Question. I thought that the reason for the 454 Casull case being .100" longer was so that it would NOT chamber in a 45 colt chamber. Today in the interest of enlightenment I dropped a factory 454 Casull round into a Ruger Blackhawk SA 45 Colt cylinder. It chambered perfectly & didn't extend beyond the cylinder face & would have fired. I was in shock to say the least. I had expected that the 454 case to not go fully into the colt chamber but it did. This is not good. Anyone have the same experience?
Wonder what Ruger would say about this?

As I am sure you know, even if the round fits, there might not be a deep enough chamber for the crimp of the sawse to fully open up.

That could cause pressures much higher than even the standard 454 Casuel pressures.

Does that 454 round have a heavy crimp?

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As I am sure you know, even if the round fits, there might not be a deep enough chamber for the crimp of the sawse to fully open up.

That could cause pressures much higher than even the standard 454 Casuel pressures.

Does that 454 round have a heavy crimp?

Yep I know that. Thats why i'm so suprised the 454 chambered as though it was a 45 colt round.
The factory 454 round does indeed have a heavy crimp which would probably cause pressures to skyrocket due to the crimp not being able to fully open causing the blackhawk to blow even though they are very strong. I'll give Ruger a call today & see what they say.

This is getting too commonplace for the new whizbang cartridges to chamber in something they shouldn't. Revolvers seem to be the biggest offenders anymore.

Back in the day, they did a better job of making rounds fit what they should fit and nothing smaller. They moved the shoulder ahead in the 280 because it was too close to a 270. Oh well....

This sounds like a sloppy chamber, not an ammunition 'problem'.

Can you measure the chamber?

George

I am no gunsmith by a long shot, but I can't credit a "sloppy chamber" to something a full tenth of an inch too long. One would have to really snooze while cutting the cylinder to allow that to happen. I just tried to chamber one of my handloaded 320-grain SWC Casull cartridges in both of my Redhawks, as well as the custom Hamilton Bowen five shot RH. They wouldn't chamber, by roughly .060"...

And I have to wonder what the projectile was in that factory round...

Is the .454 round you tried factory or a reload? If it is a reload, could the heavy crimp be the cause?

Ruger will defiinitely tell you not to shoot any ammo other than what is marked on the barrel; in fact, it is marked on the barrel not to. Anyway, the pressure of the 454 is 55000 psi in the Hodgen books. Linebaugh did lots of testing with Rugers and at the HP White lab, found that the 45LC cylinders will blow at 60000 psi. So, even if it fits, don't do it. The 454 will need a 5 shot, heat treated cylinder capable of handling more pressure. Having said that, you can still safely shoot some very heavy (32000 psi) loads from Ruger 45s.

Doug, see if a fired 454 case will fit in the cylinders.

Check all 6 of them, just for grins.

It is a Winchester factory round. It's stamped WIN 454. I don't have a fired one to try. Don't have a 454. This is a round from my collection that we were studing. I was thinking about buying a Handirifle in 45 colt & punching it out to 454 which is a common practice. My friend popped the cylinder out of his blackhawk & the round chamberd easily in all six chambers. Wish we had another 45 colt to compare against. Rugers phone has been busy all day.

It depends on were the crimp groove is on the bullet.If you use bullets specific to the 454 Casull the bullet sticks out the front of the cylinder.At least the ones I use do.

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Ruger will defiinitely tell you not to shoot any ammo other than what is marked on the barrel; in fact, it is marked on the barrel not to. Anyway, the pressure of the 454 is 55000 psi in the Hodgen books. Linebaugh did lots of testing with Rugers and at the HP White lab, found that the 45LC cylinders will blow at 60000 psi. So, even if it fits, don't do it. The 454 will need a 5 shot, heat treated cylinder capable of handling more pressure. Having said that, you can still safely shoot some very heavy (32000 psi) loads from Ruger 45s.

WELL DUH!

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This sounds like a sloppy chamber, not an ammunition 'problem'.

Or is the offending cylinder one made for 45 ACP with some sort of moon clip?

Which I can't see ever being a working idea on a Ruger Blackhawk as I thought that the 45 ACP Blackhawk cylinders had a sharp step shoulder as did the Smith & Wesson Model 1917?

I have seen, even her in Britain, later Taurus type 45 ACP/ 45 Colt/ 410 Shotshell "combination" revovers that don't have this step at all and seem to be a cylinder bored without that sharp step or shoulder...such as the "combination" Taurus Judge.

Has the Ruger been modified from factory spec?

Ruger 45 acp cylinders have a step for the case mouth; I have one. I just measured my 45 lc Ruger chamber; it is 1.3 inches long.
I was responding to the OP who said he was going to call Ruger; I was merely surmising what they would tell him and giving some data to the discussion. I don't understand the Duh comment.

I appreciate everyones help. The faces of the chambers on this cylinder have no step for the case rim.

I tried to put hand loaded 454 cases in my Ruger Bisley 45 Long Colt. I used new Starline brass loaded with 325 gr WNHC boolits and 300 gr.Hornady XTP`s.Both would not chamber all the way into the cylinder.The cylinder would not rotate with them in .I also checked them in my Marlin Mo.94 and they would not chamber in that either.Have you actually measured the length of the brass???It maybe a ammo problem and not your Ruger.

The OAL of the factory 454 round is 1.370" Make that 1.670" which is not too long for a Blackhawk cylinder but is too long for the Vaquero cylinder.
SHOOTERS BEWARE.

Doug, recheck you OAL measurement...

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Originally posted by N E 450 No2:
Doug, recheck you OAL measurement...

Thanks N E! I'm glad someone is alert.

The OAL is 1.670" Don't know where in hell i got the other one from.

I have a Blackhawk & Redhawk in 45 colt. I seldom even need 'Ruger only' 45 Colts loads. Other than just some curiosity chamber checking, I see no reason to actually fire a full power 454 load in a 45 Colt chamber. The only way I could see maybe doing it, would be with very light(45 Colt level) hand loads. Then one would ask, what's the reason?

Better not do it. According to test that White Labratories did the blackhawk cylinder will let go at 60,000 PSI.