Blackhawk 45 bullet selection

[Longhunter1757]

Hello everyone!
Just recently acquired a 45 Colt Blackhawk with a 5 1/2" barrel. I'd like to get off on the right foot with bullet selection. Could you please recommend a few bullet types that generally give good all around accuracy?

Also, I've measured the throats at .4515" on all. Will these need reaming or should I wait to see how it shoots before I go that route?

Thanks in advance!

Longhunter1757

[beagle]

You'd not go wrong on the 454190 Lyman. I size mine .452 and get good accuracy. Lyman's 454424 shoot's well but they have to be pushed pretty fast./beagle

[44man]

Have you slugged the bore? I am sure it is larger then the throats and I would ream it or you will never get the best from the gun.
I can ream it for you if you PM me.
I shoot the Lee 452-255-RF for plinking and it shoots very good. For a full thumper for Deer, the Lee C452-300-RF is very accurate.
LBT boolits up to 335 gr's are super as is the Lyman 452651.
Here are 5 shots at 50 yd's with the Lyman from my Vaquero. It has been reamed.

[Longhunter1757]

44man,
The bore slugged at .4515" also.
I tried some cast bullets I picked up at a local fun show. Loaded up a dozen each of 8, 8.5 and 9grs of Unique. They wouldn't group worth a darn with any load so I'm assuming it's the bullets that were the problem.
Also, I'm going to PM you about reaming the throats.

Thanks!

Longhunter1757

[44man]

I think you have a restriction at the barrel threads. If you tapped a slug all the way through it will show the tight spot and not the bore. It might need power lapped too.
I put a long piece of micarta across the recoil shield to protect it and give me a handle. I drop a close to bore size brass rod down the barrel against the micarta. The end of the rod is close to the muzzle. I pound in a soft ball and put another brass rod on it. Then I expand the ball into the rifling and pull it back out with the micarta. A long piece of 3/4" oak or hardwood works instead of the micarta. You want at least 6" sticking out of both sides of the gun for handles to pull on.
You can use hardwood dowels instead of brass too. It doesn't take much to expand soft lead.
Might take a friends help to hold the gun. I stick the muzzle down on the carpet and push.
Your groove to groove should be .452 or even a little more.
I would power lap before reaming the throats because the grit can open the throats more. Make sure you clean the gun good after every 6 shots too.
You can also make a lead lap on a rod and pull it in from the forcing cone and just work the barrel at the threads with a fine grit.
Measure the actual bore and get back to me. If it is actually .4515, it should shoot OK.
The .45 is not picky and should shoot about any boolit you choose unless they get too light. I would stay at 250 gr's and up.

[45r]

The rcbs 300 grain gas check has been great in any 45 revolver I've shot.The 270SAA rcbs is a tack driver in my 45 colt ruger redhawk over 9 grains power pistol and fed primers.

[Longhunter1757]

I'll double check the bore tonight and make sure.

Thanks again!

[Dale53]

My Bisley Vaquero was purchased for Black Powder Cartridge use (5.5" barrel). I have the Lyman
452664 RF and use Emmert's Home Mix bullet lube ahead of a cast full of black powder. You can vary the velocity depending on which granulation and brand of black powder you use. Elephant 2f will give you about 750 fps, 3f a bit faster, Goex is faster than Elephant, then comes Swiss. 3f Swiss will give you nearly 1000 fps in a 7.5" barrel. My alloy for black powder is 30/1 lead/tin.

This same bullet (sized .452" for smokeless or black) will give excellent results with an appropriate chose of smokeless (Unique works well).

Of course, with Ruger Black Hawks (full size models) you can get serious power by using slower burning powders like H110 or Win 296 in the appropriate charges and using a harder alloy. WW plus 2% tin works for velocities up to and somewhat over standard for the .45 Colt. I would suggest a bit harder for heavy loads.

My Bisley Vaquero shoots to the sights with the Lyman 452664 with a reasonable spread of velocities (dead on at 25 yards).

Dale53

[mainiac]

I have a ruger bisley in 45 colt, and tried a few different molds in it. I ended up trying the 452460 (made for the 45 a.c.p.) and lubing only the bottom groove, crimping in the top lube groove. 7.3 grs of red-dot powder and the load goes 1040 f.p.s. average. Boolit weighs 204 grs all lubed and sized. Gun is so accurate,that i lost intrest in it! Inch groups at 25 yards are no surprise.

[Char-Gar]

I have several Ruger Blackhawks in 45 Colt and here is my input to your post.

1) Ream those cylinder throats to .4525 or .453
2) Run you cast bullets through a .454 sizer to lube them, and if any sizing takes place that is just fine. Just make sure the finished product is .452 or larger.
3) Just about any good 45 cast bullet will do well. The RCBS 45 270 SA is a very good choice.

Das all... Good Shooting!

[beagle]

I'd sure try some .452" bullets in before I go to the trouble to modify it. My 5 1/2" convertible does well with them. I use .452s in the .45 Colt and .451s in the .45 ACP cylinder.

I've juggled up and down on the diameters from .451-454 on teh .45 Colt and the .452s shoot best./beagle

[Longhunter1757]

OK, I checked the bore again. It's .452. This is with a dial caliper. I originally checked it with a digital caliper but after trying it with that again I'm getting some weird readins so I think the digital either needs recalibrated or put in the circular file drawer. I also ran another slug down thru the barrel and I couldn't feel any tight spots so I'm pretty sure I just got a bad reading the first time. I'm going to double check the throats again also but that's going to have to wait until tomorrow.
Assuming all is right with the bore and the throats I'm going to order a few different sizes of the suggested bullets and see what happens.

Thanks again everyone!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Longhunter1757