Extra Cylinder

[Gene Perryman]

I was considering buying an extra 45 acp cylinder for a Ruger 45 LC New Model BH. Would it be a drop-in fit or would a gunsmith have to fit it ?

[M-Tecs]

Sometimes they fit but normally they require fitting .

http://www.ktgunsmith.com/45acp_cyl.htm

[hylander]

All the cylinders I have bought have been a direct drop in fit.
Two from Howell and one R&D

[Dan Cash]

I had one fitted to a US Firearms 1873 clone. Shot 100 rounds and put it away. Never use it as if a .45 Colt is wanted, there is no substitute and there are other .45 ACP guns in the drawer.

[Guesser]

I purchased a Ruger NMBH 45 ACP cylinder that dropped in my 2005 4 5/8" gun but would not drop in on my 1993 gun. I had the cylinder relieved so I could use 45 A.R. as well as ACP.

[str8wal]

If the length is the same you should be good to go. If the ACP cylinder is slightly longer you can stone a few thou's off the front hub which I did with mine. After using the ACP cylinder a few times I sold it off as the POI was drastically different than my 45 Colt loads and I tired of adjusting the scope. My 45 Colt loads are pretty stout though.

[contender1]

I have a box full of spare cylinders for Rugers. Why? Because they get separated from their original guns,, and somebody sells them. But,, why do I buy them?
Because if you need to return a gun to how it was shipped,, and you acquire a gun missing a cylinder,, (as I do often,) you need a proper cylinder. As for fitting & timing. I have found through MANY,,, tests,, if you get the correct vintage cylinder,, AND the length matches the other cylinder,, it usually drops in & times just fine. If the length is a little long,, it can have the cylinder boss honed down to fit. It's actually rare to hear of one NOT timing correctly.
BUT,,,,,,,,,,,, I ALWAYS USE A RANGE ROD & BORESCOPE TO VERIFY ALIGNMENT ON ALL CHAMBERS BEFORE SHOOTING ONE.!!!!!! I would NOT recommend you shoot one w/o checking proper timing & alignment.

So, if buying a spare cylinder,, have the OAL of your cylinder known to compare it to the one you plan to purchase. If the one you seek is too short,, keep looking.

[Rodfac]

I've bought add'l cylinders for two Single Sixes over the years...my own when I lost the .22 Mag and for a friend with he lost the .22LR one. Both gun started out as Convertibles and were originally designed for add'l cylinders. Neither needed add'l fitting beyond a light pass with a fine mill file to shorten the front boss on the cylinder; and each was every bit as accurate as the original. Hope it works out for you with your .45 ACP. Rod

[Tackleberry41]

I tried both my cylinders in a black hawk at the shop, both fit fine. Mine was bought w ACP and 45 colt cyl, one in the shop someone lost the colt cyl as only has ACP. Was tempted, but no need, plus a bit steep considering only has the one cyl.

[BABore]

Will Ruger sell you a new cylinder? I have an older 45 Colt, Bisley BH that has a roll marked, unfluted cylinder with 0.455 throats. Would love to have a new one that's around 0.451-0.452. I have a 0.4525 reamer set.

[DougGuy]

Will Ruger sell you a new cylinder? I have an older 45 Colt, Bisley BH that has a roll marked, unfluted cylinder with 0.455 throats. Would love to have a new one that's around 0.451-0.452. I have a 0.4525 reamer set.

I have never seen one of those with even .452" throats, the majority of the older rollmarked Bisley cylinders I have reamed have been closer to .450" ~ .4505." If you bought it used and you call Ruger customer service and sweet talk them and tell them that it doesn't group and that they are the industry leaders in customer service, they may even send the brown truck by with a prepaid shipping label to pick the gun up on their dime.

[Green Frog]

My brother has an early New Model Blackhawk 45 Colt, purchased used sometime in the '70s. A few years later I found an orphan 45 acp cylinder on a gunshow table. I picked it up for about $20 plus or minus and just brought it home and dropped it into his gun. The Blackhawk shoots better with the acp cylinder than the original 45 Colt cylinder. :Fire: Exception or rule? I wouldn't know because this was my only experience. :???:

Froggie

[Outpost75]

I have two Ruger .44 Vaqueros built 4 years apart. Also a .45 NM Blackhawk Convertible built between the two Vaqueros.

All three guns interchange cylinders. The .44-40 and .44 Mag. Vaqueros have large forcing cones which are big enough for a .45, and I shoot factory lead .45 Colt and .45 ACPs using their appropriate cylinders, squirting them down the .44 barrel with no issues.

Not recommended practice, but my TEOTWAWKI gun will be a .44 Vaquero and four cylinders to exploit any ammo which falls off the tailgate of the alien space ship.

Velocity Test of 5-1/2" Ruger .44-40 Vaquero with .45 Colt NM Blackhawk cylinder

Ammunition___________________Ruger Vaquero .44-40
_____________________________NM Blackhawk .45 Colt cyl.
_____________________________Cylinder gap 0.008"
New Winchester 255-grain lead____793 fps, 12 Sd, 32 ES
Old Western 255-grain Lubaloy____799 fps, 8 Sd, 21 ES
200-grain FN, 7.2 grs. Bullseye____912 fps, 14 Sd, 42 ES

228703228704228705

[Messy bear]

The squeeze bore! That's neat!

[Outpost75]

The squeeze bore! That's neat!

Firing GI hardball in the .45 ACP cylinder is interesting too, as the bullet is squeezed so hard that it extrudes a bit of lead "turd" out the base opening, as if giving a weak squeeze to a tube of toothpaste. Normal hardball velocity and decent accuracy.

[3leggedturtle]

Outpost, thanks I like tests and reports like that. Todd