Author Topic: Ordered a new Blackhawk on friday (Read 917 times)

BIGBOREFAN · « **on:** March 08, 2004, 03:16:49 AM »

Hey guys I just ordered a new Ruger Blackhawk Friday. I ordered a 45 Colt with 5.5 inch barrel and extra 45 ACP cylinder. I was wondering if anybody has one and if they like it. Also how does the 45 ACP's shoot thru it. Thought it would be a pefect combo. When loaded up the 45 Colt can easily do anything the 44 mag will do and there is a ton of low priced 45 ACP ammo out there. What do you all think did I make a good choice.

BBF

jpuke · « **Reply #1 on:** March 08, 2004, 07:24:34 AM »

I've had one of the same models you ordered for the last two years. I haven't shot it a lot (only 1600 rdsso far) but I love it. The only problem with the ACP is that you have to make sure to put a taper crimp on it to get them into the chambers. There's no slide to do the work of ramming the rounds into the chamber if the crimp isn't perfect so I make sure every round fits into the chambers smoothly before I take them out to shoot them. I haven't done a lot of experimenting with the ACP accuracy but I rarely miss when plinking and that's all I wanted the 45 ACP cylinder for. Good luck, it's a great gun.

BIGBOREFAN · « **Reply #2 on:** March 08, 2004, 08:28:13 AM »

Thanks jpuke. Aprreciate the info. Don't know if I'm going to reload for the 45 ACP but will for the 45 Colt fo sure.

BBF

jpuke · « **Reply #3 on:** March 08, 2004, 08:55:46 AM »

If your not reloading the ACP then you'll have no worries with the factory ammo, it's worked great in my gun. I also agree with you on the 45 Colt, it does almost everything the 44 will but it's a lot more fun to shoot. My favorite Colt load is a 300 gr Lee cast bullet with 9.2gr of Unique. Shoots around 975 fps and is as accurate as I could hope for. I've also worked up some heavier loads but they're not as much fun.

Gunruner · « **Reply #4 on:** March 10, 2004, 02:02:14 PM »

I just won an auction on Auction Arms for a Ruger Blackhawk in 45 Colt. I have other guns to shoot the ACP in so the 45 Colt will be all I shoot in this gun. I reload and I'll stay with heavy bullets 255gr+- and light powder charges for this gun. I have .41 Mag and .357 Mag to shoot the heavy recoiling loads if there should ever be any reason for them. The cowboy loads in the Ruger should be lots of can rolling fun. Great caliber...............Mike

Tom C. · « **Reply #5 on:** March 14, 2004, 05:39:47 AM »

I have several .45 Colt Blackhawks with .45 ACP cylinders. On the .45 Colts, I had to ream all the cylinders to open them up and eliminate any internal flaws. On the .45 ACP cylinders, one was ok and 2 others required reaming. All shoot well. The chambers also needed polishing, same as the .45 Colt cylinders. The breach face of the frame also probably needs polishing as well as the step on the face. Check the barrel forcing cone for concentricity, and clean up as necessary. There is also probably a tight spot in the barrel where the barrel screws through the frame. It can be eliminated by firelapping, Taylor throating, or just shooting 5,000 to 10,000 rds.
I have been shooting a pair of the .45 Blackhawks for 4 yrs. as my main match guns in SASS. I have recently switched to .357 Blackhawks for the reduced recoil. When it is time to play, I prefer to play with the .45s

flintman · « **Reply #6 on:** March 15, 2004, 05:51:13 AM »

Didn't he mention that a jacketed bullet wears out a barrel in 5,000 rounds or so?Just seem to recall,have you guys and gals seen this happen?food for thought....

Gunruner · « **Reply #7 on:** March 15, 2004, 11:16:19 AM »

I've fired over 5,000 jacketed full magnum loads through my .41 Ruger Blackhawk. The barrel is in perfect condition, however the frame has stretched and there is excessive for-aft movement of the cylinder. All of these rounds were reloads and in excess of factory ammo. The frame stretching was my doing and not any fault of the gun. I have friends that have over 30,000 rounds of jacketed .357 through their revolvers and they look to go another 30,000+. I would imagine I'm still under 100,000 rounds of centerfire handgun ammo fired in my life but I imagine I've beat alot of folks for rounds through single firearms. I put over 5,000 through a Russian Makarov and it still looks new in and out. For the average handgunner, one gun will last a lifetime. Excessesive harsh cleaning has destroyed more bores/barrels than shooting steel jacketed ammo ever has!

Chris B. · « **Reply #8 on:** March 15, 2004, 06:08:14 PM »

Quote from: Gunruner

Excessesive harsh cleaning has destroyed more bores/barrels than shooting steel jacketed ammo ever has!

Hi Gunruner, What do you mean by this? Is there certain types of solvents that harm metal? I use Outer's Nitro Solvent because it cleans well but will not harm metal finish or wood finish. What else harms guns in the cleaning dept.?

Glanceblamm · « **Reply #9 on:** March 16, 2004, 05:32:39 AM »

HI Chris
If I may jump in here I would say that it is much easier to ruin a rifle than a handgun via cleaning.
Big culprit is a jointed aluminum rod that will retain grit. With this grit (and jointed sections) that brush against the rifling. The answer to the above is to use a gun vise and get a one piece stainless rod.
You also need to hold the rod by the handle so the brush, patch, will follow the rifling instead of being pushed through it.

I still take great care when cleaning my Vaquero and make sure that the brush/jag is started square into the muzzle and pushed straight through. I also make sure of the fit so the rifling will be followed.

If we went about this like we were mopping a floor, it would be easy to scratch up the crown and throat, and gouge the rifling.

Chris B. · « **Reply #10 on:** March 16, 2004, 06:38:22 AM »

I'm still trying to understand what you are talking about. The aluminium rod you are refering to has joints, I have never seen one like that, only 1 piece rods with threads on the end to change attachments. I now only use bore snakes to clean the barrol and they have copper brush built into them. The brush brissels are round and I just pull the whole thing through the bore. I don't see how you would be able not to touch(go over the rifeling and in between) with any brush??? It would be impossible not to come in contact with the rifeling. I never go back and forth in a scrubbing action just from breach to muzzle. Am I going about this right? I have been shoothing for years with no problems but then again I have never really talked to other shooters on how they clean their guns. When I bought my 1st gun I just followed how the gun shop showed me.

As far as solvents I have heard that some can take blue and other finishes off. I have been using Outers products for a little while now with good results and Outers does not hurt metal or wood as far as I can tell.

Any thoughts on this? Thank you for the input!