Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Tell me about. Ruger 45 colts

Blackhawks in 45 colt. Are they strong enough for heavy duty loads, what would be a beter choice 4.75 inch or 5.5 inch barrel

The Blackhawk frame will handle anything you want to throw at it, and is oft used for custom conversions in 475 and 500 Linebaugh, et al. I like the shorties, but a longer barrel can be more user friendly in terms of sight radius and muzzle flip, and perhaps a tad more velocity. Get whichever feels right.

Heavier that normal factory loads yes, but don't try to make them into a .454. Several of the loading manuals list +P loads that will work fine in a Blackhawk.

The standard, full size, Blackhawks will take the "Ruger only" loads listed in loading manuals.

The Flattop Blackhawks in .45 Colt will not. I recommend reading Brian Pearce's article on the strength of the .45 Colt Flattop Blackhawk if you intend to buy that model.

As for barrel length, it is a matter of personal preference. I prefer 5.5" because I usually carry my revolvers in a chest holster, and I like the longer sight radius and slightly less muzzle jump the longer barrel gives. The ballistic difference between the two barrel lengths is immaterial in real world use. If you can, try both before you buy and buy the barrel length that feels the best in your hand.

Its mainly going to be a packing gun. I have a super blackhawk hunter for a main hunting gun

I recently picked up a Ruger Bisley convertible in 45 colt, and also comes with a 45ACP cylinder. The ACP cylinder makes it a little more versatile and could benefit more family members, was my intent. It's in stainless with a 5.5" barrel, and handles loads recommended only for Ruger, FA, TX and Anaconda very well and accurately, the little I've shot it so far. I like the Bisley grip. It doesn't pivot in my hand like a standard Blackhawk does with hotter loads. I haven't owned a single action for a long time, but believe this one will be a permanent fixture.

Another vote for the Bisley grip



A belt Mountain base pin just arrived for it, so I am slowly collecting the stuff to shoot it

Ricky where did you find the bisley?

Mine is a Williams Shooters Supply Distributor Exclusive 5 1/2 inch Bisley in .45 Colt that is quickly becoming one of my favorites.

+1 on the bisley. Handles recoil much better. I had a 45 colt convertible and it was a fine shooter. Had to have the cylinder throats reamed out in mine which seems to be fairly common. Cylindersmith.com did a nice job for about $50. Improved accuracy a good bit. The rugers will take stout loads, I was loading my 45 colt with a 335 gn cp bullet at around 1150. Had some room to go hotter but didnt see the need.

I have a 5.5 44 SS SBH and now a 45 colt SS bisley blackhawk. I so much prefer the Bisley grip, that the SBH will go down the road as soon as I get around to it.

The 5.5 Bisley comes with the high front sight which lets the me shoot heavies without modification, although I did add a Bowen rough country rear sight for its white outline. I also did the cylinder throats from the cylindersmith. He was less than a week from door to door.

As for me, my use is going to be deer and eastern black bear so I am hoping to get a 255 swc (cheap) and a 265 WFN for hunting to shoot to the same place at hopefully a mild 1100-1150 fps.

Yesterday I received my DiamondD chest holster for it. I am barely 100 rounds down the tube and I can tell I am going to love it.

The 4-5/8" bbl and 5.5" bbl are slightly handier sizes, if you're looking for a general packing pistola. If you want to shoot the "Ruger Only" loads listed in the reload manuals, you'll want to stick with the fullsize frame, and avoid the medium frame flattops available now & then from Lipsey's.

But truth to tell, you don't need the really heavy loads to get done what needs doing. A cast 255-260 gr bullet at 950-1000 fps muzzle velocity will cut through a whitetail from left shoulder to right hindquarter 9 times out of 10 and it won't beat your hands & wrists up at the range.

I used to run 300 gr bullets at 1300+ fps out of my Bisley because that's what all the macho revolver gunwriters were saying you needed to do. After a few years of that I decided enough was enough and everything I've shot since then has been with a much more sedate loading.

Brian Pearce's article on handloads for the medium-frame Lipsey's guns lines up pretty well with the kinds of power my favorite 45 Colt loads have. 255-280 gr bullets at about 1000-1100 fps. These are safe in the medium frame guns, and work just as well in the fullsize frame guns too.

I really like the looks of tge stainless bisley from williams. Just cant find a williams dealer around here

There are almost always several on gunbroker, both regular .45 Colt and .45 Colt/.45 Auto convertibles.

Take your pick.

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=343273923

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=343148155

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=342904177

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=343606037

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=343503723

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=343073761

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=343934049

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=343538678

The Ruger Blackhawk in 45 Colt is about as good as you can get in a Single Action Revolver. My personal choice is the 4.75 inch barrel . My carry and hunting load is the RCBS 270 gr SWC Keith Type Bullet with Titegroup and CCI 300

Sure do enjoy my Bisley Blackhawk

It is a great tool...

Do you have some grips planned with that wood? That block looks like it could be stunning. I have tried to do grips twice and have yet to be satisfied with the results, I can get a nice fit on everything but something is off on the grip dimensions and I can never get them to feel right.

I have an even nicer piece of claro walnut that I am going to use. Jack Huntington does a beautiful Bisley that is recontoured and the grips are made to fir your hand. Here is a set he did for my .500 Maximum -- in this picture they're not done yet, but close. This is the treatment I will have done to the .45 Colt Bisley. Eliminated the knuckle busting almost completely. Below it is the piece of claro walnut I will be using.

Well i bid on a stainless bisley and am sonfar winning it, we will see this is the firat time i have ever bid on a gun

That's yummy looking wood

I have noticed that Ruger is overall doing a nicer job on these, too, compared to the one I owned ten years ago. The stainless finish is very smooth and even, with a nice luster. The much hated safety warning is now on the underside of the barrel, where it is much less noticeable than in the past, when it was on the side of the barrel.

I installed the Belt Mountain #5 pin. On a past gun in 2002 I found the factory pin measured .2470". On this one it measures .2482". The new Belt pin checks .2490", and is a little fussy to get fitted. At least on this gun, it would have to be polished if it were any larger. The #5 style makes it a little easier to grasp. The cost is modest, and they are still worthwhile, despite Ruger's improvements.