Colt barrel on a Blackhawk?

I've heard of adapting Colt SAA barrels to Ruger Blackhawks. Think I have a line on a New Frontier 7 1/2" .357 Magnum barrel. I am thinking of having this put on a Ruger Three Screw Blackhawk .357 Magnum.

What is entailed in doing this? Difficult but doable? Easy swap? New ejector housing?

Bob Wright

Bob, I've zero experience with the SSA. Thread pitch and diameter need to match or a "too" long barrel that'll be happy with some machine shop TLC.
JMHO,

flatgate

Your money, your choice.

I've always felt that Colt/Smith, Colt/Ruger, Smith/Ruger, or whatever, barrel swaps didn't really accomplish anything. It's something folks did just because they could..... and it's not cheap if you have a gunsmith do it.

As a side note, it may be a mortal sin to do it to a 3-screw... got any New Models?

You need to have a 3rd generation barrel to do this. Colt 1st and 2nd generation threads do not match. The barrel will have to be clocked so the front sight is in the correct posltion at the same time leaving stock to set the barrel cylinder gap. The ejector rod housing also will need to be fit at the same time to make sure it fits to its length or leaves extra stock to trim it to fit. A very costly venture to be sure but those NF barrels are beautiful to say the least.

I had Alan Harton do a OM .357 to .44 Special conversion using a 5 1/2" New Frontier barrel. It was a great shooter.

wwb said:

Your money, your choice.

I've always felt that Colt/Smith, Colt/Ruger, Smith/Ruger, or whatever, barrel swaps didn't really accomplish anything. It's something folks did just because they could..... and it's not cheap if you have a gunsmith do it.

As a side note, it may be a mortal sin to do it to a 3-screw... got any New Models?

Click to expand...

It accomplishes exactly what I want ~ a medium framed, three screw Single Action .357 Magnum revolver with a 7 1/2" barrel.

Yes, I have a New Model Blackhawk, a .357 Magnum revolver with an oversized frame for the small caliber. The BISLEY barrel does run 7 1/2", but has to be turned down to match the svelte Three Screw frame.

I understand the Ruger Blackhawk frame thread is 11/16-24 TPI. So trying to learn Colt's thread size. So, trying to learn compatibility.........

Bob Wright

Picture of the NF/OM:

http://www.rugerforum.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=41&t=193312

wwb said:

Your money, your choice.

I've always felt that Colt/Smith, Colt/Ruger, Smith/Ruger, or whatever, barrel swaps didn't really accomplish anything. It's something folks did just because they could..... and it's not cheap if you have a gunsmith do it.

As a side note, it may be a mortal sin to do it to a 3-screw... got any New Models?

Click to expand...

I've seen a Ruger barrel or two that were pretty rough from the factory. I don't hear of accuracy issues with Colt but know of plenty of Blackhawks that needed throats reamed and barrels lapped. And I don't know ANYONE who likes the warning. Additionally, Colt bluing is superior IMO.

I can see no downside...

PS: Nice to hear Flatgate again... 8)

Carl it's so good to see your back.
We missed you Buddy. Eric

Bob Wright said:

It accomplishes exactly what I want ~ a medium framed, three screw Single Action .357 Magnum revolver with a 7 1/2" barrel.............

Bob Wright

Click to expand...

I guess that makes sense. Being rather "frugal", I'd force myself to live with the 6-1/2" barrel.

I hope it works out for you and you enjoy it.

Bob Wright said:

I've heard of adapting Colt SAA barrels to Ruger Blackhawks. Think I have a line on a New Frontier 7 1/2" .357 Magnum barrel. I am thinking of having this put on a Ruger Three Screw Blackhawk .357 Magnum.

What is entailed in doing this? Difficult but doable? Easy swap? New ejector housing?

Bob Wright

Click to expand...

Hi Bob,

It's as easy as swapping your barrel for another Ruger barrel and not at all expensive. Whether Ruger or Colt barrel, if the barrel shoulder needs turning down to align the sight or set the barrel/cyl gap, the housing is simply shortened by the same amount and included.

If it's a 3rd gen Colt barrel, it will have the same thread size as you noted for your Ruger. You don't want a 2nd gen NF barrel, they are only 20 TPI, the same as 1st gen Colts.

If your OM 357 Ruger has a studded barrel for the ejector housing screw, your Ruger hosuing and screw will work fine with the Colt barrel. The screw is #6-40 with a large cap. Or you can use a Colt ejector housing, but you must use the Colt screw which is also 6-40, but with the smaller cap to fit the Colt housing.

If your Ruger barrel has no stud, again you can use either the Ruger or Colt housing but you must use your Ruger 8-36 housing screw with small cap. It's just that simple.

I just did the opposite: put a Ruger 45 Vaquero 3 3/4" barrel and steel housing in a 3rd gen Colt.

I'm getting ready to do this same thing. Taking a blackhawk 357 to a 45 using the colt barrel. The barrel I have is a new one 7.5.

I have what was originally shipped as a .30 Carbine but was subsequently modified by installing a .44 barrel from some other make of gun and (I think) reaming the chambers to .44 Magnum. I can tell it's not a Ruger barrel because it has more taper and is so much smaller at the muzzle that the front sight is too low. Don't know why that wasn't fixed initially. Gun shoots well but ya gotta allow for the low front sight. Just something to keep in mind.

Ale-8(1) said:

I have what was originally shipped as a .30 Carbine but was subsequently modified by installing a .44 barrel from some other make of gun and (I think) reaming the chambers to .44 Magnum. I can tell it's not a Ruger barrel because it has more taper and is so much smaller at the muzzle that the front sight is too low. Don't know why that wasn't fixed initially. Gun shoots well but ya gotta allow for the low front sight. Just something to keep in mind.

Click to expand...

You're from Kentucky-use Kentucky windage.

Muley Gil said:

Ale-8(1) said:

I have what was originally shipped as a .30 Carbine but was subsequently modified by installing a .44 barrel from some other make of gun and (I think) reaming the chambers to .44 Magnum. I can tell it's not a Ruger barrel because it has more taper and is so much smaller at the muzzle that the front sight is too low. Don't know why that wasn't fixed initially. Gun shoots well but ya gotta allow for the low front sight. Just something to keep in mind.

Click to expand...

You're from Kentucky-use Kentucky windage.

Click to expand...

Actually Kentucky elevation, but yeah!

:wink: :mrgreen: :wink:

Hi Bob,

Did you do this project?

Hondo44 said:

Hi Bob,

Did you do this project?

Click to expand...

No, Sir. Not yet, other projects preempted this one, so far.


Bob Wright