Which Ruger in 45Colt?

[RPCVYemen]

I bought the 45 LC/45 ACP Blackhawk Convertible - the ACP part was a waste of money. I shot one cylinder full, cleaned the cylinder and put it back in the bag. I never expect to use it again.

Lots of people seem to like it, but for the life of me, I can't figure it out. Why anyone would choose to shoot that weak stumpy little ACP cartridge from a fine weapon like a Blackhawk.? Makes about as much sense as shooting a wimpy little 10mm in a 41 magnum.

Mike

 

[Smaug]

I'm frankly a little shocked so many folks are recommending the single action gun for something that could possibly be used as self defense!

For something that could possibly be used for self defense, it should be something that you can simply draw and pull the trigger. That extra second it takes to cock the hammer could cost you your (or someone else's) life.

Go with the stainless Redhawk in 5.5". It will do everything the Blackhawk will do except make you look like a cowboy and take 5X longer to reload.

 

[Bula]

"except make you look like a cowboy"
but, cowboys are cool.

"and take 5X longer to reload"

This is often the argument you hear right before "my glock holds 39 rounds"

To me either would be fine but there is just something about those Ruger SA revos.
Not to mention, the price differential would buy alot of powder and primers!

 

[Snapping Twig]

If you need more than 6 .45LC, you're in the wrong business.

Gotta love a gun that was designed as a non magnum to kill a guy hiding behind his horse at 100 yards. It was, and it will.

 

[MCMXI]

For something that could possibly be used for self defense, it should be something that you can simply draw and pull the trigger. That extra second it takes to cock the hammer could cost you your (or someone else's) life.

I just saw Evil Roy on "Cowboys" last week ... took him 1.04 seconds to draw, cock the hammer and hit the steel target using a SAA .. now that's FAST!! A few weeks ago on "Cowboys", I saw Lead Dispencer and Tequilla in a "shootout". LD had a .45 1911 (if I remember correctly) and Tequilla used a SAA followed by a DA revolver. With the SAA, they were neck and neck after drawing and firing six rounds. Tequilla was A LOT slower with the DA revolver. It just goes to show what's possible. There are some folks around who are incredibly fast with the SAA or similar.

 

[HM2PAC]

foghornl wrote:

If you are going to use this as a hunting revolver, the barrel length might make a huge difference to the Game-N-Fish Guys.

Ohio REQUIRES a minimum 5" barrrel length for modern handgun deer hunting.

I'll have to look into that. The 5" barrel rule sounds familiar out here too.

So far I'm leaning toward the Blackhawk 5.5". Still can't decide on the extra cylinder part. I'm beginning to think I wouldn't use it. If I reach for the big revolver when going to the range, why shoot the little rounds through it, eh?

 

[RPCVYemen]

I'm frankly a little shocked so many folks are recommending the single action gun for something that could possibly be used as self defense!

If you are truly shocked - if that's not hyperbole - then you may want to do a little research.

LD had a .45 1911 (if I remember correctly) and Tequilla used a SAA followed by a DA revolver. With the SAA, they were neck and neck after drawing and firing six rounds.

There seems to be a census about this - people who use understand/use SAA evidently don't give up anything in speed. I think it's hard to make generalizations (or at least valid generalizations). Right now, I shoot my Blackhawk more than any other weapon. If I had to chose between that and a weapon with a safety, I'd much rather have the Blackhawk in my hand.

I think that the reload issue is a complete non-issue for 99.9999% of on on THR. For those of you who do in fact work as gang informants or fight zombie armies, you need full auto anyway.

Seriously, if I am taking on multiple assailants who don't break and run on the 1st or second shot - I'm dead. If there are people who are so interested in killing me that they are willing to take casualties and keep fighting, then they are going to succeed. Welcome to life.

I have no doubt that there are people who are likely to need a reload to survive - I am also 100% sure I am not one of them.

