Redhawk 45 Colt/ACP

[bigted]

Rugers Redhawk in 45 Colt and the 45 Colt/acp revolvers are the info quest today.

Wondering about the bore diameter/groove diameter of the Redhawks. Also what do the cylinder throat's measure out to?

Are the straight 45 Colt revolver ... specifically the 4 inch model measure differently then the newer 45 Colt/45 ACP 4.2 inch? Also what measurements difference in the Super Redhawk 2.5 inch 454/45 Colt revolvers.

My favorite cartridge (45 Colt) has always been a temptation for me. I have a Colt, a Vaquero and a '73' Japanese built Winchester in a 16 inch short carbine. Have had 2 s&w 25's and the Japanese model 92 so chambered as well as Rossi 92 and several Ruger Blackhawk's so chambered.

I will never rid myself of the current Colt nor the Ruger Vaquero and doubtful if I let the 73 go either.

My Ruger has .452 cylinder throats and the Colt infantry model is .456 cylinder throat. My little Winchester also has the .456 throat which SHOULD be compatible ammo in the Colt and the 73.

Always was going to replace the S&W 25 ... but mine had terrible cylinder throat's in .457ish diameter and kinda shy about winding up with another in the same boat. Hence the measurement questions on the nice lookin Redhawks.

[Wheelguns 1961]

You should try a new model 25. The classic series. I picked one up before christmas, and all cylinder throats are .4525. It has a .003 b/c gap, and shoots like a laser. The blueing is beautiful, as are the grips. The only fault that I could find was the forcing cone was a little rough, and of course the hillary hole.

[mart]

My Ruger Redhawk 4 inch 45 is one of the earlier ones before they offered it in 45C/45ACP. The throat were pretty tight, measuring .450 on most and .451 on a couple. The groove diameter is .452. I had the throats opened up to .4525 and firelapped the barrel to get rid of the throat choking. It shoots cast bullets really well. Now.

[bigted]

Gotta say ... reading your "Hllary Hole" nearly got my peice of Christmas bread spread around the room with bits of spittle flying around with it!

By the by ... what exactly is the "Hillary Hole" ��

[Todd N.]

... what exactly is the "Hillary Hole" ��

The security lock keyhole

[bigted]

Thats great ... must live under a rock ... first time I recall hearing that term��

[bigted]

[smilie=l:

[contender1]

Well, I wish I could give you correct info. My Redhawk in 45 Colt,/.45 ACP was a custom job before they offered them from the factory.

[onelight]

I did not do a lot of load work up on mine I had a terrible time with light strikes with the acp tried some different moon clips and smoothing the action and could not get it reliable . I did like the grip , but not the trigger just personal preference .It shot well with .452 cast in 45 colt at 850 to 900 FPS no leading but did not try any heavy Ruger loads . If I remember correctly .452 took light pressure with a pencil to push through the throats.
Sorry not much help.

[Lloyd Smale]

smith doesn't make a 45 colt/45acp convertable
You should try a new model 25. The classic series. I picked one up before christmas, and all cylinder throats are .4525. It has a .003 b/c gap, and shoots like a laser. The blueing is beautiful, as are the grips. The only fault that I could find was the forcing cone was a little rough, and of course the hillary hole.

[6bg6ga]

The security lock keyhole

It operates no differently than the same model that was manufactured earlier without Hillary's hole. The tendency nowdays is to demand top price at gun shows by claiming there is a difference and Hillarys hole isn't any good. Well I've got a 686 with Hillarys hole and its extremely accurate.

[6bg6ga]

smith doesn't make a 45 colt/45acp convertable

Actually If memory is correct and I'n not mistaken the 25-5 had a option of both the 45LC cylinder and a 45acp cylinder. I've seen commemorative and collector models that have two cylinders.

[6bg6ga]

Well, I wish I could give you correct info. My Redhawk in 45 Colt,/.45 ACP was a custom job before they offered them from the factory.

A friend of mine has a Ruger with a 45acp cylinder and in order to get the shells in the cylinder you have to crimp the hell out of them and this unfortunately leads to leading of the barrel.

[trapper9260]

Here is a link about the gun that you might like to read and give a better idea on it .https://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/2015/10/22/review-ruger-redhawk-45-acp45-colt-revolver/

[Lloyd Smale]

yes they did but you couldn't exchange cylinders because the barre was set back in the frame far enough to make up the difference between there lengths. I have both a 45acp and a 45 colt 4 inch 25 in the safe. I don't recall any smith N frame that had two cylinders or even a k or l frame for that matter.
Actually If memory is correct and I'n not mistaken the 25-5 had a option of both the 45LC cylinder and a 45acp cylinder. I've seen commemorative and collector models that have two cylinders.

[sonoransixgun]

Can't speak for Redhawk model but can for the .45 Ruger Blackhawk convertible. I love it--both ACP and LC. Both are accurate, fun, and easy to reload. Cylinder throats were small and I did have to ream both cylinders, but that was easy to do (for a dummy like me). If I had the means I wouldn't hesitate to get a Redhawk .45 convertible....

