# Ruger Blackhawk Convertable .45 Colt/.45 ACP-any reviews?Also the .357 mag LCR



## bayhawk2

I'm in the market for a Ruger Blackhawk Convertable .45 Colt/.45 ACP.
It looks "built tough" and can handle both of these rounds by simply
changing cylinders.I also want to upgrade my arsonal to handle heavier
loads.I'm getting rid of my lightweights and going for more power."My choice".
The only lightweight I prefer is my little .380 LCP..I'll never part with it.I am
upgrading my carry gun to a Ruger LCR .357/.38 .Both the Blackhawk and the 
LCR in those covertables are hard to find weapons,but I'm patient.
My quetion is,can any of you give a review on these?Cost?Thanks.


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## EliWolfe

No reviews or costs, just what I've been told. Ruger Blackhawk=Heap good gun! Hope you find a one!
Eli


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## DanP_from_AZ

bayhawk2 said:


> I'm in the market for a Ruger Blackhawk Convertable .45 Colt/.45 ACP.
> . . . I also want to upgrade my arsonal to handle heavier loads.I'm getting rid of my lightweights and going for more power."My choice". . . My quetion is,can any of you give a review on these?Cost?Thanks.


As usual, ask a fairly simple question, and I give you "a novel length" reply.
I can't talk about the Blackhawk. Or its cost.

I do have an Italian (Pieta via EMF) SAA clone in .45 Long Colt. Used to be my trail gun. I wanted more pop.
The max load I've used in this gun is standard Win. 225 grain Silvertip hollowpoints.
Muzzle Velocity: 920 fps Muzzle Energy: 423 ft. lbs
This is a "pretty much the same" as your standard .45 ACP.

I've also used the "same deal" from Federal in their "Champion .45 Colt" 225 grain semi-wadcutter hollow poiints.
Muzzle Velocity: 900 fps Muzzle Energy: 405 ft. lbs
Same deal as the Silvertips. I'm kinda partial to "Silver".
Obviously the Blackhawk can eat this level of stuff for the rest of its (and yours) life.

However, shooting factory ammo in .45 LC ain't cheap.
I think there is some .45 LC +P stuff around. But, I haven't tried any. I just jumped to the next level.

Because my other gun that eats .45 LC is a Ruger Super Redhawk Alaskan. Big and HEAVY gun.
But, it's a totally "different deal" being a double-action 2 1/2" barrel snubby.
"Standard" .45 LC recoil with loads described above in this gun is pretty mild.
.454 Casull recoil in this snubby isn't really all that bad.

What makes "you RECOIL" is the price of .454 Casull factory ammo. :mrgreen: 
MagTech does make a "decent mid-range" velocity/energy load for about $32 for 20.
Federal makes a "mild" .454 Casull load. Their "Fusion" 260 grain hollowpoint. $44.95 for 20.
Muzzle Velocity: 1350 fps Muzzle Energy: 1050 ft. 
If my memory serves, this is about "the range" of .45 LC +P.

And, a real "heavy load", Win. Supreme Nosler Partition Gold 260 grain, is my trail self-defense load.
Muzzle Velocity: 2000 fps Muzzle Energy: 2309 ft. lbs

This should take care of most anything that walks in North America. For about $2 plus a pop.

Another viable and fun combo is .44 Magnum as your heavy with .44 Special as your "reduced load".

Playing around in any of these sandboxes will quickly make you see the economics of investing
in a progressive reloading setup. :mrgreen:


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## bayhawk2

The .454 Casull.I'd love to have one.Why?I don't really know.I don't
have bear or anything close to it here in South Texas.I guess just
to show my friends that monster.I do reload.Make my own bullets.
It cost me more than expected to get set up for what I do.A couple of
.45 L.C.s and one .44 Mag.I'm hopeing that the cost will dwindle
on the money I save doing this.I'm wanting the .45/.45 ACP Ruger
just to kill 2 birds with one stone.It is supposed to be a simple swap
out of cylinders.No tools.Heard from other web sites that the older
model cylinders would jam.Ruger has this new model,that I have heard
little about.I've read what I could.I figure if it has problems,Ruger would
fix it free?Anyways,I have to find one first.No one in the U.S. seems
to have a new model.All are on "back order".Same as the Ruger 
LCR in .357 Magnum.Oh well.Maybe someones trying to tell me something.


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## npdxc300

I have the .357/9mm, convertible, Ruger Blackhawk. I bought it used in good shape with the two cylinders. During the ammo crunch a couple of years ago, it was a great piece to take out and shoot, with any of .357, .38 special, or 9 mm ammo. It works great and is one of my "go to" pieces, when I go to the range. npdxc


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## talldrink

I hav ethe 45lc/45acp blackhawk and the cylinders swap out just like a single six. Takes just a few seconds to drop the loading gate, pull the base pin and the cylider will fall right out. It's an excelent & fun gun to have!


