Ruger Blackhawk Convertible Revolver: Swapping Calibers

By Robert Sadowski

Revolvers are versatile and a whole lot of fun. However, these guns could be even more fun if they could shoot more calibers. It would be really neat to be able to buy a .357 Mag., which also shoots .38 Spl., and put, maybe, 9mm rounds in it. Sounds crazy, right? Enter the Ruger Blackhawk Convertible Revolver. 

Ruger Blackhawk Convertible revolvers can fire .357, .38 and 9mm or .45 Colt and .45 ACP. And while they come in a variety of models, the core group features blued steel with black rubber grips. These single-action revolvers are simple but elegant, sleek but powerful. And swapping out cylinders is as easy as field stripping the revolver; it doesn’t even require any tools.

Ruger Blackhawk Revolver: Modern Cowboy Pistol

Since Ruger introduced the Blackhawk single-action revolver in 1955, it has been popular. In 1973, the New Model Blackhawk was introduced with a transfer bar safety system. The transfer bar safety allows the gun to be carried fully loaded. Even if accidentally dropped on the hammer, the revolver will not fire.

New Model Convertible Blackhawks came out of the chute at the same time. The only difference between a New Model Blackhawk and a New Model Blackhawk Convertible is that the Convertible model has an extra cylinder in a compatible caliber. 

Caliber combinations are .45 Colt/.45 ACP and .357 Mag./9mm. Discontinued caliber combinations included .38-40 WCF/10mm Auto and .32 Spl./.32-20 WCF. By far the most popular Convertible caliber combination is the .357 Mag./9mm. The .357 Mag. and 9mm combination gives the user a revolver than can hunt, defend and plink.

Convertible Cylinder Differences

Drop a 9mm round in a chamber of the .357 Mag. cylinder and the round won’t fit. The .357 Mag. and .38 Spl. use a rimmed cartridge case. The rim overlaps the cylinder’s chambers. The 9mm round is a rimless case that headspaces on the case mouth via stepped chambers. 

Most shooters would ask about performance since .357 Mag. and 9mm are vastly different calibers. The typical 9mm pistol has 1:10 twist rate; most .357 Mag. revolvers have a 1:16 twist rate. The bullet diameters of the 9mm and .357 Mag. also differ. The 9mm has a bullet diameter of 0.355 inches and the .357 Mag’s diameter is 0.357 inches. The Ruger Blackhawk Convertible contains a 1:16 twist, as it was designed for the .357 Mag. Shooting the 9mm through the Blackhawk is an added bonus. The rifling is not optimized for the 9mm, but accuracy is still good for plinking or shooting the boogeyman from across the room.

Point of Impact Differences

Those with trigger time using .357 Mag. and .38 Spl. know different brands of ammunition and different bullet weights have a different point of impact out of the same revolver. If the revolver is zeroed for .357 Mag., rounds will hit to point of aim. Change to .38 Spl. and use the same point of aim and the rounds will hit higher. 

The reason is the .357 Mag. round has more velocity than the .38 Spl. Since the gun recoils immediately upon firing, flipping upward, the slower-moving .38 Spl. round is in the barrel longer and will typically hit slightly higher. The same is true when shooting the 9mm; the 9mm is slower. 

I keep my Blackhawk zeroed for .357 Mag. and use a little Kentucky elevation to compensate for .38 Spl. and 9mm rounds. I also like heavier 147-grain 9mm bullets and have shot good groups with them.

Six-Shooter Economics

The average price per round for 357 Magnum Ammo ranges from $0.50 to $1.00 depending on the brand of ammo and type of bullet. The cost per round of 38 Special ammo is slightly cheaper at $0.37 to $0.56. The 9mm, however, is cheap in comparison. It has a cost per round at about $0.19 to $0.22 at the low end. 

Of course, the price of 9mm ammo can be as high as a $1 a round depending on the brand and type of bullet loaded. Those with plenty of 9mm on hand, however, can shoot the Blackhawk Convertible for a lot less money and recoil. 

Prepping And Plinking

I like the adaptability of the Ruger Blackhawk Convertible with the ability to fire three different cartridges. Come the next ammo shortage, I have a good chance to still keep my Blackhawk Convertible running. This revolver, loaded with .357 Mag., also makes a handy close-range deer hunting gun. Shooting 9mm out of the Ruger is literally a blast. There is a lot to be said about the versatility of the Ruger New Model Blackhawk Convertible revolver.

Ruger Blackhawk Convertible Specs

• Action: Single-action
• Caliber: .357 Mag./.38 Spl./9mm (tested); .45 Colt/.45 ACP
• Barrel Length: 4.62” or 6.5”
• Front Sight: Ramp
• Rear Sight: Adjustable
• Twist: 1:16 RH
• Finish: Blued
• Capacity: 6
• MSRP: $979

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