Extra cylinders

[Jeepnik]

On another forum, the question of using a SA revolver for CCW came up. Now I do, from time to time, carry a .45 colt Blackhawk. The question of reloading came up. I recalled that during the cap and ball days, some folks carried extra loaded cylinders to speed up the reloading process.

So, me being me, I got to thinking about having a couple of extra cylinders made up for my Blackhawk. First however, I began swapping the cylnders on my Singe Six to see if it could be done with some ease and speed. It didn't take but an hour or so of practice before it became something I could do fairly quickly with my eyes closed.

So, here's my question. Has anyone ever had extra cylinders fitted to their Ruger single actions?

By the way, if this works out, I can see buying some new leather including some sort of pouch for the spare cylinders. I always love new leather, and any excuse to buy something new and different is a good thing.

 

[RugerHound]

I personally couldn't be bothered lugging around extra cylinders. I'm not squeamish about carrying a 6 shooter with 5 'hot' chambers... Done it for years! If something went to pieces and I had to use the gun defensively, 5 will do the trick. I'm not planning on, nor do I wish to participate in a gunfight... I just want some leverage to change someone's mind should they push me into a corner where a firearm is necessary.

 

[jpickar]

I understand what you are saying, but that practice went away with the entry of the cartridge gun as the cartridge gun is really faster reloading with practice than changing cylinders.

Second. Keeping cartridges in the cylinder might prove to be a problem when pulling them out of the pouch. The extra cylinder guns were cap and ball muzzle loaders and the ball and charge were pushed into palce and they didn't fall out.

Third. I have never heard of this being done. BUT WHAT THE HECK!! Go do it and report what you find. Post pics of your new leather and have a good time. That is what life is all about once you have the bills paid. Do a study of which cylinder is the most accurate, etc!!

John :wink:

 

[22/45 Fan]

Second. Keeping cartridges in the cylinder might prove to be a problem when pulling them out of the pouch. The extra cylinder guns were cap and ball muzzle loaders and the ball and charge were pushed into palce and they didn't fall out.

That was my thought too. Cartridges are a fairly loose fit in the chambers and will tend to fall out as you try to change the cylinders. If fast reloads are a consideration, a DA revolver with speed loaders is much faster and more secure.

 

[Hondo44]

Someone on this forum wanted to use full moon clips so he could shoot 45 ACP in his Ruger SA 45 Colt cylinder instead of getting a convertible ACP cyl. And of course he would have to do a cylinder removal to load and unload.

So after a few measurements I realized that a standard clip is .040" and when machine surfaced to .020" it would fit the Ruger headspace. The center opening of the clip needed slight enlargement around the ratchets. But it worked like a champ.

The reason I mention it is the clip kept the loose rounds from falling out while replacng the loaded cylinder. Pretty safe on a NM Ruger because the hammer is down during the cyl swap and you can have 6 hot chambers.

 

[Jimbo357mag]

I think that is why they invented the break-top and swing-out cylinder revolvers. Moon clips have got to be the fastest way to reload a revolver. There is a single-action speed loader that consists of a tube with the spare cartridges inside that allows you to set the tube into the loading gate notch and just turn the cylinder and have the cartridges drop into the cylinder to reload after ejecting the empties.

 

[edlmann]

On another forum, the question of using a SA revolver for CCW came up. Now I do, from time to time, carry a .45 colt Blackhawk. The question of reloading came up. I recalled that during the cap and ball days, some folks carried extra loaded cylinders to speed up the reloading process.
So, me being me, I got to thinking about having a couple of extra cylinders made up for my Blackhawk. First however, I began swapping the cylnders on my Singe Six to see if it could be done with some ease and speed. It didn't take but an hour or so of practice before it became something I could do fairly quickly with my eyes closed.
So, here's my question. Has anyone ever had extra cylinders fitted to their Ruger single actions?
By the way, if this works out, I can see buying some new leather including some sort of pouch for the spare cylinders. I always love new leather, and any excuse to buy something new and different is a good thing.

Quit watching "The Outlaw Josey Wales".

Right now. :wink:

 

[contender]

There are also rubber strips in a "star" type pattern to allow quicker loading of a SA. Tuff Products makes them. I'll see if I can get a picture up later.

 

[s4s4u]

How would you keep the cartridges in the cylinders? I don't see the practicality of it at all. If you want a fast loading revolver get a DA.

 

[Jeepnik]

Quit watching "The Outlaw Josey Wales".

Right now. :wink:

You know, I had forgotten about that. It's come up in some of the fiction and non-fiction books I've read. Seems back when the number of rounds a fellow could fire rapidly might save his bacon, folks got pretty inventive.

 

[EDK]

NOT JOSEY WALES....PALE RIDER! Reloading scene in the final gunfight scenes. PALE RIDER and HIGH PLAINS DRIFTER were a little strange.

