Ruger 77 Mark II in 45 ACP ......

[Alan in GA]

...and no, it doesn't 'feed', and wasn't planned too : )
Always wondered about a 45ACP in a rifle barrel. Green Mtn offered a 'deal' on 26" barrel blanks in .451-452" so the project began. Shot factory jacketed and lead bullets at the range with best accuracy with the lead bullet factory ammo!
Decided the 25" long (lost an inch on the lathe) HEAVY barrel was not 'quiet' enough and did not care to lug around a HEAVY barrel, soooo,...another spin in the lathe made it 17" as seen here.

OK, now after signing up on this forum and reading about your projects, I think some heavy cast lead bullets would be nice to try....got some on the bench that were intended for paper patching in my .458 rifles. However since reading of several shooters getting good results with SOFT cast lead bullets in 45ACP's I will try some in this rifle.
Not going to lug it around to hunt, just a 'shoot it off the bench' neat project.
Thought you might like to see. Should I call it a "45 ACP" or "ACR" round?

[Piedmont]

Looks like a lot of fun. If a .45 ACP was ever going to give top accuracy it would be that one.

A week ago a friend and I were wondering if anyone made a bolt action repeater in 9, .40, and .45 ACP and thinking it would be both fun and handloader friendly. I think we reached the opinion that it probably wouldn't sell. People want those semiautos.

[nagantguy]

Cool little rifle, looks real sharp thanks fer sharing.

[Alan in GA]

there are 'kits' to make Mausers work with 1911 magazines. I wanted a single shot using a Ruger Mark II action I have. Was going to sell this barrel but wondered about some long cast bullets and accuracy obtainable.

[smoked turkey]

Alan some very beautiful work. You make it sound so easy, but I expect it was a little more work than you made it seem. I really like the looks of the completed rifle. What is the weight of the rig now?

[Alan in GA]

I don't know what the completed rifle weighs now with 'short' 17" barrel, but I DID weigh the 7 5/8" piece I cut off: 29 ounces!
Here is the 25" barrel picture.

[Artful]

Welcome to the 45 ACP rifle club! You did a great job on that Ruger.
Several of us have done ours on other actions (Mauser or SMLE) and find them fun toys.
What twist rate is your barrel?

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?125881-SMLE-No-4-mk1-45ACP-conversion

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?67686-45-ACP-in-a-long-gun-or-Destroyer-info

[John Allen]

A 45ACP bolt gun is on my to do list at some point. The one you made is nice.

[bikerbeans]

I have a GM 45 ACP liner barrel permanently installed in a 20ga H&R Pardner. It was built by a friend of mine and has one Wyoming antelope to it's credit along with several whistle pigs. I can't find a pic to post but it is plain jane compared to the OPs 45 ACP. Alan,you do very fine work sir.

BB

[Alan in GA]

Can't claim THIS barrel work, did it with a friend on his lathe. My Clausing 12 x 36 is not running at the moment. I sure thought the 25" of barrel would quiet down the muzzle 'blast', but it was still pretty LOUD! Too loud for backyard shooting for sure. The extra barrel sure isn't needed for velocity/powder burn so, barrel circumcision was done : 0 !
I am anxious to load some cast boolits and see what it does!
We cut the threads pretty close so I'm not sure it would fit another Ruger 77. Was going to lend it out to anyone with a switch barrel Ruger 77. I did leave the chamber 'tight' just in case.
This Ruger 77 Mark II has two stocks [walnut sporter] and several barrels....pieces of 77 laying everywhere.
.243 Win Varmint SS barrel
.250 Savage Ackley Imp. Shilen barrel
.308 Win Varmint barrel
.45 ACP as shown.

"Have Lathe, Will Travel"....out to the garage at least. Lathes are heavy.

[Alan in GA]

.... the thought has occured,.... to ream to 45 Win Mag,.. and so far has been resisted. I've owned .458 Win Mag, .458 American, and 45/70 rifles. This was built to explore the other extreme - mini powder charge in maximum bore.
I'm within an inch on my barrel length 'math'...lol. I'll measure it when I get into the safe. I'm ready to load some cast boolits now that we've discussed this project.
Anyone suggest a powder for a long barrel? I'll study a few load charts and see what slowest burning powders are suggested--what I would assume would work well in a long [for a 45ACP] barrel.

Thanks for the accolades guys! Most that see the gun just say: "huh?...why?" : )

[TheGrimReaper]

It is awsome...a true work of art!

