lypsey's flat top .45

I pulled the grips, and there's no markings of any kind. If I were to guess, they look like Hogue.

WAYNO.

I'm quite content with my older NM .45 BKH Convertible; the trigger work I did turned out very well, the smooth larger gips soak up recoil nicely, and the aluminum frame and big holes make it a very light and well balanced gun for the caliber. It's not as nicely fitted and finished as the newer NVs, but with .454 bullets it's scary accurate. Not half bad with ACPs, either.

Have one of the 50th .357 Flattops, and a NV fixed sighted .45 Colt, both of which are very fine guns. Had a .44 Special, but it was much fussier than the .45 Colts and I offloaded it.

If all of the above went away I would be all over one of the Lipseys right now, though.

mike campbell said:

Yep, it's the finest fit and finished NM Ruger I've ever owned. I haven't shot the .45Colt cylinder and probably never will. I bought it expressly to shoot .45ACP and it was my favorite paper-puncher all last summer.

These big, dead-soft HP's do a number on water jugs...

Made some mesquite grips for it...

Click to expand...

Not to hi-jack the thread, but please tell me about those mesquite grips. Specifically what type limb was used for the blanks. I live with and around an enormous amount of mesquite and would like to have a set of grips made froM it. I have a few fairly large root balls laying around the house but didn't know if cuts from them would work or not.

Thanks!

Had a .44 Special, but it was much fussier than the .45 Colts and I offloaded it.

Click to expand...

That is strange, because in all my testing with my .44Spec flattops, it was tough to find a load that did NOT work well. I felt it was the 'easiest' gun to get to shoot well... Must have been a lemon . I had to work at finding good loads with my .45 Colt revolvers ....

Rclark said:

Had a .44 Special, but it was much fussier than the .45 Colts and I offloaded it.

Click to expand...

That is strange, because in all my testing with my .44Spec flattops, it was tough to find a load that did NOT work well. I felt it was the 'easiest' gun to get to shoot well... Must have been a lemon . I had to work at finding good loads with my .45 Colt revolvers ....

Click to expand...

Most Blackhawks that don't shoot well have a few thousandths of barrel choke where the barrel scres into the frame. Bear tooth bullets sells a fire laping kit which will solve this problem. Running a couple thousand rounds of jacketed bullets often works out a little choke. Barrel choke often kills cast bullet accuracy, and causes leading, while jacketed bullets usually shoot pretty well regardless. Almost all new Blackhawks have some degree of choke, some just worde than others.

...Running a couple thousand rounds of jacketed bullets often works out a little choke.

Click to expand...

Simple fire-lap session woked for me. I've had to do that for a couple of my revolvers. Works wonders for leading and potential increase in accuracy in guns that need it.

Mike, I have to say those mesquites are some of the best-lookin grips I've seen in a long time! Care to say where the wood came from and finish?

eveled said:

I know it is a medium frame and not safe for Ruger only loads, but I plan on using mostly the acp cylinder.

Click to expand...

That gun can do more than you might think in 45 Colt. While it won't handle 32k psi, it will handle 23k psi (+p 45acp pressure limit), which will let you push a cast RCBS 260 grain Keith SWC at 1150fps and a cast Lyman 305 grain bullet to 1050fps. Go ahead and have lots of fun with 45 ACP loads. They are easy on you and the gun. However, if you decide you want to put a stalk on an Elk every once in a while, you have plenty of horsepower available.

Man those mesquite grips are quite nice! I need to knock the dust off my bandsaw so I can get after it and make some for mine. already have the mesquite at the house... just need the time. ha!

The Flattop is my favorite. I want another with 5.5" barrel too. but I have more wants than money, so I cannot get one at this time.

308 Scout said:

Click to expand...

Not to hi-jack the thread, but please tell me about those mesquite grips. Specifically what type limb was used for the blanks. I live with and around an enormous amount of mesquite and would like to have a set of grips made froM it. I have a few fairly large root balls laying around the house but didn't know if cuts from them would work or not.

Thanks![/quote]

mohavesam said:

Mike, I have to say those mesquites are some of the best-lookin grips I've seen in a long time! Care to say where the wood came from and finish?

Click to expand...

Thanks for the kind words! Something about "mesquite" that sounds right for a single action, don't it? It's very heavy and dense and I find it way more satisfying to work with than Claro walnut burl.
In fact, for workability, I'd rate it above English walnut.

These blanks could have been cut from the same burl.



Slice it one way and you get the traditional burl on the right. Slice it at 90 degrees and you get the figure on the left....more striking to my eye.

Had trouble posting pictures this week. It's not a 45 but a 44 Spl. Grips by Grashorn.

Still looking for a FT 45 with 458"