Since altering the cylinder and moon clips were mentioned...just do that and carry some moon clips. A lot cheaper than an extra cylinder! I have had a S&W 25-2 and now a 625 in 45 ACP....most under-rated guns there are.

 

[COR]

If you can't deal with the "problem" with 5 or 6 .45 slugs...you should have taken a rifle...there's no problem that big in the lower 48. Except in the movies....

 

[CraigC]

He did it in Pale Rider because the early 1858 conversions did not have an ejector. Your Blackhawk does. With enough practice, which can be done every time you fire a cylinderful, reloading can be done much quicker than changing cylinders. A well-practiced sixgunner should be able to reload in 15secs. Not to mention the fact that changing cylinders should be done carefully. Do it in haste and they will be all banged and scratched up in no time.

 

[Fox Mike]

If you have a NM Blackhawk and have 6 (5 if an OM) in the cylinder and need more to protect yourself what you actually needed was more time at the range practicing. If you have heard "BANG!" 6 (5) times and need more you have a problem that reloading probably won't fix.

 

[Jeepnik]

Guys, this isn't an exercise in the most effecient way to reload or win a gunfight. It's an exercise in fun. Sure, I could do the moon clip thing (I do in my S&W1917), or use the speedloader tube, or get a topbreak (heck I'm a southpaw and love my topbreaks) and "IF" I really expected to have to fight a hoard of rabid, zombie, outlaw bikers, I'd find a nice m-60 somewhere (hey I'm old, these new fangled MG's are for the kids today).

So here's the deal, I'm gonna get one extra cylinder, and some new leather and have fun. I might even find a way to prevent the rounds from falling out of the cylinder while reloading. If I ever get any good at it, I might do one of those U-tube things (assuming you fellows want to see a fat, old guy having fun).

 

[contender]

Here is a pic of a SA speedloader. It holds 5 rounds,, (mostly with the idea of SASS competition or OM's in mind.) Enjoy!

 

[s4s4u]

I wish you well on your endeavor. Let us know how it goes ;-)

 

[Driftwood Johnson]

Here is a pic of a SA speedloader. It holds 5 rounds,, (mostly with the idea of SASS competition or OM's in mind.) Enjoy!

Those would be legal to load up with at the loading table (although why somebody feels the need is beyond me) but for a reload on the clock they would not be legal. Rules clearly state that reloads on the clock must be done from the body. Pockets are OK, belt loops are OK, modern plastic dohickeys are not.

Neither are moon clips.

 

[Hondo44]

I for one understood this to be a fun excercise from the outset. You can send your gun to Ruger and they will install an extra cylinder the same as it came with. About $170 incuding 'round trip.

In the spirit of what you want to acomplish and to mitigate the loose rounds issue, here's a thought; have .040" milled off the rear face of the extra cylinder. take a standard thickness moon clip and enlarge the six holes for the extra diameter of the 45 Colt cases and the ratchet hole slightly.

Now you have a cylinder that will shoot 45 Colt with or w/o moon clips. W/o a moon clip the 45 Colt will headspace on the case mouth just like 45 ACP with or w/o the clip. And with the clip you can also shoot 45 ACP anytime you feel like it but must use the clip.

Let us know what you decide and how it works and have fun with it.

 

[Quarterbore]

I like my single actions for hunting big or small game. I tolerate the loading issues at the range because I need to practice. If I an going into a gunfight my 13 round Glock 21 or 15 round Glock 20 with several spare magazines is what I want!

Now, I have thought that if bad guys were to start wearing body armor more that full power 454 Casull loads with hard casts would likely punch through bullet proof vests or at least cave in a rib cage even if the material was to stop a round. Then, bullets are cheap so why shoot an opponent only once? Hell, I normally shoot a lovely groundhog at least twice with my 17hmr or 22 wmr revolvers and groundhogs don't shoot back. I figure a gangbanger must be worth at least three shots with that third between their eyes.

 

[jpickar]

In the spirit of what you want to acomplish and to mitigate the loose rounds issue, here's a thought; have .040" milled off the rear face of the extra cylinder. take a standard thickness moon clip and enlarge the six holes for the extra diameter of the 45 Colt cases and the ratchet hole slightly.

Now you have a cylinder that will shoot 45 Colt with or w/o moon clips. W/o a moon clip the 45 Colt will headspace on the case mouth just like 45 ACP with or w/o the clip. And with the clip you can also shoot 45 ACP anytime you feel like it but must use the clip.

Let us know what you decide and how it works and have fun with it.

Awwww. I believe that the 45 Colt headspaces on the case rim. I checked my Ruger 45 Colt and the chamber is tapered, therefore it can't headspace on the "case mouth".