[roverboy]

That's pretty nice Alan. I've never owned a .45 but, have shot several and like the idea of a rifle or carbine.

[DanWalker]

I like Red Dot in 45 acp. I'd bet 2400 might work in a longer barrel. I'm waiting on RMW to finish a 45acp AR upper for me right now.

[felix]

I saw some charts not long ago addressing the ACP problem. As an engineer, I looked for cross over points in the velocity vs barrel charts as most meaningful. MY verdict using the 230 military lead boolit shape boolit would be with Herco/4756 at 22K CUP/PSI in a 10 inch barrel. Longer barrels showed no economical increase in velocity with the slower powders. I like the idea of a 10 incher because installing a preferred (cleanable) "permanently" attatched can will ensure a 16 incher. ... felix

AlanInGa, a Winchester magnum case would be overkill to make 1100 fps, unless supersonic ammo was a requirement for your application(s). ... felix

[Knifeman1988]

That is Very nice rifle you have made.
Wish i had all my stuff set up to work on my 6mm-06 i wanna build.

[mikeym1a]

Pictures of target groups????? HHHMMMM???????????????

[Outpost75]

I went after a .45 ACP rifle in a bit different way. I sent a Marlin 1894 Cowboy in .45 Colt to John Taylor. He set the .45 Colt barrel and magazine tube back, rechambering to .45 ACP, fitting a new extractor, and reworking the lifter. It holds twelve rounds in the magazine tube, and with 22-1/2" barrel, is 39" overall and weighs 6 lbs.12 ozs. Here is some chronograph data for .45 ACP Velocity Vs. Barrel Length:

________________________________________________Av g/Sd/ES
Bullet__Type_Weight_LDRotor#_Powder__Grains__Ruger 4-5/8"___M1911A1___S&W5-1/2"____Marlin22"
H&G68___ SWC__200______8_______Bullseye___4.5____862/21/54______801/15/37____789/18/44____1000/12/38
_________________________9_______Bullseye____5____ 922/19/42_____ 916/6/17___904/10/29____1105/12/36
________________________10________WST_____4.8___83 8/19/50______903/8/27__851/11/25_____990/13/44

Saeco#954____LFN__230__8______Bullseye____4.5____8 17/16/42______803/10/27__782/29/71_____982/6/18
______________________9_______Bullseye____5_____87 2/13/38______ 830/15/44 __814/23/56____1047/6/19

TW55____ FMJ__230_______GI________Arsenal_________858/28/72_____824/11/26___807/10/24____932/33/79
Fed45D___JHP__230__Commercial Personal Protection___854/13/35______ 875/10/25___845/9/23____1058/10/27

Gun Column Mean Velocity______________________860 fps________850 fps_____827 fps______1016 fps
Gun Column ∆V (ChangeVvs. M1911A1)___________+10fps_________0_________-23fps_______+166fps


Velocity differences between the 4-5/8" Ruger New Model Blackhawk with .45 ACP cylinder vs. the S&W .45 DA Military Hand Ejector illustrate the effects of cylinder gap, 0.004" for the Ruger vs. 0.008" for the S&W. The rifle shows about a 10 fps per inch average gain in velocity over an M1911A1 pistol.

The .45 ACP carbine is less accurate than my .357, but is fun to shoot. It groups about the same at 50 yards as an accurized hardball match gun with the same ammo, 2 to 3 inch groups are typical with average ammo, anything less than 2" at 50 yards is more a reflection upon ammo quality than the rifle, as that is what "handgun ammo" does in a test barrel, too!

[Alan in GA]

I did not keep any of the targets as they weren't worth keeping. Shot PMC and Federal factory ammo. Shot two types of hard ball and two types of lead bullets. I was suprised at the lead bullets being the most accurate ammo. I have since gotten interested in seeing what a few types of soft cast bullets would do- has them around for paper patching up to .460" but now will shoot them as is in the 45ACP rifle barell. And hey, I have some 2400 I just did purchase for a 44 mag Redhawk.

[Buckshot]

.............I converted a Spanish Destroyer carbine (9mmLargo) into a 45 ACP.

http://www.fototime.com/4FFDE36264BD077/standard.jpghttp://www.fototime.com/70FB3F38BF60C27/standard.jpg

The 18" bbl came from GPC many moons ago.

I had to use WW2 steel cases (EC 43 headstamped) but had Lee 340gr slugs (sized .452") going 1100 fps from it. The brass cases headstamped CCC 82 I'd been using began showing a crack on the inside down around the solid head and case wall :-) I backed of from those and figured the velocity increase offered by the longer barrel was sufficient to needs without pushing things!

