I had bought a New Model Super Blackhawk last year just to check it out. I've got a few other .44 mags but not a Ruger. It was ok but kinda big and not that attractive due to the big highlighted safety warning. So I sold it. Then I found this Blackhawk locally. An original Blackhawk .44 from '57, a second year model serial number 2835. Unfortunately it's been converted, so not all that collectable. I'm going to take it out in the yard and give it a try this week.

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Neat old flat top in the most common length barrel of 6 1/2". I personally hate old models with the transfer bar "upgrade" and put original parts back in any gun I buy that has had the conversion done to it.

I got one too 1962 production even with lighter handloads it rapps My Knuckles pretty good I've never fired Full House Loads in it I have a Redhawk for that

Ditto on the knuckle Rapp. About 3 of Elmer’s rounds and I call it a day.
My 6 1/2”.

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My only Blackhawk flat top - a 357 magnum that carries what's called a "Ross serial number".

FWIW, by accident or by design to create the appearance of greater production, a stretch of Ruger BH revolvers had 2 digits added to their correct 4 digit serial numbers.

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I guess folks pay more for them, I got it in Reno just because I like the shorter barrel and flat top.

This one my wife bought me three years ago to replace the one I had to sell when I had to go play soldier back in ‘68.
In the box, papers etc. Wish it wasn’t so pretty, I’d shoot it more.

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The first big bore revolver I bought was a used Ruger .44 Mag BH. That was back in the mid-60s. It had a 4-digit SN. It was painful to shoot using factory loads, so I did not fire it much, and sold it after four years or so. For some reason the idea of making up light handloads or using .44 Specials did not occur to me back then. I still have a .44 SBH I formerly used for CAS (with light loads). I have not fired it for at least 10 years, should probably sell it.

I love old original flat tops too. Can't resist the mid frame 357s...

Pocketrocket, I've owned Super Blackhawks before with the square back trigger guard and longer grip frame. A good friend had an early .44 Blackhawk just like yours. I shot it one time with Magnum ammo. Nice old guns, but due to the short grip frame, not fun for me.

Seems Ruger people dislike the conversion like Colt people dislike the Series 80 Colts. After all, who would want something as distasteful as a drop safe revolver or semi-auto

My first Super Blackhawk was pre transfer bar. Knowing no better, I used to pack it around the desert fully loaded. To this day, I am thankful nothing hit the Hammer hard or I didn't drop it on the hammer. Our department investigated a death where a guy dropped his old model 357. It hit the deck on the hammer, discharged, he was killed..

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I’ll play too. Mine is in .41 magnum.

I love to pop feral hogs in the brainpan with it every chance I get.


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Congrats on that immaculate 3 screw flat top. Was that an original barrel length? I believe most were 6.5 & 7.5 inch. Yours looks like a perfectly proportioned belt gun.

Early in my handgun "career" I had an original 6.5 inch .44 mag flat top go thru my hands. I liked it, but traded it towards what I thought would be a better whitetail hunting piece - An early new model high polish Super Blackhawk with a longer grip for my big hands, and the new action so I could carry 6. A good choice at the time, but I always missed that flat top.

Back when Ruger introduced the one year only 50th year anniversary new model flat top, I grabbed one. Thicker custom grips made recoil much more comfortable, and it has become one of my favorite all around .44 shooters. Shown pictured with a couple friends.

Larry

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DSF, you need to sell me that Ross gun so I can replace the one I let get away! Burneyr, you were holding out on me when you posted the new model flat top for sale that I bought, You kept the good ones hidden!

A couple of weeks ago I purchased an old model, 44 magnum Blackhawk. Grip frame was changed to Super Blackhawk. Barrel is 4 5/8". I don't know if it was cut or special ordered. Today I took it to the range. This was my first time shooting 44 Mag from a single action revolver. HSM 240 gr 44 special was pleasant to shoot. Hornady 44 Mag 240 gr XTP 1350 fps was not fun. I could not get my support hand, fully wrapped around my right hand, due to the squared trigger guard. Muzzle rise was pretty intense. Muzzle drop dug the squared corner of trigger guard into my fingers. I think the higher bore axis of the single action design makes it harder to control. My 3" N frames are definitely easier to shoot and control with full power ammo. Here is a picture of the Blackhawk.

