Ruger Super Blackhawk 44Mag

As to barrel length, I find that for me, the 7 1/2" Ruger Super Blackhawk the very best for outdoor/hunting use. I've carried mine, using a modified Tom Threepersons holster and 2 1/2" gun belt, all day walking over rolling pasture land without any discomfort. And that extra sight radius was definitely a boon to me. Sitting on a deer stand the gun sits in my lap comfortably.

Only for urban carry do I find my 4 5/8" Blackhawk better suited, and also for casual plinking doing rapid fire.

Bob Wright
 
^^^

I like single action revolvers too, as long as they aren't Rugers.

Here is my only Ruger single action. Large frame (2 digit serial # prefix) .357 Vaquero Birdshead I avoid shooting it because I don't want it to get so dirty that I may have to do a detail cleaning. I just bring it out for BBQ's and such. My handmade grips, barrel billboard erased and Bisley trigger. Hopefully will find a new home soon.

 
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the point of my question is whether going from a 4-5/8" barrel to a 7-1/2 inch barrel will make it a reliable 50-yard gun, as the shorter barrel, clearly is not. Within it's limitations, my short-barreled Vaquero is a great handgun. But I can shoot better than the gun can and am wondering if going to the longer barrel will pay off with extended range capability. Honestly, my current Vaquero is a 25 yard gun. I feel that it would be worth it if 7-1/2" would give me 50 yards of good accuracy, but not if it won't.
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It is a rather rare situation when the shooter can shoot better than the gun. Have you considered it might be you, and not the gun??

Or that it might be you, and that particular gun?

Not doubting your word, just saying that if you can't shoot that gun well at 50yds, there is no guarantee that you would do better with a longer barrel. You MIGHT, but I wouldn't put serious money on it, without seeing you shoo, first. ;)

I have a 7.5" Blackhawk .45 Colt, 7.5" SuperBlackhawk .44Mag, a pair of original Vaqueros 4 5/8" stainless .45 Colt, a blued original Vaquero and Vaquero Bisley 5.5" .45 Colt, and a New Vaquero 5.5" .45 Colt, so I am a little familiar with the guns.

I find the stainless guns a bit more difficult to shoot accurately, unless you blacken the sights. I don't find any difference between any of them, between 25 and 50yds, but that's just me.

I will admit to doing my best shooting with the 7.5" Blackhawk, but that could be the result of 35years of practice with that particular gun. I could balance a dime on the front sight (at arms length) and the dime never moved until the hammer hit the frame, I could ring the 200yd gong on the range 5 out of 6, (on a bad day) off hand, one handed, left hand in my left hip pocket.

Longer barrels do have longer sight radii, but my experience is that it is the shooter, at least as much as the gun. A longer barrel (and a shooter who can use it well) might be the difference between a 9 ring hit and an X ring, but when your target is bigger than that, like a gong, or the boiler room of a deer, I've never found the longer sight distance to matter, in MY hands.

I do favor the longer barrels because of the increase in velocity, over the short ones. I'm on the opposite side of the fence from many here, as I will accept the "awkwardness" of packing a longer barrel pistol to get the most performance, from it when I shoot. Never saw the point in a short barrel magnum, but a lot of people apparently do.

A long-barreled revolver helps us poor shooters hide our weaknesses.
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I'll see you that, and raise you this...
A long-barreled revolver helps good shooters show off their strengths. :D

I will admit, it took me a bit to warm up to the 7.5" Super Blackhawk. I had a stainless 7.5" Vaquero in .44 Mag, it was nice, but I traded it for a Super Blackhawk, because I'm one of those odd sorts who wants adjustable sights on a .44 Magnum.

I found the grooved trigger and lower, larger hammer spur of the Super to be a bit "off-putting" after 3 decades of shooting the Blackhawk, but only until about a box of ammo had been shot, then I didn't notice the difference at all.
 
the 5.5" barrel would be the obvious compromise.
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True, but only if you find a compromise benefits you, personally. It all depends on your personal priorities.

I've got 5.5" Ruger SAs, hardly ever use them. Spent so many years with the 7.5", its what I keep going to, to shoot for recreation, and also for anything serious, like hunting. When I got interested in pistols, there was only one choice in the Super Blackhawk, 7.5" with the dragoon trigger guard. S&W was the only other real choice, and at the time, they were too rich for my blood.

Wound up getting a 7.5" .45 Colt Blackhawk, convertible, because I the shop had one, I could afford it, and I already had a .45acp. Discovered "Ruger Only' loads when there was only one Ruger .45, and found I didn't NEED a .44 Magnum. Got a .44 Mag some years later, and by that time, was very used to the 7.5" barrels advantages and drawbacks.

SO, I never developed a strong urge for a shorter barrel SA. I have some, but always seem to come back to the long barrel "cannons" for fun, and they're very useful, too.
 
True, but only if you find a compromise benefits you, personally. It all depends on your personal priorities.
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But this is about the OP, who did ask for opinions and advice, not yet in a groove. Ruger has seen fit to give SBH buyers a choice of grips and barrel lengths. Once going beyond 5.5" barrel length, I think one is going to be carrying cross draw with that big grip poking out front. It is great for a seated position but maybe not so great for rugged walking.
 
I have 4 SBHs. 3 were 7.5" and are now 5.5". I like the balance and feel of the 5.5" much better. Easier to carry and shoot just as good as the 7.5". Sure I loose some fps with 2" less barrel but all that means is you just shoot a little better and get a little closer. Its good for me but not everyone.
 
Ruger probably sold every one they built, but it was always a mystery to me why Ruger waited DECADES before offering anything other than the 7.5" (and a small run of 10") Super Blackawks, when they offered multiple barrel lengths on Blackhawks.

If I were doing it over, today, I'd probably choose the 5.5" myself.
 
If I were doing it over, today, I'd probably choose the 5.5" myself.
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Yep, I don't understand why they don't make the 5.5" in a Bisley...

I'm either going to buy a 5.5" or 7.5" stainless and make it into a Bisley.
 
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