45 Colt Blackhawk convertable load question

[NoJoy]

Been looking at getting another Ruger and I am trying to decide between the 45 Blackhawk and the Blawkhawk convertable. Can the convertable support +P 45 Colt loads like what Doubletap offers? Mike has this load at 27,500psi. Can this gun-especially the cylinder-support 45 Super when shooting in "45 acp" mode? Buffalo Bore has this load at 23,000psi.
I will not be shooting a steading diet of +P 45 Colt loads or Super loads, but I want the gun to be able to handle them when called upon.

 

[DeletedMember275]

I'd say 'yes' to both questions. If the standard Blackhawk can handle 35,000 PSI 'Ruger-only' loads, it can certainly handle .45 Super. The convertible is the same gun as the non-convertible model, just with an additional cylinder.

 

[tek4260]

As long as it is a Blackhawk, and not the new Flat Top 45 built on the mid frame. If it has "ears" leading up to the rear sight it is a full size, and if it has a flat topstrap it is the mid frame. As of now.....

 

[G2]

It will do that ammo just fine.
Now I wonder how people afford that stuff.... :shock:

I did the same thing, bought Buffalo Bore and finally figured out I needed to Handload to truly enjoy a .45 Colt Ruger Blackhawk.

~$10 for 50 rounds of the good stuff. :idea:

 

[NoJoy]

OK thanks for the feedback! I just wanted to make sure the "convertable" is the same frame as the standard Blackhawk. I am not interested in the flat top mid framed version. If I get a Blackhawk, I want it to be as stout as possible. And for 40 ounces, this is actually a light gun considering the energy of a 45 +P colt!

 

[texaswheelgunner]

NoJoy, many of us here have the .45 Convert. Blackhawk, both Old and New Models. For the money, you just can't beat a Ruger Blackhawk in .45 Colt. It can handle any reasonable handload you can conjure up for it with ease; loads you could not shoot in a Colt Single Action or Clone.

I think you'll be very glad with your purchase of the Blackhawk in the .45 Convertable configuration.

 

[NoJoy]

Thankyou. Not too many Autos exept the full size USP and modified all stainless 1911s can shoot the 45 Super either. For a pistol to be able to shoot the Super and +P 45Colt is an added bonus.

 

[Dale53]

I, along with a couple of friends, ordered a new SS Bisley .45 ACP/.45 Colt convertible last year. After I reamed all of the cylinder throats (all six cylinders had undersized throats) the revolvers shoot VERY well with cast bullets in both cylinders.

It is one of the most versatile revolvers ever made.

I run a LOT of .45 ACP for my Smith 625's and my three 1911's, so it can be a real bonus to be able to use them in my Bisley Convertible, also. The .45 ACP case works very well with light target loads without powder position problems, the cases can often be found for a very good price (particularly "first nighters") and in my humble opinion the .45 ACP case loads easier than most.

FWIW
Dale53

 

[Driftwood Johnson]

Howdy

First of all, there is no such thing as a 45 Colt +P load. That is to say, there are no official SAAMI standards for it. There are official SAAMI standards for 38 Special +P loads, but not for 45 Colt.

That means that every manufacturer who advertises hotter than SAAMI standard loads for 45 Colt will be loading them to whatever they think is best.

Just last week, in response to the question on this forum about 'Ruger Only' loads, I did a little bit of snooping in my reloading manuals.

My Speer 13th edition lists some hot load for Rugers. None of these loads exceed 25,000 CUP.

My Lee 2nd edition manual lists several loads for 45 Colt that it labels as being for Rugers and T/C Contenders only. The hottest load in this section is for a 300 grain jacketed bullet and the pressure is listed as 30100 CUP.

The 45 ACP cylinder that came with my 45 Convertible, that I bought in 1975, has the same basic cross section as the 45 Colt cylinder. So I would not hesitate to shoot the same loads in either. However I am not of the persuasion that just because a cylinder may be capable of hot loads, one should push the envelope. If you call Ruger, they will never tell you how much pressure their revolvers are capable of handling.