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The barrel has been cut down . The old model flat top 44s came in 6 1/2" as the most common with approximately 1500 of the 7 1/2" and 10" guns.

Not sure rbrbrb6 - Clements trigger is the equal of an original with one extra round. I wish he wasn't retired as I'd sure like to send him one more.

I have to admit too that the steel grip frame on the 50th guns has a better balance and feel in the hand.

Not a 44 Magnum, but I have a New Model Blackhawk Convertible, 45 cal.
{Colt & ACP} 45 ACP rounds out of it are pretty tame. Bob

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I would love to have one of those older 3-screw Rugers. Here's my new model Blackhawk flatop in .44 Special purchased in 2019. A really good shooter.

.44 Flattop Blackhawk.jpg

BH in 41 Mag, SBH in 44 Mag. Really like them both. Big hands, but no knuckle-busting. Lucky, I guess.

Three great looking six guns, those grips on your Rugers are gorgeous!

Back when I used to shoot a lot, I shot my best group with his 7 1/2" convertible with the ACP cylinder. Off the picnic table at 100 yards, I had 4 in a 4" group,, now where the other ones went? LOL

I later went out and bought a 5 1/2" stainless Super Blackhawk in 44Mag, it was the most miserable handgun I have ever fired with full house loads, and it never would group with anything I put in it, nor my Buddy, (he loved his Smith and Wesson's and his Ruger Blackhawks).. I sold it to a neighbor who was a master handloader,, he finally gave up on it and sent it down the road.

I later bought an early 4 digit 44 Blackhawk,, I loved that thing, and some heavy 44 lead semi wadcutter's grouped amazingly, I wish I had never sold it, but a gorgeous 45LC/45ACP Colt New Frontier took its place,, it shot fine, but wasn't very slick, so it went down the road as well...

I used to own a very clean 7.5" flattop.44 but I sold it because I convinced myself that it had been re-blued. I have never seen another one. I also owned a 4 5/8" Ross model that had a completely plum frame. I sold that one to a collector years ago. I still have a 4 5/8" .357, converted with stags. I am going to get it unconverted. A friend has put aside a Flattop, unconverted .44 magnum with box for me that was his dad's. I need to go and get that one.

I like the gun, but I had the same experience with my Super Blackhawk.

Funny, when I bought it I had to convince the seller it was OK to use my C&R license. Another seller confirmed it was OK, and then threw in "you should knock a few $$$ off - it's nothing special"

I'm in Grants Pass. If it ever goes on the chopping block I'll let you know.

Had a Blackhawk in 30 Carbine years ago.

Stupid of me to sell it.

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Bought this all original 357 Blackhawk (circa 1973) a few years ago because I thought I needed one …. and boy I’m glad I did! It’s fun to shoot and I’ve really grown fond of it. It does look out of place in my safe but that’s ok!

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Mark

"Funny, when I bought it I had to convince the seller it was OK to use my C&R license. Another seller confirmed it was OK, and then threw in "you should knock a few $$$ off - it's nothing special"

I'm in Grants Pass. If it ever goes on the chopping block I'll let you know. "

Perfect!

Thanks

My very first big bore handgun was a .45 Ruger Blackhawk that I found in Bixler's Hardware in Carlisle, PA. I was there for something in town, probably at the law school, when I walked in and saw the gun listed at a price I couldn't turn down. The salesman said that was a cash price, but they'd take a check. I said I don't live around here, but he said that wasn't a problem. And it just happened that I was going to back the following week, which took care of the waiting period in PA back then. It got me started in SASS shooting. I still have the gun.

