Ruger Blackhawk Colt 45

[Doble Troble]

Well guys a gunshow came through our little burg last weekend and I'd been wanting a Blackhawk in Colt 45 (for no better reason than I have a rifle in Colt 45 and it isn't accurate enough and I have all the reloading stuff and am not using it...so I need a new gun). It turned-out that exactly what I was looking for was there waiting for me and at a reasonable price ($340). So I bought it.

 

The first thing I did when I got it home was slug the barrel and the cylinder. My plan is to shoot cast bullets out of it (the hundreds that I made while thinking that my Marlin 1894 was going to make it as a buffalo rifle which led to another project that is an entirely different story. Anyway it turned out that the chamber throats spec'ed out at 0.449' and the bore grooves at 0.452" Not a good combo, especially with cast bullets, and I've learned that this is a common problem with Ruger Colt 45s. It's so common that Brownell's sells a throating reamer specifically for the problem (but they want $75 for the reamer and $40 more for the pilots.

 

I didn't spend good money on a mini- lathe and mill to be paying for throating reamers, and so I made my own. I used the approach I've developed for making chambering reamers. But this throating reamer was much easier. Since working-up the chamber reamer method I've learned more about relieving the lands. This post on the AR board was particularly educational. I've recently acquired a belt sander which is rapidly becoming my second favorite power tool (after my cheap Harbor Freight bandsaw). I carefully relieved the lands using the belt sander and a 120 grit belt until I could just still see each land. Then I stoned to sharpen. This is the best cutting reamer I've ever made.

 

The reamed throats have come out at 0.454" The reamer was 0.453" which is what I was hoping the final dimension would be. I hope I didn't screw the pooch, but its got to be an improvement over what would have happened to those cast bullets with 0.449" throats.

 

[roscoedoh]

Doble Troble,

 

My father has almost the exact revolver you now own and having shot it a bunch, I can tell that you will find it accurate and a lot fun. Furthermore, load it with enough H110 and you will be impressed with both the ballistics and the ball of fire at the end of the barrel. From everything I have witnessed, a blackhawk is just about indestructable and when you're shooting normal 45 loads, the only problems you'll have are not bringing enough ammunition to the range!

 

Let us know how the throating effects your accuracy. Dad has some damn accurate loads for his already and is always looking to improve on it; I am interested in seeing your results. Good job on the reamer too!

 

Jason

[Doble Troble]

Jason,

 

Thanks for the info. I wasn't a good scientist and I didn't shoot it before I reamed it (the thought of my nice 0.452 bullets going through those 0.449 throats was like fingernails on a chalkboard), so I won't have any before and after data. I've got about 150 various cartridges that I loaded-up for the Marlin that I plan to shoot through it tomorrow (if the range isn't still flooded - we're not having any rain problems here on the E. Coast right now). They're pretty hot - I've got some of the 300 gr gas checked bullets from the Lee mold over 22 gr of H-110. According to Linebaugh they should be under max, but I bet the fireball that you mentioned will be forthcoming.

 

I'd be very interested in your Dad's accuracy loads if he doesn't mind sharing them (if he does I understand).

 

After I run what I have loaded through it I should have some idea of where to start working up.

 

If it shoots I might try hunting with it - you don't have to be imprisioned in a tree stand to handgun hunt out here. I've got a lot of deer to shoot this season with all the guns I've acquired/put together over the winter and spring. Hopefully I'll have more time this year. We still have a bit of venison in the freezer, but I think that we'll probably cook it up for a 4th of July treat.

 

 

 

[roscoedoh]

We're going to do Fritz proud by smoking the 40lbs of brisket I bought this evening on 4th!

 

----------

 

I will email my Dad for his accuracy load. Its actually not nearly as hot as you'd think - a mere 200 grn bullet seated back into the cartridge quite a ways and not loaded all that hot. It is very easy to shoot and very accurate. I'll email him for his load this weekend and pass it on to you once I get it.

 

The Linebaugh H110 loads are something else again! Loud, lots of fire, fair amout of recoil...Dad liked them so well he bought a Super Redhawk in 454 Casull and shoots that all the time. I believe he loads a gas checked, Keith type cast bullet over H110 for his hunting load. Whatever it is, its a handful!

 

You can load the 45 from mild to wild depending on your idea of fun. You have a highly versatile and potentially very accurate pistol that will definitely kill a deer for you this year. Dad bought his to hunt with and fully intends to make use of it this year. I think you should too.

