Guns & Outdoors Forum

I have an SS Old Vaquero 7.5” in .44-40 and I love that gun, but I always thought it’d be fun to have a convertible with a SS .44 Mag cylinder so I have options! Factory 44-40 is expensive and I haven’t started reloading it yet, but I have buckets of .44 spl and mag reloads!

We’ll, kick in eBay and I found BH SS .44 Mag cylinder which looks to be in basically like new shape. Doesn’t even have turn marks. For the money (under $100) I figured what’s the worst that could happen.

Well it arrived yesterday and I threw it in the gun today and except for the level of polish being a bit more matte on the BH cylinder the fit is factory perfect!!! Timing is right on the money and there is zero back and forth or any other movement. Locks up like a bank vault when I cock the hammer.

So here’s my new to me 44-40/44 Mag convertible!

Ruger says this is OK to do?

That is a very cool setup!! Should prove to be a very useful revolver!

Chiro1989 wrote: ↑Sat Aug 29, 2026 1:41 am Ruger says this is OK to do?

They never made one, that said is the shoe fits Cinderella….
The biggest concern would be barrel grove diameter and cylinder timing. When all those stars align it’s all good!

Chiro1989 wrote: ↑Sat Aug 29, 2026 1:41 am Ruger says this is OK to do?

Hummmmm, never thought about asking them

Elk Creek wrote: ↑Sat Aug 29, 2026 1:59 am That is a very cool setup!! Should prove to be a very useful revolver!

I think so! It’s also proven to be a very accurate gun with HMS 44-40 ammo which is notorious for being, well, crap! But they still hit your for $55/box of 50.

So I can shoot nice easy shooting 44-40, swap the cylinder and send all the .44 mag stuff I want down range and carry either!

Zee wrote: ↑Sat Aug 29, 2026 2:03 am

Thanks!

Elk Creek wrote: ↑Sat Aug 29, 2026 2:05 am

Chiro1989 wrote: ↑Sat Aug 29, 2026 1:41 am Ruger says this is OK to do?

They never made one, that said is the shoe fits Cinderella….
The biggest concern would be barrel grove diameter and cylinder timing. When all those stars align it’s all good!

For compatibility of parts purposes, Ruger barrel grove diameter in the 44-40 old Vaqueros was the same .429 they used for the .44 Mag Vaqueros and BH

Now I could have just loaded my 44-40 to 44 mag pressures with modern brass for this revolver that’s basically a tank, but I also have several 1873 clone Ubertis and a Uberti Model 66 Yellow boy rifle in 44-40 and none of them would appreciate a steady diet of hot stuff.

Some people just have an Ebay lucky streak Not me, IF i find what I need it's 10x what I want to pay

Great buy.... worth every penny when it's a drop in fit
Hammer time

Interchangeable cylinders in the 44s was an unknown feature to me.

If the vaquero was designed iff of the blackhawk wonder if 44-40 cylinders will interchange with 44 RM in the super blackhawk or redhawk?

Its quite likely ruger used a single design cylinder then machined different chambers. More common parts that way

Wambli Ska wrote: ↑Sat Aug 29, 2026 2:16 am

Chiro1989 wrote: ↑Sat Aug 29, 2026 1:41 am Ruger says this is OK to do?

Hummmmm, never thought about asking them

Well, would not want to mar the underwear model's finish or patina......

sakodude wrote: ↑Sat Aug 29, 2026 3:53 am Some people just have an Ebay lucky streak Not me, IF i find what I need it's 10x what I want to pay

It’s all about patience. I have a “watch list” of over 100 items. Some I’m waiting for the seller to come to their senses, others because I need a reference price for what stuff is actually selling for. And when I see something I new or want at a great price I don’t think about it, just pull the trigger.

JunkCollector wrote: ↑Sat Aug 29, 2026 4:31 am Great buy.... worth every penny when it's a drop in fit
Hammer time

Literally like it was fit at the factory. Again, Ruger!

Japhy wrote: ↑Sat Aug 29, 2026 4:34 am Interchangeable cylinders in the 44s was an unknown feature to me.

If the vaquero was designed iff of the blackhawk wonder if 44-40 cylinders will interchange with 44 RM in the super blackhawk or redhawk?

Yes on the Super Blackhawk but I don’t think so on the Redhawk it being a DA. But I will admit I have never looked into it.

Ruger only has a handful of CNC blueprints and they trim and shape the castings to their needs for specific models. A Blackhawk, Super Blackhawk, Old Vaquero (literally a BH frame with a rounded top and a channel for a rear sight) have a whole lot of common parts.

Other parts like grip frames and hammers are often interchangeable even between larger frames like the SBH and the smaller New Vaqueros.

I also have a stainless grip frame coming because I promised my Son-in-law that I was going to replace the slightly beat up aluminum grip frame on his .41 Mag 4.5” BH with a polished SS frame and nice grips for him. Now I’m doing it for my grandson when he comes of age. I might have his dad’s name engraved on the back strap.

Chiro1989 wrote: ↑Sat Aug 29, 2026 3:50 pm

Wambli Ska wrote: ↑Sat Aug 29, 2026 2:16 am

Chiro1989 wrote: ↑Sat Aug 29, 2026 1:41 am Ruger says this is OK to do?

Hummmmm, never thought about asking them

Well, would not want to mar the underwear model's finish or patina......

Danged right…

Nice! Looking forward to the range report.

LMLarsen wrote: ↑Sun Aug 30, 2026 1:31 am Nice! Looking forward to the range report.

Should be soon, maybe even early this coming week.

Pretty slick and i never even considered it. Thats one I'll have to put down in the memory bank.

Justsomedude wrote: ↑Sun Aug 30, 2026 5:09 am Pretty slick and i never even considered it. Thats one I'll have to put down in the memory bank.

You could have asked your buddy Chat

Wambli Ska wrote: ↑Sun Aug 30, 2026 2:03 pm

Justsomedude wrote: ↑Sun Aug 30, 2026 5:09 am Pretty slick and i never even considered it. Thats one I'll have to put down in the memory bank.

You could have asked your buddy Chat

I still catch him slipping from time to time. Apparently he's still learning.

Justsomedude wrote: ↑Sun Aug 30, 2026 5:06 pm

Wambli Ska wrote: ↑Sun Aug 30, 2026 2:03 pm

Justsomedude wrote: ↑Sun Aug 30, 2026 5:09 am Pretty slick and i never even considered it. Thats one I'll have to put down in the memory bank.

You could have asked your buddy Chat

I still catch him slipping from time to time. Apparently he's still learning.

Every second of his life. And just like humans, the topics that are addressed the most are the ones it learns the best. Things like firearms, hunting etc. are lagging a little because the demand for that knowledge is smaller and more niche like.

New tidbit: Ruger had a new model superblackhawk convertable that came with the 44-40 cylinder and the 44 mag cylinder
Catalog number s4440

Dont know when it was available but it is a “new model superblackhawk which is the version with the transfer bar among other differences.

Ruger has a long history of convertible revolvers.