If you get the back of the cylinder turned down and do not use moon clips your firing pin will not reach the primer of the 45 Colt. :wink:

John

 

[jpickar]

In the spirit of what you want to acomplish and to mitigate the loose rounds issue, here's a thought; have .040" milled off the rear face of the extra cylinder. take a standard thickness moon clip and enlarge the six holes for the extra diameter of the 45 Colt cases and the ratchet hole slightly.

Now you have a cylinder that will shoot 45 Colt with or w/o moon clips. W/o a moon clip the 45 Colt will headspace on the case mouth just like 45 ACP with or w/o the clip. And with the clip you can also shoot 45 ACP anytime you feel like it but must use the clip.

Let us know what you decide and how it works and have fun with it.

Awwww. I believe that the 45 Colt headspaces on the case rim. I checked my Ruger 45 Colt and the chamber is tapered, therefore it can't headspace on the "case mouth".

If you get the back of the cylinder turned down and do not use moon clips your firing pin will not reach the primer of the 45 Colt. :wink:

John

 

[Hondo44]

In the spirit of what you want to acomplish and to mitigate the loose rounds issue, here's a thought; have .040" milled off the rear face of the extra cylinder. take a standard thickness moon clip and enlarge the six holes for the extra diameter of the 45 Colt cases and the ratchet hole slightly.

Now you have a cylinder that will shoot 45 Colt with or w/o moon clips. W/o a moon clip the 45 Colt will headspace on the case mouth just like 45 ACP with or w/o the clip. And with the clip you can also shoot 45 ACP anytime you feel like it but must use the clip.

Let us know what you decide and how it works and have fun with it.

Awwww. I believe that the 45 Colt headspaces on the case rim. I checked my Ruger 45 Colt and the chamber is tapered, therefore it can't headspace on the "case mouth".

If you get the back of the cylinder turned down and do not use moon clips your firing pin will not reach the primer of the 45 Colt. :wink:

John

HUH? The 45 Colt round is a straight wall case, .475" from one end to the other and my Ruger chambers measure .482" from the rear end to the shoulder. How much taper do you measure in yours? Colt's are famous for sloppy chambers not Rugers. If it was tapered it would work even better.

Of course the 45 Colt does normally headspace on the rim...until the cylinder is shortened, then the shoulder in the chamber will stop it, especially with a taper crimp instead of a roll crimp.

It's a non-issue anyway, the point of this excercise IS USING the moon clip to keep the rounds in place during a cylinder swap reload. WINK!

 

[jpickar]

Really?

John

 

[contender]

I should have clarified about the plastic strips & SASS. I do know they are not legal for on the line reloads,,,! I was just thinking of how they might be an alternative to a spare cylinder & a whole lot cheaper.

 

[Hondo44]

I should have clarified about the plastic strips & SASS. I do know they are not legal for on the line reloads,,,! I was just thinking of how they might be an alternative to a spare cylinder & a whole lot cheaper.

Thanks! They look very handi to not only load fast but keep the rounds oriented and quick to grab from pocket or whatever! I can imagine a slick leather pouch for them to wear on a belt.

 

[Jeepnik]

At this point, I've emailed Ruger to find out the cost of a cylinder fitted to my frame. There is an outfit named Borchardt that makes cylinders for the Super Blackhawk and the Single Six. I'm going to check with them as well. Not sure if they fit them or I need a local smith to do it.

To clarify my goal. To carry a spare loaded cylinder, without a moon clip, and be able to, with some rapidity, swap it for one that has been expended. And do it without looking.

I've been working with my Single Six and it's two cylinders for the last couple of days, and have learned a few things. First, you can swap cylinders without looking. It's alot easier than field stripping and reassembling a 1911 blindfolded. I haven't tried it with live rounds yet, I'm going to practice with spent cases for a bit .

 

[Jeepnik]

Finally heard back from Ruger, got the price for a new cylinder (less than $200) so I'll be making shipping arrangements soon.

I've continued to work with the SS and I'm getting pretty good at doing it without looking. I've figured out how to orientate the cylinder so I don't drop rounds when doing the switch. I can, without a doubt swap cylinders faster than I can empty and reload all six chambers. Eventually, I'll make a video and figure out how to post it. This has been fun so far and hold the promise of much more fun in the future.

 

[Jeepnik]

Seems I'm not as far out of step as some think. There's a thread at Paco's wherein several suggest getting an extra cylinder for a quick reload of a single action revolver.

By the way, I'm getting right speedy at swaping the cylinders on my Single Six. And, I have figured out how to prevent the rounds from "falling out" while doing it. Seems the nay sayers have been a bit confused. :twisted: I'm in the process of arranging to have a new cylinder fitted by Ruger.

 

[Hondo44]

Jeepnik,

That's the way to stick to your guns! Pun intended. Only you know what's best for you. Even though swapping cylinders to reload has not been conventional in modern times, that does not mean it isn't better as you have proved!