Conversion revolvers

[BradB]

Hello all,

I don't have any trial experience with the dual caliber 357/9mm or the 45LC/45 acp single action Blackhawks made by Ruger.

Do the slight ammo variations in shooting the different calibers down the same barrel have any accuracy deficiencies? Someone probably already asked this but if any one has some recent range testing please do comment.

With the new ammo shortages of the USSA, those multi caliber guns are looking like a good invention. Thank you in advance for your kind input. Brad

 

[hittman]

My friend with the Bisley 45LC/45ACP convertable claims the 45ACP is more accurate. Nothing scientific about the testing, just his opinion that he's more accurate using 45ACP.

 

[contender]

Well, it often depends,,,,!
A 9mm/357 convertible seems to suffer a bit in the accuracy dept when 9mm is used. A .355 bullet, vs a .357 or .358 bullet down the barrel will have a bit more room to wiggle & not set quite as good. Plus, most 9mm bullets are jacketed, and not "upset" into the lands & grooves as easily as a lead bullet.
So, for the 9mm/357 combo, excellent use in 357, decent accuracy in 9mm, but don't plan on competition with the 9mm. And let's not forget that you can also use 38 Spl ammo in the 357 cylinder.
In the 45 convertables,,, quite often the opposite is true. The 45 ACP will perform as good if not better in the accuracy dept at moderate ranges. A .451 in the ACP vs a .452 to .454 in the Colt will seat & seal quite well in most Rugers. Why? Well, many of us have seen where Ruger has made the cylinder throats a bit "tighter" than they should be. Many of the 45 Colt Rugers have had their cylinders reamed after they left the factory to .4525. This has improved the accuracy quite a bit all around.
So, a convertible SA revolver has a lot of advantages.
More than one type of ammo makes it attractive when there is an ammo shortage. Both for cost & availability.
If you reload,, you can widely expand the capabilities of such firearms.
It's like getting two guns for the price of one.

But a lot of it comes down to what the gun is used for. Informal target plinking, woods bumming etc,, and the cheaper ammo is easily consumed for fun.
If hunting is your desire, then you can install the more powerful cylinder & take a lot of North American big game too.
If competition is your pleasure,, then again, you can custom tailor what you need with a convertible.
I hope this helps a bit.

 

[MCPO]

I recently purchased a NIB Blackhawk 45 Colt/ACP, 5.5" Bbl, and for me the ACP is more accurate than the Colt. The below target was shot at 10 yds using a 2 hand grip on a sand bag. Factory ammo - 200gr Colt, 230gr ACP. The Colt shot low while the ACP was dead on (Afterwards I did adjust for windage, but those were out of the box shots).

 

[BradB]

Thank you everyone for your input. I love the smooth contour and flow of the vaquero but the Blackhawk is such an army tank of a revolver along with the conversion option I can't help but to think it shoots as good as any revolver on the market. I've been wanting a .357 and having the ability to shoot additional .38 and 9mm just looks so useful. I just like to know what yields the best results in case of hunting smaller game. Thanks again.

 

[Jim Puke]

In my .45 convertible there is not much difference, but the ACP is a tad better than the Colt.

 

[phonejack]

My 357/9mm is a never sell pistol

 

[BTS]

I have a 4 &5/8" 45 Blackhawk. Within 10 to 12 yards, my .45 Colt handloads (Unique+250gr LRN) shoot to the same point as factory 230gr acp ball.

I've never benched the gun to see what the real potential is. Either is a scourge to paper targets and soda cans.

10 yards, .45acp:


10 yards, .45 Colt:


As bought, before adding factory wood grips:

 

[dakota1911]

I have a "few" and agree with what has been said above.




So 9mm out of my 357/9mm not as good as 357 mag or 38 Special. In 45ACP/45LC generally 45ACP is better. The exception I have is this toy, but the 45LC cylinder is cuter anyway.

 

[Rclark]

I have two of the .45 Colt/.45 Auto convertibles. I haven't noticed accuracy differences between the two calibers accuracy wise (other than POI of course due to different bullet weight/velocity) . I don't shoot much of the .45 Auto though as I prefer the .45 Colt. I can see though if you don't reload the convertible would be 'very' handy. Enjoy my .22LR/.22WMR too, but really only use the .22LR cylinder.

 

[MOUNTAIN WILLIAM]

As the OP mentioned, dual cylinder combos can't be beat for their versatility.

 

[JPGLSG]

Mt William....can't be beat for their versatility. I'll say, you have it going on with the combos.

I have found my 357/9mm to be better with the 9mm and 38spls at fifty yards than the 357, however I'm a poor shot though. And maybe I like the 9 and 38s because I wound up with about a ba-zillion rounds of each in an auction in 5gal buckets that was unknown as to what you were buying.

 

[357Nut]

I only have a couple of 45ACP/45Colt Blackhawks and they both seem equally accurate with either cartridge with loads they like. I haven't wrung them out in the Ransom Rest yet but will someday.

Due to the limited amount of ammo available for the Colt and huge amount available for the ACP if you don't handload it is probably much easier to find an accurate load for the ACP.

 

[32magfan]

I shoot the 45ACP more in my Flattop convertible. It is a little more accurate.
I also have a 9mm/357 Blackhawk. It shoots 9mm cast bullets fine, not great.
I have both the Buckeye convertibles, 32-20 / 32MAG and 38-40 /10mm.
I don't shoot the 38-40 or the 44-40 in my SBH convertible (never fired it at all).
The 10mm shoots well enough as the heavy gun absorbs the recoil very well.

Convertibles are great fun and quite versatile.

Getcha some!

32magfan

 

[Green Frog]

Funny story. My kid brother had a non-convertible Blackhawk in 45 Colt, and I found a 45 ACP cylinder at a gun show priced cheap, so I bought it for him on a whim. Not only did it drop right in, but it shot better than the original that was factory fitted to the gun. Go figure! :roll:

Froggie

PS A cylinder... I found a 45 ACP cylinder that I put into his existing 45 Colt revolver. It makes more sense if I remember to put in all the key words!

 

[ElToro]

A bad guy at minute of living room surely won't know or care about the subtle accuracy difference

 

[ftr53]

My 7-1/2" .45 convertible is my keeper, and has been since new in 1980. It now has the Power Custom hammer for half-cock and better (proper) alignment of chamber and ejector. Equally accurate out to 25 yds with either cylinder. The longer sight radius probably helps with that. Long Colt cylinder sees far more use, but the ACP is good for plinking with 'cheap' ammo (even the Tula steel case stuff--don't have to worry about extractor wear). I don't hotrod the Long Colt--a 250-gr bullet at 900 fps is no slouch, but compared with even the 8.5-grain Unique loading, the ACP feels like a light range load, even though it was good enough for the trenches in the War to End All Wars in 1917 Colts and Smiths. The ACP is very well-behaved, but still potent.