Ruger Convertible question...

A

ATPBULLETS

New member
I want to buy a Ruger convertible either in 38/357 and 9mm OR a 45 Colt and 45 acp...

I reload for all the above,,, Which one...should I get...

Thanks for the thoughts and replies...;)
 
I got the 45Colt/45ACP convertible. I love it. Sometimes I wish I had got the 357/9mm convertible. I may have to get it also. I think it depends on which one YOU want. I swapped out the grips for a set of walnut grips I got from Altamont Grips which are a little fatter. It feels better in my hand now and I can shoot it better now.
 
IMHO both are great guns and the fact that you reload means you can get the full potential from either. Maybe you should spend a little time considering which best fits your particular uses.......... or you could just buy both :D:D
 
I also have the 45 LC/ACP convertible. That’s mine because I’m a big bore fan. It’s nice to be able to shoot the big framed Ruger with 45 ACP since the cases are so cheap and easy to come by.
Accuracy suffers a little shooting ACP but it’s adequate.
Unless you have a need for a 357/9mm go with the 45.
 
If it's true that the Blackhawk is an attempt at the Colt SAA, 45 Colt would be the most correct cartridge to shoot from it.

Colt SAA - 1873

.45 Colt - 1872
.38 Special - 1898
9mm Luger - 1901/1902
.45 ACP - 1904
.357 Magnum - 1934

Though, the Blackhawk itself came out in 1955, and at the time was offered only in .357, so the answer is:

Either one
 
I got the 45 first but got the 357/9mm a couple years later. If I could only have one I'd get the 45. I have other 357s though.
 
I look at it this way: A .45 can do anything a .357 Magnum can do. A .357 Magnum might be pressed into doing anything a .45 can do, but requires pushing the gun very hard. The .45 can pretty well duplicate .44 Magnum performance. This holds true only for Rugers or similar heavy frame Single Action revolvers.

Bob Wright
 
My personal preference is for the .45 but if you reload for all of them and are just interested in a fun gun well...the .38/357 and 9mm combination will be a tad cheaper.
 
You guys so far have hit on every thought I've had....even buying both...LOL...
I love the big bore feel from mild to wild.... and enjoy the reloading aspects of both caliber groups...going from mildest 38's thru the 9's to the 357mag loads... its a very similar experience going thru the 45 group loads....
I really am considering both over time.... but as to the first...
1. Is there any merit in the one pistol only argument for having to survive
on one pistol...with 38/357 and 9 wheels make it a better "Finding
ammo" on the urban scene...?(9mm easier to find than 45acp and
38/357 easier than 45 colt)
2. Is there a preference for one length of either choice over another length..
(I mean barrel length). either gun would ride on my hip...not a target
piece...but a practice shooter for hip service.

thanks for replies.
 
This is like "I want to get married, should I marry a blonde or a redhead?"

There is no "right" answer except the one you come up with for yourself.

Jim
 
James K said:



Quote:
This is like "I want to get married, should I marry a blonde or a redhead?

"


A bad choice in guns is more easily corrected.

Bob Wright
Click to expand...

With guns you can have both and not have to worry about them being jealous of each other.:D
 
I have both.

I HAVE fired 9mm and .45 ACP out of them, but didn't see the point in it and never did it again. I have no idea where the second cylinders are right off the top of my head.

But, to answer your question I would go with the .357/9mm. Why ? Just because I really like the .38/.357 cartridge. That kinda weak I know, but that's the reason.

I also own a bunch of other .357s. I own a bunch of other 9mms and I own several other .45 ACPs (both revolvers and autos). I don't own any other .45 Colts besides the Blackhawk and at one time I shot it all the time. I still shoot it but not as much. Since moving back east I don't do any field shooting, so my tastes have changed to prefer range guns. And one of the best range guns of all time is the .38 Special.
 
I got a 7.5" Blackhawk .45 convertible in 1983. Got it with the idea of shooting .45acp (which I already had) without having to hunt in the weeds for my brass.

Made one little mistake, fired a box of .45 Colt out of it, before I ever shot any ACP. Since then, a few thousand .45 colts and about 300 ACP have been shot from that gun.

When I went for a .357/9mm I couldn't find one, and settled on a 6.5" .357, which is very good, I just don't shoot it a lot.

Other than having it so if you run out of magnums/.38s you can shoot 9mm ammo, I don't see the point, really. On the plus side, the Ruger Blackhawk in .357 will handle hot .357 loads, the ones you can shoot in N frame S&Ws but are too hot for K frames and smaller.

The Blackhawk in .45 Colt is legendary, the origin of "Ruger Only" loads. I settled on a 250gr LSWC @ 1070fps (clocked from my gun) years ago. Not absolute top end possible, but quite effective and still comfortable to shoot.

For packing, see if you can find a 5.5" barrel. I have a Vaquero & a Bisley with that length, and it does wear better than the 7.5".
 
I have the 7 inch and totally agree with 44 AMP. I like the long barrel but the 5 inch is better balanced in my hand.
 
Well, if you reload for all calibers, that presumes some passing familiarity with them, right?

Why unable to decide between the .357/9 v. .45 ACP/Colt?

I own both, BTW. An old-model 3-screw .357/9 Blackhawk Convertible 4 5/8", and a new-model .45 Blackhawk Convertible 4 5/8". (My favorite barrel lengths for totable SA's.)

Over the years I've gotten much more enjoyment out of the .357 cylinder. I think I've only used the 9mm cylinder once, which was somewhat anticlimactic and seemed a waste of effort, but that's because I own a number of 9mm pistols.

I like the .45 Blackhawk, but for the .45 Colt cylinder (back when I was an avid handloader). I dug out the ACP cylinder several years ago and used it one day, but again, I have a number of .45 ACP pistols. I'd rather shoot .45 Colt than ACP through my Blackhawk.

Now, that's me.

What do you feel like?

Suit yourself. ;)

I've always liked the medium-bore .357 Magnum cartridge for its versatility ... and the .45 Colt for nostalgic reasons. (I'm not saying the .45 Colt isn't versatile, or the .357 isn't nostalgic to some degree, I'm just expressing my feelings about them.)

I have 3 revolvers chambered in .44 Magnum when I feel the need to shoot .40+ caliber revolvers. :)

I have no desire to get rid of either convertible. That being so, I have no need to choose between them.

Start with one.

Later on, add the other.

Choose barrel length by either availability, and/or personal preference for balance. It's all right & proper. ;)
 
I just added a 45ACP cylinder to my Bisley 45 Colt. I did it because I load and shoot a ton of 45 ACP and wanted a low recoil fun load that everyone could play with. I could load down my 45 Colt but it is simpler to swap a cylinder.
 
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