Yep! You can kill a Ruger

At the Optimist Gun Club in San Leandro, CA, there is a Super Blackhawk on the wall that is blown open pretty much like the one you show. I believe it has a sign beside it that says "wrong powder". Next time I'm there I'll see if they'll let me take a photo:)
 
Thanks for the link!

Ruger got some of those in the factory too. People ship them back with complaints that the guns are no good. "Well gee whiz, what type of ammo did you use?" asks the factory rep. "My handloads," responds the unhappy customer.

Lesson: reloading requires intelligence. Experimentation should be limited to data published in any reputable reloading manual. Go beyond that, and you're really on you're own. Mfgs proof their gun with a load that is 50% over SAAMI specs and if the gun blows, it's clearly way over those proof loads.
 
Old saying:

"There's bold reloaders and there's old reloaders. There's no bold, old reloaders."
 
Ye GODS if that topstrap had failed, this could have been far worse. I'm flat amazed that it held, and obviously it was a close thing.

This is a testiment to the strength of a Ruger, not a condemnation.
 
Jim Marchs' comment is absolutely correct. If not for the strength of a Ruger SBH, a friend would be known as "Lefty". He decided to learn reloading on his own, despite offers to be taught, and watch the process with several of us who were willing to walk him through it. He bought a manual, asked for "a good powder" and proceeded to dip loads with Bullseye. Somewhere (said he was a friend, not a smart friend) he decided there wasn't that much difference in powders, and tried charges from other powders on the chart. 12 gr. of Bullseye (and maybe even a double charge - who knows) was a little too hot. One nice Xmas present went to the scrap heap, but he has his fingers and eyes.
 
Did that to a Blackhawk once. Haven't reloaded since (30+ years) - self defence. I get distracted easily and lose focus. You have to be extermely focused to reload safely - I'm not.
 
A classic Ruger blow up. The top strap on a ruger usually looks about like this while the Smith N frames resemble this gun except that the top strap and rear sight are gone. the first example I saw was an old model Super that looked like the picture. A dude had gone to K-Mart to buy a reloading rig and the kid ( "I work in the auto department-what's a primer?" gave him loading data for 2400 and a can of Unique. Two or three shots later, "Bam."
 
HEARD MY NAME AND 'STUPID' MENTIONED IN SAME SENTENCE

Yes, 44 Redhawk.

Don't think (but still not thoroughly convinced) you can get a 300g bullet to go 1800fps


for more than one shot.

Fortunately (because Ruger service did a SPLENDID job!), it was factory ammo :rolleyes: because
 
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