THE DAY OF THE .45

[JimT]

Originally I had 2 Ruger .45 Colts. One had been given to me by Uncle Bill and one I picked up along the way somewheres. I shot both of them a lot. Eventually I had Uncle Bills gun rebuilt by John Linebaugh.

I had previously flat-topped it, making the top strap resemble the original Rugers. I also milled off the rear of the cylinder so that the cartridge rims were not recessed. I also heated and straightened the trigger somewhat for a better feel for target shooting.

John Linebaugh rebarreld the pistol with an 8" barrel. The barrel was hand-rifles and hand-lapped in Montrose, Colorado by an old time barrel maker. John also replaced the cylinder with a non-fluted cylinder from a .44 Magnum Seveille. He rechambered it to tight .45 Colt specs. Dad and I put a Taylor Throat in it.

I also ran the rear sight all the way down and faced off the screw so that it did not protrude through the frame. I took the rear sight apart and removed the spring, then cut a small peice of metal and installed it in the sight. I screwed the sight blade over against it. On the range I shot the gun, taking the rear sight apart and filing the metal shim until I had the gun shooting center. I filed the rear notch, making it deeper until the gun was hitting 'on' at 25 yards. Then I super-glued the inside of the rear sight, locking it all in place. So though it is an adjustable sight it no longer is adjustable.

Shooting the gun at 200 yards, I filed a notch in the rear of the front sight blade and filled it with solder. That is my 200 yard notch. At 200 yards I hold 6 o'clock on the target with the rear sight level across the 200 yard notch.

I sent the gun to a shop in California and had it black chromed. I had the aluminum grip frame re-anodized. The grip frame is an early Ruger XR3 grip frame, nearly identical to the Colt SAA.

Sam Bass made the elephant ivory grips and Twyla scrimshawed them. I killed a record-book Javelina with this gun as well as a lot of other game. It was my primary gun for many many years.

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This gun was the one I used to develop heavy .45 Colt loads back in the 1980's when most people were saying it could not be done. Working with John Taffin using data that Elmer Keith sent me and that he wrote about, I worked up heavy loads with the 300 gr. Lyman #457191.

These battered the gun fairly heavily. The first problem was the recoil plate set back from the primer hitting it and eventually locked the firing pin. I case hardened a new one and installed it and it is still in the gun, working fine after 40 years.

The other problems were the ejector rod housing being ripped off the gun by the rapid recoil and the cylinder pin latch being beaten until the cylinder pin would not stay in the gun under recoil.

I fiddled around trying to fix them but eventually John Linebaugh's remodel took care of all that.

I had not fired 20 shots with this gun since 2007 or 8 ... I just put it away and never thought about it. After moving back to the States I had it in my gun safe but just never shot it but once. Today I fixed that! Today was the DAY OF THE .45! I went out on the range this afternoon. Temperatures were in the 80's .. there was a nice breeze blowing, and the old Ruger and I got re-acquainted.

I shot paper plates with a dot aiming point at 25 yards. I did some offhand shooting, standing up on my hind legs like a real human, just to get the feel of the gun. Then, sitting down and using an Outers Pistol Rest I shot some targets. The longer I shot the better the groups got until after an hour or so my eyes started watering and hindering me seeing the sights clearly. But hey, they been around for a long time and are still sorta working so I ain't complaining.

The 2 best loads were the 225 gr. cast round-nose .45 ACP bullet (Lyman mold) over 8.0 grains of Unique and the 260 gr. Keith cast semi-wadcutter (RCBS mold) over 15 gr. 2400.

It was a good day. Shooting the old gun brought back some good memories. I'm happy I took it out today.

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[2ndovc]

Sure does sound like a good day!

Great story about the revolver and all the guys that were involved with it's history.

Jason

[Bronco]

A special day ! Good to have those mixed in with other good days. Awesome work Twyla scrimshawed.

[Grizz]

that's all round outstanding. that's a one gun candidate if i've ever seen one. great shooting Jim, and fabulous memories

[Scott Tschirhart]

I remember that old gun Jim. Thanks for bringing us along for the ride.

[Ysabel Kid]

Awesome! Thanks for sharing that Jim.

I'd love to see a close up picture of your rear sight. I can't quite picture what all you had done.

[JimT]

Awesome! Thanks for sharing that Jim.

I'd love to see a close up picture of your rear sight. I can't quite picture what all you had done.

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[Oldncrusty]

Cool story. Good to see old friends getting together.

[AJMD429]

Awesome! Thanks for sharing that Jim.

