Ruger Blackhawk?

[Ysabel Kid]

Guys, Scott's "Carrying a SAA" post got me thinking. I have three Ruger pre-1973 Blackhawks (okay, one is a Super Blackhawk) - or I did before the terrible boating accident a few years back. I haven't fired a "New Model" (what, 53 years old this year!) since the late 1980's, and haven't handled one 20+ years. I love my Old Models though, and just didn't take a shine to the New Models. For those who have real shooting experience with both, what is your opinion on the "New Model". Specifically, has anyone had experience with the round-trigger-guard SBH .44 magnum with the 4.62-inch barrel?

[fordwannabe]

I have a stainless SBH as you describe with the round trigger guard and short barrel. I have shot it extensively with full power and special loads. Heavy as a brick but it doesn’t beat up my fingers the way the old square trigger guard did. I did have mine magna
Ported after about the fourth shot back in the day. I MAY have been
Loading it a little hot back then.
What specifically do you want to know?

[LeverGunner]

I haven't ever shot an old model Blackhawk, but I've shot some Colt clones. I've shot New Model Blackhawks and Single Sixes quite a bit, as it's my preferred platform.

Honestly, I can't imagine why anyone wouldn't prefer them. I want all 6 chambers loaded. I like not having to fiddle with finding the empty chamber if I've cocked the hammer but decided not to fire.

Of the 6-8 I've owned, only 1 didn't have a good trigger, the one I have currently, my flattop. I replaced the hammer with an older BH hammer when I fitted a stainless grip frame. The trigger pull is now great. I needed to change hammers because the ears on the stainless grip frame didn't match the hammer base close enough on the old hammer.

I never had a problem with the chamber not lining up with the ejector rod. I've always unloaded by holding the gun in my left hand and controlling the cylinder with my left thumb. As it rotates, I use my right hand middle finger to actuate the ejector rod. Control of the cylinder is the name of the game for me. I don't find it to be any less important with my flattop which has an indexing chamber/loading gate feature. I don't find the indexing feature of the flattop to shorten my reload time either.

I have owned one of the short barrel Super Blackhawks as well. I shot it a bit, but it had a few issues and Ruger replaced it for me. I sold the NIB replacement because I liked my flattop better, and I could only keep on at the time. It was managable with recoil and muzzle flip.

I wouldn't have had any complaints with it in the first place if it hadn't have had some thread choke. Ruger "fixed" it, then they "fixed" it again, and then finally instead of fixing the third time, they replaced it.

[Scott Tschirhart]

By and large New Model Rugers are excellent guns.

Sometimes there are issues, like any other gun company. But I own both New Models and (mostly) earlier gubs and all of them shoot well or can be made to do so with very little effort.

[Walt]

Of my Ruger single actions only one is an old model, a 7 1/2" SBH. It's a fine gun and it's the only one of 15 that I haven't "doctored" to achieve a 2 1/4 to 2 1/2 lb trigger pull because it didn't need it when I aquired it. I have had a 4 5/8" .45 Colt for close to 45 years and it had the throat choke until I fire-lapped it extensively a few years ago. It shoots much better now. I have a 4 5/8" .44 mag SBH with a round trigger guard which is appreciably more fun to shoot than a Smith m29 with a short barrel, shooting factory-equivalent loads. I have Colts and Freedom Arms revolvers but I shoot my Rugers most often.

[piller]

New model 4 5/8 inch .45 Colt with .45 ACP conversion cylinder. New model Super Blackhawk. Both have been totally dependable.

[Ysabel Kid]

What specifically do you want to know?

Just looking for general opinions. If I got a .44 Magnum, I'd mostly shoot .44 Specials in it, but always like the flexibility. If I got a .45 Colt, I'd want the second .45 ACP cylinder for the same reason. I used to never have an issue with the square-backed trigger guard of the classic SBH, but lately it has become uncomfortable to shoot. Always rapping a knuckle. And though I love "traditional" SAA's, my eyes no longer love their sights. They do like the BH/SBH sights though. In my experience Ruger single-actions are built like tanks, and just last.

[samsi]

I bet it would scratch that itch if you could find one of the Lipsey's Flattop 45 convertibles (mine's not for sale).

In general the OM's have better triggers, I've had 4 and they were all good as acquired. It seems that NM's can always use a little help with the trigger and I've now done the David Bradshaw trigger job a couple times, it makes a huge improvement.

The only thing I don't care for on the OM trigger is the curvature, it starts to dig into my fingertip after a while. I know Jim T has straightened a few of his, seems it would be a worthwhile mod.

[Griff]

I've only owned two Rugers, a Single Six and an OM .357. A buddy owned a new model Super. I never liked it. In my travels when visiting other cowboy clubs, I've shot quite a few borrowed BH & Vaqueros, but I usually refrain. As I just don't like the trigger and action of the NM. The width of the trigger feels foreign, not necessarily uncomfortable, just foreign. In a two-handed grip, they just "feel" quite unlike my Colt.