Blackhawk .41 Magnum frame size

CCantu357

CCantu357

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One question that I have not been able to find an answer to is what was the original frame size of the Ruger Blackhawk in .41 Magnum. I understand that prior to the New Model Blackhawk, Ruger had two frame sizes. The .357 Magnum was built on a smaller frame similar to a Colt, and a larger frame sized designed for .44 Magnum. In 1973, all Blackhawks went to the .44 Magnum frame size. But I have not been able to find out which frame the Old Model .41 Magnum was built on - the smaller frame or the .44 Magnum frame. Any ideas?
 
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I'm pretty sure that the three screw .41 Magnums were built on the
smaller frame size. Same as the .357. If you have access to Handloader
magazine look for back issue articles on loading the .41 Magnum by
Brian Pearce. I'm pretty sure that's where I read about the frame size.
 
There were three early Ruger SAs... The what is now called Mid-Frame Flat Top, .44 Magnum Flat Top and finally the .44 Super Backhawk with the protected rear sight.

In the early 60s Ruger dropped the Flat Tops and made all calibers built on the Super Blackhawk size frame. The gripframe however was different between the .44 Magnum and other calibers. The .44 used the larger squared backed trigger guard Dragoon frame and the Blackhawks were the XR3-RED which was just a little different from the original flat tops which were the XR3 that was close to the Colt SAA.

The .41 Magnum came out in the Old Model three screw BH in 1965 and is the same frame size as the .357 and .44 Magnum. It just continued into the New Model.

Ruger brought back Flat Tops in the New Model configuration a few years ago in the Mid-Frame .357 and .44 Special and Large Frame .44 Magnum. There was one small run of .41 Magnum Flat Tops commissioned by Williams Wholesale and was done on the Large-Frame not Mid-Frame...

So everything .41 by Ruger is on the Large-Frame...

Bob
 
SuperMan said:
So everything .41 by Ruger is on the Large-Frame...
Bob
Click to expand...
I have no reason to doubt SuperMan! I'm not really up on the New Models, but the Old Model .41's were definitely built on the large frame.

Here's an early .41 Mag.

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The absolute worse recoiling handgun in my lineup! Totally unpleasant to shoot!
 
I used to think so too , till I learned how to shoot it . Now I have 2 Rugers SA , the 41 magnum and Vaquero in 45 Colt , both with 4 5/8" barrels . I started loading the 41 magnum down to 41 special ballistics to learn how to shoot it and worked my way up from there . They both are really great guns , accurate and easy to shoot , once you learn how . Regards, Paul
 
Thanks. I have been craving a single action lately. There is quite a bit of information out there regarding the .357 and .45 Blackhawk, as well as the Super Blackhawk. However, the .41 seems to be ignored.
 
ldausmc1369 said:
The absolute worse recoiling handgun in my lineup! Totally unpleasant to shoot!
Click to expand...

You obviously haven’t shot a 340PD with .158 Gr Magnum loads!

The first time I shot my .41 Blackhawk, the trigger guard smacked me on the front of the trigger finger. I have sausage fingers and was shooting factory magnum loads. I was accustom to taking a soft grip like I do with a target gun and didn’t focus on holding the trigger back through the shot. I actually found it very manageable after I firmed up my grip and focused on keeping the trigger back through the shot. I found it much more comfortable to shoot than a 629 Mountain Revolver and quite accurate.
 
Starline sells ".41 Special" brass... since .41 the Magnum was not spawned from a shorter "Special", Starline came up with this shorter brass as what the .41 Special would have been as the parent to the .41 Mag.

Makes for great mid-range or target/plinking loads, smaller case capacity reduces the risk of overcharges, easy to identify your reduced load ammo from the full boat stuff.

In a Ruger .41 Mag. Blackhawk... makes a joy at the range.
 
Last edited:
Considered the red headed step child of the gun industry ...
I've always been the type to pull for the under dog... somebody has to love them.
My weapon of choice is the S&W model 58 in my avatar...41 magnums are cool .
Gary
 
SuperMan said:
There were three early Ruger SAs... The what is now called Mid-Frame Flat Top, .44 Magnum Flat Top and finally the .44 Super Backhawk with the protected rear sight.

In the early 60s Ruger dropped the Flat Tops and made all calibers built on the Super Blackhawk size frame. The gripframe however was different between the .44 Magnum and other calibers. The .44 used the larger squared backed trigger guard Dragoon frame and the Blackhawks were the XR3-RED which was just a little different from the original flat tops which were the XR3 that was close to the Colt SAA.