[Lloyd Smale]

I had a ruger Alaskan that I had moon clipped. It would shoot 45acps or 45 colts and 454s. It would do the 454s or 45 colts with or without clips but when you used clips they had to be the thin ones. the 45acps would use a standard smith 25 clip. Problem with the gun is that the point of aim between the 3 of them was so vastly different that it wasn't really practical to shoot without adjusting sights much past 10 yards. It shot 454s great, 45 colts good and 45acps? well about 3-4 inch. Just to much jump to the forcing cone in my opinion and its why the 454s shot hands down better then the other two. For the most part I didn't even bother with load development with 45 colts because I could just load 454s down and get better accuracy. the 45acps were about good for belly gun range and kind of made that a waste of time too. Don't know if it was all because of the bullet jump or because the guns barrel twist was for a 454. Ive had two convertible ruger single actions. A 45 colt 45acp that didn't do exceptionally well with either round and a 44mag that I bought a 4440 cylinder for and it shot real well with both. Guess in my opinion they could shelf the whole idea. If I want to shoot 45acps ill use a M&P or a 1911 that's made to do it. In a 45 colt handgun I can load down to acp ballistics anyway and don't have to be so conserned about reliability because of head space or fart with moon clips. If I want a 45acp revolver ill buy one designed to shoot them without the big bullet jump like my 45acp 4 inch 25. But that's just me and others may have different opinions or uses for it. The real cool thing about that Alaskan was 454s with moon clips. Couldn't dream up a better protection gun for big animals.

[sonoransixgun]

Just watched Hickok45's video on the .45 Redhawk convertible. Beautiful gun (to me). I didn't realize that you don't change the cylinder (since you do with the SA). He had the thin clips you mention, Lloyd, and they seemed a bit awkward, even for him. And he did mention the point of aim changing, but he was using factory ammo. With your SA, Lloyd, did you have to ream the throats? I've found my SA to be extremely accurate (after reaming and lapping). I love that gun and would never part with it. I load my ACP's for it hot and the point of aim doesn't change (the recoil for both is about the same). I find the ACP's to be surprisingly accurate despite the big bullet jump. But that's just my experience...

[murf205]

yes they did but you couldn't exchange cylinders because the barre was set back in the frame far enough to make up the difference between there lengths. I have both a 45acp and a 45 colt 4 inch 25 in the safe. I don't recall any smith N frame that had two cylinders or even a k or l frame for that matter.

Yep, they did. You could get a model 48 with an aux cylinder for 22 LR of a model 53 Jet, both K frames, with the same aux cylinder. They were an option and took quite a bit of time to fit to the gun so S&W discontinued offering them as an option. I have never seen an N frame with an aux cylinder either. Today they bring quite a premium with the gun they were fitted to as you can imagine.

[Lloyd Smale]

no throat reaming was necessary. A 452 bullet was a tight squeeze through the throat. Its the single action 45 rugers that had throats to small and for the most part those were in the older ones and the newer ones are pretty much right.
Just watched Hickok45's video on the .45 Redhawk convertible. Beautiful gun (to me). I didn't realize that you don't change the cylinder (since you do with the SA). He had the thin clips you mention, Lloyd, and they seemed a bit awkward, even for him. And he did mention the point of aim changing, but he was using factory ammo. With your SA, Lloyd, did you have to ream the throats? I've found my SA to be extremely accurate (after reaming and lapping). I love that gun and would never part with it. I load my ACP's for it hot and the point of aim doesn't change (the recoil for both is about the same). I find the ACP's to be surprisingly accurate despite the big bullet jump. But that's just my experience...

[Lloyd Smale]

learn something new every day. How did they combine the centerfire jet with a rimfire lr?
Yep, they did. You could get a model 48 with an aux cylinder for 22 LR of a model 53 Jet, both K frames, with the same aux cylinder. They were an option and took quite a bit of time to fit to the gun so S&W discontinued offering them as an option. I have never seen an N frame with an aux cylinder either. Today they bring quite a premium with the gun they were fitted to as you can imagine.

[murf205]

There is a "switch" on the hammer and it will strike either of the 2 firing pins, 1 center fire and 1 rim fire. The 22 jet was a neat idea but the chambers had to be super clean and oil free or the cases would back up against the recoil shield and tie up the gun at times. To shoot the 22 lr ammo, there were inserts that mimicked the 22 jet and the lr cartridges fit inside them. It was a pretty expensive gun to manufacture that gave problems so S&W cashiered it. The run of 53's was from 1961 till 1974, I believe. They tried a few guns with the hornet and .224 K-Chuck wildcat but the backing up problems were present with them also. The jet I shot was loud and I mean LOUD! It had quite a blast and I remember asking myself how does all that come from a .223 hole!

[meistermash]

Well I have one and it's a pile.
First thing was that it had been dropped and they couldn't bother to polish out the dent and machining marks on the barrel.
Then it spit lead all over the place.
Sent it back for that.
Now, it's pretty much a 45 colt.
Acp will not fire consistently with either factory or after market clips.
And I couldn't hit crap with acp in it when it did.
So it's pretty much a 45 colt affair.
Except that my 200 grain cast bullet loads 452, lead.
I also took a Pietta made model P colt replica out the same day.
There was no leading with it nor the same load in a c&b conversion 1858.

Had one of the weirdest squib with 45acp. The bullet was in the barrel, the primer fired, but the powder charge didn't ignite. Now it maybe that load isn't the best I've ever fationed, fact is it won't feed in a few of my 45pistols. Fn 200 gr plated.

I think I need to determine if I need a larger dia bullet.
Funny a guy would expect some wonky barrel dimensions with the Pietta or even the Pietta 1858 but the same exact load didn't lead those up.