.45 acp revolver recommendations

[Stainz]

The Ruger .45 Blackhawk convertible is evil. Ten years ago, I sold my last big .45 bottom feeder - a G21. I still had a stash of .45 ACP ball ammo - the Ruger, $319 at the time, was a cheap way to launch them. Then, that .45 Colt cylinder beckoned me - and life changed - I went bonkers over .45 Colt - even started reloading - just for .45 Colt. Then, nearly six years ago, I discovered the new 4" 625-8 in .45 ACP - madness again!

The Wally-world ball ammo is fine - and, with s/t, still cheaper than most mail order. They locally carry UMC 250 packs for $81.96. Check reloading prices:

Win 230gr FMJ shipped - $192.
Primers, locally --------- $32
Powder (2/3 lb) -------- $12
Starline brass (1k) ----- $138

That's $374 - and you have to have a reloading press, scales, etc. Of course, the brass is reloadable many times from a revolver - much kinder than a rude-case-tosser. The UMC ammo from W-w is $328/1k. Buy up ammo - it aint getting cheaper!

Stainz

 

[loplop]

I just bought into reloading equipment in part because I haven't been shooting 45ACP much lately due to prices (but also in part because I am interested in the craft). I have found you can shoot 45 EXTREMELY cheaply if you shoot outdoors and can shoot lead, and FAIRLY cheaply if you shoot at a range that requires FMJ.

The brass I don't include in the cost; I think most folks that think they might reload have already started saving brass, and if you didn't, just buy a case locally, shoot as normal, and save.

Bullets, then, are the most expensive part. I have boiled my costs down to 8.20/50 using FMJ for 45ACP. That's not too bad, really. Lead you can shoot far cheaper.

Like you said, this doesn't include the cost of equipment, which can be mucho expensive. For me, with multiple calibers, I spent about $650. That will take me about 4000 rounds to recoup the cost of the equipment. For me, that's 4-5 months, although most say you'll shoot more with your own loads, negating a lot of the cost savings

 

[Vern Humphrey]

Get a Lee 6-cavity mould and make friends with your local tire dealer and get him to save wheel weights for you. You can shoot even more cheaply.

 

[Old School]

FCFC says:

Nice 625, Old School. Very nice grips. Those are conversion to square butt, right?

Hey FCFC, These grips were on the gun when I bought it. I wanted to know more about them too, so I removed them to see it if there would be info on the inside like most grips. However, The only thing that is inside is an ink stamp of a clover with each letter of A C E stamped on the leaves of the clover. I did a net search but did not find anything. Anyone know who made these grips?

 

[Fingolfin]

I don't understand why Ruger doesn't make a Blackhawk convertible .45 in stainless. They make a .45 Colt Blackhawk in stainless, but not the convertible. I've seen some Bisley convertibles in stainless but never a regular Blackhawk. Booo

 

[foghornl]

Those Smith 25/625 pix REALLY make me wanna get a .45 revolver.

Now, I'm a Single-Action revolver kinda guy, so I want a Ruger Convertible Blackhawk, 5-1/2" or longer barrel so I can handgun deer hunt here in Ohio.

 

[Stainz]

Well, grasshopper, I, too, lamented the missing SS convertible .45 - then, out came the SS Bisley runs. Local examples from both runs had more glaringly obvious tool marks and poorly fitted grips than I was prepared to accept, so I continued my metamorphosis from Rugers to S&Ws. Besides, squeeze as hard as you want, and a Blackhawk just won't shoot DA!

Okay - a Ruger .45 convertible is $400-$450 - the S&W 625JM is $700-$750 - street prices. And... you don't have the extra $300 - and don't like the moonclips. Well, sell something you don't need - skip lunch - save a bit longer. To paraphrase a Presidential candidate, "Money... just money...". Moonclips are hated by everyone - until you get 'enough'; ie, don't have to keep reloading the same three that came with the gun when you are at the range. The broken-in SA pull is better than the BH - and then there is that DA pull - wow! You'll thank me later.

Stainz

PS Nearly forgot... load up some decent .45 Colt level hunting loads in .45 Auto Rim cases - great, if 4" barrel is legal where you hunt.

 

[LA Rondo]

I am looking forward to playing with those moonclips.

I see there are a number of tools out there. The one that makes most sense to me, is the 'demooner' from Brownell, the stripping rod, in other words.

I will try and snap them in by hand, with a pair of leather gloves, or else maybe use a little bent nose pliers.

I will see. As of now I don't have a feel of how snug the fitting will come along.

I contacted Ranch Products. Taking this offer will set me up for life with moonies, yet I don't think I will ever load all of them at a time. That's a lot of rounds ...

 

[LA Rondo]

Has anyone seen one of those in natura?
I've been inclined to take ownership through purchase of one, but my dealer couldn't find the product # nor the item on any distributor list.
I tend to believe, it may be a special order from S&W's PC directly, thru the distributor. Gawd knows ....

It seems to be the only current 5'' BBL version.

 

[Stainz]

loplop, etc;

Your prices are too good! Powder and primer costs now are a nickel a round or so. Cabela's had the 230gr FMJs cheapest recently - but that's still fifteen cents plus per round - makes reloading still over ten bucks per fifty - in your brass.

About the 625JM and brass - both of my 625-8s have been choosey, to say the least. Beautiful Fiocchi brass, for example, even with Federal primers gave more ftf's. Range sweepings are just too crude for a revolver - they deserve - and load more easily in moonclips - with certain brass - like Starline.

The Brownell's, etc, nutdriver de-mooner is fine - love it. Loading moonclips with Starline - and some other brass - is easier than some brands.

A PC 625 should be super nice, if a bit dear in cost. Of course, so is the 625JM - and it's a 4"-er - and widely available - and certainly, although not inexpensive, it aint no PC gun, price-wise!