 

[Jimbo357mag]

Just last week, in response to the question on this forum about 'Ruger Only' loads, I did a little bit of snooping in my reloading manuals.

My Speer 13th edition lists some hot load for Rugers. None of these loads exceed 25,000 CUP.

My Lee 2nd edition manual lists several loads for 45 Colt that it labels as being for Rugers and T/C Contenders only. The hottest load in this section is for a 300 grain jacketed bullet and the pressure is listed as 30100 CUP.

Most of the 'Ruger Only' 45 Colt loads in the Hodgdon online manual have their max. at around 29,000cup-30,000cup. 8) 8)

http://data.hodgdon.com/cartridge_load.asp

...Jimbo

 

[steve8261948]

As long as it is a Blackhawk, and not the new Flat Top 45 built on the mid frame. If it has "ears" leading up to the rear sight it is a full size, and if it has a flat topstrap it is the mid frame. As of now.....

So yes or no? I didn't see any mention of flattop in original post?
Steve

 

[Bucks Owin]

First off, welcome NoJoy...

Sounds like you haven't seen this "required reading" for .45 Blackhawk (Convertible or otherwise) owners yet... :wink:

http://www.customsixguns.com/writings/dissolving_the_myth.htm

 

[Adobe Wells]

Today I fired a few 45 Super rounds thru my new Lipseys 45 ACP cylinder. These are my own handloads and consisted of Starline 45 Super brass,230 grain LEE truncated cone cast bullet, 9.2 grains of HS-6 powder. My chronograph shows them at 1050 F.P.S. The gun seemed to handle this load just fine.
The same bullet with 8.0 grains of HS-6 powder in standard 45 acp cases were running right at 850 FPS.
Thus, in the super cases. I gained 200 FPS.
What do you all think.?

 

[Rclark]

If you call Ruger, they will never tell you how much pressure their revolvers are capable of handling.

True, but I believe Linebaugh had one tested to failure at 60,000CUP. Therefore 30,000 is 'the' max 'safe' pressure. This is the large frame BH .45 Colt ONLY.

 

[NoJoy]

Today I fired a few 45 Super rounds thru my new Lipseys 45 ACP cylinder. These are my own handloads and consisted of Starline 45 Super brass,230 grain LEE truncated cone cast bullet, 9.2 grains of HS-6 powder. My chronograph shows them at 1050 F.P.S. The gun seemed to handle this load just fine.
The same bullet with 8.0 grains of HS-6 powder in standard 45 acp cases were running right at 850 FPS.
Thus, in the super cases. I gained 200 FPS.
What do you all think.?

How was the recoil compared to 45 ACP+P? What is the length of the barrel of your gun? 4-3/4 or 5.5"?

 

[Adobe Wells]

Today I fired a few 45 Super rounds thru my new Lipseys 45 ACP cylinder. These are my own handloads and consisted of Starline 45 Super brass,230 grain LEE truncated cone cast bullet, 9.2 grains of HS-6 powder. My chronograph shows them at 1050 F.P.S. The gun seemed to handle this load just fine.
The same bullet with 8.0 grains of HS-6 powder in standard 45 acp cases were running right at 850 FPS.
Thus, in the super cases. I gained 200 FPS.
What do you all think.?

How was the recoil compared to 45 ACP+P? What is the length of the barrel of your gun? 4-3/4 or 5.5"?

This is the mid frame 45Colt/45 acp gun that just came out.
The recoil was not to bad at all. Just enough to put a smile on your face :wink: . I shot some in my Springfield XD Tactical which is set up to shoot 460 Rowland and I could notice a definate increase in recoil over standard 45 acp ammo. Not nearly as bad as the 460 Rowland which is a real bruiser in the recoil dept.
I did not even try to shoot them in my 1911 however.
I am confident that they are safe in the new Ruger and give a definate upgrade in power over standard 45 acp loads.
The barrel on this revolver is 5.5 inches.