Ruger Blackhawk:

[hobobob]

I had a Ruger Blackhawk 357 mag 6 1/2 " barrel back in the sixties & it seemed to fit me like a glove. I was able to hit targets as well as game 100 & 130 yards away almost as well as a rifle. I had absolutely no problems with it not being big enough caliber to do what I used it for. I sold that many years ago & have regretted it a lot. I am thinking of getting another 357 mag & am studying the Ruger Blackhawk (including the older as well as the newer ones), the Redhawk & several mdls. of Smith & Wesson. I am going to primarily use it for hunting & am interested in comments from individuals that have used different makes & models & what their opinions might be. I am not interested in putting a scope on it nor in going to a 44 mag.. Thanks for any info you might throw at me.

 

[ACP230]

There are still Old Model Blackhawks available used.

I have a couple of those and a new model in .41. Hard to go wrong
with either IMO. All of mine have good triggers. I didn't expect that on the NM but that's what I got.

 

[SMSgt]

I had the 4 5/8 in barrel BH .357 and wasn't crazy about it. Sold it and bought the 6 1/2 in BH in .41 Mag. Best all around gun I ever owned. Powerful, much more accurate than the .357, and great for reloading. If I were to be in the market for a SA field handgun again, I'd find another .41 Blackhawk. I found my .41 to be much more pleasant to shoot than my buddy's .44 Mag and just as potent.

 

[Will Carry]

I have a Ruger Bisley Vaquero in .357 magnum. It has fixed sights and a 5.5" barrel. The thing that suprised me about it is that it is very accurate. I like the Bisley grip, lower hammer spur and wide target trigger. I don't shoot at 100 yard targets but at 10 to 20 yards it is dead on. It may not look like a hunting pistol but it's a lot of fun at the range. I won the 1st annual company pistol shooting contest with it.

 

[semperfi71]

I'd go find me a nice Old Model Blackhawk in .357 (even be willing to pay a little high for it).

With that gun you will never have to worry about any issues of any kind if it is "right" when you purchase it.

Second choice a New Model Blackhawk and maybe even the 4 5/8 inch "50th Anniversary Model".

 

[steamloco76]

I have a 6 1/2 inch NM Blackhawk in .357, a 4 5/8th in 45ACP/45 Colt and a Lipseys Flat top 5 1/2 inch in 44 Special. All are great shooters with the newest one, the 44 Special made in New Hampshire, having the best trigger.

If you want the .357 Magnum there is not a thing wrong with the late production NM Blackhawks coming out of the New Hampshire facility. Go for the 6 1/2 inch and don't spend the money for the convertible as I had one and the 9MM cylinder was worthless. Just horrible accuracy

 

[feralmerril]

This flat top lipsey special in .44 special is the last gun I bought. They also make them in stainless, .357 and 45 colt, and other barrel lengths. I really havent worked with it much yet but by all reports the guys say they are accurate.

 

[mkk41]

Check out the new Flattop models from Ruger. The grip is much improved over the old one. More like the original Blackhawk , or a Colt SAA.

 

[hobobob]

Blackhawk 357 mag

I had the 4 5/8 in barrel BH .357 and wasn't crazy about it. Sold it and bought the 6 1/2 in BH in .41 Mag. Best all around gun I ever owned. Powerful, much more accurate than the .357, and great for reloading. If I were to be in the market for a SA field handgun again, I'd find another .41 Blackhawk. I found my .41 to be much more pleasant to shoot than my buddy's .44 Mag and just as potent.

I suspect a lot of the improvement with your accuracy had to do with the change from 4 5/8" barrel to the 6 1/2" barrel. That's been my experience over the years anyhow. I've always wanted to try the 41 mag but never got the chance & didn't want to spend the money on another big caliber that I felt uncomfortable shooting as I had experienced with the 44 mag. Thanks for the comments, I'll do some thinking about the 41mag.

 

[hobobob]

I'm curious if the new mdl feels as comfortable in your hand as the old mdl? The old one I had was a perfect fit for me. Makes a big difference in my accuracy. Thanks.

