Fun with revolvers

[awp_101]

Spent an hour at the range Sunday, all revolver work with the exception of 20 rounds through a pair of MkIVs (1 mag each). And I didn't bring just any old revolvers, I brought out the single action revolvers! A 4 5/8" .45ACP NMBH, a 5.5" .44 Special Great Western from 1956 and a brand new Ruger Wrangler.

I only put 45 rounds through the Wrangler so I'll do a review at another time, but the short version is I like it. I can't see the sights but I like it.


Ran 25 rounds of HSM 240gr LSWC cowboy loads though the Great Western. I only picked it up last week so I wasn't unhappy with the first 5 rounds offhand. I can't the sights on this one either.






Finished up with the NMBH. I tried American Eagle 230gr FMJ, Fed Syntec 230gr and Black Hills 200gr LSWC. The 2 best targets came from the AE and BH. I think the Fed is a little on the long side of OAL. I have problems getting it fully chambered after a cylinder or two and it starts to bind. I did NOT have that problem with the FMJ and I don't think it happened with the LSWC. I'll try other flavors of FMJ before I clean the cylinder again to see if I can nail down the problem to a type of ammo or maybe just a single chamber in the cylinder.

[Totem Polar]

Sounds like great fun!

PS. https://www.longhunt.com/storelh/ind...product_id=271

[awp_101]

Sounds like great fun!

PS. https://www.longhunt.com/storelh/ind...product_id=271

Those have been on my radar, have you tried them yet? If I go for a set I’ll try one on the Wrangler. The GWA is in too good a shape for a permanent mod.

[BillSWPA]

I will be interested in your comments on the Wrangler sights, both on terms of visibility as well as relationship between point of aim and point of impact.


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[Jim Watson]

I have that problem with hog wallow sights, too.
Ruger had a marvel of marketing when they took the adjustable sight off the Blackhawk, called it a Vaquero, raised the price, and sold a barge load.

[Lost River]

Finished up with the NMBH. I tried American Eagle 230gr FMJ, Fed Syntec 230gr and Black Hills 200gr LSWC. The 2 best targets came from the AE and BH. I think the Fed is a little on the long side of OAL. I have problems getting it fully chambered after a cylinder or two and it starts to bind. I did NOT have that problem with the FMJ and I don't think it happened with the LSWC. I'll try other flavors of FMJ before I clean the cylinder again to see if I can nail down the problem to a type of ammo or maybe just a single chamber in the cylinder.

AWP,

Sounds like you had a fun outing with some great toys. Reference the SWCs not chambering all the way, that is not at all uncommon with Rugers. Most factories and handloaders load SWCs to have the rim/top driving band of the bullet above the case mouth for more reliable feeding in autos. Ruger's chambers quite often are too short for these bullet types, and need to be reamed out.

It is a super simple job, and any competent smith can do it quickly. My little Flattop .45 would not take SWCs unless I seated them all the way back flush with the case mouth. But that made them not particularly reliable in autos, which was a no-go with me, so the cylinder was reamed and now it shoots everything I feed it.

There is also a chamber reaming tool to do it yourself if you are comfortable doing those things.


I personally think .45 ACP single actions are the cats azz on the fun/cool scale.

[Malamute]

... Reference the SWCs not chambering all the way, that is not at all uncommon with Rugers. Most factories and handloaders load SWCs to have the rim/top driving band of the bullet above the case mouth for more reliable feeding in autos. Ruger's chambers quite often are too short for these bullet types, and need to be reamed out.

It is a super simple job, and any competent smith can do it quickly. My little Flattop .45 would not take SWCs unless I seated them all the way back flush with the case mouth. But that made them not particularly reliable in autos, which was a no-go with me, so the cylinder was reamed and now it shoots everything I feed it.

There is also a chamber reaming tool to do it yourself if you are comfortable doing those things...

I did not realize this, thank you. I found an ACP cylinder that fit my vaquero, (1 of 3 cylinders that fit only 1 of 3 guns we tried them in), it gets dirty quickly and hangs up loading rounds all the way in even shooting WWB FMJ loads. Load bullet handloads are a bugger. I dont shoot the acp cylinder much because of that, mainly take it along on road trips since acp ammo is easier to find.

Where does one find the chamber reamer that helps these? Id be fine doing it myself.



Edit: Regarding the old style fixed sights, I painted the front on mine with bright orange nail polish with white base coat (Traffic Cone). it made the gun vastly more usable in dusk conditions, from virtually invisible sights to very easy to see much later into dusk conditions. Havent tried anything on the rear, not sure what would help in low light but not be a nuisance in bright light. Its still far better with just the front being bright orange.

[Lost River]

You can get the Manson reamer and throat pack at Brownells, but it is a bit spendy, at about $160 ish for both.

I just had to make sure I could find it in my messy gun project area, and fortunately I could.

Short version is how about I just send it to you, then you send it to AWP, if he wants to use it then you guys ship it back.


https://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-t...-prod7700.aspx




Cheers!

[Malamute]

That would be awesome, thanks!

[Lost River]

That would be awesome, thanks!

Shoot me a PM with your address, as I am not sure I have it anymore and I will get it in the mail to you.