machined for clearance.

Click to expand...

Precisely, recessing the chamber mouths takes care of both issues:

Hondo44 said:

Personally I would not face off the rear of the cyl. I like the way Ruger's cyl encases the ACP case head.

Just recess the chamber mouths for the 45 AR Rim thickness, .100", if the ACP case chambers flush with the rear cyl face. If not flush, reduce the .100" by the amount the ACP case protrudes from the rear of the cyl.

Click to expand...

I have an 45 ACP cylinder which exhibited high pressure on 3 of chambers.
I milled out rim recesses in each of the chambers, touching off on the sides of the chamber to obtain the center of each chamber.

lobopete;
This is not the question you asked, but I have a Ruger SS Bisley .45 ACP/.45 Colt Convertible. I happened to have 500 rounds of .45 Cowboy Special brass and it headspaces perfectly without issue. I can run it just like you are intending to use .45 AR cases.

Just a thought or two...
Dale53