 

[hobobob]

Thanks for the comments. I had somebody else give me the thumbs down on the 9 mm cylinder & have intended to stay away from them. I'm glad to know about it because I have a 9 mm Browning & thought it might be worth looking into as an additional firearm of the same caliber.

 

[hobobob]

Sure is a nice looking holster you have with it. I've heard other good remarks about the Lindsey but have never run into one anywhere for sale & have never picked one up. Thanks for the info.

 

[hobobob]

That has all the appearance of the shape & contour of the original Blackhawk & it was the one that fit me better than any other pistol I've ever had in my hand. Thanks.

 

[perrazi]

if you reload,you can make some very easy shooting loads that will have enough punch for any deer out there. if you don't reload,buy the 357 in whatever flavor you like.

 

[ACP230]

One of my Old Models has a 9mm auxiliary cylinder.
It shoots fairly well with 9mm ball ammo. Not as well as the .357 cylinder but well enough so I was glad to get it with the gun.

Hard to run out of ammo for a gun that can shoot 9mm, .38 Special, and
.357 Magnum.

 

[hobobob]

357 / 38 / & 9 mm

At one time I had thought it would be handy to have that 9 mm cylinder for the Ruger 357 mag because I liked the idea of getting familiar with one firearm & being able to fire that many different types of ammo in it. I started hearing enough derogatory comments about it that I backed away from doing that. You're the second person now that I've heard mention they liked it. Makes me wish I'd checked into it some more. Thanks for the comments.

 

[mkk41]

I'm curious if the new mdl feels as comfortable in your hand as the old mdl? The old one I had was a perfect fit for me. Makes a big difference in my accuracy. Thanks.

The 'new' grip feels much better in my hand. The older grip fit my hand so poorly and hurt firing so much that I installed a Super Blackhawk grip frame on my 1980 vintage .41 New Model Blackhawk.

BTW, Ruger did put the 'new' grip frame on the latest .357 Blackhawks too.

 

[steamloco76]

The Original Ruger Blackhawk(Single-Six too) frame introduced with the first production is known as the "XR-3" frame in Ruger speak. The XR-3 frame is nearly identical to the classic Colt SAA frame. Note that the Super Blachawk frame is altogether different!

Ruger then got the brilliant idea to make a redesigned frame with the introduction of the New Model Blackhawk and Single-Six revolvers. This frame is known as the "XR-3 RED" frame. The grip frame has XR-3 RED cast into the web for identification.

The New Production Flat Top models and second generation Vaquero revolvers based on the smaller non magnum frame use the original XR-3 grip profile and old XR-3 grips will fit-EXCEPT for models with the internal lock under the grips. Those require about 3/16ths of an inch top be ground out for clearance of the lock-easily done with a Dremel. XR-3 RED/ New model grips will not fit these frames as the angle of the frontstrap is different.

I definitely prefer the New-Old XR-3 Colt SAA size grips on my Lipseys 44 Flat top. Though I did replace the plastic 'cheese grater' grips with bonded Ivory polymer panels form Hogue.

Hope this helps!

 

[K1500]

Well, if you liked it I would try to replace it with another old model.

 

[2152hq]

The original Ruger S/A grip frame (XR3) was indeed the same profile as the Colt. Ruger got complaints from shooters that their Blackhawk revolvers were uncomfortable to shoot and that a minor change in the grip strap design would help.
Keep in mind the Blackhawk at that time included the 44 magnum as well as the 357.
The Super Blackhawk wasn't around yet.

So they did change the design to the XR3RED (REDesign). Since all the S/A's other than the Bearcat used the same gripstrap, they all got the new one.
This was still during the Old Model/3 screw production.

About the same time, Ruger decided the 44mag would be produced on it's own as the Super Blackhawk with it's special steel squareback triggerguard frame.
The older Blackhawk 44 mag disappeared.

The change from XR3 to XR3RED grip frames on the S/A's also just about coinsides with the switch from the black composition (plastic!) grips to the use of the wooded grips.

The New Models all came rolling in about '73 I think. I lost interest in them at that point and couldn't tell you which of those fits what right now.

Aftermarket steel and brass one piece Ruger and even 2 piece Colt style trigger guard/backstraps were available for the old model S/A's.
IIRC you could order them in either XR3 or XR3RED style shape.
Probably still are.