Big Iron .45

Can’t go wrong with a Blackhawk.
I bought my .357 new in 1968 and had many fun times shooting it. I recently gifted it and the San Antonio Alamo Leatherworks rig to my son who was born that same year...

Title reminded of Marty Robbins version of "Big Iron". I've been keeping my out for one of these in .45 with a 5.5" or 7.5" barrel. Very nice revolver.

Nice pistol.

Years ago I had a stainless Super Blackhawk in .44 mag with a 7 ½" barrel.

I'd just about gaurentee that if it would've had a 5½" barrel like yours I'd still have that gun.

This thread is really a coincidence since I'm currently looking for a .45 Colt (maybe a .357 if the price is right) with a 4¾-5½ bbl right now.

Now go try to wear that thing out!

Ive had Blackhawks in .44, 45, and .357/9mm. Most of them were 4.75" guns, or whatever length it is that Ruger has that's close to that.

For some reason, I keep falling for the Ruger's, rifles, and handguns, and then always seem to have remorse not long after buying them and usually trade them right back off.

The exception being the only one I still have, which is a .44 "Talo" with a 3.5" barrel I bought a few years back. Its a boat anchor, but it is a fun boat anchor.

I still have my next-to-next-to-last Ruger... a .45 Colt Vaquero, 5.5" barrel (bottom.) Not the most accurate pistol on the planet, but it makes a good camp and knockabout gun... along with being able to handle heavy loads.

The pistol above it was going to replace it... a .41MAG stainless Bisley... but lets just say the pistol didn't meet my expectations, unfortunately. I've had some other .45 Rugers... a 7.5" Vaquero, a 7.5" Bisley Blackhawk, and one or two others.

I've debated selling the Vaquero... I know I can get some good money for it, but it would be hard to replace it with another pistol.

Been wanting a 4.5" Blackhawk 45 for quite a while. They don't seem to come available in my part of the world.
Until then I have this:


A 3" 45 Vaquero.
Not pleasant to shoot with heavy loads.

JCooperfan1911 said:

Here’s a gun I’ve had for a while but am recently really liking:

View attachment 1073731

My Ruger Blackhawk .45 convertible model. I love this gun and it’s very accurate. Yet I’m not terribly keen on the New Model action. I plan to install a Power Customs half cock hammer kit soon so the gun loads like a proper single action, i.e. has a half cock and the chambers line up correctly with the ejection chute.

What I enjoy most is this gun can safely fire top end magnum level bear loads on down to the cheapest bulk pack .45 ACP for plinking and training. It can even be quickly topped up using a .45 ACP magazine to thumb cartridges into the chambers. Very versatile and the 5.5” barrel length looks great and handles nicely, and is right at home in a country western style crossdraw for in the woods or out in the desert.

-JCF

Click to expand...

JCF I am a huge Ruger revolver fan and I own several, all being Double Action guns. I was wondering how you handle the rimless 45acp loads loading them through the gate and keeping them from just falling through the cylinder? I can understand the way the Double Action guns work with the half moon/full moon clips that rests against the back of the cylinder, but I am a bit puzzled on how yours works. Do you remove the cylinder and load it with moon clips then reinstall for shooting. Using the semi-auto magazine is what is really puzzling me. Inquiring minds would like to know please!!

The chambers of the cylinder have the same "ledge" in it just like a semi auto that sets headspace; the cartridge rim has absolutely nothing to do with headspace or extraction.

The magazine "trick" is simple, with the loading gate open and an empty chamber, you hold the loaded magazine in your right hand with the bullet as close to the empty chamber as you can get it and, using your thumb like you would to push cartridges out to unload the magazine you simply "unload" it directly into the empty, awaiting chamber.

Slick way of doing it without fumbling with individual cartridges.

Nice revolver, OP. I wouldn't mind having a shorter one like that.

I used to shoot at farther distances back when I could see better, so some of my revolvers have long barrels, like this 7.5".

Hint: It's perfect for when a friend challenges you to a 7 yard shooting match. The sight radius is crazy long, and the bullets makes such big holes that it's much easier to make them all touch.

That's some nice looking iron y'all have there

My other son was gifted this SBH after I put the longer Hunter grip frame on it.

Armybrat said:

My other son was gifted this SBH after I put the longer Hunter grip frame on it.
View attachment 1073801

Click to expand...

