contender
Ruger Guru
As noted above,, they only use one barrel bore diameter.
9mm Blackhawk convertibles.....
- Thread starter Stantheman1986
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contender
Ruger Guru
valvalle,, MANY thanks for the kind offer of your file/lists. I don't really need it. I just see a lot more .9mm stuff nowadays,, and a ton of it is foreign made brass, and various headstamps.
eveled
Hawkeye
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- Apr 3, 2012
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I agree. My flattop Blackhawk .45ACP is my favorite gun to shoot. I've never even bought a single box of .45 Colt.
We have a 38-357/9mm convertible. The 9mm shoots very well with some loads but not all. That behavior is consistent with about every 9mm I ever tested. We have a 952 Smith that shoots test groups @ 50 yards around 2.5" or less but other 9mm ammo is in the 5-6" range with the same gun.
The convertible is less fussy with 38s and 357s where about everything shoots okay and some do exceptionally well.
The convertible is less fussy with 38s and 357s where about everything shoots okay and some do exceptionally well.
And I have never bought a box of .45 ACP
(and only one box of 9mm) . I've loaded a few .45 ACP cases (from picking up at the gun club) for testing in my convertibles, but then dropped the idea of actually using them, as .45 Colt just suits me fine and does way more than the .45 ACP could ever hope to do, so why bother. Into the box went the .45 ACP cylinders -- so to speak. Price is aprox. equal when reloading anyway.Stantheman1986
Single-Sixer
Not everyone handloadsAnd I have never bought a box of .45 ACP
If they did, convertibles probably wouldn't exist , This is probably the sole reason for the Convertible, to make use of the dirt cheap surplus ammo and the concept just hung on.
If I had a nickel for everytime someone is like "just hand load for it" like ok, thanks for the advice.......let me just get a press and all the components real quick to crank out some .41 Magnum, no problem
I wish I had the ability to just make .45 LC at will and just to blast away. But I don't. So I buy a few boxes of 9mm and .45 ACP to shoot my various revolvers and autochuckers
I have a set of Lee Loaders for .45 LC and .38 SPL that maybe I'll use at some point to load BP rounds for Uberti repros but that's pretty much it. I will satisfy myself with 9mm and occasionally .45 ACP, with maybe a special treat of .44 Magnum or other pricy rounds here and there.
I reloaded for many years. Then one day I stopped. Thank goodness for 9mm, and .45 auto revolvers.
I may not understand it ... but I got it
. I couldn't afford shooting big bores if I didn't. My setup has more than paid for itself over the years that I have been reloading with a single stage press. I'd be back to shooting just .22LR only which is fun also, but not the same. BP rounds are fun too. But you do have make sure you leave time when you get home to clean the revolvers. Ie. The times I shoot BP, I make sure I the whole day is dedicated to that activity and try to make the most of it at the range or field before the clean-up begins back at home.
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GasGuzzler
Hunter
Good idea!Not everyone handloads
let me just get a press and all the components real quick to crank out some .41 Magnum, no problem
9mm Carbine sighted for 25 yards, I have mine sighted for 50 yards.
A co-worker related a story to me from the late 50s- mid 60s when he was an Air Force Policeman. Seems the pipes from the fuel storage to the refuel point for the planes was on the ground. In the winter the local population would poke a hole in the pipes and fill up pots and pans with fuel. By the time the APs could respond the locals would "cut a chogie" and they could never be able to catch any of the thieves. One of my co-worker's AP associates says "watch this, I am going to lob one in and scare them". He AP un-holsters his 1911, jacks a round into the chamber holds about a Korean National high above one of the thieves head and executes a perfect shot. Said thief goes down like a stone, nothing is related in the nightly report, nothing is heard of from the local Korean Police, the only result is the theft of JP4 ceased.
