Single Seven: Which barrel length?

[Panzerschwein]

Hey guys!



As you know, Ruger has recently started making the seminal Single Seven single action revolver in .327 Federal Magnum. This gun is incredible, and seems to be giving stellar service to those who bought them. I'm in the market for one, and understand they come in three barrel lengths which are: 4.63", 5.5", and 7.5" in length. I'm debating on which barrel length I want, so I figured I'd start this thread to hear what you guys feel about this. Which barrel length did you get for you Single Seven, and why? How do you carry the gun (if applicable), and what do you use it for? This poll and thread is also open to anyone so just choose which bbl length you'd get even if you haven't bought a Single Seven yet.

Thanks guys! Looking forward to your responses and the poll results!

 

[abijohn]

I went with 7 1/2, no need to conceal, in the pickup around the farm. Thought the extra barrel length would help with accuracy. This pistol is SWEET!!! I love mine.

 

[Ironman615]

I voted for the 5.5 barrel. I think it would be a good compromise for general purposes. I have the 3 inch SP101 in .327 Fed. Mag. It's a nice firearm, but it does have quite a fireball and a healthy blast when fired with full power loads.

 

[CraigC]

I was going to get the 7½" for two reasons. One being that it will get the most out of the cartridge and I think it's biggest appeal is for small game hunting. Secondly, because Ruger should've done that length in the first place with all their single actions. Not the fish-nor-fowl 6½".

That said, every time I go to pull the trigger on one I remember that .32 Bisley Single Six I have and that the money I'd spend on the Seven would go a long way towards a custom .327 cylinder for the it.

 

[swopjan]

Aesthetically I like the 4 5/8" barrel on the single seven. Never handled one but the long barrel looks out of place to me on such a petite revolver. Then again I think the 8 shot Blackhawk in .327 is ugly as all get out too. Maybe I just don't like .327's...

 

[JSH1]

Gun Blast did a review comparing the 3 different barrel lengths and found the 5.5 inch barrel was the sweet spot for velocity: http://www.gunblast.com/Ruger-Single7.htm

I voted for the 5.5 inch barrel. I like the looks of the 4.63 but I already have a SP101 with a 4 inch barrel.

 

[TfflHndn]

I bought the 5.5 incher. I also saw the tests that showed it got the best velocity of the three, and it's a bit more manageable. It's a great shooter, but I get some base pin jump and am looking at a new pin and latch to resolve that when shooting the .327 mag loads.

 

[Ex]

I voted 5.5". I like the look of it the best. The shorter may be slightly easier to handle. The longer gives a better sight radius. The 5.5 is the best of both.

 

[CraigC]

Don't take the Gunblast tests out of context. Every revolver is a law unto itself. Just because one 5½" gun got the best velocity in one test does not mean that it'll hold true every time. The .327 is a high pressure magnum pistol cartridge and like any other, it will show significant increases in velocity up to at least 20". So all things being equal, the longer barreled guns will produce higher velocities.

 

[evan price]

I am getting a 5.5" barrel. The 7.5" is too long to be handy, and the 4.625" one doesn't do the magnum justice.

 

[bannockburn]

I went with the 5.5" length for overall handiness and to get slightly more velocity over the shorter 4.63" barrel.

 

[RealGun]

I am getting a 5.5" barrel. The 7.5" is too long to be handy, and the 4.625" one doesn't do the magnum justice

Longer may generally be better, but the 4.625" can be the one you didn't leave at home. It is the carry gun.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

Don't take the Gunblast tests out of context. Every revolver is a law unto itself. Just because one 5½" gun got the best velocity in one test does not mean that it'll hold true every time. The .327 is a high pressure magnum pistol cartridge and like any other, it will show significant increases in velocity up to at least 20". So all things being equal, the longer barreled guns will produce higher velocities.

Yeah, Quinn's results struck me as odd. I mean I know there is a point where the powder is all burned, and having a longer barrel gets you nothing, but that certainly isn't going to be the case between 5.5 and 7.5 inches. B/C gaps come into play as well as other factors.

