HALLAUSTIN
New member
Can these be loaded hot? I know the redhawks can, but I dont know if these can. Ps if any has one, how do you like it?
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
Ruger Bisley .45 colt
- Thread starter HALLAUSTIN
- Start date
It depends on specifically which model you have. I do not have a Bisley, but do have several other single action Ruger models--so from a strength point of view Bisley or not doesn't matter. With Ruger, the frame size rules all. If you have the Blackhawk or, sharing the same frame, "original"/old large frame Vaquero Bisley, then yes, it can be loaded "hot" as anything the Redhawk/Super Redhawk can handle. If it's the New Vaquero Bisley, then no -- it's built on the basic same smaller "mid frame" as all New Vaqueros and recent year 50th Anniversary.357, or .44 Special and .45 Colt flattops (but not the larger cylinder-framed 50th Anniversary .44 Mag). Frame size governs what diameter cylinder size and hence chamber spacing. The midframes are still robust guns but just don't have the room for the larger model's cylinder and hence beef 'tween the chambers to withstand super hot - aka "Ruger Only" or "magnum- level" loads. (We're talking strictly .45s here. .357s are fine with either frame.) Which model/frame do you have?
Last edited:
HALLAUSTIN
New member
Im looking into a redhawk bisley .45 LC with a 7.5 inch barrel, dont own one quiet yet. It would be a few months of saving my pennies to buy one.
Yes they can be loaded to levels that would be abusive to most DA revolvers. BUT, they absolutely can be blown into pieces and people have been doing it for years. There is no reason to push the envelope that far. Many thousands of people have been killed with black powder .45 Colt loads. If you can consistently place your shots any .45 Colt load will have plenty of power to do the job. The simple fact that our Army used .45 bullets for many years and then switched to .38 cal. for a short time but then switched back to .45 should tell you something. And the loads they adopted were all under 900 fps. I have owned a .41 Mag Bisley for many years and it will easily handle loads that would make you cry if you fired them in a S&W DA revolver (and beat the gun to death in short order) but I only load it to that level for extreme long range shooting, 200 to 300 yards, and only when I need to knock a 40 lb. steel ram off of a stand.
Yes, the Blackhawk, Bisley Blackhawk, Super Blackhawk Hunter, RedHawk, Super Redhawk in .45 Colt can all use the Ruger Only Loads. The only Rugers that cannot be is the new Lipsey .45 Colt Convertible flattops and New Vaqueros which have smaller cylinders.
See : Dissolving the Myth for more information on the BH platform. You can see Linebaugh's loads at the end of the article.
I like my general purpose (almost do 'everything') load in the 950-1100fps range myself. The HS-6 load mentioned in the above article is a 'good' one.
Ross Seyfried on the .45 Colt
And the article by Brian Pearce on the subject :
Brian Pearce on the .45 Colt 270g bullets
See : Dissolving the Myth for more information on the BH platform. You can see Linebaugh's loads at the end of the article.
I like my general purpose (almost do 'everything') load in the 950-1100fps range myself. The HS-6 load mentioned in the above article is a 'good' one.
Ross Seyfried on the .45 Colt
And the article by Brian Pearce on the subject :
Brian Pearce on the .45 Colt 270g bullets
Last edited:
HALLAUSTIN
New member
Ya, I ment blackhawk... My mind goes blank after about 10:00pm
The Hodgdon manual publishes "Ruger Only" .45 Colt loads that run in the 28k to 30k psi range that are perfectly safe within the strength parameters of the large frame Blackhawk/Bisley.
If you notice Linebaugh's scribblings on the subject he points out that the Blackhawk is about 85% the strength of the Redhawk.
Now if you check out the current issue of Handloader #277, Brian Pearce answers a reader's question about the strength of a Redhawk in .45 Colt being capable of handling pressures between 45k to 50k psi.
Ruger is known to engineer a 100% safety margin in their guns which runs those numbers up higher than anyone with two brain cells to rub together would ever think of going.
You could supposedly run the Hodgdon loads up another 2k to 5K psi and be safe from a grenading gun. But doing so probably won't gain you anything that a 30k psi load don't already give you.
After reading that, I don't feel so spooked about shooting those red-lining Buffalo Bore loads out of it which seem hotter than my handloads.
My current all-business handload (a tad over max book) is a 335gr LBT WFNGC with 24gr of H110 and CCI #350 magnum primers, but I'm still experimenting with different powders and bullet weights in the 325-335 range.
A couple of guys in up Fairbanks have me a little concerned with H110's cold weather performance.
If you notice Linebaugh's scribblings on the subject he points out that the Blackhawk is about 85% the strength of the Redhawk.
Now if you check out the current issue of Handloader #277, Brian Pearce answers a reader's question about the strength of a Redhawk in .45 Colt being capable of handling pressures between 45k to 50k psi.
Ruger is known to engineer a 100% safety margin in their guns which runs those numbers up higher than anyone with two brain cells to rub together would ever think of going.
You could supposedly run the Hodgdon loads up another 2k to 5K psi and be safe from a grenading gun. But doing so probably won't gain you anything that a 30k psi load don't already give you.
After reading that, I don't feel so spooked about shooting those red-lining Buffalo Bore loads out of it which seem hotter than my handloads.
My current all-business handload (a tad over max book) is a 335gr LBT WFNGC with 24gr of H110 and CCI #350 magnum primers, but I'm still experimenting with different powders and bullet weights in the 325-335 range.
A couple of guys in up Fairbanks have me a little concerned with H110's cold weather performance.
"A couple of guys in up Fairbanks have me a little concerned with H110's cold weather performance."
stevelyn,
Until proven wrong I would echo that. I had two 41Mag cartridges fail to ignite this winter, they had been sitting out on the bench with plenty of time to chill to temps in the teens. Magnum primers. I've switched.
Apologies for the tangent.
stevelyn,
Until proven wrong I would echo that. I had two 41Mag cartridges fail to ignite this winter, they had been sitting out on the bench with plenty of time to chill to temps in the teens. Magnum primers. I've switched.
Apologies for the tangent.