The .41 Magnum came out in the Old Model three screw BH in 1965 and is the same frame size as the .357 and .44 Magnum. It just continued into the New Model.

So everything .41 by Ruger is on the Large-Frame...

Bob
Click to expand...

Not quite. I got some correct data from the Kuhnhausen shop
manual on Ruger single actions. Ruger three screw BHs were
built on two different frame sizes. One key to understanding
this is that there were two cyl diameters used as well. Early
BHs were flat tops and were built on the smaller frame size
and a cyl dia of 1.670 in .357 mag and .44 mag. In 1959 the
Super BH came out with a larger frame Ruger called the
sight protected frame, as opposed to flat top, and a cyl dia
of 1.730. There were a few flat top .44s built up to around
1963. The sight protected frame became the standard style
and the .357s still used the smaller frame and cyl dia until
the end of three screw production in 1972. The .41 mag
came out in 1965 and was apparently built on the .44 size
frame. When the New models came out in 1973 the .44
size frame with the larger cyl dia became standard for all
calibers including the .357.
 
I got a Ruger 41 Magnum 6 1/2" Blackhawk soon after they came out and bought a Hunter Holster for the Ruger 44 Magnum holster that fit perfectly.
The Remington 210 gr. JSP High Speed 41 Magnum factory loads shot beautifully in the Blackhawk and my S&W model 58. Remington at the time also loaded a 210 gr lead (police service) round that in my estimation was terrible. Speer had come out with a 220 gr JSP bullet and a 200 gr. JHP bullet. I bought several boxes of each and set to find a reload that was clean and accurate which the Remington lower speed loading missed out on. I tried every powder I could lay my hands on and found that either bullet in front of 9.5 to 10 grains of Hercules HERCO powder gave me a clean and accurate round in either the Ruger or S&W Model 58. That has been my reload 41 Magnum for over 50 years.
 
" The absolute worse recoiling handgun in my lineup! Totally unpleasant to shoot!"

Try some Goodyear's or oversize wood stocks, I know the purist will have a heart attack but if it's no fun to shoot, they tend to end up in the back of the gun safe.

There was a time when recoil didn't bother me, a few years on me and a touch of arthritis changed my view on grips and scopes/red dots on hand guns.

If you are lucky enough to live long enough, your day is coming:(
Sort of the facts of life....
 
alwslate said:
Not quite. I got some correct data from the Kuhnhausen shop
manual on Ruger single actions. Ruger three screw BHs were
built on two different frame sizes. One key to understanding
this is that there were two cyl diameters used as well. Early
BHs were flat tops and were built on the smaller frame size
and a cyl dia of 1.670 in .357 mag and .44 mag. In 1959 the
Super BH came out with a larger frame Ruger called the
sight protected frame, as opposed to flat top, and a cyl dia
of 1.730. There were a few flat top .44s built up to around
1963. The sight protected frame became the standard style
and the .357s still used the smaller frame and cyl dia until
the end of three screw production in 1972. The .41 mag
came out in 1965 and was apparently built on the .44 size
frame. When the New models came out in 1973 the .44
size frame with the larger cyl dia became standard for all
calibers including the .357.
Click to expand...


Thank you......
 
Nice pic chad, I have one just like yours from the same litter!!
Mine has a 4 digit #122>. Yours converted? Mines not.
Semper paratus
 
Gripgrabber said:
Nice pic chad, I have one just like yours from the same litter!!
Mine has a 4 digit #122>. Yours converted? Mines not.
Semper paratus
Click to expand...
No, it hasn’t been converted.

It belonged to a friend who passed away last year. It sat in his safe for decades and he rarely shot it. I appreciate the low number and 4-5/8” is my favorite barrel length, but the sentimental value is priceless to me. I think of the good times we had together hunting and fishing every time I handle it.
 
s&wchad said:
Here's an early .41 Mag.
Click to expand...

That's one of the guns I grew up shooting. Yes, they kicked!

I was eleven, we lived in SE Alaska, and my dad really wanted a Model 29. In 1971 those were tough to find, especially out in the middle of nowhere. So, my dad settled for a .41 Magnum BH. He always "loaded it for bear", and loved letting me shoot it in front of his friends.

I started shooting it a year before I got the chance to shoot a .44 Magnum (SBH), and I remember being unimpressed with the recoil of the bigger gun.
 
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