Ruger old model Blackhawk 44 7.5'' vs. old model Super Blackhawk 7.5''

[Malpasowildlifer]

Soon I'll be in search of an Old Model (OM) 44 Magnum with a 7.5'' barrel . I've always wanted an OM Super Blackhawk (SBH) but as I've learned more about Ruger SA's, I've learned about the OM Blackhawk (BH) in 44 magnum and that there were some with a 7.5'' barrel. Please help me decide.

I can't stand 6.5'' barrels on a SA and if I go with a OM BH I'll have to find one with a 7.5'' barrel. I know they are scarce and will probably be more expensive.

I just read Sheriff Jim Wilson's article on the OM BH in 44 Magnum and he said it'll handle "any reasonable" 44 Magnum load. That describes my 44 Magnum reloading and am strictly into .44 Magnum bullets in 240 grains, except for lighter Barnes bullets in copper for hunting while I'm still stuck in CA. I don't have an interest in shooting .44 Special out of a .44 Magnum.

I LOVE the flat top on the OM BH's. I'm concerned what the aluminum frame would feel like and how it'd balance. And I don't like the look of worn aluminum. I'd prefer an all steel gun and love my all stainless N frame S&W's. I got to handle a friends NM BH in .45 Colt with a 4.62'' barrel and aluminum frame and thought it felt great; but perhaps because of the balance in regards to the barrel length.

I like the unfluted cylinder (I prefer the look and love it on DA S&W's and will get unfluted on FA's one day) and SBH hammer on the SBH. I don't mind the dragoon trigger guard but can care less either way. Some say it doesn't make recoil harsh, some say it does and some say only with heavy loads so I'm at a wash with that.

I think the answer is obvious with the SBH. Perhaps I get more features I like with the OM SBH but I sure like that flat top! Any thoughts are greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Drm50]

Back in 60s I had every one Ruger made, all cals and barrel lengths and pairs. My favorite has always been the Old Model
SBH. I had several of them and still have the original I bought
back then. It is one of the few handguns I have that shoots best
with full power loads. Shoot 22.5gr 2400/ 240gr JHP since gun
was new. After 50yrs the only trouble with it I've ever had was
a sheared frame screw behind trigger guard. This was before
Nyloc screws and you had to make sure screws were kept tight.

 

[2152hq]

The Old Model 44Magnum will be the Flat Top Model. The side of the frame will be marked 'Blackhawk'.

These are expensive and in 7 1/2" bbl length rather rare handguns when placed in with the later SUper Blackhawk. The Super Blackhawk can of course be split betw the earlier OM 3 screw and the later transferbar NM styles.

The early FlatTop 44 Blackhawk used the same XR3 Colt style grip frame that fit every other Ruger SA of the day.
The complaints about finger busting lead to the XR3-red style on the Blackhawks (and S/Six). The Super Blackhawk got a somewhat longer with the squared off Dragoon guard when it came out to replace the 44BlackHawk.

I had a nice FT 44 Blackhawk and like you would certainly enjoy having one again.
I had replaced the aluminum TG with a 2-piece Colt style steel unit from Power Custom,,added Ivory grips and engraved it.
Probably should have kept it,,but....
I think I still have a couple pics of it.

That'd be my first choice once again too for another.
An OM Super Blackhawk would be my second choice.

I just never warmed up to the NM Rugers but plenty of people like them and they've sold thousands of them.

Just my thoughts,,

 

[PALADIN85020]

I also way prefer the "old model" Ruger single action sixguns. Slick actions and made right in the old manner with "4 clicks" when cocked.

I can't help with a 7.5" old model .44 mag blackhawk, but here's a comparison shot of a 6.5" sample with factory stag grips, next to an old model Super Blackhawk. I think the old Super B was pretty close to the finest large-production single action ever made. Check the finish, and the fit of the cylinder, with recessed chambers - no unsightly gap between the rear of the cylinder and recoil shield.

John

 

[Malpasowildlifer]

Great intel, thank you

 

[Stevie]

I've owned three Super-Blackhawk .44 mag revolvers...all 7.5"

The first two of which one was a old model and the second was a 'bicentennial'(1976)...neither one of those I thought shot all that well.