Mike

 

[HM2PAC]

If you are going to use this as a hunting revolver, the barrel length might make a huge difference to the Game-N-Fish Guys.

I looked it up today. In Maine, it doesn't matter.

 

[MCgunner]

I just prefer the single actions in a .45 Colt. I've got a Blackhawk in the caliber, no ACP cylinder. Don't need it since I can handload .45 Colt brass about as cheap. My Lee cast 255 flat points are unreal accurate, too. I doubt I could get that sort of accuracy from an ACP cylinder in the gun, but maybe.

Single actions are fantastic for field guns, self defense or otherwise. Me, I can get one into action quicker than I can a DA. You won't be shooting DA if you wanna hit anything at range and the SA cocks much easier out of the leather, just natural. My Blackhawk is a 4 5/8" model and I can hold it on a paper plate at 100 yards with +P 300 grain Hornady XTPs loaded hot with 2400. It suffers no ill effects that I can tell from the shorter sight radius, though a 6.5" barrel would give it probably 50 more FPS.

Smaug, you're from Chicago. You apparently have that Chicago typewriter attitude about fire power. LOL Trust me, you won't get more'n a couple of chances to defend yourself from a toothy animal. I've had a wounded 200+ lb hog charge me, got one shot to the head (thankfully). Hogs are a lot faster than Al Capone, even if they don't weigh much more. Even gators are faster than you'd think, faster than you can run at least for a short distance. Bears, well, we got no bears down here, but I hear tell they're pretty quick. Firepower is far less important than one good powerful shot. I own DA revolvers and like 'em, but I feel just as safe, maybe a little safer considering caliber, carrying my SA .45 to one of my DA .357s. I don't carry it for CCW of course. Let's don't get ridiculous. It's a big, heavy gun and you MIGHT be in a scenario against humans where you'll need quick reloads.

 

[Floppy_D]

+1 Bisley.

 

[Jim March]

All 45LC Ruger single actions built after 1973 are built on the same large "44Magnum-class" basic frame, and all are equally strong.

The one exception is the New Vaquero, built on a "357 class" mid-frame and not compatible with the big 45LC+P boomers.

Once the frame and cylinder is there, think of these guns as having various "options":

* "Vaquero" means fixed-sights and more "cowboy looking" overall.

* "Bisley" means it has a longer, different-shaped grip frame with a reputation for good recoil control unless your hands are on the small side. This grip frame always ships from Ruger with a lower-slung hammer and a more curved trigger. Bisley grip frames were never made of aluminum.

* "Hunter" means a heavier, ribbed barrel.

* "Blackhawk" on it's own means the basic model; if it's a plain "Blackhawk" in blue, the grip frame is likely anodized aluminum.

* "Super Blackhawk" means it's most likely a 44Mag (there are exceptions!), the grip frame is always steel, the hammer is lower than standard (still higher than a Bisley hammer) and IF the barrel length is greater than 5.5", the grip frame will be a larger size "plowhandle" type.

From there, various factory models mix and match these features. A "Bisley Vaquero" means just what you'd think: Bisley grip/hammer/trigger set on a fixed-sight frame. "Bisley Hunters" exist too. "Bisley" on it's own will be an adjustable-sight gun, basically a "Bisley Blackhawk". The core frame is the same regardless, everything else bolts to that.

You can buy various parts to build combinations the factory never even considered. Want a "Bisley New Vaquero"? Brownell's has the complete Bisley parts kit for under $200. Also very possible: SuperBlackHawk hammers on guns that had something else to start (such as the SBH hammer on my NewVaq), Birds-Head grip frames stuck on other things, etc. Basically the sky is the limit and much of it can be home-brewed. "FrankenRugers" are cool as hell .

As long as the cylinder is in good shape in an unmodified frame with the barrel properly fitted, none of this affects strength.

If there's a combination you'd like that's not in the catalog, the cheap way to get there is likely a basic Blackhawk 45 in good used condition, customized as needed.