I'd love to see a close up picture of your rear sight. I can't quite picture what all you had done.

I second both sentiments.

[Sixgun]

That's what I call a "post of substance!".......a few more like that and Leverguns will beat CNN on viewership.

It's also the nicest non-flat top flat top I've ever seen. I tell ya, some day a guy who knows his Rugers is really gonna be scratching his head....will be a WTF moment.

What groove diameter did you bore it out to? and the throats?

Trivia...did you know there are LESS old model 45 Long Colt Rugers than there are 44 Flattops? I have a NIB old model convertible 45/45 acp sitting downstairs.----006

[JimT]

That's what I call a "post of substance!".......a few more like that and Leverguns will beat CNN on viewership.

It's also the nicest non-flat top flat top I've ever seen. I tell ya, some day a guy who knows his Rugers is really gonna be scratching his head....will be a WTF moment.

What groove diameter did you bore it out to? and the throats?

Trivia...did you know there are LESS old model 45 Long Colt Rugers than there are 44 Flattops? I have a NIB old model convertible 45/45 acp sitting downstairs.----006

The barrel was hand rifled and hand lapped. It tapers from .452" to .450" at the muzzle. My Dad cut a special reamer and put the Taylor Throat in the barrel. I fired 25 5-shot groups at 25 yards with bullets of .450" ... .452" ... and .454" diameters. The .452's gave the tightest group but all sizes were very close. I'm not sure where I have the data .. it was too many years ago.

[JimT]

Awesome! Thanks for sharing that Jim.

I'd love to see a close up picture of your rear sight. I can't quite picture what all you had done.

I second both sentiments.

I posted 2 photos of it in answer to the YK's request ... it looks just like a regular Ruger rear sight. All I changed were the internals.

[Sixgun]

Thanks for the reply Jim.....a very interesting single action revolver we can all learn from. By the way, the stocks your Twyla engraved....Your girl did nice work.---006

I see you robbed an old Ruger of its now valuable grip frame.

Yea...something about a single action.

Here's a pic of my "yard & tractor" gun......a very cosmetically beat Single Six.....with Colt New Frontier stocks.....back when those stocks were cheap. My claim to fame on this single action was 35 or 40 years ago I was out back and a crow landed on a tall hickory...I shot it and his buddies all came in and one landed...I shot him too.....then another....made a triple.

[JimT]

Now THAT is a perfect example of a workin' gun! Used. Not abused. It ain't no safe queen. I like the Old Model Rugers the best. The New Model guns sound like a cap pistol when you cock them and dry-fire them. I understand the reasons behind the changes but I don't have to like them.

Yes .. I did grab the old original grip frames whenever I could.

[Sixgun]

Eeeehhhh....dunno about it not being abused......that thing has been lots of places and drilled many a 1/4 hole out back before the days of cordless drills........hold the muzzle right up against the wood and blast.

I figure I can abuse a few guns in my lifetime....still have a pair of like new early flatgates stashed.....the ones with the skinny loading gates....most people never heard of em but I'm sure you have....dang! I could talk single actions all day....but only nice ones!--006

[Bill in Oregon]

Jim, what a fine post. Thank you.

[Old Savage]

Interesting story of all the modifications.

Here would be the Ruger factory version in similar configuration presently as a 45 ACP.

[weiler]

Jim, this is the one you wrote up in the Sixgunner? Really enjoyed that article, the base pin latch was a good idea!

[JimT]

Jim, this is the one you wrote up in the Sixgunner? Really enjoyed that article, the base pin latch was a good idea!

Yessir. It was also written up in the old Harris Publication magazine. Hal Swiggett called it "The Born-Again .45" I believe it was. Whatever, it was a long time ago.

[piller]

The . 45 Colt is a great caliber, and the things it can do for you are almost unbelievable. Thanks for this post Jim. Good looking gun and good information for others to follow.

[Ysabel Kid]

Awesome! Thanks for sharing that Jim.

I'd love to see a close up picture of your rear sight. I can't quite picture what all you had done.

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Thanks Jim!

[weiler]

Jim, this is the one you wrote up in the Sixgunner? Really enjoyed that article, the base pin latch was a good idea!

Yessir. It was also written up in the old Harris Publication magazine. Hal Swiggett called it "The Born-Again .45" I believe it was. Whatever, it was a long time ago.

That's one of my favorite "modern" 45 colt articles, I have it printed out with my stack of linebaugh/Bradshaw/Taffin write-ups that really got me interested in the Ruger 45's. Thanks for Sharing!