"Beater" Ruger NMB 45

[x101airborne]

Wondering what amount of light anyone may be able to share with me on a New Model Blackhawk 45 I brought home. It is in very well carried condition with knicks, scratches, and bluing loss. I bought it fairly cheap since it appears to be a convertible 45 but only came with the ACP cylinder. Serial number is 46-4094X. From front face of the cylinder the barrel measures out to 4.5 inches. Silver screw and nut in the grips (I cant spell the proper name for it), raised bird on the medallion but I cant tell if the bird is black with silver spots or silver with black tarnish. Standard "SR" on the bird. Full length ejector housing. Top of front sight is polished from holster wear. The grip frame is certainly aluminum alloy but the coating is strong with few gouges in it. Throats will let a .4515 cast bullet push through with a pencil eraser. All 6 throats feel the same. Bore is in great shape. Forcing cone seems a little deeper than normal but no pitting or erosion around the barrel tenon. Seems to be carried a lot and shot fairly often without over doing it. No box or 45 Colt cylinder. 

So what can you learned people tell me about this one? (PS- NONE of my other 45 cylinders will come close to fitting in this frame.)

[hunter01]

Thats exactly what im looking for myself. An inexpensive large frame 45acp!

[bradshaw]

Trey.... you know the drill. Shoot it: let the target be the arbiter of accuracy.

A forcing cone cut with Ruger’s standard 11-degree included-angle, cut deeper than I would like, may not be an impediment.to the accuracy you desire. I wouldn’t touch your chamber exit holes.

Tyrone can tell you more about the serial number, etc. The .45 ACP is a fantastic single action cartridge. I load .45 ACP for interchangeability between autos & sixguns. Reckon a call to Ruger Customer Srvice in Newport NH would clear approval to send it in for a .45 Colt cylinder. From what you describe, my inclination is to enjoy it as a .45 ACP.
David Bradshaw

[x101airborne]

It being 45 ACP is what convinced me to take it home. I have small primer ACP brass and can load bullets that would never feed (or would be unlikely to feed) in a semi auto. Bumping pressure a little with generous load development and research would equal the original 45 Colt loadings easily. There isn't a whole lot on this ranch that a 250 flat point at 800 fps wont park. I have more time than money so I am going to shoot it as is before planning any updates.

[x101airborne]

Mar 31, 2024 8:42:42 GMT -5 hunter01 said:

Thats exactly what im looking for myself. An inexpensive large frame 45acp!

The guy also has a large frame original Vaquero, stainless and looked to be about 5 inch barrel not much more expensive than this BH. I am going back for it this week if I can. 

[boolitdesigner]

You will find it has VERY tight chambers. A taper crimp die adjusted down slowly will get the proper fit. Enjoy it as all I’ve had are really great shooters.

[contender]

Ok, you have a NM that was made in 1977. It may or may not have the crappy "warning" rollmarking on the barrel. A lot depends upon when it was actually assembled & shipped. 1977 is the transition timeframe for that.

Ruger never made a production .45 acp only Blackhawk in 1977.

It's missing the Colt cylinder. Also,, the barrel should actually measure 4-5/8". If it's an actual 4-1/2" somebody has possibly cut it back & recut the forcing cone.

Grips sound like factory,, and they would be silver raised eagles,, with wear causing the black spots. No SR on the older black eagle medallions.

Due to the often separated spare cylinders,, I'd say your gun suffered that fate. As for another one fitting your gun,, you'd need to look for a NM .45 Colt cylinder the same OAL as your ACP cylinder. BUT,,,, if someone has set the barrel back,, you may have a bit of a harder time finding one. On the New Model,, (vs the Old Models) the cylinder boss ring is notably different in length. The NM has a longer boss. The OM's have a shorter boss. I can't recall if I have a comparison picture in my files,, but if I don't I'll remedy that later.
But if you get a NM cylinder a little long,, you can hone off a part of the boss to fit the frame window. Generally speaking,, the timing will be just fine.

[x101airborne]

Thank you Contender. Mine does not have the billboard warning. Just the standard "Sturm Ruger" markings and they are clean (not buffed off when refinishing) but shallow. Barely get a fingernail flick running over the lettering. Cool that it is a 1977. That is my birthyear.

[x101airborne]

BTW... If I am measuring from the face of the cylinder instead of hooking the back of the frame, could that be the difference? I really dont think the barrel has been set back unless someone did one hell of a job filling in the old screw hole for the ejector housing.

[Encore64]

The 45 ACP is an excellent revolver round. The Blackhawk will easily take 45 Super Loads. The fully supported chambers do the work.

I'm working on a similar project and will report in due time.

Sounds like you got a good ones...

[jpw480]

sounds like a keeper. you can shorten the barrel and keep ejector rod housing hole, just face off ejector rod housing i have a 45 colt cylinder if it's close in size.

[contender]

As noted,, you can face off the ERH. I too measure from the face of the cylinder for measurements. Ruger factory 4-5/8" is the standard. And I've seen customs that were 4-1/2" because the barrel was set back & re-cut.
That 1977 gun was just before the addition of the warning billboard.

[bigbrowndog]

Look at LoadData for some 45AR and acp loads pushing 250-270gr. bullets at hardball velocity. They are accurate and potent in my SW1917.

Trapr

[RDW]

Mar 31, 2024 16:53:24 GMT -5 x101airborne said:

Thank you Contender. Mine does not have the billboard warning. Just the standard "Sturm Ruger" markings and they are clean (not buffed off when refinishing) but shallow. Barely get a fingernail flick running over the lettering. Cool that it is a 1977. That is my birthyear.

Well you little youngster you! Hahaha.
Get me some dimentions Trey. I will have a takeoff cylinder for 45 colt you can have.
If not, we can mod 1 to match.
R

[revolvercranker]

You have a great revolver as is and  you probably got it really cheap. Lucky you.  That metal part where the grip screw, screws into is called a "ferrule".   Most the 45acp cylinder Rugers shoot like target pistols. Make sure you fully size the brass as most of the owners of these cylinder including myself say they are the tightest chambers in 45acp. Everything in reloading them has to be dead on or you can't chamber them fully to let the cylinder turn. I love mine.  As boolitdesigner said taper crimp them or very light roll crimp them