Ruger Blackhawk.45 Colt

CH4 · #1 03-23-2021, 11:35 AM

At last weekend’s Big Reno Show I actually found a gun I was looking for, a Ruger 4 5/8 Blackhawk in .45 Colt. Most Blackhawks I come across are in .45 Colt, except this show; everyone one I found was in every caliber but .45. I finally stumbled upon this NIB example just as I was getting ready to leave. It was manufactured in late 1987. As luck would have it, I found 2 100 ct bags of new, primed .45 Colt brass for $20 each. I didn’t need anymore Colt brass, but I wasn’t going to leave 200 free primers behind.

quikdraw67 · #2 03-23-2021, 11:54 AM

Sweet! Nice wood on the grips too.

I would have been on that like a starving dog on a pork chop.

CH4 · #3 03-23-2021, 12:03 PM

Thanks
I much prefer the older walnut grips to the current red laminated ones.

jeffrefrig · #4 03-23-2021, 12:47 PM

Nice gun, and NIB! Crazy. I've been thinking, just thinking, that if I saw a nice Colt revolver I might have to spring for it. Trouble is, I don't need one (said nobody!) I have a whole box of .45s just waiting to be shot, left over from a Uberti I had. Just had them in my hand the other day; the price tag from Dunham's said $34.95, I believe.
Have fun with that new gun, either looking at it or shooting it. I would shoot it, but it isn't mine or my business! Nice find.

CH4 · #5 03-23-2021, 01:14 PM

Thanks! It’ll definitely get shot. I have a 625-6 MG in 45 Colt, but it doesn’t pair well with my 1873 - it needed a SA playmate.

Golddollar · #6 03-23-2021, 01:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CH4

At last weekend’s Big Reno Show I actually found a gun I was looking for, a Ruger 4 5/8 Blackhawk in .45 Colt. Most Blackhawks I come across are in .45 Colt, except this show; everyone one I found was in every caliber but .45. I finally stumbled upon this NIB example just as I was getting ready to leave. It was manufactured in the late 80s, possibly 1988. As luck would have it, I found 2 100 ct bags of new, primed .45 Colt brass for $20 each. I didn’t need anymore Colt brass, but I wasn’t going to leave 200 free primers behind.

Congratulations. One of those was my very first centerfire handgun. Now I have two pair of them, blue and stainless, all with the 7 1/2" barrel, that I used for Cowboy Action Shooting. It's a fun gun to shoot with that big .45 Colt shell.

max · #7 03-23-2021, 04:36 PM

Many years ago, I was searching for a convertible with the extra 45acp cylinder. I found a longer barreled one and sent it to Ruger and they fitted the extra cylinder for very nominal fee. They also fitted a new 45 Colt cylinder. They sent a note back with the gun, hoping I didn't mind as they found some problem with that cylinder. I bought a set of plastic grips to make it look just like the gun Matt Dillon had.

I soon sold it, but I don't remember why. I just never warmed to SAA style guns. Later on, I had a SAA clone and didn't keep it long either. I now have a 25-5 and enjoy loading for and shooting it.

vonn · #8 03-23-2021, 06:28 PM

Nice ��. Range report would be great!

CH4 · #9 03-23-2021, 06:37 PM

I HAD a new Blackhawk convertible, 45 Colt/45 acp, paid $290; far less than I paid for this one and it doesn’t have the second cylinder, which I never had a need for.

BSA1 · #10 03-23-2021, 06:43 PM

There is something about stroking my man ego when thumbing those big 45 Colt rounds into the chambers.

I had a convertible 45 Colt and Auto Blackhawk but never warmed up to it. Just to ugly and big. However I love the Vaqueros. Probably from watching too many westerns when growing up.

.38SuperMan · #11 03-23-2021, 06:46 PM

I bought one like it in 2019 from Grab a Gun. My BH came with plastic grips that were too thin and way too ugly so I had a set of spalted maple grips made.

Let me tell you what happens when you buy a new single action. I bought a new Single 6 convertible SS back in the early 80’s. It took a while but I finally got a Henry 22 carbine. Love the combo!

Then I bought the BH 45Colt a couple years ago and had to get a Henry 45 Colt Big Boy Brass carbine. Love that combo too.

Then I couldn’t leave well enough alone. I then bought a new 7-1/2” or is it 6-1/2” BH convertible 357/9mm. Of course after getting the 357 I had to buy a Henry Big Boy Brass carbine in 357. Very sweet!

Now I have the bug and bought a new Winchester 1892 Saddle ring carbine in 45LC. This is where I’ve stopped for the moment but lust for a new Colt Single Action Army.

It’s a disease there’s no cure for.

