Just zeroed my Super Blackhawk Hunter yesterday! Unbelievable!

J

jrsower

New member
I bought an NcStar 2.5.32 scope on eBay and put it on my SBH. Just found the time yesterday to take it out to a friends and zero it in before Gun season.

A few disclaimers before I tell you my results...

I've never hunted with a handgun before. I've never shot a .44 or anything bigger more than a once or twice. And, I'm not a very good pistol shot.

Now for the results...I started out at 15 yards. Took me 7 or 8 shots to get my groups down to the 8-10 inch range. (Please, no laughing, everyone had to start somewhere)

I was seriously sweating the recoil. I realized quickly that I was anticipating and thereby jumping just before I got a shot off every single time. Hence, my crappy groups at a mere 15 yards.

After about 15 rounds, I realized that it wasn't going to blow my arm off and settled down. Moved back twice and eventually ended up at 60 yards. I was consistently getting inside a 10" ring toward the end of my session. I'm very excited about this.

Just read in a mag last week that in the hands of a great shooter, the SBH can get 2 inch groups at a hundred yards. Certainly not by me, but I'm confident that I can make a clean kill on anything out to 60 yards.

Just wanted to share that with you guys. I'm pumped up about the possibility of getting something with a pistol.
 
What kind of ammo are you using?

Warning! Hunting with a handgun is severely addicting! Once you give it a try, you may want to give up the long gun entirely. Good luck and have a lot of fun.

I hunt (sometimes) with a Ruger Redhawk in .44 mag. It does the job too!
 
Okay, I'll admit it...

I'm using the dreaded and much criticized Winchester White Box straight from your friendly neighborhood Wal Mart.

240 JSP I believe.
 
Right on, glad to hear of your success. Recoil is something that is blown way, way, way, way out of proportion. We talk about it all the time, people who have never fired a gun in their life "know" all about recoil. I talk to people all the time who select a gun by how much recoil it has; not by whether or not it is suitable for the job at hand.
I was talking to a guy yesterday who talks endlessly about getting his wife to hunt big game and about recoil. I bet a day doesn't go by that he doesn't have a discussion about recoil with his wife. Of course after all this discussion; all she thinks about is recoil. He called me yesterday and wanted to know my opinion on putting a muzzle break on a .223 rifle.

The point to all this; recoil is not anything worthy of all this discussion. Have we all gotten so soft that a fraction of a second jolt is something to discuss like we have been sentenced to a flogging ? You found out it was perfectly managable and as soon as you realized this, your shooting got better. Congradulations.
 
I agree about the recoil not being something to worry about and it sounds as if you are well on the way to handling it. Good for you.

The 240 grain Rem JHP bullets over a generous amount of Blue Dot powder works well in my gun. It has taken a couple of whitetails and one hog. You won't recover many bullets when skinning the deer unless it is an end-for-end shot or the size of an elk. Good expansion as indicated by the off-side hole and blood trail.

My gun also LOVES hard cast 300 grain lead bullets but I have not taken big game with them-yet. I use H-110 with these. My gun likes heavy loads and magnum primers here.
 
Hey guys, the muzzle brake on my .223 really does make the recoil more tolerable............ :)

jrsower: Welcome to the Ruger handgun hunting fraternity. Mine is a scoped Super Red Hawk .44, and it's an amazing piece when I do my part. One of my favorite loads is an IMI 240gr JHP over H110. Recoil-wise, I'd have to characterize this load as a strong shove, and not at all unpleasant. Penetration and expansion characteristics for this bullet have been excellent.

Sure, the .44 mag kicks a little more than your average .45acp or 9mm. But it's no where near as bad as a .454 or .475!

BTW, I've shot the SRH in .480 Ruger - and I want one!
 
444, you're dead right about this case of recoil, butI have some .45 Colt loads that will wake a man up. 325's going over 1300 fps.
 
I agree Steve. I am not saying that it isn't possible to have recoil that is uncomfortable. And of course there are other calibers and loads that are tolorable as long as you don't shoot too many. I was speaking in generalities.
I certainly have a few .45 Colt loads that are close to all you can handle. I have spent some time with the .454 Casul, and it takes some good technique to tame. My standard .444 Marlin load is too much for me after about 15 rounds; my .338 is about the same deal.
 
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