45 Blackhawk Shorty in the house

[bamagreg]

I recently sold my 7.5" Blackhawk in 45 Colt for 2 reasons.  First it was 7.5" and I just thought it was too long.  Second, the chamber throats measured .455".  Yesterday I got a great deal on a 4-5/8" stainless model made in 1992 (it's was a convertible but the guy lost the acp cylinder).  This is my favorite length in a single action.  The chamber throats are tight.  A .452" Hornady jhp will not go through.  As I will mostly shoot cast bullets (purchased not my own) I am thinking I should have the chamber throats reamed to .4525".  What do you guys think.  Is it worth it to buy the reamer and pilots or just send the cylinder to someone (Maybe Mr. Garza)?  Got to get rid on those Hogue grips but other than that I really like the gun.  Hope it shoots well.

[gator89]

Shoot it, then you will know what to do.

[bula]

There are times for rubber grips but those are particularly ugly. Maybe a front sight change ?

[gsp7]

Nice find
Im looking for a shorty .45 colt also

I wonder if that was a Lipseys gun in '92

Maybe get a bisley grip frame?

[bradshaw]

Mar 12, 2020 6:22:30 GMT -5 bamagreg said:

I recently sold my 7.5" Blackhawk in 45 Colt for 2 reasons.  First it was 7.5" and I just thought it was too long.  Second, the chamber throats measured .455".  Yesterday I got a great deal on a 4-5/8" stainless model made in 1992 (it's was a convertible but the guy lost the acp cylinder).  This is my favorite length in a single action.  The chamber throats are tight.  A .452" Hornady jhp will not go through.  As I will mostly shoot cast bullets (purchased not my own) I am thinking I should have the chamber throats reamed to .4525".  What do you guys think.  Is it worth it to buy the reamer and pilots or just send the cylinder to someone (Maybe Mr. Garza)?  Got to get rid on those Hogue grips but other than that I really like the gun.  Hope it shoots well.

*****

What have you learned from SLUGGING the bore? Tight spots? Loose spots? Compression ring? After clean & lube & visual inspection, I want to know how the bore feels on the second pass of a pure lead slug, indexed to rifling same as the first pass. The second pass of an indexed slug can reveal as much as, sometimes more, than the first pass.

Unless you know what you are about, opening exit holes, trust experience. Just as there is nothing casual about SHARPSHOOTING, here is nothing casual about metal removal.

Providing your Blackhawk Convertible checks out, consider having Ruger replace missing .45 ACP cylinder. I value the Convertible highly and make no secret of it.

Those Hogues are the most hideous grips ever put on a single action. Finger grooves only make them worse. I would look for a set of the old Pachmayr Presentations for the Blackhawk, or Uncle Mike’s. (If Uncle Mike’s made a Blackhawk grip. Uncle Mike made a grip for the Super Blackhawk, which is excellent.)
David Bradshaw

[win1894s]

Shoot it then you can make a informed decision.

[bamagreg]

Mar 12, 2020 8:29:53 GMT -5 bradshaw said:

Mar 12, 2020 6:22:30 GMT -5 bamagreg said:

I recently sold my 7.5" Blackhawk in 45 Colt for 2 reasons.  First it was 7.5" and I just thought it was too long.  Second, the chamber throats measured .455".  Yesterday I got a great deal on a 4-5/8" stainless model made in 1992 (it's was a convertible but the guy lost the acp cylinder).  This is my favorite length in a single action.  The chamber throats are tight.  A .452" Hornady jhp will not go through.  As I will mostly shoot cast bullets (purchased not my own) I am thinking I should have the chamber throats reamed to .4525".  What do you guys think.  Is it worth it to buy the reamer and pilots or just send the cylinder to someone (Maybe Mr. Garza)?  Got to get rid on those Hogue grips but other than that I really like the gun.  Hope it shoots well.

*****

What have you learned from SLUGGING the bore? Tight spots? Loose spots? Compression ring? After clean & lube & visual inspection, I want to know how the bore feels on the second pass of a pure lead slug, indexed to rifling same as the first pass. The second pass of an indexed slug can reveal as much as, sometimes more, than the first pass.

Unless you know what you are about, opening exit holes, trust experience. Just as there is nothing casual about SHARPSHOOTING, here is nothing casual about metal removal.

Providing your Blackhawk Convertible checks out, consider having Ruger replace missing .45 ACP cylinder. I value the Convertible highly and make no secret of it.

Those Hogues are the most hideous grips ever put on a single action. Finger grooves only make them worse. I would look for a set of the old Pachmayr Presentations for the Blackhawk, or Uncle Mike’s. (If Uncle Mike’s made a Blackhawk grip. Uncle Mike made a grip for the Super Blackhawk, which is excellent.)
David Bradshaw


You are right, they are ugly!  I think I may have an old set of Pachmayr's somewhere.  They will be better until I can get some proper grips.  I will slug the barrel this weekend and see what I get.  

[Frank V]

Late to the party, nice Ruger. Try Herrett's stocks for some nice wooden stocks. A nice Ruger deserves wood stocks!

[coonass]

That’s nice. I am trying to buy one now that looks the same. Grips got to go. Haha

[sixshot]

One thing you can do if you must have those rubbers on there is to take a dremel tool or Foredom tool if you happen to have one (I do) and a big sanding disc & you can easily remove those non fitting, ugly finger grooves. Only takes a few minutes & you'll at least have something you can live with if you don't want to go with a good set of wood stocks.

Dick

[junebug]

If You have big hands shoot it with them on there first. I take most of the palm swell off of the right side of mine .

[2 Dogs]

Mar 12, 2020 6:22:30 GMT -5 bamagreg said:

I recently sold my 7.5" Blackhawk in 45 Colt for 2 reasons.  First it was 7.5" and I just thought it was too long.  Second, the chamber throats measured .455".  Yesterday I got a great deal on a 4-5/8" stainless model made in 1992 (it's was a convertible but the guy lost the acp cylinder).  This is my favorite length in a single action.  The chamber throats are tight.  A .452" Hornady jhp will not go through.  As I will mostly shoot cast bullets (purchased not my own) I am thinking I should have the chamber throats reamed to .4525".  What do you guys think.  Is it worth it to buy the reamer and pilots or just send the cylinder to someone (Maybe Mr. Garza)?  Got to get rid on those Hogue grips but other than that I really like the gun.  Hope it shoots well.

Take a minute and PM me your contact information. I don’t see you on my client list but I will get with you and answer any questions you have. I’m happy to help you even if you don’t hire me or buy my stuff. Best!!

[Joe S.]

I would rather pay 2dogs to do my cylinder and know it is right than to pay $130+ for a tool I’ll only use once. If you see yourself adding multiple 45s in the future, then maybe buy a reamer. But for one gun, might as well send it to Fermin. Take the money you’ll save and buy one of his pin in front sight blades.

Front sight, get the throats right, make sure it shoots good. Then maybe slick up the action, oversized base pin, nicer grips, and a Super Blackhawk hammer, and man what a looker it would be!

[bradshaw]

Joe passes sage advice. don’t be in a rush to hog out cylinder throats with a hand held reamer. Unless tools fit closely, a reamer has an appetite to wander. You may end up with a somewhat round hole of somewhat correct diameter, offset from the CHAMBER AXIS. Give Fermin a holler.

Same caution applies to gouging out the forcing cone with a hand held tool.
David Bradshaw

[bigtee]

Fermin just did the cylinders for my Flattop convertible (45C/45ACP) and he did an excellent job, they look great. He definitely takes the time to do them right, he will get more business from me.