Muley Gil · #12 03-23-2021, 07:13 PM

My first centerfire revolver was an Old Model 4 5/8" Ruger Blackhawk in .45 Colt. I loaned it to a so-called friend who pawned it and never redeemed it.

In the early '90s, I bought a 4 5/8" New Model .45 Convertible Blackhawk. As I was a badge toter and my buddy the range officer had a cabinet full of .45 ACP ammo, I seldom used the Colt cylinder.

I need to get it out of the safe and burn some ammo.

Loyaljeeper · #13 03-23-2021, 07:20 PM

I had that gun in stainless from circa 1997. It was my dream gun until I shot it. The cylinder pin backed itself out like crazy and it didn’t group for anything. It’s a shame; I really wanted to like it.

GypsmJim · #14 03-23-2021, 07:23 PM

Mine is the same model, but a 1976 roll marked commemorative. Bought the gun new 45 years ago.

Funny thing, I just had her out at the range this morning. Along with my 25-5 with big throats.

The 25-5 requires 0.454 boolits, but the same rounds go in the Ruger just fine. In fact , with the big ones she is a real tack driver.

RobertJ. · #15 03-23-2021, 07:25 PM

Very nice! I love the RBH. I've been shooting them since I was eleven.

This is mine, in .45 Colt. My friend Kip traded it to me, and it was too good a deal to pass up. It already had the over-sized stocks and the rib. I wasn't too wild about those, but they've grown on me, especially since it's one of my most accurate revolvers.

Muley Gil · #16 03-23-2021, 07:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Loyaljeeper

I had that gun in stainless from circa 1997. It was my dream gun until I shot it. The cylinder pin backed itself out like crazy and it didn’t group for anything. It’s a shame; I really wanted to like it.

Did you send it back to Ruger? Usually, they have excellent customer service.

Loyaljeeper · #17 03-23-2021, 07:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Muley Gil

Did you send it back to Ruger? Usually, they have excellent customer service.

No, I read up on it and found it was a common problem, and Ruger would often “fix” but not really. I sent it on down the road. If it had grouped better I would have probably bought the aftermarket pin made to address the issue. I ended up with a 625 for my big bore needs and it grouped much tighter. I’m two for four on Ruger revolvers.

Sistema1927 · #18 03-23-2021, 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Loyaljeeper

I had that gun in stainless from circa 1997. It was my dream gun until I shot it. The cylinder pin backed itself out like crazy and it didn’t group for anything. It’s a shame; I really wanted to like it.

Must be "luck of the draw". I have the same gun in stainless, and it is one of my favorites.

Catbacker88 · #19 03-23-2021, 08:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GypsmJim

Mine is the same model, but a 1976 roll marked commemorative. Bought the gun new 45 years ago.

Funny thing, I just had her out at the range this morning. Along with my 25-5 with big throats.

The 25-5 requires 0.454 boolits, but the same rounds go in the Ruger just fine. In fact , with the big ones she is a real tack driver.

My very first centerfire handgun was a 4-5/8" 200th year. Bought it new from a hardware store with money from my very first post high school paycheck. It was $235 plus 3% sales tax. A fair sum at $2.30 an hour. June 1977. I still have it. It's never fired anything but 255 grain Keith bullets, most over 8 grains of Unique. A lot of them!

Chukar60 · #20 03-23-2021, 11:21 PM

Great gun.
I have owned numerous BH’s in 45 Colt. Al were good shooters except the last one. The barrel was threaded into the frame at an angle. Sent it back and then traded the replacement for a 25-5.
I have been thinking about another one. Love the 4 5/8 barrel and the BH is a sturdy gun that will handle any load I cared to shoot out it and more.
I am slightly envious.

k22fan · #21 03-23-2021, 11:45 PM

In my Ruger single actions I've made do with wimpy little .44 Mags and other smaller calibers but I've had good times firing friends' .45 Black Hawks when we let each other shoot our guns. One of them shortened the rear end of his convertible's ACP cylinder so he could also fire .45 Auto Rim. While .45 AR cartridges are not desperately needed in a Black Hawk, for reloaders already using .45 AR it's an easy inexpensive alteration.

mtgianni · #22 03-24-2021, 11:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Loyaljeeper

I had that gun in stainless from circa 1997. It was my dream gun until I shot it. The cylinder pin backed itself out like crazy and it didn’t group for anything. It’s a shame; I really wanted to like it.

A $10 at the time Belt Mountain base pin would have solved most of those problems. They traditionally have had undersized cylinder holes. The two I have owned and my sons both had at least one hole that measured 0.448" instead of 0.452. That can ruin cast loads but is a fairly inexpensive fix.