Stainz

 

[skoro]

My only experience is with a S&W Model 1917. Would I recommend it? Absolutely! It's a terrific handgun. Way too big for concealed carry unless you're Sasquatch, though.

 

[LA Rondo]

She's here and absolutely awesome! A true 'Gentleman's Revolver'.
Reason enough to place her in the 'Revolver Picture thread of All Time' ...

http://www.thehighroad.org/showpost.php?p=4734116&postcount=668

 

[loplop]

Stainz: you just have to shop around.

Powder is $19 for 1lb, $57 for 4lb at my local shop. We'll use the latter.

Primers are $30 for 1000 (CCI Large Pistol).

Bullets are $118/1000 for FMJ Zero brand, you can buy others for more or less.

So, in your brass, for 50:
Powder: $.57 (if you buy in the big 4lb, about 5000 45acp rounds of Unique in one of those)
Primers: $1.50
Bullets: $5.90
Total: $7.97/50

You can do better, or worse, than those figures if you try. It's easy to hit <$8 though, even with FMJ!

 

[Gary A]

Fingolfin said

I don't understand why Ruger doesn't make a Blackhawk convertible .45 in stainless. They make a .45 Colt Blackhawk in stainless, but not the convertible. I've seen some Bisley convertibles in stainless but never a regular Blackhawk. Booo

I agree with you, Fingolfin. The only rationale I can think of is that the stainless versions, with steel grip-frames, are considerably heavier than the blued versions. Maybe their thinking is that the relatively sedate .45 acp is well served in the lighter single-action. I considered buying a Bisley convertible that was in my LGS but ultimately decided that I didn't want the 5.5 inch barrel and that the gun was simply too much gun for shooting .45acp which was my main interest. I bought a 4.6 inch blued Blackhawk convertible instead and am very happy with it as a .45acp sixgun. I would buy a 4.6 inch stainless version, though. In a hearbeat. I'm still hoping they might make another run of Vaquero convertibles, though with the smaller frame I'm not sure they will. Uberti does however, so there's hope.

 

[63rdOVI]

Stainz:

I read about the same tooling mark issues on the SS Bisley convertibles, so when I bought my first one I really looked hard at the finish. It had no tooling marks that I could see, and the Ruger "warning" had been moved to the bottom of the barrel, so I immediately bought it. Then I bought a backup six months later because I like the gun so much.

While I normally keep the .45 Colt cylinder in place when it's resting on my nightstand (loaded with 200 grain CorBons), when I take it to the gun range I find myself shooting it most often with the .45 ACP cylinder. The short .45 ACP cartridges are easier to eject than the longer .45 Colt rounds, and easier to reload. In my gun's case they seem to be a little more inherently accurate than the .45 Colt.

This is my first post, and I look forward to many more. Thanks!

 

[Stainz]

Welcome, 63rdOVI, and may you have many more fine posts here with these great folks!

Ah, your Bisley convertible is newer than the runs I saw - they had the writing on the side. When the first one came out, I had owned a first run plain 5.5" SS Bisley BH in .45 Colt for some time. It had been less than impressive, accuracy wise, at 25 yd - my 4" S&W 625MG in .45 Colt out-grouped it. Ultimately, I lucked out - and swapped it straight for a LN no-box older 625-6 MG in .45 Colt - I made out! At any rate, I wouldn't buy the convertible version due to it's massive size vs the 625-8 .45 ACP I had at the time - and the poor performance my .45 Colt Bisley had demonstrated, too.

The convertible BH in .45 ACP was my entry into revolvers, allowing me to use up some bottom-feeder rounds. In retrospect, the 625 would have been worth the extra wait - it really is nice to shoot in either SA or DA. YMMV.

Loplop, those prices are nice, but don't forget shipping from Zero, just up the road from me in Cullman, AL - or for the powder & primers. Other incidentals include media, and, for me, decent revolver-only cases. I've worn out two F.A. tumblers - and a Harbor Freight dual rock tumbler, too... never thought of a case tumbler as an 'incidental' expense.

I use a lot of Zero bullets - lately, mostly their 125gr JHP .38s. Never tried their .45s. Good stuff. I prefer Georgia Arms reloaded ammo, however.

Stainz

 

[Walkalong]

S&W 1955 Target.

Be patient and you can pick one up reasonable. They are superb>


325 NG for carry.


Ditto on Zero bullets. Very good and priced reasonably.

 

[loplop]

No shipping on Zero from Roze

I buy powder and primers locally to avoid Hazmat dealio.

 

[cherryriver]

Man, you guys...
All those Model 25s are pretty enough, and those 625s are, well, available. I even had one, but sold it after it sometimes didn't even fire WWB.
I have my New Services, being a Colt sort of person, too. Solid fighting guns.
But if you want a real combat-qualified revolver, there's really only one:
The most tactical revolver ever, the Webley-Enfield MkVI in .45ACP.
Last year at the Wheelgunner's Revenge match in Michigan, I managed a 27th out of 57 limited division finish, even without the youthful eyes I used to have.
Faster, more comfortable to shoot, more reliable, shoots anything you can close the action on, never goes "click" (I just ROed the '08 WGR and heard so many Smiths clicking it got monotonous), and it's even useful for spiking targets (just kidding).
All it lacks is looks.

 

[Old School]

au contraire !

I think that is a great looking pistol. It would certainly add character to my collection.

 

[Brian Dale]

All it lacks is looks.

Well, you wrote that you're "without the youthful eyes that [you] used to have..."

I say you've got style. Thanks for posting that photograph.

"The most tactical revolver ever" - I am so going to swipe that phrase, with proper attribution, of course.