What is ment by Ruger only loads ?

I justed joined the forum and have heard talk about ruger only loads, I just bought a 45 flattop convertable and was wondering if I needed to be concerned. Thanks for any info you can give me.

Ruger Only loads are loads only recommended for Rugers, since a lot of these loads will loosen up a S&W or Colt.

Most reloading manuals I have seen usually list them as "Ruger, Freedom Arms and Magnum Research only".

I read about a guy who fired a steady diet of Ruger Only .44 Mags in a S&W 29 and the gun was shot loose after a few 1,000 rounds.

In a basic nut shell do not fire the "Ruger Only" loads in any other manufacturers guns.

Tom

"Ruger Only" is a term that describes hot .45 Colt loads to be used in large framed Ruger single action like Blackhawk and original Vaquero.They also can be shot in Redhawks,Freedom Arms and Contenders.

OK Now for the real story. The Ruger OLNY loads pertain to the 45 Colt ammo ONLY. The 45 Colt made to shoot in a Colt is a low pressure gun/round. Starting life as a Blackpowder revolver. So the MAX INDUSTRY STD. is 15,900 working pressure. That is what you need to stay with on the Ruger MID. Frame guns. Now the large frame Ruger 45 Colt like the 44 mag can be loaded to higher pressures/25,000cup.
Don't know if yours is the mid or large frame. MAKE SURE THAT YOU KNOW.
The 45-70 store bought ammo is the same situation. It is made to be shot in a 1873 Springfield Trapdoor.
Hope this helps,
Jim
PS welcome to the forum. You will learn a lot

Don't know if yours is the mid or large frame. MAKE SURE THAT YOU KNOW.

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I am sure it is the Lispey flattop .45 Colt Convertible which is on the medium frame. This revolver won't shoot Ruger Only Loads.

Thanks for the information. I don't reload yet but It will not be long before I do. I don't know if I have a mid or large frame gun either how would I find out? I assumethat store bought ammo will be fine to shoot in 45 colt and 45acp.

VA Shooter said:

Thanks for the information. I don't reload yet but It will not be long before I do. I don't know if I have a mid or large frame gun either how would I find out? I assumethat store bought ammo will be fine to shoot in 45 colt and 45acp.

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Sounds like a mid. size frame so store bought will be fine.
Jim

VA Shooter, you do need to be concerned about these loads in your particular revolver. Up to about seven years ago, Ruger only loads were just that, Ruger loads. In 2005, Ruger introduced the mid-framed New Vaquero which was built more along the lines of the Colt SAA. Unfortunately, the cylinder also got smaller and so did its capacity. AFAIK, your Lipsy's flattop Blackhawk shares this same frame and cylinder.

Officially, the 45 Colt cartridge maximum average pressure is 14,000 psi while the 45 ACP is 21,000 psi. The ACP chambering confirms the Pearce article in Handloader magazine listing a 20,000 psi maximum average pressure for the 45 Colt New Vaqueros. See the article below regarding some tested 20,000 psi loadings.

http://www.riflemagazine.com/magazine/PDF/HL%20246partial.pdf

The Blackhawks, Super Blackhawks, Vaqueros, and Redhawks can all tolerate a steady diet of 30,000 CUP loads. YOUR FLATTOP BLACKHAWK CONVERTIBLE DOES NOT FALL INTO THE CATEGORY!

Howdy

This question about frame sizes gets asked so often, I finally measured a couple of cylinders. It is the cylinder that is important. Not the frame. The frame is large enough to house the cylinder but it is the cylinder that has to take the pressure of the cartridge firing.

I just measured the diameter of a cylinder on an 'original model' Vaquero and a New Model Blackhawk. Both are right around 1.730" in diameter. Then I measured a New Vaquero cylinder. About 1.675" in diameter. That's it in a nutshell. No need to figure out just which frame you have. Measure the cylinder diameter. That tells the whole story.

1.730" in diameter, you can put 'Ruger Only' loads through it.

1.675" in diameter, stay with SAAMI spec max loads. No 'Ruger Only' loads.