 

Yall don't float off with all that rain! Have a safe 4th of July.

 

Jason

[roscoedoh]

K,

 

Email sent!

 

Jason

[Doble Troble]

Jason,

 

I didn't get the email!

 

Hopefully you can just forward it. I'll PM my email address (hopefully I didn't screw it up in my profile).

 

I got a 200 gr mold. This one from Midway. Thinking that I could save some lead by casting some light bullets. The blackhawk doesn't like them AT ALL. They were hitting all over the place. I carefully loaded-up five rounds each with Unique from 8.0 - 10.5 gr in 0.5 gr increments. I didn't get past 9.0 gr. I guess I'll pull the rest. The 300 gr gas checked ones I cast are more accurate, but are definitely on the wild side. These like H110 and lots of it. I can keep them on a 4" paper plate with Unique, and those loads aren't so wild, but I'm hoping to find something that will do ragged holes without needed a two-hand hold to keep that long barrel away from my forehead.

 

I guess I'll Ebay the 200 gr mold, I suspect the bullet was designed for the 1911 and not for the Colt 45. I had some 250 gr bullets from a batch that I bought a long time ago that are traditional Colt 45 design and they shoot very well with 8 gr of Unique. Unfortuneately I only have a few of them left. I guess I need to start looking for that type of mold. I like the cheap Lee 6 bangers - you can cast a pile of bullets in no time. This one is very close and I think I'm going to order it.

[Doble Troble]

Well guys, I finally had a chance to get some range time this afternoon - it seems like its been a month since I discharged a firearm which is just plain no good.

 

I shot my 35-55 and Colt 45. It was a cast bullet only session. That 38-55 is so consistent that I don't need to bore you with details. I'm glad its a shooter, but its cruel that somehow that translates into having to shoot it less.

 

The Colt 45 - Ruger Blackhawk referenced above is a different story. I've been trying to work-up an accurate load. The first few shots that I took with it standing with a two-hand hold were 10 rounds into 4" inches - many of them touching to create a big ragged hole. These loads were 8 gr of Unique with 250 gr store-bought RNFP bullets with bright red crayola lube. I haven't bettered this accuracy yet.

 

I loaded up a bunch of these 200 gr SWC from a Lee mold because I like the convenience of the tumble lube system, and wanted a plinking bullet. They shot sideways in probably a four foot diameter at 25 yds with loads of Unique from 8.0 - 10.0 in 0.5 gr increments. Because of this I ordered this mold which is close to the design of the store bought bullet that shoots well. See how casting your own saves you money? Anyway, the mold hasn't gotten here yet and so you can brace yourself for another report later.

 

What I did today was shoot a bunch of these 300 gr gas checked bullets with loads of H110 from 20.0 - 22.0 gr in 0.5 gr increments. I bought this mold a long time ago for my Marlin 1894 rifle and they shoot very accurately to 100 yds but not to 200 yds - don't know why.

 

I shot 5 round of each off the bench at 25 yds. These are some fire-breathing loads. I've tried, but this bullet doesn't shoot well with Unique up to 10 gr and so I've decided that this ain't going to be a plinker (even with light charges of Unique, this bullet gets your attention). So shooting off the bench at 25 yds the 20.0 gr loads and the 21.5 gr loads both shot into about 3". I'll load up a couple (not too many) more to send over the chrono later. I suspect that the 20.0 gr load will do whatever I want it to (kill large mammals within 50 yds). The strange thing about this shooting session is that I loaded-up 20 rounds of the 20.0 gr charge so that I'd have plenty to zero the sights. The sights didn't need adjustment and so I had plenty of extras after the charge experiment. I shot these standing with a two-hand hold (which is much funner, but still fire-breathingly dramatic) and my groups were better. The total spread was still about 3" but there were many more touching. Shooting this beast freehand is more accurate than from a rest (a 4x4 wrapped in carpet). My conclusion is that I get a better hold freehand - sometimes off the rest the beast will almost come out of my hands. These big bore handguns require a firm grip which is compromised by shooting off a rest.

 

Very fun. Once the Tylenol kicks in the palm swelling should recede.

[sphingta]

those heavy loads in the blackhawk are definitaly fire breathers. I usually only shot mine with jacketed bullets. I just got done loading up some 338-06 rounds and now i think i'll go load some 45's up. Its been much to long since i shot it.