A little something I bought Saturday

[Guest eggman]

Here are a couple pics of something I picked up Saturday afternoon. It is a Ruger Blackhawk Convertable in .45 Colt/.45 ACP. Not real sure how the .45 ACP cylinder works as in isn't it a rimless shell. Some one will need to educate me on that one. I really bought it because it was .45 colt. I have always wanted one.

Edited January 26, 2010 by eggman

[Guest jackdm3]

Where's the other one? You KNOW you gotta have a twin rig if you're gonna cowboy up!

Edited January 26, 2010 by jackdm3

[trblmkr13]

Image has been moved or deleted?

[JPS]

I can see the images - looks great!

[Guest eggman]

Sorry about that took me a few times to get the pics to load right. I finally asked for help and then it worked.

[gregintenn]

Sweet! The 45 ACP headspaces on the case mouth instead of the rim like the 45 Colt. You poke the shells out with the ejector rod anyway, so you really don't need a rim for anything on your Ruger. I'd probably shoot 45ACPs more often than 45Colts because ammo is less expensive and more readily available. I really like your new gun.

[Guest mtsumatt]

I've got a Ruger Vaquero in 45LC and it's one of the most fun guns to shoot. The only problem is cleaning it. Mine is shiny stainless steel and I like it to shine and takes a long time to get it back to new condition. Enjoy this gun!! You'll need a western rig to really appreciate the quick draw and fire.

[Guest jackdm3]

Oh, and fanning! Don't forget the fanning!

[JeffsSig]

Now that thar is a GUN!!!

One of the few wheel guns I do like.

Congrats!

[Oh Shoot]

I've got the .357/9mm. Yeah, the rimless cartridge just slides in flush, no moon clips. It may be my favorite pistola.

- OS

[Guest mosinon]

I've got the .357/9mm. Yeah, the rimless cartridge just slides in flush, no moon clips. It may be my favorite pistola.

- OS

I think I've shot that weapon! Pure awesome. I remember thinking "just another gun" before I shot it and "this is the coolest gun ever" after I shot it. I think it might be my favorite pistola ever as well.

I'm starting to get a thing for wheel guns.

[Oh Shoot]

I think I've shot that weapon! Pure awesome. I remember thinking "just another gun" before I shot it and "this is the coolest gun ever" after I shot it. I think it might be my favorite pistola ever as well.

I'm starting to get a thing for wheel guns.

You're getting a thing for most guns.

You haven't shot its long brother yet, though, the Marlin .357.

- OS

[Guest Jamie]

Oh, and fanning! Don't forget the fanning!

No, please do forget the fanning. It's hard on the gun, and, with those adjustable rear sights sticking up there, hard on the hand.

Then again, if you like busted firing pins, cylinder hands worn out or broken before their time, and little bitty dimples all over the face of your cylinder, just wear a leather work glove and go right ahead and fan the gun.

J.

P.S. Too bad Ruger doesn't see fit to make convertible versions of the Vaqueros....

[Oh Shoot]

No, please do forget the fanning. It's hard on the gun, and, with those adjustable rear sights sticking up there, hard on the hand...

Yah, I've fanned mine through a cylinder's worth a couple of times, just to have done it. I don't necessarily see how it would damage it, as all the same things must happen at the same time, but the sight is in the way, no way to do it effectively, gloved hand or not.

- OS

[Guest jackdm3]

My only experience with fanning is with my Ruger .22 convertible, and because it's cheap to shoot like that. But painful it is. Only two or three times, but you gotta try it. I don't drive my cars the way I did at 16-21. But you gotta push things on occasion.

[setsdw]

Dang those are all things on my wish list. I've always loved the cowboy guns long and short but I never wanted to add another caliber. I've had my eye on one with the 45acp cylinder for awhile.

[Wingshooter]

Nice Ruger!!! I really like the convertibles. That is awesome to get two calibers in one. I have a Single-Six .22/.22mag convert. ss. I need to snap some pics of that one. There's just something about single action shooting that keeps me wanting more of these revolvers. Vaquero is next for me.

Here are my .44 mag's:

(holster got stained on a hog hunt... battle scars:tough:) I go in the woods, it goes with me.

Same gun with 7.5" ported bbl, trigger job, square trigger guard, Hogue grips, and Burris 2X

Edited January 26, 2010 by Batman

[railfancwb]

If you wish to for some reason, you can have a 'smith turn the back of the 45 ACP cylinder enough to allow rimmed 45 ACP to be shot. Would not affect the ability to shoot rimless 45 ACP...or so I'm told...

[Guest Jamie]

Yah, I've fanned mine through a cylinder's worth a couple of times, just to have done it. I don't necessarily see how it would damage it, as all the same things must happen at the same time, but the sight is in the way, no way to do it effectively, gloved hand or not.

- OS

There's a couple of ways a six-gun can be damaged by fanning:

One, the added inertia caused by slamming the hammer back, and the stress put on some pretty small parts. The cylinder hand, for instance. It's only about 1/8th inch thick, and has a fairly sharp edge that engages the teeth on the back of the cylinder. The harder and faster you cock the hammer, the harder and faster that little bit of metal gets jammed into the back of the cylinder.

And if your gun isn't timed perfectly... say, the cylinder hand is just a little too long, and the cylinder bolt locks up before the hammer is completely back against the grip frame, then you've got a situation where the entire weight and force of your hand is jamming the cylinder hand into the back of a now immobile cylinder. This will wear both the cylinder teeth and the hand prematurely at best, and break or chip one of them at worst. Oh, and slamming the cylinder around hard and fast for the bolt to catch will also peen the edges of the cylinder bolt holes as well.

And even if the gun is timed right, and in perfect working order, fanning a single-action revolver still basically produces the same kind of force and wear that you'd get from shooting heavy +P+ loads in a 1911 or other auto-loader without bothering to install a stronger recoil spring.

Metal just gets slammed against metal a whole lot harder that it was ever intended to. And the guys that do the trick shooting and fanning for a living know that, and have their guns modified to take the abuse.

Oh, and if you screw up and short-stroke the hammer ( your hand slips off before the hammer is fully cocked ), you also run the chance of the hammer coming down in between the cartridges, and driving the firing pin into the face of the cylinder. There's less chance of this with a center fire gun than with a rim fire one, but it's still possible, and even likely, if you fan the gun often enough.

J.

Edited January 26, 2010 by Jamie

[Wingshooter]

I like the fluted cylinders on the .45/.45acp and the .357/9mm.

[Guest JustMyLuck]

Congrats nice piece.

Iv'e been interested in one of those myself.

JML

[Oh Shoot]

There's a couple of ways a six-gun can be damaged by fanning:...

Ah, thanks muchly for detailed explanation ...

- OS