............Buckshot

[Alan in GA]

Buckshot that is a neat 45 rifle. Did you prefer the steel cases for higher pressure or just what you had around to use? Tell me your thoughts on 'why' a 45ACP rifle.
Thanks for the pictures!

[DanWalker]

I wonder how easy one could duplicate factory 45LC handgun ballistics in a 45 acp rifle. My 45 acp AR upper should be at the house in a couple weeks. I am intrigued by possibly using it for hogs out to 100 yards.

[Outpost75]

Factory Federal P45HST1 230-gr. JHP +P Law Enforcement loads give 982 fps. in my 4-5/8" Ruger Blackhawk and 1083 fps in the converted 22" Marlin carbine.

Remington 230-gr. Golden Sabre JHPs loaded with 5.2 grs. of Bullseye give 870 fps in the Ruger and 1058 fps. from the Marlin and should be considered maximum.

Saeco #954 230-gr. LFN with 5.5 grains of Bullseye gives 980 fps in the Ruger and 1158 fps from the Marlin and is a +P load, safe enough in the Ruger or in the Marlin, but absolutely not recommended for steady use in a M1911, as I know from experience that when used in bowling pin match quantities that it is a "frame cracker."

Attempts to use a "nominal caseful" of slower powders such as Blue Dot and #2400 gave only somewhat higher rifle velocities, about 1200 fps, but jammed the revolver mechanism with unburned powder granules.

[andremajic]

I did not keep any of the targets as they weren't worth keeping. Shot PMC and Federal factory ammo. Shot two types of hard ball and two types of lead bullets. I was suprised at the lead bullets being the most accurate ammo. I have since gotten interested in seeing what a few types of soft cast bullets would do- has them around for paper patching up to .460" but now will shoot them as is in the 45ACP rifle barell. And hey, I have some 2400 I just did purchase for a 44 mag Redhawk.

The green mountain .45 barrels are .452" bore, so even if the lead bullets are .451, they have a chance to expand and grip the rifling better than the .451 jacketed ones. Slug your bore and let us know what the result is, eh?

[TXGunNut]

Nicely done! Does sound like a good candidate for a suppressor tho.

[Alan in GA]

forgot to slug the barrel. I have the cut off section which will make it easy. Will do today!

[W.R.Buchanan]

Just wanted to interject, Delisle Carbines actually had barrels that were around 7" long. All the rest of that rifle is suppressor.

Randy

[Artful]

http://www.prexis.com/sten/DL-01.jpg

[HotGuns]

What was the parent rifle in the Ruger M77?

I am entertaining the thought of making a .45 ACP M77 with an integral suppressor with removable baffles. I've heard that they are extremely quiet.

[Alan in GA]

Parent rifle can be any 22-250/243/6mm/7-08/308 case head action. Mine was a .308 Win in a Ruger 77 Mark II. I also have 22-250, 243, and 250 Savage Ackley Imp barrels for it. I ALSO have the stock it came with - a walnut sporter that gets used when the 250SAI Shilen barrel threads on. I enjoyed switch barrels to tinker with. I also enjoyed barrel work/fitting when my lathes had 'room around them' but now I just go SHOOT when I can, and only do a little reloading now and then.

Switch barrels are great for when you are learning barrel fitting HOWEVER I value (more) rifles that are "ready to go" and don't need a trip to the range to insure 'hunt readiness'. Complete and ready to go rifles give you more time to shoot and practise form and other aspects of marksmanship instead of tinkering with the hardware and resighting most of the time- just a IMO.

[Shooter6br]

My Mech Tech carbine fun86414

[jmorris]

I went the cut down barrel/permanently attached suppressor way on one of my projects. It's 16 1/8" with the end cap off. It is also silly quite, at least everyone that shoots it gets a big grin...

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o213/jmorrismetal/can/DSC01676.jpg

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o213/jmorrismetal/can/DSC01669.jpg

[Alan in GA]

slugged the Green Mtn bore....0.451" as close as I can tell. Need to get some cast bullets loaded and get to the range some more!

[DanWalker]

What are the specifics on that can? I'm planning something very similar. I'm building my own when my Form 1 comes back.

[jmorris]

What are the specifics on that can? I'm planning something very similar. I'm building my own when my Form 1 comes back.


the one I posted was 3140 tube and 7071 for the baffles except for the blast baffle that is 4041.