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Teal Offline OP
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I don't know why but I have it in my head that I'd like a stouter 45 Colt. Natural choice is a Ruger Blackhawk of some flavor.

I see they make one with an additional 45ACP cylinder.

For those that have them - how often are you shooting that ACP cylinder vice Colt? Wondering if it is worth chasing down the convertible vs just a regular 45 Colt. I have a new Vaquero and 1911 so I'm versed in 45 Colt and ACP from an ammo perspective.

So - worth it or just snag the first decent Blackhawk that comes along? Thinking next year as we're almost done with this year.


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The only draw of the convertible for me would be if I had access to large amounts of free or cheap ammo in .45ACP.

I do believe that commonly available bulk .45ACP is more available and cheaper than .45 Colt factory stuff, but I'd be casting (or buying cast) and loading my own before long

I'd prefer the straight up .45 Colt


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I had a 4-5/8" Blackhawk Convertible years ago (like 20 or so) and wound up trading it for my Bisley.

I REALLY like a 4-5/8" Blackhawk anything, but in the 2 or 3 years that I owned it, I never fired the ACP cylinder. For one thing, I didn't handload .45 ACP's yet (likely the biggest factor), but now (20 years down the road) I usually shoot 286 grain 270-SAA's at 1,000fps out of my Bisley, and can't imagine that an ACP load would hit close to where my sights are at the 25+ yard line.

The Blackhawk was blued with the AL grip frame and ejector rod housing. That plus the shorter barrel made it a lighter, handier package than the Bisley. My Bisley (Bowen tuned) shoots like it has eyes, but the Blackhawk shot very well. The "big bore but handy" niche has been filled with a Kimber 1911 for the last 15 years.

I say go for it. I did like mine.

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I had one years ago. Being a handloader, I chose to shoot it with the .45 Colt cylinder most of the time. I never worked out an accuracy load for it with .45ACP.

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Teal Offline OP
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Thanks for the experiences.

I reload and that's why I'm a fan of the 45 Colt. I'm even 90% set up for casting but haven't gone down that rabbit hole yet.

Bought the Vaquero almost 10 years ago and it's a fun shooter. Got a 480R Bisley 2 years ago (?) and that's nice too and am developing a fondness and interest in the Blackhawks more and more. Most all of them are 357 Mag tho around me and while I get it - it's just not for me. I like the bigger ones. (that's what she said)

Took this old Ruger ad and had it burned on canvas as a camp decoration.

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I had one back in the 80's. Back then you could buy bulk .45 ACP ammo dirt cheap. I thought it would go nicely with my 1911.
I soon learned that I hated single action and traded it to a friend for a Security Six and never looked back.


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Originally Posted by Teal
Took this old Ruger ad and had it burned on canvas as a camp decoration.

[Linked Image from i.postimg.cc]

[Linked Image from i.postimg.cc]

Man, that is cool.

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I have a lipsey Ruger new model flat top convertible. It is a great revolver with either cylinder. When I bought it I thought the .45 Colt cylinder would be in it most of the time. While it is very accurate with both cylinders the .45acp is kind of amazing. Don’t know why.
Fun revolver, get one, you will enjoy it.

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Originally Posted by Teal
I see they make one with an additional 45ACP cylinder.

For those that have them - how often are you shooting that ACP cylinder vice Colt?

I have a stainless Ruger Bisley convertible. I enjoy the convertible option.

Often when I go to shoot the gun, I am looking for the experience of it--the size, the weight, dragging hammers with my thumbs, etc. It's not so much about how much oomph behind the bullet. With that in mind, the .45 ACP is nice, because I run that cartridge on my Dillon have a bunch of it. I have to single-stage the .45 Colt stuff, and of course, that takes time. There is no discernible difference in recoil between light 250 gr Colt loads vs high book 230gr ACP loads.

Sometimes, however, I want stiffer loads, which means .45 Colt. I shoot various loads from John Linebaugh and the "strong action only" section of my load manuals. That's fun too. I even toted my .45 Colt for elk one year. I didn't shoot one, but it added another dimension of fun to hunting.

I mainly shoot .45 ACP at the range, but am very glad to have the .45 Colt option as well. I find that the convertible was an excellent choice for my needs.


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Teal Offline OP
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Originally Posted by skeen
Originally Posted by Teal
Took this old Ruger ad and had it burned on canvas as a camp decoration.

[Linked Image from i.postimg.cc]

[Linked Image from i.postimg.cc]

Man, that is cool.

Thanks. My girlfriend made it. Couple coats of white paint on the canvas followed by black and then burned off with a laser to create the image/shading etc.


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I've had two Blackhawk convertibles, both 4 5/8". Both shot .45 Colts a lot better than .45 ACPs, but I never loaded the ACPs especially for the Blackhawks, the ACP ammo was loaded for my 1911s, and just used in the RBHs for fun and to see how they shot.

I liked both of them, but since I mostly shoot ACPs anyway, I just traded them off for this or that. I suspect the cylinder jump was the culprit for the poorer accuracy I got with the ACPs, but it might have been my taper crimped loads just didn't fit the cylinder very well. Both shot the the .45 Colts quite well. I just decided to go another direction.


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Teal Offline OP
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Originally Posted by SS336
I have a lipsey Ruger new model flat top convertible. It is a great revolver with either cylinder. When I bought it I thought the .45 Colt cylinder would be in it most of the time. While it is very accurate with both cylinders the .45acp is kind of amazing. Don’t know why.
Fun revolver, get one, you will enjoy it.

[Linked Image from i.postimg.cc]

[Linked Image from i.postimg.cc]

Those are gorgeous. Who made the bottom grips?


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I have a blued Blackhawk convertible 5.5" that shoots really well with 45 acp cylinder and loads of home cast powder coated stuff I loaded for my 1911 and xdm.

I really want the stainless flattop 4&5/8ths lipseys exclusive. I had one on order for about 3 years but have finally started bidding on them on gunbroker when they come up. I missed one on Thanksgiving that went for under $1000. When I get one my 5.5" blued Blackhawk will be for sale. I Hage a 4&5/8ths super Blackhawk stainless 44 mag I like but I really want the lighter flattop 45 convertible.

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Dumb question, but are the Flattop .45 Colt Blackhawks on the .357 size frame or the .44 frame?

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Originally Posted by Teal
[quote=SS336]Those are gorgeous. Who made the bottom grips?

Thanks, Esmeralda made the grips, they are pretty fancy.

I believe the Flattops are on the smaller frame. More Colt SAA size.

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I enjoy my convertible.....it's nice to have options!


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I really like mine, but honestly I've only shot the ACP cylinder a couple of times. I just don't think about it much I guess.

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I really like having the option to shoot either.

Load for both, but I've got around 1,500 rounds of 45 acp, so prefer to plink with that. Edited to add; especially when I loan it to the kid's, hate to have them blasting off my nice 45 Colt loads.

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Last edited by jerrywoodswalker; 11/30/22.

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Have any of you had a .357/9mm? If so, how did the 9mm shoot?


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