Which Blackhawk is your favorite?

[Vern Humphrey]

I live in the middle of the woods, 3/4s of a mile off the county road, and spend a lot of time hiking, riding, or just mooching around. I have had single actions in various barrel lengths. My favorite is the .45 Colt Blackhawk with the 5 1/2 barrel.

 

[savage24]

Hondo60 said:
You'd be wise to try it in your hand before you buy.

I could not agree more! My first was a regular Blackhawk .357/9mm convertable with 6.5" barrel. I soon learned that I really dislike the regular Blackhawk grip frame - especially with a longer barrel. I put a Hogue Monogrip on it to make it comfortable to shoot, but it sure is ugly.

My second Blackhawk is a stainless Bisley 45 Colt/45ACP convertable with a 5.5" barrel and I really like it. If I get the chance to replace the .357/9mm with a Bisley model, I will do it in a heartbeat.

 

[RRS1623]

My favorite black hawk is in 327 Magnum. Had a custom mold made for 115 grain flat nose bullet with a gas check. I used 20:1 lead. It shoots a 1/2" group at 15 yds. I love the gun. You can't go wrong with a black hawk.

 

[cpt-t]

My Favorite Ruger Blackhawk is a New Model Three Screw 45LC/45ACP Convertible with a 7 1/2 barrel. I bought it back in 1971 and it was the first Ruger I had ever bought. My Old Gun is except for a set of just beautiful Stag Grips that an old fiend made for me is the way it came out of the box. I shoot both the 45LC and 45ACP cylinders alot and always have. Just sorta depends on me at the time and just what I am going to use it for. I use this Old Gun for just about everything Targets, Steel, walking around Plinking, and Hunting. I have taken a Deer and several Pigs with it over the years. And it shoot as well and the action is just as tight today as it did the day I bought it. She is like an Old And Trusted Friend.
ken

 

[Gordon]

My Magnaport .44 custom is so very sweet and quite accurate . I had a Bowen .454 Bisley 5 shot conversion but traded it for a new Super Redhawk .454 + a thousand dollars , I couldn't refuse even tho I did not make much if any on the deal.

 

[mavracer]

My favorite Blackhawk is my Flattop .44 Special with American Holly Wood grips.

Same here but with birdseye maple, the Holly went on my OM Single Six.

 

[horsemen61]

All of them seriously their Isn't one I don't like

 

[CraigC]

I had a Bowen .454 Bisley 5 shot conversion but traded it for a new Super Redhawk .454 + a thousand dollars , I couldn't refuse even tho I did not make much if any on the deal.

You got hosed. A five-shot Bowen .454 would be worth at least three times that of a Super Redhawk. Used customs by the big name gunsmiths usually go for near replacement cost.

 

[Lazy R]

I have a 3 screw Super Blackhawk .44 magnum that is very accurate and has wonderful lockwork and trigger. It's the square back trigger guard variety and was very uncomfortable to shoot strong loads through until I came up with some rubber grips, now it's not as attractive but a marvelous shooter.



But I'd really like to come up with a 4 5/8" .357 Blackhawk, I do like the balance of the shorter barrels these days.

An old friend's dad bought one new (6" or so barrel), never shot it and polished up some parts of it. Gorgeous revolver. Here's a picture from one day where we shot probably it's 3rd box of shells.

 

[MistWolf]

My favorite Ruger Single Action is the Ruger Single Six flat gate with a 5 1/2" barrel.

My second favorite Ruger Single Action is the case hardened large frame Vaquero with a 5 1/2" barrel in 45 Colt. I got the large frame to shoot the heavier 45 Colt loads.

The convertible cylinders are nice, but I wouldn't waste a lot of time or money to get one. If I had the choice between a standard Ruger today, or waiting for a convertible model to come in, I'd get the standard model and go shooting today

 

[Ks5shooter]

Any are awesome...I have 4
.357 Blackhawk stainless 6.5 barrel
45 long colt Vaquero 4 5/8 barrel
22/22mag Single six 5.5 barrel
30 carbine Blackhawk blued 7.5 barrel


You will be buying more than one

 

[Lazy R]

The idea of the convertibles is interesting, but as a handloader I can make a 38/357 or a 44spcl/44mag extremely versatile out of one cylinder so I don't think I'm missing much in versatility.

 

[ClemY]

The idea of the convertibles is interesting, but as a handloader I can make a 38/357 or a 44spcl/44mag extremely versatile out of one cylinder so I don't think I'm missing much in versatility.

With the 9mm cylinder in the .357 you can use cheap 9mm stuff that you don't have to reload. With the .45 ACP cylinder you can use mouse fart range loads that can be problematic in the larger .45 Colt case. I save the .45 Colt for full power stuff. I have modified my .45 ACP cylinder to allow the use of .45 AR. I find the AR case operates in the NMBH more smoothly than the .45 ACP. I also use the same ammo in my S&W 625.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

The idea of the convertibles is interesting, but as a handloader I can make a 38/357 or a 44spcl/44mag extremely versatile out of one cylinder so I don't think I'm missing much in versatility.