Now that I like!

NorthBorder said:

Been wanting a 4.5" Blackhawk 45 for quite a while. They don't seem to come available in my part of the world.
Until then I have this:
View attachment 1073749

A 3" 45 Vaquero.
Not pleasant to shoot with heavy loads.

Click to expand...

Love the (homemade?) knife!

My only Blackhawk is a .30 and its great fun- always a crowd pleaser at the range.

Not gonna lie, though, trying to line up the little charge holes with the ejector is kinda annoying.

My second centerfire revolver was an original Blackhawk .357 with 6.5 inch barrel. I still have it but wish I'd bought the shorter barrel as the long one was too awkward getting in and out of a pickup or on/off a horse. But I shot my best ever 25 yard group with it using factory .357 ammo.

Y-T71 said:

Now that I like!

Click to expand...

With the Hunter grip frame installed...

I’ve had a 4 3/4” convertible for years and love it. My Illinois deer “little” gun.
Where are you buying those “cheap” bulk pack 45s of which you speak? LOL

I installed a free floating paw to eliminate the problem of lining up the cylinder for ejection. I also installed a lighter spring on the trigger and hammer strut. All these from Power Customs.

Howdy

1975 was a banner year for me, I bought my first cartridge revolvers that year, a S&W Model 17-3, S&W Model 19-3, and a Ruger 45 Colt/45ACP convertible Blackhawk with 7 1/2" barrel. I don't know why I put the silly red bag for the extra cylinder in this photo, I should reshoot it without the bag.






I have mentioned before how I tried to cheap out when I bought the Ruger by offering to buy it for slightly less without the 45ACP cylinder. 45 Colt reloads were cheap enough in the 1970s and 1980s that I was only shooting 45 Colt through my Blackhawk. I never fired the 45ACP cylinder for many years. No, it is not for sale. All my 45 Colt ammo is my own handloads, so they are probably still cheaper than store bought 45ACP.

I got used to the quirks of loading a Ruger years ago, so I never bothered putting a half cock hammer in my old Blackhawk. However when I started shooting Cowboy with the three 'original model' 45 Colt Vaqueros at the right in this photo I did put half cock hammers in them. The old Blackhawk does not get to the range much these days, I should do something about that. However I have no plans to put a half cock hammer in it.

I had a blackhawk in 357 mag. If I had bought it in 45 ACP convertible I would still have it.

I had one in 357/9mm and it was a big PITA. Especially with the 9mm. I had a lot of trouble with rounds not seating properly, and going past the index that would not let you move back to deal with the round, and you had to basically field strip the gun to get it straightened out.

Ruger really needs to do something about the indexing of the cylinder while you reload, and it would behoove them to fix that. We shouldn't have to deal with it in the aftermarket.

I have what is probably an unhealthy infatuation with Rugers chambered in 45 Colt. I have had many throughout the years. This is my latest.

Charlie98 said:

I still have my next-to-next-to-last Ruger... a .45 Colt Vaquero, 5.5" barrel (bottom.) Not the most accurate pistol on the planet, but it makes a good camp and knockabout gun... along with being able to handle heavy loads.

The pistol above it was going to replace it... a .41MAG stainless Bisley... but lets just say the pistol didn't meet my expectations, unfortunately. I've had some other .45 Rugers... a 7.5" Vaquero, a 7.5" Bisley Blackhawk, and one or two others.

I've debated selling the Vaquero... I know I can get some good money for it, but it would be hard to replace it with another pistol.

Click to expand...

What do you not like about the Bisley .41 Magnum? I had an opportunity to buy a near identical gun and a year later I’m kicking myself for not.

Y-T71 said:

The chambers of the cylinder have the same "ledge" in it just like a semi auto that sets headspace; the cartridge rim has absolutely nothing to do with headspace or extraction.

The magazine "trick" is simple, with the loading gate open and an empty chamber, you hold the loaded magazine in your right hand with the bullet as close to the empty chamber as you can get it and, using your thumb like you would to push cartridges out to unload the magazine you simply "unload" it directly into the empty, awaiting chamber.

Slick way of doing it without fumbling with individual cartridges.

Click to expand...

Well I was not aware of that!! Thanks for educating me.

Not my first Ruger Revolver but my first Blackhawk. 4-3/4” Flat top .45 Cal Convertible.