50th Anniversary Blackhawk

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minutemen1776

minutemen1776

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I've been looking at revolvers more lately. I'm more of a semiauto shooter, but I somehow feel compelled to have a couple of revolvers as well. Right now, though, I just have a Ruger Single-Six. Over the last 10 years or so, I've owned at least 10 DA revolvers of various makes, mostly chambered in .38/.357. I've parted with them all, mainly because I don't care for a DA trigger pull. This seems to be true whether I'm shooting a gritty Taurus trigger or a nicely smoothed S&W DA revolver.

Anyway, I've decided to bypass DA revolvers this time. I generally like SA revolvers (like my Single-Six), but I've never cared for the big three-pound horse pistols (OK, I'm exaggerating a bit) like the Ruger Blackhawk. On the other hand, I've read that the 50th Anniversary .357 Blackhawk was made on a smaller frame and is considerably smaller/lighter than typical Blackhawks. Maybe this is just the ticket for me. I know I'm 4-5 years behind on the Anniversary Blackhawks, but several are still out there to buy. From what I've seen, these were made rather well, and most who bought them seem to like them.

For those who have a 50th Anniversary .357 Blackhawk, are you happy with it? Also, is there an appreciable difference between the size/weight of it versus the full-frame Blackhawks? IS there anything else I should know about these guns? Thanks!
 
44 mag Flattop is on the larger frame, the 357 is on the medium frame just like the 44 specials. I have a Anniversary 357 that I bought to convert to 41 special, it is a more appropriate size for a 357 imo. I would never want a full size Blackhawk in 357.
 
I like the 50th Black Hawk. It weighs a little more because the grip frame is all steel instead of aluminum. It balances very well (I think) because of this.

I've been real happy with mine. My only complaint is I haven't got to shoot it enough...

Also, I should add.

They do have a lock on them. I didn't care for the idea. But you won't even know it's there unless you take the grip off.

I was skeptical on how it would affect the action at first. But it is one of the smoothest I've ever seen. So if you don't like onboard locks, don't let that sway your decision.

Just my opinion... Dalton
 
My vote agrees with Sistema1927.

The New Vaquero's are smaller & slimmer than the Blackhawks.
I have a Blackhawk & I love it's accuracy, but my next gun is going to be a Vaquero because of it's size.
 
The 50th .357 is on the smaller frame. It balances and handles much better than the large frame .357's but it ain't no lightweight.
 
It is lighter than the Super Blackhawk, and some do not like the standard grip frame, preferring the Bisley, etc, for magnum loads. It does buck, but the styling and handling outweigh the occasional discomfort of full magnum loads, which I reserve for just occasional range sessions and hunting. I shoot warm medium loads most of the time, and the 50th's size, strength, and blance is perfect for that, and bearable for the sometimes-used full loads. If you are a hardcore handgunner, used to recoil, you may even enjoy the hot loads.
 
Actually the 4 5/8" 50th anniversary .357 Blackhawk is one ounce heavier than a Super Blackhawk of the same length.
 
You're kidding???

The OP was asking about the .357 and you didn't specify which you were referring to in your post. :rolleyes:
 
Actually the 4 5/8" 50th anniversary .357 Blackhawk is one ounce heavier than a Super Blackhawk of the same length.
Click to expand...

That's contrary to my understanding. I thought the 50th Anniversary .357 weighs 38 ounces, whereas the Super Blackhawk with the same length barrel weighs 45 ounces. I know the regular .357 Blackhawk weighs 46 ounces, but what's the real weight of the smaller-framed Anniversary model? Anybody have some scales? :)
 
I just weighed mine (50th Ann Blackhawk)....... 44 5/8 oz.

I love everything about it.... great balance, accurate and just plain fun.
 
I just weighed mine (50th Ann Blackhawk)....... 44 5/8 oz.
Click to expand...

That's disappointing. There is only a slight difference versus the regular Blackhawk. I wonder where the 38 ounces I heard came from.

BTW, thanks to Bearhands for the real weight. :)
 
44oz for the 50th .357 and 43oz for the 4 5/8" Super.

However, the weight is just a number that does not tell the whole story. The mid-frame 50th .357 does handle, feel and balance much better than a comparable large frame .357. I also greatly prefer the XR3 grip profile to the XR3-RED that has plagued Blackhawks since 1962.

I don't care much for the .357 cartridge and bought mine for later conversion to something more useful like the .44Spl. Traded it away last month for something I wanted more but it was an excellent sixgun. A good shooter, well made, well fitted, well finished and accurate.
 
50th Anniversary guns are all steel. Regular Blackhawks have an alloy gripframe and ejector housing. There are also different size/shape gripframes available. I wouldn't put much stock in the weights listed on the Ruger site. It's all about balance and if the gripframe/grips fit your hand and also the "stoutness" of the load you want to shoot. Shooting a single action is significantly different than pretty much any other handgun. The 50th Anniversary guns are generally speaking better fitted and finished than the standard production guns. If single action revolvers suit you they are tremendous bargains.
 
I traded (legally) an Argentine carbine for a NIB 50th .357 to another forum member here a couple years ago. I was skeptical of current Ruger quality before I found this gun to be MUCH tighter made and nicer over all than my 3 screw Rugers Blackhawks. The accuracy with the 200 grain Wide Flat nose hard cast bullet I shoot out of it at 1100 FPS (actually a little more) is around 1.5" at 25 yards from a rest. The weight soaks up the recoil of those heavy loads and strength is not an issue. I have around 500 rounds thru it and am completely happy!
 
Thanks for everyone's input. I've decided I'm going to give the 50th Anniversary .357 Blackhawk a try. Based on everyone's comments, I think I'll like the balance of this revolver, and the extra weight will help dampen recoil. I've also seen many glowing reviews on this gun on the net, with just a handful of negative comments. It seems that Ruger got this one right, at least for the most part. I just hope they did a good job on the one heading my way. :)
 
Update on the 50th Blackhawk

Here's a little update. I picked up my new 50th Anniversary Blackhawk a few weeks ago, and I was just able to try it out over the weekend. I think I'll be happy with it. Being all steel, it's definitely no lightweight. However, compared to other New Model Blackhawks, the overall dimensions of the 50th are a bit more compact, and it seems to fit my hand better as a result. Also, the weight does a lot to tame heavier .357 loads. Not to mention, the quality of work on this Blackhawk does seem to be a bit better than others I've seen. Overall, I think it'll be a keeper! Thanks for everyone's input.
 
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