Question about stainless Blackhawk.

[WonderNine]

My father is looking at getting a stainless Blackhawk to shoot the powerful .357 loads out of and save wear and tear on his model 19 Smith.

My question is....I know that carbon steel is stronger so wouldn't a blued model hold up better to heavy magnum 600-700ft/lbs energy loadings?

Or is this a moot point in anything smaller than a .44 mag? Or maybe this is nothing to worry about altogether?

 

[Shane]

Ruger's stainless is very strong. My Blackhawk has fired a lot of heavy loads, and no problems so far.


If you don't already know, the blued blackhawks have aluminum grips.

I think either way, your Blackhawk will shoot heavy loads with no problems. Its built on a large frame, and its probably the second strongest .357 magnum in existence (the Old .357 magnum Redhawks being the strongest).

 

[Jim March]

The "New Model" 357 Blackhawks are built on the same frame that Ruger uses on the 44Mag Superblackhawks, and even in the "weaker" stainless have been converted to 454 and all kinds of crazy mega-magnum calibers by various gunsmiths.

You won't be able to break a stainless 357 Blackhawk unless you try REAL hard to triple-charge it or something.

 

[cratz2]

I have a friend that has a stainless 7.5" SuperBlackhawk that I have put probably 400 rounds through, he has put thousands of rounds through and it was a silhouette gun before that and had several thousands of rounds put through it by a previous owner that bought it second hand. It's been MagnaPorted and sometimes has a Leupold scope mounted. It gets a little banged up every year come hunting season and I'd be willing to bet that with about two minutes of polishing, it could pass for brand new.

They're strong strong strong. I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[Lone Star]

Some years ago, "Shooting Times" did a feature comparing stainless steel models to blued guns. They found that stainless held up better in most areas, particularly in flame-cutting of the barrel throat and top strap. Some older stainless S&W's with internal stainless parts didn't endure as well as did regular carbon steel parts, but they solved that by using normal color-casehardened hammers and triggers and other lockwork. Later examples were flash-chromed for added corrosion resistance, but remained "plain" steel.

I've owned both stainless and blue guns, and I infinitely prefer the stainless, especially where the gun is carried daily, in all sorts of weather.

Lone Star

 

[Tom C.]

Stainless strength

The Ruger SS guns, I believe, use casting grade of 410/416 stainless for frame and parts, and 416 bar stock for the cylinder. They are martinsitic (?) steels that are heat treated for maximum strength, hardness, toughness, etc. When considering the strength, remember 2 of the strongest .44 magnums ever made are the Redhawk and Super Redhawk, both SS. The .454 and .480 did go to a special steel for the cylinders because of the thin webs. They still seem to hold up just fine.

 

[GW45]

I have a Ruger Blackhawk in stainless (6 1/2" bbl) and it has shot everything I ever loaded it's cylinder with.

I've had it about 10 years and from Blazer to Corbon 200 Hard Cast - very accurate and reliable.