Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns .45 AR vs Ruger Blackhawk

There is a long running debate on another forum about whether or not a Ruger Blackhawk convertible .45acp cylinder can be modified to shoot .45 Auto Rim. Does anyone know for sure?

Yes, Brian Pearce covered it in Handloader once. Two ways to do it, either recess the chambers or trim back the whole rear of the cylinder.

It would be a neat mod, if you had enough AR brass to make it worthwhile.

Anyone have a link to the article? It would be nice to finally put the naysayers to rest.

Should be a simple matter of dropping the cylinder on a lathe and taking a little material off the back.

I am pretty certain that Alan Harton has done the mod.

And the obvious question is why?

.45 Auto cases work great in the Ruger chamber and are everywhere. They are literally free for the taking on a lot of ranges. I'm not sure I've ever seen a .45 AR case except maybe at a gunshow.

Exactly. Why spend the money to convert.

Why not. The conversion shouldn't cost that much and would be much cheaper than a S&W wheel gun. Midway carries new brass and it is only $2 more than .45acp but still $1 cheaper than .45colt brass.

I don't see the point in such a conversion, one can load the 45 acp cases the same for the revolver as one can the auto rim case. A double action revolver modified to shoot 45 acp in a full moon clips has merit IMHO for speed loading

I am one of those guys who had a .45 Colt NMBH with a .45 ACP cylinder converted to allow the use of .45 AR. I find the NMBH is smoother cycling with AR cases than ACP and it certainly didn�t hurt accuracy. I also prefer to use AR cases in my 625 on the range. When I have used the 625 for IPSC I use moon clips, but I don�t really like them. My Dillon 550 is set up to load .45 ACP or AR interchangeably with just a switch of shell plate.

Like most things in life, it is a matter of personal preference.

What did the modification cost ball park if you don't mine me asking. Maybe someday I'll get around to having mine done.

I don't recall. It has been a while, but it was under $80.

Wow, I wish our gunsmiths (if you can find a killed one) were that cheap.

So Justin,

Is it just to have the option of using AR brass? That�s a tough sell to me though, the .45 AR cartridge is all but non-existent these days. If you had several DA revolvers that you used AR brass in, I could maybe understand it. But to use AR in your Blackhawk, you�d really have to go well out of your way to do so.

Perhaps it helps that I have 4 single action NMBHs and 3 double action (25-2, 625JM, 625PC) in .45 ACP/AR. I also have plenty of .45 ACP brass and plenty of .45 AR brass (Remington and Starline). Works fine.

That splains it. BTW, I always liked the Keith 240 grain SWC he designed for the AR; cool bullet.