Next Blackhawk?

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lizziedog1

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About a year ago I purchased a Ruger Single Six in .32 H&R Magnum. I really enjoy this revolver. Now I want to get one of its bigger brothers, a Blackhawk. The only problem is which one.

One gun shop I visit when I make it to the big city has every model, caliber, and variation of this gun. They even have them in 41 Magnum and 30 Carbine. Any suggestions?

I have narrowed the caliber down to either 45 Colt or 357 Magnum. I realize that the 357 would probably be more versatile, but nothing seems to fit a single action revolver like the 45 Colt cartridge. I do reload, so the versatility of this caliber is expanded. Those of you that happen to have experince with both, does either one tend to be more accurate in this gun?

I'll use it for occasional open-carry on my adventures around here. The creatures of concern around here are few and far between, and either round would handle them.
 
I have a .45 colt in 4 5/8" stainless.

Outstanding gun. Easy and fun to shoot with light loads. And stronger than most .44 mag with Buffalo Bore heavy rounds.

Only down side is ammo cost, unless you reload and/or cast your own
 
As you reload, I suggest the Blackhawk .45 Colt. It is very reloader friendly, and you can select quite a few different weights and styles of bullets.

I bought a Ruger Blackhawk .45 Colt/.45 ACP, 4 5/8" bbl., in 1978, and have carried it many a mile in the boonies, and on horseback. I really enjoy mine ... and in a pinch, that big bullet moving out at about 1,000 fps, is a thumper. :)

I also suggest a good holster and belt. I am very impressed with simplyrugged.com.

Enjoy.

L.W.
 
I say Blackhawk .357 Magnum. It allows your partner to shoot 38's without getting hurt. And if your real lucky they have the 9mm cylinder too. Anybody have one of them cylinders? I am on the lookout.
Mike
 
Iv'e been looking at the stainless 6and1/2 inch 357-38/9mm conversion but it's around $700 dollars Oucccccch!Why does the larger calibers cost more than the 22/22mag.version.
 
i have both of them. i like both of them. my favorite is the 45lc. it doesn't have that ear-splitting CRACK when you shoot it. i also favor calibers that start with "4".

murf
 
I recently picked up the .357mag/9mm convertible (blued) and like it a lot. You know that they also make/sell a convertible in the .45?
 
Get the .45 Colt, especially if you reload. You can put anything from 6.5 grains of Universal to 26 gr. of 296 underneath a 255 SWC. You can satisfy the urge to shoot anything from light target loads to stuff that makes factory .44 magnum look wimpy. You can even load BP and shoot cowboy style.
 
For the handloaders the big bores will fully eclipse the .357 and more. The .41's and .44's tend to be more accurate, have tighter chambers and no noteworthy dimensional issues. While .45's can have oversized or undersized chamber dimensions.

...to stuff that makes factory .44 magnum look wimpy.
Click to expand...
This stuff gets repeated often but it simply isn't true. At least not in a standard six-shot Ruger. Both cartridges can be loaded from mild to wild. The .44 maintains a 100fps advantage in all bullet weights as well as slightly higher sectional densities. The only real advantage the .45 carries is the slightly larger diameter. Pick your poison, either will do the job.

Beware statements about "less recoil" with the .45. With comparable loads, nobody can tell the difference.

What exactly about these loads makes the .44 look "wimpy"???

Cartridge/Load Caliber Weight SD Velocity TKO
.44Mag 0.430 355 0.274 1250 27.3
.45Colt 0.452 360 0.252 1150 26.7
 
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I wasn't comparing handloaded .44 and .45, as I too know that .44 maintains the advantage. Rather, I was comparing handloaded .45 with factory .44 ammo.
 
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