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## bayhawk2

talldrink=Did you have trouble finding it?I have gone all over the net,checked with my 
gun dealers here locally,and have had no luck.How much did you have to give for it?
Any problems to speak of?Will it handle +P loads?Thanks,bayhawk


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## talldrink

I bought it second hand as it just kinda "fell in my lap" back in Sept. Wasn't really looking for another SA, but I couldn't pass it up. I've shot about 200 ACP and performs perfectly. Really there isn't much to go wrong with it. Haven't shot a full box of LC yet as they are just cowboy loads. I didn't receive the box or papers so I'm not for sure about +P loads, but I would be VERY surprised if it couldn't handle it. They're pretty robust. If I come up with the PDF manual online I'll take a look. It shouldn't be much of a search on google to find a free copy.


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## talldrink

http://stevespages.com/pdf/ruger_blackhawk_nm.pdf

No mentin of +P loads in manual.


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## bayhawk2

talldrink-Thanks for the info.Sounds like you were lucky
on your find.Hold on to it.It seems to be a very rare and in
demand weapon.Supposedly they made these sometime back
and quit making them.They had problems with the cylinders sticking.
The newer ones,like you have,are the good ones.As you have 
described.I have my name on the list from a few dealers I know.
I think they will be in the ballpark of $530 or so.Maybe a little more.
Once again thanks,and have a great new year.


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## holejack1

I bought one of these recently. Very handson weapon, built like a tank, and great fit and finish. Couple of downers though. First, the gun shoots high even with rear sight cranked all the way down, and I'm not talking a little bit. Second, although I was able to get the ACP cylinder to group about 2.5" the best the 45 Colt cyl would do is like dinner plate sized. I have read that the cylinder throat often needs to be reamed out a bit for these to get good accuracy. And I have read of complaints of short front sights. So overall first impressions are not great. But I will take the issue up with Ruger, and will let you know how it turns out.


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## bayhawk2

holejack-Since my original post in January,I have got one of the 
Ruger .45 colt/.45 ACP convertables.Everything you gave on
your review is true in my weapon also.I cast my own bullets
so the first problem I had was that the bullets would'nt 
go into the cylinders but about 3/4 of the way then stop.
I sized my bullets and they just would'nt go.As you also say,
I did ream the throats of the cylinders and all is good now.
I didn't really get to check the acuracy of the gun before reaming
the throats.
The acuracy is now very good.I had to work
up some loads to get it right.It did start out shooting high.
I had to adjust it all the way down and it is just enough to make my 
rounds about right with a flush bead.I had basicly the same thing with
the windage adjustment.I now love this gun,especially with the 
.45 ACP.Cheap rounds to reload and the brass at my range is plentiful.
By the way,I did call Ruger about the cylinder throats being to tight,and 
he asked if I was shooting re-loads.I said yes and it was the end of the 
conversation.He didn't want to hear my complaint after that.I've heard
others call Ruger about reaming the cylinders,even with factory ammo not
fitting.Ruger will not ream the cylinders.B/H


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## tymekeeper

Bayhawk2,

I've had a Ruger .45 ACP/.45 LC Blackhawk 'new model' Convertible since 1986 and absolutely love it! 

Prices back then aren't really relevant today, but I paid $275 for it used in as-new condition. I rarely shoot it
with the .45 ACP cyclinder and use factory ammo when I do. However I often shoot the Long Colt and normally handload the ammo for it. My favorite bullet is a 238 gr. cast semi-wad cutter, Lyman mold #452423. For comfortable loads I use either 5.2 gr. of Bullseye powder, or 8.5 gr. of Unique for higher velocity. I've also 
made up some hotter loads using the same bullet with either 6.5 gr. of Bullseye or 10.3 gr. of Unique. 
About 6000 rounds have gone through this Blackhawk over the years in without the first problem. I haven't 
had any of those problems loading the cyclinders either, but perhaps it's because my freshly-cast bullets are
always sized to .451 when lubed.
I hope this is useful.


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## Bob Wright

I have two Ruger .45Colt/.45 ACP revolvers, one 7 1/2", one 4 5/8" barrel. Both have Super Blackhawk grip frames and have been color case hardened by Doug Turnbull. The 7 1/2" gun has nearly 20,000 rounds fired through it, the shorter gun maybe 15,000 or so. Most of my shooting has been in .45 Colt, the .45 ACP just for novelty.

As to heavy loads, I've used the big 350 gr. bullet intended for the .45-70 pushed to around 1200 fps with both H110 and H4227 powders.

They're great guns. 

Bob Wright


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## RustyNut

I have a Super Blackhawk in .38/.357/9mm. It loves 158gr LSWC's & Trailboss for a plinking load. I've never had a problem with the 9mm, the shells fall in and out of the cylinder.


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## cowboy2

*Lcr 357*

LCR 357 is about 6 1/2 inches long and weights about 17 oz empty.The best deal I have seen here in Missouri is 465.00.It has a pretty good recoil but the trigger is very smooth.You can get Crimson Trace.The 38 LCR has been out here for awhile and they are going for about 600.00 with Crimson Trace.


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