Henry Rifle Forums

Got a chance to test out a new bullet and load for my .45 Cowboy Specials using my Ruger New Vaquero Birds Head
.45 ACP revolver. The goal was to shoot a 250 gr. cast bullet to same speeds as typical .45 Colt.
I intend to use the .45 Special rounds in this ACP revolver.

Using 5.8 -6.0 gr. of Unique I was happy to see an average speed of 856 FPS which is right on target for a .45 Colt load in the small frame Colt type revolvers. Being that this is a Ruger .45 ACP revolver it can handle upwards of 21,000-23,000 PSI or this same bullet at 920 FPS but I will keep the load at 6 gr. of Unique.

With the target set up behind my chrono which was about 16 ft distance you can see a nice group. Later did a bit of longer distance
plinking with what was left of the 20 rounds I had to test.

All looks good to load up the rest of the batch! Loading these saves me 2 gr. of powder per round compared to same load in .45 Colt at 8 to 8.5 gr. of Unique...200 grs. saved per 100 rounds loaded!

I really like the looks of that revolver with the BIrdshead grips. They are really comfortable to handle, aside from their good looks. And the POIs on your target also tell the story that you have a solid, steady hand on aiming that revolver.
Thanks for your range report.
PT7

Very cool revolver and great results/range report, thanks for sharing!

I've been looking and can't seem to find a 'convertible' Birdshead in 45 from Ruger. Has it been discontinued? Would like to learn more about it. PT7 has raved about this grip!

Thanks! I forgot to mention the bullet is from the Lyman/Keith 452423 mold sold thru Matt's Bullets.
Bullet was designed for use in the .45 Auto Rim revolvers and shoots well.

ESquared wrote:Very cool revolver and great results/range report, thanks for sharing!

I've been looking and can't seem to find a 'convertible' Birdshead in 45 from Ruger. Has it been discontinued? Would like to learn more about it. PT7 has raved about this grip!

Well they do make this revolver in .45 Colt or .45 ACP but don't recall if it was made with a swap cylinder.
I have another Birdie based on the Uberti/ Taylors and Co. "Running Iron" in .45 Colt with 3.5 inch barrel. It has the slicked up action
and I converted it to the Birds Head grip.

Looks good. That target guy is toast.

The Ruger was a distributor exclusive, as I recall. Never have seen it offered as a convertible. Had to buy it either as the 45 Colt or the 45 ACP. Too bad, as a convertible would make for an even better setup.

Love your 45 Special concept, by the way. Great shooting, too.

How does anyone shoot a .45 with that little bird's head grip. Even my Colt S.A.A. .45 with a 7.5" barrel has oversized grips so my big mitt can hold on to it. My Ruger Blackhawk .45 Colt/A.C.P. has big rubber grips.

Travlin wrote:How does anyone shoot a .45 with that little bird's head grip. Even my Colt S.A.A. .45 with a 7.5" barrel has oversized grips so my big mitt can hold on to it. My Ruger Blackhawk .45 Colt/A.C.P. has big rubber grips.

Well I get two fingers wrapped around it and my pinky is tucked under the butt of it.
Seems to work for me. Not a whole lot of recoil with these loads though.

PT7 wrote:I really like the looks of that revolver with the BIrdshead grips. They are really comfortable to handle, aside from their good looks. And the POIs on your target also tell the story that you have a solid, steady hand on aiming that revolver.
Thanks for your range report.
PT7

Well I was sitting in my chair with girp hand resting on my knee. Go to have a good trigger pull so as not to take out the chrono!
I pulled a shot last time out and the bullet hit and bent up one of the rods!

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Love those revolvers! To shoot .45 ACP still use moon clips?

fortyshooter wrote:Got a chance to test out a new bullet and load for my .45 Cowboy Specials using my Ruger New Vaquero Birds Head
.45 ACP revolver. The goal was to shoot a 250 gr. cast bullet to same speeds as typical .45 Colt.
I intend to use the .45 Special rounds in this ACP revolver.

Using 5.8 -6.0 gr. of Unique I was happy to see an average speed of 856 FPS which is right on target for a .45 Colt load in the small frame Colt type revolvers. Being that this is a Ruger .45 ACP revolver it can handle upwards of 21,000-23,000 PSI or this same bullet at 920 FPS but I will keep the load at 6 gr. of Unique.

