Did Ruger make a OM .45/.45acp convertible?

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Allen207

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I just got my three screw 9mm/.357 from ACRYLICTNK (great service by the way, thank you Mike) And I stopped by the PD and put 50 9mm rounds through it (I don't have any TMJ rounds in 357, that will have to wait until I can hit the outdoor range). I love the half cock, it has a really decent trigger, and so now of course I want more.

I would love a 45 convertible 3 screw so as to have something of a set. Not sure if they made such a beast.
 

flatgate

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43971946.jpg

43971939.jpg


About 23,000 OM .45's were made with maybe a third of them being convertibles.......

flatgate
 

rugeraficiando

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oregon
Thanks for the pics flatgate,
I will gladly take one of the 4 5/8" models. :lol:

Beautiful firearms, really would like to get a hold of one.
 

Allen207

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Aha, wants them I does. Well, guess I will start looking :)
Thanks for the pics, you have a very enviable collection.
 

HAWKEYE#28

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I'd say you may be a bit "shy" of value, even in this market. There are three shorty converts with boxes, here with the Hawkeye Girls. They would not leave the Near North Woods for that figure........Not even close. 8) They guard the "Girls"......... :wink:
 

Dale53

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If what you want is a "shooter" there are still a few of the SS 5½" still around (I took delivery of a new one this past weekend). I think that I am going to be VERY happy with that one.

Dale53
 

Allen207

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So I have another question. There seem to be more of the 7.5" guns out there than the 4 5/8" How giant of a sin is it to have one of these old guns cut down? Obviously once the barrel is cut there is no putting it back.
 

flatgate

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Cutting barrels on Collectible Rugers is one of those things....

If it's a nice gun that a collector would loath to own then it's a sad thing.
If it's a "shooter" grade then I guess it's up to the owner....

flatgate
 

Allen207

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I have to admit I am thinking cutting down a 7.5 OM may not be the way to go, unless as you say, I can find one that has no collector value. Maybe I will look more closely at the half cock modification that some custom smiths are offering for NM Blackhawks. Gives me something to ponder anyway.
 

CraigC

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Before I went to the expense of chopping off an original .45, I'd consider other options. While a shooter-grade .45 can still bring $600, a beater-grade Super Blackhawk can be found around $300 and they are far more plentiful. Take a $300 beater, rechamber it to .45Colt, install a premium barrel and the grip frame of your choice. You'll end up with a far better sixgun with properly dimensioned chambers for less than what a nice original .45 would cost.
 

contender

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He wants a convertable. By the time he invests in a beater 44 , buys 2 cylinders & a barrel, AND has the smith work done,, it will be over the cost of buying a shooter grade convertable.

Hawkeye#28; I agree with you but I pulled the info from the current RENE guide. I have a few 45's that I wouldn't sell for that either.

Here is another thought;
It's a little easier to buy a regular OM 45 Colt, short barrel shooter, and then look for a 45 ACP cylinder to fit it. I have a couple of those & after a check by a gunsmith, the timing issues was fine,, and they shoot good!
 

Allen207

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contender":1l5ruue3 said:
It's a little easier to buy a regular OM 45 Colt, short barrel shooter, and then look for a 45 ACP cylinder to fit it. I have a couple of those & after a check by a gunsmith, the timing issues was fine,, and they shoot good!

Are the cylinder dimensions of the NM blackhawk .45 ACP the same as the OM ones? It seems like there might be more NM cylinders kicking around than the old ones.
 

CraigC

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Yes, over the cost of buying a shooter-grade gun but a far better result. Just a thought and a viable option. Wouldn't be much point in fitting a factory .45Colt cylinder to a Super, rather rechamber the original cylinder and fit a takeoff for the .45ACP.

Old Model Super $300
Extra cylinder $50-$100
Rechambering $150
New barrel $200
Refinish $200

A great custom sixgun for $900-$1000! Not bad for a sixgun that will be better than any factory .45 convertible ever was and less money than a NIB collectible.
 

Boxhead

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I suspect one can easily find their way into spending more than $1000 for that gun when the dust settles. Those prices and the scope of work appear to be on the optimistic side given my experience.
 

CraigC

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Might have to spend a little more getting the ACP cylinder fitted. Not meant to be a comprehensive outline of work but it's a good ballpark. Just throwing out an idea for a better result than spending a bunch of money swapping around factory parts on an already $600 Ruger. Rechecking Stroh's price list he gets $179 for a rechamber, $158 for a standard reblue and $205 for a new barrel plus the front sight of your choice. Reuse the factory front sight and it comes up to $1025. Using a Super saves you $40 on a steel ejector housing if you wanna pinch pennies. Sell the Dragoon grip frame and original barrel to make a little back. Old Model XR3-RED's are easily procured and cheap.

Or Clements gets $695 for a standard caliber conversion. Add in the ACP cylinder.

You know, I've had a custom Ruger or four built too.
 

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