357 Blackhawk

I think I'd replace those ivory grips and set them in a place of honor in your gun room.

A great many .45 Colts are not up to much hot-rodding (the conversion replicas, pre-war anything, non-Rugers), but how much hot-rodding does the round really need? 9.5/Herco/250 LSWC gives a shade over 1000 f/s from a 5.5" barrel, and (according to Alliant) does not exceed SAAMI max pressure. Another 0.5 - 1.0 gr. WILL exceed SAAMI max, but not by much, and would likely break 1100 f/s. How much more does one need?

As to the Blackhawk .357, it can be loaded to give true .357 Magnum performance. Striving for performance beyond that will retire a firearm early.
 
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I have mammoth ivory grips I was cautioned not to shoot magnums with, do you think it would be ok? For the grips, I know the gun can take it.
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Fossil ivory grips are usually stabilized, which would make them tougher than most woods.
 
Ruger made a 10" Blackhawk in 357MAXIMUM but stopped production and recovered all revolvers possible due to the jetting action between cylinder and forcing cone causing the bottom side of top strap being cut rather deeply to point of not being safe. The standard pressure of this cartridge was 48,000 PSI and required the use of CCI Small Rifle Magnum primers to retain the pressures generated without lockup of the action. Edited to correct pressure specification error - memory failed me again.

My new revolver was stopped while in shipment to my dealer and sent back to factory for destruction. I had purchased it thru the International Handgun Metallic Shooters Association (IHMSA). My wife purchased the Dan Wesson Model legal as a Production Gun that met weight requirements.

I went back to my Ruger Super Blackhawk 10.5" 44Magnum using 320 grain cast hard projectiles with a gascheck. Bullets were drilled to reduce weight to 220 grains before sealing with application of gascheck. Was very accurate until determined to be non-production and restricted to Unlimited Class only.
 
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Operating pressures for the .357Maximum are 48,000CUP, which is a long way from 62,000psi. The flame cutting was only an issue for those who were running lightweight bullets of 110-125gr over heavy doses of spherical powder. The heavier bullets the cartridge was designed for proved a non-issue. It's shameful that Ruger has destroyed so many of these fine guns, due to the actions of idiots trying to turn a revolver into a rifle.
 
JackMoser65,

You are correct sir - I edited my posting to show correct pressure.

I loaded 180 grain Truncated Cone FMJ's - forget the powder and charge - for my now ex-wife's Dan Wesson revolver in 357 Maximum.
 
KCub, where did you get 200 grain bullets for .357? I thought they were long out of production.
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DoubleTap and Corbon both sell 200gr .357 rounds, as does Littlestone Ammunition, to name a boutique loader:

http://www.doubletapammo.net/index.php?route=product/product&path=303_331&product_id=152

http://shopcorbon.com/357-mag-200gr...type-of-cartridge[Handgun],3-caliber[357 Mag]

http://www.littlestonesrus.com/357-...ide-Long-Nose-Gas-Check-Box-of-50_p_1261.html

Grizzly Cartridge sells the 200gr Cast Performance bullets, if you like to roll your own:

http://www.grizzlycartridge.com/index.php?app=ecom&ns=prodshow&ref=CP38200
 
Thanks! Years ago when I was a uniform street cop we carried 200 gr. bullets in our S&W Model 10 .38's. I was looking for some out of nostalgia.
 
No kidding! :eek:

Just picked up my new Super Blackhawk yesterday:

36a25a347dd0c1f9bc7074b6d8b7169c23cf855.jpg
 
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Armybrat, is that a Super Blackhawk? It looks more like a Blackhawk. But maybe they've changed things.
 
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