With the target set up behind my chrono which was about 16 ft distance you can see a nice group. Later did a bit of longer distance
plinking with what was left of the 20 rounds I had to test.

All looks good to load up the rest of the batch! Loading these saves me 2 gr. of powder per round compared to same load in .45 Colt at 8 to 8.5 gr. of Unique...200 grs. saved per 100 rounds loaded!

Ah yes kinda reminds me of Tombstone lookin at those guns. Nice shooting. If Markiver chimes in here with his avatar he will be your huckleberry for sure.

Travlin,

The birdshead grip on my Uberti .45LC was a rounder, heftier grip than what is on my other SA Uberti revolvers. I have large hands, and it fit very snugly in my palm. I also had checkered grips, which does help. What is true for a person with large hands, it is not long enough to wrap your pinky onto the grip. So I rested my pinky under the grip, and it sure helped steady the gun, and actually lessened the already-mild felt recoil of .45LC ammo.

A pleasure to shoot with this style grip. If you get the chance, you should try one out. It will surprise you I think.
PT7

Travlin wrote:How does anyone shoot a .45 with that little bird's head grip. Even my Colt S.A.A. .45 with a 7.5" barrel has oversized grips so my big mitt can hold on to it. My Ruger Blackhawk .45 Colt/A.C.P. has big rubber grips.

Love those revolvers! To shoot .45 ACP still use moon clips?

Mags, that's the beauty of shooting the 45 ACP in a single action. No need for moon clips, since you shuck empties in a single action same as you would with rimmed revolver cartridges. Moon clips are necessary in DA revolvers when using rimless, semi-auto cartridges because the star on the extractor has nothing to grab, otherwise.

Had one of those birdshead Rugers in 45 ACP, but mine had to go back to the factory because it shot so high at 10 yards, I could barely get it on paper. Ruger did replace it, but I later foolishly sold it. The 45 ACP in that gun or any single action is a true joy to shoot, not to mention very cheap to shoot. Not as cheap to shoot as 9mm, but close and 1911 accurate, too. A 45 Colt/45 ACP convertible is on my short list of guns I need to replace.

By the way, when shooting one of these single action convertibles in 45 Colt and 45 ACP, using standard loads in each cartridge, you will notice the distinctly different shooting characteristics of each cartridge. Both are pleasant to shoot, but different in nature.

NCG
You are spot on with the 45acp convertibles. I dont shoot mine as often as I should but when I do it is one fun gun to shoot especially with the 45acp cylinder. I did send both of my cylinders out to a guy in North Carolina to have the throats all evened up. This made it much better for shooting cast as Ruger at times does a horrible job with the throats.I have the Bisley 5 inch Ruger.

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Thanks for explaining and I understand it. But being rimless and straight wall what keeps the .45 ACP round from slipping forward in the cylinder?

North Country Gal wrote:

Love those revolvers! To shoot .45 ACP still use moon clips?

Mags, that's the beauty of shooting the 45 ACP in a single action. No need for moon clips, since you shuck empties in a single action same as you would with rimmed revolver cartridges. Moon clips are necessary in DA revolvers when using rimless, semi-auto cartridges because the star on the extractor has nothing to grab, otherwise.

Mags wrote:.
Thanks for explaining and I understand it. But being rimless and straight wall what keeps the .45 ACP round from slipping forward in the cylinder?

North Country Gal wrote:

Love those revolvers! To shoot .45 ACP still use moon clips?

Mags, that's the beauty of shooting the 45 ACP in a single action. No need for moon clips, since you shuck empties in a single action same as you would with rimmed revolver cartridges. Moon clips are necessary in DA revolvers when using rimless, semi-auto cartridges because the star on the extractor has nothing to grab, otherwise.

The .45 ACP cylinders have a step where it meets the throat diameter to locate the case for correct head space.

I have a 5.5 Bisley Blackhawk with the .45 ACP conversion cylinder but mostly shoot hotter .45 Colt loads in it.
Love the ghost ring sight on it!!

Nice Bisley, there, forty.

I will certainly try a birds head grip if I get the chance. That ghost ring site looks like it would make for some fast aiming and shooting. Is it a custom site?