A co-worker related a story to me from the late 50s- mid 60s when he was an Air Force Policeman. Seems the pipes from the fuel storage to the refuel point for the planes was on the ground. In the winter the local population would poke a hole in the pipes and fill up pots and pans with fuel. By the time the APs could respond the locals would "cut a chogie" and they could never be able to catch any of the thieves. One of my co-worker's AP associates says "watch this, I am going to lob one in and scare them". He AP un-holsters his 1911, jacks a round into the chamber holds about a Korean National high above one of the thieves head and executes a perfect shot. Said thief goes down like a stone, nothing is related in the nightly report, nothing is heard of from the local Korean Police, the only result is the theft of JP4 ceased.
Stantheman1986
Single-Sixer
I handload whenever I shoot my percussion revolvers or a muzzleloading rifle 
At this point in my life I barely have time to shoot, let alone sit down and make ammo
My good friend was a huge handloader and used to make me batches of ammo, then he too, one day just gave it up. He's like I have better ways to use my time then spending a whole night off reloading 300 rounds of .223 just to go out and shoot it up, collect brass, run brass in the sand shaker thing, rinse , repeat
He said components got costly and his time is worth just buying factory ammo
If people enjoy loading, that's awesome. it's a hobby in and of itself. I'll sit and make 50 paper cartridges for a .58 rifle-musket, and I enjoy it. I just don't want to do it all the time . I get the point of it and the enjoyment, it's just time consuming.
I love all the old Fudds that have been reloading since 1962 and haven't bought factory ammo ever. All like "a 30-40 Krag what powder do you load" whatever Remington put in the cases
At this point in my life I barely have time to shoot, let alone sit down and make ammo
My good friend was a huge handloader and used to make me batches of ammo, then he too, one day just gave it up. He's like I have better ways to use my time then spending a whole night off reloading 300 rounds of .223 just to go out and shoot it up, collect brass, run brass in the sand shaker thing, rinse , repeat
He said components got costly and his time is worth just buying factory ammo
If people enjoy loading, that's awesome. it's a hobby in and of itself. I'll sit and make 50 paper cartridges for a .58 rifle-musket, and I enjoy it. I just don't want to do it all the time . I get the point of it and the enjoyment, it's just time consuming.
I love all the old Fudds that have been reloading since 1962 and haven't bought factory ammo ever. All like "a 30-40 Krag what powder do you load" whatever Remington put in the cases
contender
Ruger Guru
Stantheman1986,, you have valid points. Often the time it takes to assemble ammo can be longer than one may feel it should, and that their time is more valuable. Handloading PROPERLY & SAFELY does take time & effort.
If factory ammo works for you and is available,, I see no problem.
But back in 1977,, I wanted to shoot more, and couldn't afford to spend much. Handloading allowed me to invest in equipment, that allowed me to take my spare time and make ammo a lot cheaper (per round) by far than what I could purchase. In essence I got to shoot a lot more than if I had just bought factory ammo.
Over time,, adding many other calibers,, with factory ammo very expensive,, it was also another way to shoot more in calibers that normally would break the bank. Having the equipment already,, allowed me to do this easily as well.
Now,, with the AMOUNT of ammo I've loaded & shot,, if I compared the number of rounds I've loaded & shot,, to the same number if purchased factory stuff, I could not have afforded it.
But as noted,, time is also a factor.
Many feel their time is more valuable.
AND,, many feel it's a tedious CHORE to handload.
To each their own.
It's well understood AND accepted.
But many of us who learned to handload,, have expanded our knowledge & understanding of our firearms,, as well as getting pleasure out of the journey in learning such stuff.
But as a serious handgun hunter,, one of my biggest pleasures is harvesting game, with my handguns, using ammo I assembled, tested & enjoyed. I feeling of independence, as well as knowing I'm self sufficient is well worth my time.
More recently,, the crazy pandemic, combined with the sudden loss of ammo AND components made a lot of people realize they had expensive paperweights when they couldn't get ammo.
As a bullet caster, a handloader, and the type of person who has always believed in bulk purchases,, (when feasible) I never had to decrease the amount of shooting I've always done.