The one I own now is a newer one like 1987 or 1986 and it shoots great. Not sure if it's the guns or me?? Could be I got better shooting .44 mag revolvers as in between Super Blackhawks I got a S&W 629 and shot it a bunch

 

[dave1918a2]

It seems to Me that every SBH I ever owned did not like soft loads. AKA 44 soecial. They liked hot and shot great at 100 yards. Sitting with My back against a table leg and resting between My legs(wrists not the gun) I could ring a 8 inch gong every shot. I'm talking a 240 Hornaday and 25.5 gr H110. Usually when We went to paint the gong, the center was pretty bare. Eyes don't co-operate anymore so now it's just 5 out of 6 mostly. I really like the old FT's and three screw SBH's.

 

[Watchdog]

I've had OM Super Blackhawks since the early seventies. I'm down to two of them now. Never a problem with any of them. Successfully hog hunted in Tennessee with my first one. The guns are incredibly accurate. Hundred yard steel silhouettes are no problem at all for the gun with the right load. I never had a problem with the dragoon style trigger guard bashing my fingers, either, not even with the heaviest loads. Loved shooting .44 Specials in it, too.

Hard to say enough good things about the gun. It's simply a great field and hunting gun and points so naturally it seems to aim itself. It makes a mediocre shooter like me look better than I really am.

 

[Drm50]

I have found that OM Ruger SBHs run out of sight adjustment to
bring them to zero at shorter ranges. Rear bottoms out and front
is to short.

 

[Clayguy]

Soon I'll be in search of an Old Model (OM) 44 Magnum with a 7.5'' barrel . I've always wanted an OM Super Blackhawk (SBH) but as I've learned more about Ruger SA's, I've learned about the OM Blackhawk (BH) in 44 magnum and that there were some with a 7.5'' barrel. Please help me decide.

I can't stand 6.5'' barrels on a SA and if I go with a OM BH I'll have to find one with a 7.5'' barrel. I know they are scarce and will probably be more expensive.

I just read Sheriff Jim Wilson's article on the OM BH in 44 Magnum and he said it'll handle "any reasonable" 44 Magnum load. That describes my 44 Magnum reloading and am strictly into .44 Magnum bullets in 240 grains, except for lighter Barnes bullets in copper for hunting while I'm still stuck in CA. I don't have an interest in shooting .44 Special out of a .44 Magnum.

I LOVE the flat top on the OM BH's. I'm concerned what the aluminum frame would feel like and how it'd balance. And I don't like the look of worn aluminum. I'd prefer an all steel gun and love my all stainless N frame S&W's. I got to handle a friends NM BH in .45 Colt with a 4.62'' barrel and aluminum frame and thought it felt great; but perhaps because of the balance in regards to the barrel length.

I like the unfluted cylinder (I prefer the look and love it on DA S&W's and will get unfluted on FA's one day) and SBH hammer on the SBH. I don't mind the dragoon trigger guard but can care less either way. Some say it doesn't make recoil harsh, some say it does and some say only with heavy loads so I'm at a wash with that.

I think the answer is obvious with the SBH. Perhaps I get more features I like with the OM SBH but I sure like that flat top! Any thoughts are greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

WIW, I borrowed a friends early .44 mag SBH at the range and it was the most accurate handgun I've ever shot.

 

[Drm50]

Way back when I was at Ft.Bliss a buddy of mine joined a fast draw club.
They only used blanks. Well he started looking for a gun. At the time there were a lot of German Colt SAA clones in 44mg. There were civilians in the ordinance shop on post. They were chopping guns and fitting hammers with fanning spoons.
He came back one day and said he bought a 44mag used off a lifer on base and took it to shop for them to tune up. When I saw it I was sick. I had been a mint Blackhawk 44mg. The barrel was cut to the minimum regulation, I think 4.5”. The ugly upright spur on hammer. No ejector tube.
The back sight was removed and filled. It was nice work not Bubba.
I’ve always thought those that partake in such butchery should have their hands put in a large vise and cranked with cheater until jaws meet.

 

[dsf]

I'm not sure if this is a 6.5" or the longer - not at home with it just now.



Good deals are out there. Paid about $650.00 for this one.

 

[mtgianni]

One concern with 44 Mag BH and SBH is that everyone I knew wanted to hot rod one and see how much they could take the cartridge beyond book velocities. I think it is easier to find one that has seen high pressures than not.