Agreed. I shoot lots of cheap .38 Special loads in .357 (cast 148 grain wadcutter ahead of 2.7 grains of Bullseye.) I also shoot 230-grain cast .45 ACP bullets ahead of 4.5 grains of Bullseye in my .45 Colts.

 

[Gordon]

Craig I paid $1200 to get a 5 shot cylinder installed in that Bisley 45 in the late 80s early 90s. It was very plain jane and not much custom work other than the barrel and cylnder, pin and front sight.

 

[bannockburn]

Lazy R

But I'd really like to come up with a 4 5/8" .357 Blackhawk, I do like the balance of the shorter barrels these days.

My feelings exactly.

 

[Armybrat]

Didn't care much for the short plowhandle on my new Super Blackhawk .44 Magnum, so switched it out with the longer SBH Hunter grip frame. It fits my hand a lot better:



However, I like the original grip on my 1968 three screw Blackhawk .357 just fine:

 

[Bula]

4 5/8" Blackhawk in 44 mag. Tough to beat for practicality. I have a stainless model with fake ivory grips. I love the unfluted cylinder. In Mernickle carry rig, perfect field gun IMO.

 

[Sergei Mosin]

After reading all your thoughts and looking at those handsome guns, today I went looking for a Blackhawk. Largely because I don't reload, I wanted a .357/9mm convertible. I found that the best balance for me is achieved with the 4 & 5/8 inch guns. I also found that I really dislike the plastic Ruger grips (which I know are easily replaced) but that the larger frame fits me a bit better than the medium frame flattops (which is unfortunate because I like the look of the flattops and those wood grips.) But getting all of my fingers on that plow handle grip wasn't easy, and I can also see how the back of the trigger guard could rap my knuckles pretty hard.

Now they also had in the case a 4 & 5/8 inch flattop with a different hammer and a Bisley grip in .44 Special, so I tried that one on for size. Absolutely perfect. That's what I want...except that it's a .44 Special.

Reloading is a future goal, but now and for the forseeable future I barely have time to shoot, let alone reload. Ruger doesn't seem to catalog a Blackhawk that's quite what I'm after. Have they in the past? Or am I the only person who wants a blued 4 & 5/8 inch flattop Bisley .357/9mm convertible?

 

[adcoch1]

After reading all your thoughts and looking at those handsome guns, today I went looking for a Blackhawk. Largely because I don't reload, I wanted a .357/9mm convertible. I found that the best balance for me is achieved with the 4 & 5/8 inch guns. I also found that I really dislike the plastic Ruger grips (which I know are easily replaced) but that the larger frame fits me a bit better than the medium frame flattops (which is unfortunate because I like the look of the flattops and those wood grips.) But getting all of my fingers on that plow handle grip wasn't easy, and I can also see how the back of the trigger guard could rap my knuckles pretty hard.

Now they also had in the case a 4 & 5/8 inch flattop with a different hammer and a Bisley grip in .44 Special, so I tried that one on for size. Absolutely perfect. That's what I want...except that it's a .44 Special.

Reloading is a future goal, but now and for the forseeable future I barely have time to shoot, let alone reload. Ruger doesn't seem to catalog a Blackhawk that's quite what I'm after. Have they in the past? Or am I the only person who wants a blued 4 & 5/8 inch flattop Bisley .357/9mm convertible?

This is probably my most wanted blackhawk. I cut down a cheap pitted 44 mag 7.5" sbh to 5" and I am in love with it for just blasting stuff. But the same gun in 357/9mm would be awesome and cheaper to shoot...

 

[chsparkman]

"Or am I the only person who wants a blued 4 & 5/8 inch flattop Bisley .357/9mm convertible?"

I think that would be perfect. I have eleven Ruger single actions, and I love them all. My first one though, a 357 with 6.5" barrel, is still my best shooter. With 38 special rounds it is also cheap to shoot. Lately I've gotten to appreciate the Bisley grip, and my current favorites are my 41 mag 7.5" and 480 Ruger 6.5".

 

[375supermag]

Hi...
I have quite a few BlackHawks and shoot them regularly.
My favorite is probably my .41Magnum with my Flat top .44Spl a very close second.
I have others in .357, .45Colt and .44Mag...all are blued with the exception of my SS .45Colt SBH Hunter.
I do have a couple of .357/9mm conversions and a .45Colt/ACP conversions...over the years I have never used the conversion cylinders. Seemed like a good idea at the time but, just never used them. Maybe some day...

 

[MaxP]

I have several that I would classify as favorites, but this .500 Maximum is at the very top of that list. Accurate, smooth, beautiful, and VERY terminally effective.

 

[Salmoneye]

My favorite is a .357 Liberty model with 4-5/8" barrel:

 

[derek45]

SBH 44 5.5"