My point to this long post is this;
It's fine if a person doesn't want to handload. Their life & their choices. But many of us who do handload, AND enjoy it also have chosen a different path. Life would be boring if all of us were the same.
If factory ammo works for you and is available,, I see no problem.
But back in 1977,, I wanted to shoot more, and couldn't afford to spend much. Handloading allowed me to invest in equipment, that allowed me to take my spare time and make ammo a lot cheaper (per round) by far than what I could purchase. In essence I got to shoot a lot more than if I had just bought factory ammo.
Over time,, adding many other calibers,, with factory ammo very expensive,, it was also another way to shoot more in calibers that normally would break the bank. Having the equipment already,, allowed me to do this easily as well.
Now,, with the AMOUNT of ammo I've loaded & shot,, if I compared the number of rounds I've loaded & shot,, to the same number if purchased factory stuff, I could not have afforded it.
But as noted,, time is also a factor.
Many feel their time is more valuable.
AND,, many feel it's a tedious CHORE to handload.
To each their own.
It's well understood AND accepted.
But many of us who learned to handload,, have expanded our knowledge & understanding of our firearms,, as well as getting pleasure out of the journey in learning such stuff.
But as a serious handgun hunter,, one of my biggest pleasures is harvesting game, with my handguns, using ammo I assembled, tested & enjoyed. I feeling of independence, as well as knowing I'm self sufficient is well worth my time.
More recently,, the crazy pandemic, combined with the sudden loss of ammo AND components made a lot of people realize they had expensive paperweights when they couldn't get ammo.
As a bullet caster, a handloader, and the type of person who has always believed in bulk purchases,, (when feasible) I never had to decrease the amount of shooting I've always done.
My point to this long post is this;
It's fine if a person doesn't want to handload. Their life & their choices. But many of us who do handload, AND enjoy it also have chosen a different path. Life would be boring if all of us were the same.
An interesting note. Yesterday I did my weekly perusal of my two distributors inventories of available ammunition. One of the two distributors actually listed that they have 30 30 ammo, only one SKU, Federal Premium, it would sell at the LGS for around $40 per box of 20. How many folks remember in the late 80s-early 90s Wal-Mart would put out their Hunting Fall Flyer and a box of Remington 30-30s were between $13-15 per box, 30-06 around $18? Now with the Biden Inflation factor that equates to around $22 per box of 30-30 today.
Similar story with me. I started loading in the late 60s. I then got into some competition shooting, add to that shooting wildcats, and even buying factory guns that I don't think any factory ammo was ever made for. You get better performance from your equipment with custom loaded ammo in addition to saving a little money and now ammo availability will not effect you.
All that plus I enjoy the loading. To develop something that performs well is great and having good coffee, enjoying the peace while loading--it is my relaxing time. All good.
DGW1949
Hunter
I'm hearing ya....Over-inflated 30-30 ammo prices is why I decided to put my old Win '94 up for sale. I simply ain't paying $25-$40 a box for 30-30 ammo and after watching it for the past 3 years, I don't suspect it's going to come down.
DGW
It probably will, and even if it doesn't, the .30-30 is seriously easy to load for.
DGW1949
Hunter
I hope for other's sakes that it does. Ain't no valid reason that 30-30 ammo should cost more than what I'm paying for .308's and brass-cased 7.62X39...As for reloading that particular round no, not for me.
DGW
It's just supply and demand. The ammo companies are concentrating on the biggest demand, which means that less common calibers haven't seen much of any new ammo in quite some time. Suppliers will start to raise the prices on the stuff they cannot get as supplies go down but demand is still there. I've talked to a few folks in the industry to say they're just now starting to catch up on the common stuff and hope to start working on the less common stuff by the end of the year.
GasGuzzler
Hunter
I bought all the stuff and learned how to reload so I wasn't as dependent on others, not for accuracy or cost. Same for casting.
One of the AF bases my Dad was stationed at had a similar situation.
I have his slides of the canines, posing, training, working.
He remembered their names and number of kills.
