Which Blackhawk??

S

Sisco

New member
Decided it's time for another gun, but what to get? Figure I need a single action just because I don't have one yet.
The Blackhawk in .30 carbine sounds good just from the fun factor and the fact that I already reload for the .30.
A convertable in 45LC / 45acp may be more practical, already load for 45acp, LC might come in handy as a carry piece if & when I do another hog hunting trip.
The hunting trips are not a regular thing, trips to the range to shoot for fun are common. Leaning towards the .30 carbine but getting a headache thinking about it.
banghead.gif
 
The blued Blackhawks have aluminum grips. These lighter grips affect balance somewhat. The BH convertible models are only offered in blue.

My opinion is to go with a stainless steel model, as it will have better balance IMO.

How about a .45 Colt or .357 magnum Blackhawk? I have the 6.5" stainless .357 magnum BH, and I LOVE mine. Its a great shooter.

My only regret is not getting a shorter barrel, the 6.5" barrel is pretty heavy, and not the most nimble gun to shoot one handed.

YMMV of course.
 
I just bought this Bisley .45 Blackhawk, and it is a sweet shooter with either hot loads, or Cowboy action light loads:)

I like the Bisley grip frame myself, at least for heavy loads.
 

Attachments

  • bisley_lightload_12-3-02.jpg
    bisley_lightload_12-3-02.jpg
    41.9 KB · Views: 156
SK, have you shot a 30 carbine blackhawk before? They are da** loud, and talk about a flame-thrower!!(Read: inefficient platform for that cartrige) But if it's just for the fun factor, go for it.

The 45 would give you more capability (energy-wise) than a 44 mag. And you could still shoot mild cowboy loads for fun.

Aw, heck you need one of each, problem solved.:D
 
I would vote for the .45 combo. With this you can do almost anything you want. Target shooting with light ACP ammo to hunting locomotives with the heavier stuff.

Yes it has aluminum grips but that is not a detriment to me. I find that this adds to the muzzel heaviness and help the ballance.
Plus if you don't like it there is many aftermarket, and Ruger grip frames that you can fit to it.

An out of the box Blackhawk 45 Convertable might need a little tweeking but it's worth the effort.
 
45LC/45ACP Combo

IMO:
I would sugjest the 45 Long Colt 45 ACP convertible.
I have the 357/9MM convertible and have been very happy this revolver. I like the feel of the BH in blued or S.S. also the accuracy of both calibers is exellent.
If you hunt, the 45LC would be a perfect hunting cartridge for almost any critter.
As far as the balance goes, my blued BH convertible feels just as good in my hand as any of my revolvers in stainless. I also like getting new caliber's to shoot.

Tony Z

Click below:

Link to my BH convertible
 
I'm leaning more & more to the .45 convertable, more practical.
But then again...
Have dies, brass & bullets for .41 mag but stupid me sold my model 57 a couple of years ago.
 
Another thing you need to factor with any .45 Ruger is you might need to have the throats reemed. Ruger is known for using too small of throat diameters. Its not a major job, and one company will do this modification for only like $25 per cylinder. If you do NOT get the throats reemed, your accuracy may suffer a bit.
 
That being said, my .45 colt vaquero shoots beautifully...
I'd still get the 45 colt/acp convertible.
 
Well SK, if you have brass, bullets and dies for the .41 Mag, why not a Ruger Blackhawk in that caliber? Ruger still offers them in 4 5/8" and 6 1/2"; I had a 4 5/8" NM and it was incredibly accurate for a short barrel gun. NG Bruce
 
41 or 45, that is the quesion

I had a .41 new model Blackhawk a few years back, and liked the heck out of it. I "rolled my own" and had some darn good loads worked up, including one that had more muzzle energy than a lot of factory .44 mag loads.

If you want the ultimate in versatility then go with the 45/45 combo. The Blackhawk is hell-for-strong, and you can work up loads for it that are in .44 mag territory (usually labeled "For Ruger Blackhawk/Redhawk Only" in your reloading manual). You also get to choose from about a zillion different .45 ACP loads.

Brad
 
I really liked my .41, but I still see the 45 combo as more versitile.
Have a couple hundred 45acp LSWC's that won't feed in my autos I could put to good use.
 
I have a .41 mag blackhawk 4 5/8", and it has shot really well for me, and has made me grin from ear to ear every time I shot it for almost 10 years now.
I like my 657, but if you want a blackhawk, get the .41
If you want a .45 colt, you need a vaquero bird'shead...
 
Hello All.

I love the heck out of my 4 5/8" NM Blackhawk in .41 Mag. Plus, it tends to make folks jump sideways at the range when the flames start flying!:D I just wish I could convince Marlin or Winchester to chamber a lever-gun in this caliber. Anyway, I shot one once with a 6 1/2" barrel, and it was pretty nose-heavy. The shorter barrel also clears leather cleaner, since I carry it in a Kirkpatrick Laredoan strong-side rig. And yeah, the Blackhawk is STOUT. A buddy of mine reloads a little on the far side of maniac, and that Ruger ate everything he could throw at it. Hope this helps.
 
Mark, you are in luck! Marlin is going to chamber the .41 Rem Mag soon (per the 2003 catalog according to Marlin Talk). It will be the model 1894FG. NG Bruce
ps I plan to get one too.
 
I've had one of the NBH's in a 45 convertiable for a couple of years now and love it, shoot mostly 45 colt through it at about 875 fps and out of the 4 5/8 barrel its fun to shoot and accurate.
 
Which Blackhawk

SK, that .30 carbine would "sound good" only those around you who have the very best ear protection, same for you.

The light weight aluminum grip frame of the Blackhawks can be gotten by by going with Ruger's Bisley, a very close reletive the the BHK with steel grip frame, what most call a better grip for big bore cals., a lower hammer that's so much easier to reach. It's a Blackhawk tweaked a bit, comes in B or SS, .357 mag, .44 mag, 45 LC, all with 7.5" bbl.

There's also the Bisley Vaquero in the same cals. & colors in 5.5" & 4 3/8" bbls.; again, those same Bisley features and steel grip frame for balance, especially helpfull with big bores.
 
I have a 30 blackhawk and a 45 vaquero, If you have both the 30 is a great gun, and well worth having,
If you are deciding between the 2 take the 45, all day, it is simply much more practical, and also a lot of fun.

On the other hand, you can normally find good deals on used 30 blackhawks, seems not everyones into fun as much as I am.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top