SASS then started having matches with 2 revolvers, so of course I had to acquire a twin to the gun I already had.

Then Ruger came out with the .45 Blackhawk in stainless steel. Since I like shiny guns, of course I had to buy one. And since SASS matches used 2 revolvers, I had to buy a twin for that gun too.

And so none of my 4 .45 Ruger Blackhawks would feel neglected, I took them all along on any SASS match. I would carry the blued guns one day and the stainless guns the other day. I still have them all and have no plans to ever let them go.

When my one club started bowling pin shoots, the only centerfire handgun I had was a .45 Blackhawk. I had occasional flashes of brilliance, like when I once cleared the 5 pins off the table in under 5 seconds.

In the OP, you said it was converted. Would that be to .45ACP or something? If so, that's a damned shame. All the .45s floating around and someone has to ruin a good gun. Or was it converted to something else?

I like the old Blackhawks too. Those Fitz grips are what we call Banjo grips in these parts. Everyone in 100yds knows you cocked yer pistol with those grips. They work as amplifiers.

From 79 to 84, I owned and sold over 20 Blackhawks. Everything except a 41 mag. Lover the 45 Colt/hated the 30 carbine! (Should have rechambered it to 32-20!) I don't own a single Blackhawk any longer.

However, I have a pair of OM Vaqueros that are 5.5" Blue Bisley and a pair of OM Vaqueros that are 4" Stainless. The blue have been mine since the mid 90's and the stainless, since the early "00's". In the blue Vaqueros I installed "The Power's Paw" so I can run the cylinder backwards for loading a 6th round on the clock. I never reduced the springs on any, but I knocked all the burrs and rough edged off. I never won a single stage in SASS Shooting! But, as they say, That's the most fun you can have with your pant on! (My club had 2 of the top men in the nation, 3 of the 5 top teen boys in the nation and the top teen girl, that became the top woman! The teens usually beat everybody!) I have only shot SASS once since my stroke 12 years ago, but I'll never sell those guns!

Ivan The Butcher SASS #40349

When in Jr. High in early 60s started off with Ruger Single-6 and acquired one of each of their SAs, including Bearcat. After Ruger did New Model I only bought 4 new that I can remember. A 32mg Single-6, 357/ 9mm and the Buckeye Specials.
I bought a lot of the 4 5/8” BH in 357mag trying to get one that had enough travel to sight in. Never got it done, the other calibers were no problem. The front sights on SBH are not high enough to sight in at short ranges, perfect for 100yds.
Now only have 3 Rugers, 2 old Single-6s and my original SBH. In teens I saw the light and shifted to S&Ws. Cost more but accuracy was worth it.
Still have my original m17 from 64.

Even converted that IS still a very collectable gun to many. And not difficult or real expensive to convert back to original.

Congrats

"In the OP, you said it was converted. Would that be to .45ACP or something? "

Hi Jeffrefrig - converted in Ruger single-action speak means it was changed from the original type of action that could leave a firing pin too near a primer, to the 1973 transfer bar action that made it safe to carry six, and you also didn't have to put it on half-cock to free the cylinder for loading, another safety feature. Ruger advertised free factory conversions at that time for the older models, and I believe still will.

I've had a couple of Super Blackhawks (new models, although calling something over 50 years old 'new' makes me smile), but they've never hung around. My only Ruger single-action now is a Lipsey's special Bisley Single Seven, a .327 magnum seven-shot on a Single-Six sized frame. Pretty groovy gun, and at some point they started putting the 'read the manual' warning on the underside of the barrel, so it's not as noticeable.

I have never carried a single action revolver, but your set up really seems like a perfect match. Simply beautiful!

Thank you very much Dino!

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Mark

Everyone likes pictures, so here is a pic showing the three basic Ruger grip frame styles - Dragoon square back trigger guard, XR-3 (Coltish), and Bisley. Most people find the Bisley style most comfortable to shoot under recoil, and probably closest to the recoil feel of a DA revolver.

Larry

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