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**44 AMP** · December 29, 2010, 02:09 PM

The Vaquero cylinder is the right size to fit the (new model) Blackhawk frame. The New Vaquero cylinder is not.

Whether the cylinder you have can be fitted to a Blackhawk frame is something only a gunsmith can tell you, after examining both. It ought to be able to be fitted, but, not knowing what exactly was done to the cylinder you have, it may not be possible.

I am leary of a cylinder that will accept .45 Colt and .45ACP. There is .004 difference in the head sizes between the two (when properly spec'd), AND, I gotta wonder, how you will be able to use any kind of moon clip (full, half, baby, etc) in a single action revolver?

Ruger uses two cylinders for their convertible .45Colt/.45 ACP, and for good reason. You can't have a chamber ledge for the .45ACP to headspace on in a chamber that will take a .45 Colt case. Without the ledge, the ACP round will simply fall too far into the cylinder to fire. So, you have to use a moon clip of some kind to fire an ACP in the .004" larger diameter chamber of the .45 Colt. And that can create its own issues. It might be a workable thing in a swing out cylinder DA revolver, but in a Single action, while you could have the clearance for the clips cut, you would still have to take the cylinder out of the frame to load and unload it.

I'd have a good gunsmith check things out before I spent any large amount of money.

December 29, 2010, 02:09 PM	#6
44 AMP Staff Join Date: March 11, 2006 Location: Upper US Posts: 28,832	Only the gunsmith knows for sure..... The Vaquero cylinder is the right size to fit the (new model) Blackhawk frame. The New Vaquero cylinder is not. Whether the cylinder you have can be fitted to a Blackhawk frame is something only a gunsmith can tell you, after examining both. It ought to be able to be fitted, but, not knowing what exactly was done to the cylinder you have, it may not be possible. I am leary of a cylinder that will accept .45 Colt and .45ACP. There is .004 difference in the head sizes between the two (when properly spec'd), AND, I gotta wonder, how you will be able to use any kind of moon clip (full, half, baby, etc) in a single action revolver? Ruger uses two cylinders for their convertible .45Colt/.45 ACP, and for good reason. You can't have a chamber ledge for the .45ACP to headspace on in a chamber that will take a .45 Colt case. Without the ledge, the ACP round will simply fall too far into the cylinder to fire. So, you have to use a moon clip of some kind to fire an ACP in the .004" larger diameter chamber of the .45 Colt. And that can create its own issues. It might be a workable thing in a swing out cylinder DA revolver, but in a Single action, while you could have the clearance for the clips cut, you would still have to take the cylinder out of the frame to load and unload it. I'd have a good gunsmith check things out before I spent any large amount of money. __________________ All else being equal (and it almost never is) bigger bullets tend to work better.