Guns are individuals.

 

[CraigC]

Their 7½" must've just been one of those guns that had the tolerances stacked against it.

Sitting is one thing but I've never had any issues carrying 7½" sixguns in the field.

 

[JSH1]

Yeah, Quinn's results struck me as odd. I mean I know there is a point where the powder is all burned, and having a longer barrel gets you nothing, but that certainly isn't going to be the case between 5.5 and 7.5 inches. B/C gaps come into play as well as other factors.

Guns are individuals.

Yes, guns are individual. Quinn's test is just one data point and doesn't mean that all guns with 5.5 inch barrels will shoot faster than all guns with 7.5 inch barrels. Of course the opposite is also true, buying the longest barrel doesn't necessary mean you will get a higher velocity.

The spread between the highest and lowest velocities was only about 4%. That is nothing to get too excited about. I'm sure most people will base their decision on looks, feel, and sight radius, not a tiny variation in velocity.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

Yes, guns are individual. Quinn's test is just one data point and doesn't mean that all guns with 5.5 inch barrels will shoot faster than all guns with 7.5 inch barrels. Of course the opposite is also true, buying the longest barrel doesn't necessary mean you will get a higher velocity.

The spread between the highest and lowest velocities was only about 4%. That is nothing to get too excited about. I'm sure most people will base their decision on looks, feel, and sight radius, not a tiny variation in velocity.

I agree.

The velocity loss would not be a big concern to me, as the 327 mag has enough punch to take any game it's intended for, or stop a human sized threat. If someone is concerned that an extra 2" on the barrel will get them the velocity they need for adequate penetration, then I think the solution is to get something larger like a 357, or 41 mag that can fire heavier bullets. For flatter trajectory or longer sight radius though, I see the benefit of the 7.5 inch barrel.

Any barrel past 6.5 inches doesn't balance real well in my hand. So I'd personally choose the 5.5. This would only be a trail defense gun though for me, not really anything I'd use hunting, so the flatter trajectory at distance wouldn't benefit me as much as a shorter, faster to maneuver barrel length.

The shortest one though, just doesn't do it for me.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

What exactly is the base pin jump issue that folks are talking about? I don't know a ton about SA guns.

 

[CraigC]

Under recoil, the basepin jumps out of its latch and creeps forward. If it creeps far enough forward to come out of the rear frame hole, it'll tie up the gun. It's usually only an issue on the big bores. It can be solved with a stronger spring or a better fitting basepin like those from Belt Mountain.

 

[GooseGestapo]

Got a link to the gun last article?


I've ordered a 5.5" S7. I've had a couple of Black Hawks, to include a NewMod .45colt (Lipseys). I wasn't overly impressed. Decent, but not great.
I'm partial to the 5.5" bbls. I had a 4-5/8" but didn't like the short sight radius. I find the 7.5" to long for wear in the truck and a little unwieldy handling. Brian Pierce in hand loader found only 20-30fps difference between the 4.7 and 7.5" guns. However, most of the pics show him holding the 7.5" gun.
He said that both were equally accurate. No mention of the cyl pin or loading gate issues.
I don't intend to shoot many full power loads. I had however order 2boxes of Fed AE100gr to get some .327 brass. Found lots of .32h&r, and .32s&w. Plan on mostly mouse fart loads to replace the difficult to obtain and when possible, too expensive .22lr.


I finally found an S&W Mountain gun in .45lc. Sold the .45 NewMod.45.
Looking for the S7 any day now.

 

[JSH1]

Got a link to the gun last article?

http://www.gunblast.com/Ruger-Single7.htm

 

[RealGun]

quoting the article "The chambers line up perfectly with the loading gate for loading and unloading. "

Yeah, well that was not my reality on the 5.5" I got nor that of a number of others reporting.

 

[JSH1]

quoting the article "The chambers line up perfectly with the loading gate for loading and unloading. "

Yeah, well that was not my reality on the 5.5" I got nor that of a number of others reporting.

Manufacturers don't just pick a random gun from the assembly line when they send product for a media review.