 

[Marshal Tom]

I have owned a 7.5" Flattop as well as a 7.5" Super Blackhawk. I have also owned two 4 5/8 .357 Flattops and still have one of them. The .44 Flattop was a beautiful gun but I convinced myself that it had been re- blued so I sold it several years ago. The Super Blackhawk was a wonderful accurate gun. I once shot a reed of at approximately 100yds standing, off hand in front of a group of people at a campout. I let that one go to get a Flattop .357 4 5/8". I like the Flattops over the 3 screws or the new models. Both of them did rap my middle finger knuckle when shooting and as I recall, the Flattop was worse than the Super.

 

[Capt. F.]

I have a 1956 (I believe) Flattop BH and an early 5 digit SBH.
Love both guns.
Of course the BH has the smaller grip frame.
If you decide on a BH over a SBH to shoot full house magnum loads, you won’t have to sniff the end of the barrel to see if it went off. Your middle finger of your shooting hand will notify you the gun fired!
I find the SBH much more comfortable to shoot with its longer grip frame and square back trigger guard. My middle finger appreciates it as well.
Now the hard part. Were I to choose one over the other it would be the BH. It’s extremely comfortable in the hand (when not shooting magnum loads) balances well and just plain looks cool even though it doesn’t have a 7 1/2” barrel.
I’ve cut back to .44 Special loads in it so it’s kind of my pet.
As it was shooting about 4” low at 25 yds., I replaced the rear sight blade with a higher one and solved the issue.
Pic of the BH. Super is in the safe and I’m too lazy to go upstairs and dig it out.

 

[Wyatt Burp]

I only have one .44 Magnum handgun and it's all I want. a 1969 SBHawk. I really like the older BH .44 like Skeeter Skelton used with a 7 1/2" barrel but never owned one. I too do not like 6 1/2" barrels on SAs because I'm used to the traditional colt lengths. But my OM Blackhawk .357 balances great.

 

[6GUNSONLY]

A 7.5" Blackhawk (flattop) will be relatively hard to find and rather pricey. If you found one for less than $1500 I'd be surprised. An old model Super Blackhawk in decent shooter grade can be found for under a $1000, perhaps quite a bit less than that. The Super Blackhawk will have the unfluted cylinder you say you prefer; the flattops never had unfluted cylinders. As another poster explained, the gripframe will be different; the flattop having the old Colt-style gripframe and the Super will have the square-back trigger guard Dragoon style gripframe. The flattop gripframe will be alloy (aluminum), the Super will be steel. They are both fine guns, but considerably different in feel and weight. I personally prefer the flattops, and have a few. I could never warm up to the Super gripframe style - seemed like I could never grasp it exactly the same way twice. Nevertheless, I've had a few of those in the past (still own one but my son has taken it hostage and I haven't seen it for a while). I would post some pics but can't get to any of them right now. I have a 7.5" flattop, slightly modified, an all original 6.5" flattop, and a highly customized one that's been cut to 4 5/8". I'll try to put some pics up later.

 

[s&wchad]

Here's a couple of Flattop .44's (6-1/2" and 10") and an OM Super Blackhawk.

 

[6GUNSONLY]

Here's a 7.5" flattop. This one has been modified a bit - has a steel Old Army grip frame (XR3-RED size frame) and in this pic custom Mesquite grips by Zane Thompson. It has also been reblued, because when I "found" it, someone had drilled and tapped the topstrap for a scope mount. John Gallagher TIG welded the holes, added the OA gripframe, and reblued the whole gun.

Here's a standard 6.5" flattop .44, all original except the elk grips by our bigmountainman.

And for comparison, a flattop .357 4 5/8" barrel, also all original except the grips.

 

[PALADIN85020]

Regarding accuracy of the SBH. Back when I was in the National Guard many years ago, I owned my first one and took it to the NG range, as I was serving as a range officer for the public sighting in that day. The range was set up for 100 yards, so I got there early and sighted in in the SBH to strike the target in the center of the bullseye. The range was then opened up for the public, and along came a guy wanting to sight in his Winchester '94 deer rifle. After getting him sighted in, he noticed my revolver and asked if it was accurate at that range. I assured him that it was. To make a long story short, he wanted to see if his '94 could outdo my Ruger. We made a friendly bet.

I won, but refused his embarrassed offer of cash with a big smile!

John