Here is also more info on Cylinder diameters that I usually refer people too :

http://www.gunblast.com/Ruger-NewVaquero.htm

Regardless ... the medium frame is still smaller than the large one .

I assumethat store bought ammo will be fine to shoot in 45 colt and 45acp.

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Quite correct ... except for the Buffalo Bore brand...

Oh, and just so you know... the medium framed .45 Colt will take a bit hotter than SAMMI. SAMMI is what, 14,000? Brian Pearce puts the medium framed Ruger into the 20,000 class which is nothing to sneeze at. The 30,000 class (Ruger Only Loads) is reserved for the bigger BH, RHs and Freedom arms. Whoops... I see PVT S already mentioned this ....

Here's the information on the blue one from Lipsey's:

http://www.lipseys.com/itemdetail.aspx?itemno=RUNVB-455X&items=exclusives

RUNVB-455X
Ruger Blackhawk Flattop 45 ACP | 45 Colt
FLATTOP 45LC/45ACP BL/IVY 5.5"
5240
Lipsey's Item No:RUNVB-455XUPC
No:736676052400MFG
Model No:5240
Family:Blackhawk Series
Model:Blackhawk Flattop
Type: Revolver
Action: Single Action
Caliber: 45 ACP | 45 Colt
Capacity: 6
Finish: Blue
Frame: Steel Frame
Grip: Simulated Ivory
Sights: Adjustable
Barrel Length: 5.5"
Weight (empty): 40oz
Case: Plastic
Additional Info: Mid-Size Flattop Frame
Additional Info: XR-3 Gripframe

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It points out the Mid-Sized Flattop Frame for this revolver. Other than the grips I don't know how this one is different from what Ruger has listed.

Hugh,

According the Lipsey's, it has the "New XR3" grip frame and the mid-sized frame which is shared by the New Vaquero, 44 Spcl Flattop, and the 357 50th Anniversary Flattop.[/i]

So. Your particular Ruger can't shoot Ruger only loads. Clear as mud ;-/

With Ruger muddying the water by keeping the same names with these smaller-framed pistols, the 'Ruger only' loads should be eliminated or better disclaimed in the manuals. Somebody might get hurt.

kelbro said:

With Ruger muddying the water by keeping the same names with these smaller-framed pistols, the 'Ruger only' loads should be eliminated or better disclaimed in the manuals. Somebody might get hurt.

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Gotta think you have a very good idea here.

bennettfam said:

kelbro said:

With Ruger muddying the water by keeping the same names with these smaller-framed pistols, the 'Ruger only' loads should be eliminated or better disclaimed in the manuals. Somebody might get hurt.

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Gotta think you have a very good idea here.

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Or you can do what I did _ if you reload (or think you might later) print out that fine article by Brian Pearce and follow his suggestions. I have and do...

Dale53

IIRC the newer loading manuals no longer have "Ruger-FA-MR only" loads. I don't handload but my local shop owner told me this, when I was talking about how I got a 4" .44 Redhawk, and I was like "Yeah now I can finally shoot those Ruger only loads that would break a S&W hahaha" and he's like "Oh yeah the old Ruger only loads, the new manuals don't print that stuff anymore, because of liability"......

The people printing the load manuals probably figured the same thing stated above......with the smaller framed .45 LC Rugers coming out, it wasn't safe to imply that ALL Rugers can handle those loads.

Also probably too many people shooting S&W's and other guns loose, thiking "BS, if an "off brand Ruger" can handle it, so can my $1,000 S&W" and then they sue the publisher saying "that load was in the book and now my S&W is irrepairably loose!!"

Must be a 'very' recent change.... The newest manuals I have all list Ruger Only Loads..... And I try to stay up-to-date... Not sure where that started.

I don't get it though.... As a reloader, one understands what is what and what can be used for and in what.... It's in black and white.... Where is the liability? If someone can't read the.. manual, then let Darwin do his work.... Seems simple enough.

Ok well thanks for all the information I think for now I will just shoot store bought ammo and then start reading some manuals before I start reloading you all have been very helpful thanks very much