45/45acp Redhawk

[mcb]

Speed loaders are cheap, and are a convenient way to carry ammo. I haven't tried to clip .45 Colt rounds into half moon clips, but I have a sneaking suspicion it will require modification of the clip. .45 Colt rounds are quite a bit larger at the base, just forward of the rim, than the .45 ACP extraction groove.

As you say 45 ACP moonclip would not work with 45 Colt without modification and moonclips are nearly spring steel hard so they are difficult to machine. You have to buy 45 Colt specific moonclips. TK Custom makes 45 Colt moonclips for the Ruger Super Redhawk/Redhawk.

On a side note Almost no one make 2 round clips or half moonclips any more. Nearly all moonclips, regardless of the cartridge, currently available are full moonclips. The only partial moonclips I know of are from Ranch products and they are for 45 ACP.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

For many years I ignored speed loaders, but I found speed loaders designed for the S&W Model 25 series work perfectly with my Colt New Service. No more belt loops, pouches or pocket carry for me.

 

[stchman]

If the .45LC Ruger Redhawk is capable of shooting .45ACP with moon clips, could one use same moon clips and shoot .45ACP in the SRH in .454 Casull?

 

[mcb]

If the .45LC Ruger Redhawk is capable of shooting .45ACP with moon clips, could one use same moon clips and shoot .45ACP in the SRH in .454 Casull?

Not without modification. The cylinder and extractor star would have to have clearance machined in it for the moonclip or the rounds would sit up to high to close the cylinder. TK Custom and a few other good smiths can do the work. After modification the SRH 454 Casull would be able to shoot 45 Schofield, 45 Colt, 454 Casul with or without moonclips and 45 GAP, 45 ACP and 45 Super with moonclips. You could probably also shoot 45 Winchester Magnum if you were feeling sporty and can find some.

 

[TTv2]

50 yards with a 4" barrel revolver?

I was doing 50 yards with a 2 inch Taurus .22 a few weeks ago. About the only thing I can't do at 50 is the LCP and .45 ACP in the Redhawk and Colt style percussion revolvers because their sights are terrible.

 

[gotboostvr]

... shoot 45 Schofield, 45 Colt, 454 Casul with or without moonclips and 45 GAP, 45 ACP and 45 Super with moonclips. You could probably also shoot 45 Winchester Magnum if you were feeling sporty and can find some.

Don't forget 460 Rowland!

 

[JAG1949]

I doubt .45 Colt rounds would even fit in a moon clip. They are extremely tight on the groove of an acp round and that diameter is significantly smaller than a .45 Colt case. If you do get them to fit the cylinder will not close. My Ruger .45acp/.45Colt won't close if I use S&W moon clips instead of Ruger's. The S&W are nearly twice as thick. And no the 625 S&W I have will not work with Ruger moon clips either. I've had to color code them to keep them straight.

 

[mcb]

I doubt .45 Colt rounds would even fit in a moon clip. They are extremely tight on the groove of an acp round and that diameter is significantly smaller than a .45 Colt case. If you do get them to fit the cylinder will not close. My Ruger .45acp/.45Colt won't close if I use S&W moon clips instead of Ruger's. The S&W are nearly twice as thick. And no the 625 S&W I have will not work with Ruger moon clips either. I've had to color code them to keep them straight.

You have to buy moonclips made for your specific revolver model AND cartridge. They make moonclips specifically for 45 Colt in the Ruger (S)RH.

https://www.tkcustom.com/products/moonclips?productfilter_ids[]=41&productfilter_ids[]=42&sortby=

 

[tbob38]

Folks complain about how fragile the 0.032" 45 ACP moon clips are. Think about 0.020" 45 Colt clips. I think I'll just go with speed loaders.

 

[mcb]

Folks complain about how fragile the 0.032" 45 ACP moon clips are. Think about 0.020" 45 Colt clips. I think I'll just go with speed loaders.

I run 38's on .020-.025 moonclips all the time. They are finicky but once you get a combination of brass/moonclip that works, it works.

 

[tbob38]

I run 38's on .020-.025 moonclips all the time. They are finicky but once you get a combination of brass/moonclip that works, it works.

Do you carry them in the field? If so, how do you protect them?

 

[Walkalong]

A good revolver can easily hit out to 100 yards, it's all dependent on the shooting ability of the person,

Yep.

 

[MTNSTRYDER]

I’ve been shooting the Redhawk a lot since I got it back from Ruger.Groups are 3 inches or smaller with hand loads.I keep forgetting to shoot 45acp
I have found my favorite load so far with 250xtp,s over a Ruger only load of H110.It works well in my rifle too.I have tried other loads but this makes the smallest group.
I carry it everyday in a simply rugged holster or in a vest with 2 speed strips and my NAA Pug in a pocket.All of my other hand guns have gone into the safe.
It’s not the perfect gun but for my lifestyle it’s the best all around hand gun .

 

[TTv2]

"It’s not the perfect gun but for my lifestyle it’s the best all around hand gun ."

I think that's a perfect description for the .45/.45 ACP Redhawk. Not perfect, but it's strong and has more pros than cons. Not many double action revolvers out there that shoot .45 Colt, let alone cut for moon clips to shoot .45 ACP.

 

[ChiefTJS]

I only have about three hundred rounds 50/50 mix of Colt and ACP through mine but it has been completely reliable. I've had several Redhawks and this has been the most impressive.

 

[mcb]

Do you carry them in the field? If so, how do you protect them?

Forgot to reply earlier, sorry.

My 627 rarely see field use it is primary a USPSA gun so I carry the moonclips on an open front North Mountain moonclip holder. Even fairly exposed as they are I have never had an issue damaging moonclips including stages where I go prone and end up laying on them in the gravel. The rack goes right across the my belly slightly off set to the left (weak side). The buckle ends up in the small of my back.



For hunting I had been carrying a 610 in 10mm Auto (upgraded this spring to a M29) and I carry two moonclip reloads in a nylon speed-loader pouch. The 10mm moonclips are a touch loose but can't fall out and and it protects them pretty well. The big thing here is while in the pouch no individual round can get caught and pulled on to pop off or bend the moonclip. By the time I get enough pressure on them to damage them it would be hurting me in most cases.



I do carry moonclip fed revolver for my CCW also and for that I have a pocket protector for my spare moonclip. It does a great job at keeping other thing in the pocket from getting snagged on the moonclip. In the carry the moonclip is extremely well protected.



In all my use of moonclip fed revolvers for competition, hunting, and CCW I can't think of any situations where I have damage a moonclip before it went into the gun. I have killed a heap of them stepping on or kicking them during matches or having an RO or scorer accidentally step on them following me through a stage. I check every moonclip in the gun before use and then store the loaded and checked moonclips in Plano tackle box trays and use the above methods when carried on my person and I have never had an issue with a moonclip being damaged before I use it.