Ruger Blackhawk .357/9mm questions

[valnar]

I'm interested in buying my first single action revolver. I have several DA Smiths, but not a single Ruger yet, nor a SA.

I figured the Blackhawk .357Mag would be a good start, and I'm somewhat partial to Stainless steel. I see that Ruger makes a .357 and 9mm combo version with swappable cylinders, but that model appears to only come in blue.

So....

Can I get Ruger to make me one in stainless? Or..

Can I just buy the regular Blackhawk Stainless .357Mag and buy the extra "blued" 9mm cylinder and still swap it out? Is there any issue with blued steel rubbing against stainless? Will it negatively affect either metal?

Also, for just plinking - am I better off with a Bisley, a Vaquero, Blackhawk, or some other combination. This particular gun purchase will *not* be used for self defense or anything life saving. I have my Smiths for that.

Thanks, Robert

 

[Jim March]

Yes, 9mm blued cylinders can be used in stainless or blued Blackhawks, Vaqueros and Bisleys. Odds of getting such an EBayed critter to fit without mods: somewhere near 50/50. It CAN always be fitted by a gunsmith if it doesn't quite drop in.

NOTE: if you THINK it "dropped in", do the "checkout" for timing/endshake/rotational play issues!!!

At 357 horsepower levels, the Ruger "standard plowhandle" grip similar to an SAA but a hair bigger will probably be best. In Rugerspeak this is the "XR3-RED" grip frame standard on Blackhawks and Vaqs. The Bisley and Bird's-head are the two main alternates - there's now a 357 Bird's-Head Vaquero combination.

The Bisley has a rep for being able to cope with major recoil. The very hottest 357 heavy hunting loads might put out enough "ooomph" in a Ruger SA frame to where the Bisley will feel better under recoil, but generally it doesn't matter until you hit 44Mag-class power levels.

You need to get to a gun shop or show and directly handle all three grips, see what you like.

 

[Ben Shepherd]

Couple things:

1. I doubt ruger will do a "one-of-one".
2. Shouldn't be a problem between the 2 metals.
3. The cylinder will require a gunsmith fitting session.
4. I recommend the bisley grip over the others by a huge margin, especially if you run heavy/hot 357 rounds.

Nothing wrong with a fancy, nickle plated " best dress" single action revolver, but the only other option for them is blued. Somehow stainless just isn't right for a single action. (This is my humble opinion only of course, your money your choice.)

 

[Old Fuff]

One possible problem with the two-cylindered guns using different cartridges is that they may shoot to different points of impact. For that reason I would pick a Blackhawk over a Vaquero in this instance. The Vaquero is intended for Cowboy Action Shooting where precise accuracy isn't required.

 

[Gordon]

I have a new in box 9mm cylinder for $50 postage included. I was gonna have it reamed to 9X23 until I got quotes of $200 BTW It seems to fit in a SS blackhawk of mine and 2 buddies with minimal endshake. It does not fit older 3 screws!

 

[valnar]

I went to the gun store and handled the different Rugers. Yep, I do like the Bisley grip better, by a large margin. The regular grip cramps my fingers together.

I noticed the only "Bisleys" they had were Bisley Vaqueros. The gun store owner said the regular Bisley's (with target sights) are not being made anymore.

Any truth to that?

-Robert

 

[Old Fuff]

Ruger's 2004 price list shows the Bisley Blackhawk with a 7 1/2" barrel in .357 Magnum, but not as a .357/9mm convertable.

Frankly, I would look for a good, used .357/9mm Blackhawk, and then change the grip frame to the Bisley configuration, which isn't hard too do. Jim March has posted several threads on Ruger Single Actions. Do a search and look them up to see what the possibilities are.

 

[Jim March]

Well ya, Brownell's has a "Bisley conversion kit" - all the bits you need for...around $200 or a bit less. They'll have to be lightly fitted by the user; stainless will be easier to deal with as the ones for "blue" guns are "in the white" and need bluing. Besides the grip frame you need a Bisley hammer and trigger, hence the Brownell's "kit".

Qualite (www.qpr-inc.com) has a batch of *brass* Bisley grip frames(!) but as these are early production they want to do the installations themselves. I would assume they'll get such early glitches worked out, as brass is easier to "fit" to the main frame by an amateur using hand tools.

You can often score used 357 Blackhawks for about $250, at least in gun-friendly areas. Places like Calif and MA have artificially jacked handgun prices .

I believe the 357 adjustable-sight Bisleys are NOT quite dead yet, although they may be limited to 7.5" tubes.

There's an old "Ruger SA parts and hop-up" thread going, started at TFL and continues here on THR. Start here:

http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=80872

Some links are old and got repeated later in the thread (Power Custom esp.). There's info on the Brownell's conversion kits; if you can get a good deal on a 357 or 357/9mm convertable Blackhawk that might indeed be the answer...

 

[valnar]

Got one.

I bought the Bisley Vaquero today, model KRBNV-35. High gloss stainless, 5.5" barrel with rosewood grips. It's very nice.

Hopefully with an extra 9mm cylinder, I'll be happily plinking away with inexpensive ammo. I would have liked the real Bisley, or perhaps a modified Blackhawk with the Bisley grip, but that would cost too much. The original Bisley doesn't come in stainless with the barrel that I wanted, so that was out too.

So my only compromise is the fixed sights instead of target. It'll be a plinking gun, but mostly at close range so I didn't lose a lot.

Thanks for everyone's help.

-Robert