A couple of updates . . . As several of you pointed out, 4-5/8" is not the shortest 44 mag barrel Ruger offers and yes, Customer Service did replace the cylinder because of the off-center chamfers.
Good to see someone discussing Ruger quality control. I bought a Ruger sr1911 which is a stainless steel .45acp. I bought a stainless gun to avoid rust problems. Long story short, the gun became a rust bucket in hardly no time. The mainspring housing, grip safety, hammer, slide stop, and mag release rusts badly. I don't know what finish Ruger used to blacken those parts but it's not even "rust resistant". I assumed those parts would be blackened stainless steel. They're probably not even stainless judging by the rust problem. I bought a Ruger LCRx .22 mag revolver and boy was I surprised at just how cheap that gun felt, from the useless vestigial front sight to the wobbly, flimsy cylinder crane it was nothing like the Ruger revolvers I had owned in the past. The rear sight and the cylinder release button developed rust within the first week that I owned the gun. Ruger no longer receives an immediate pass from me because of their reputation in the past. This is 2022, not 1972, 82, 92. I'd have to think long and hard before buying another Ruger handgun.
I am no novice to rugers or other brands.am 73. Started working in gun shop. In 1968..off and on gun dealer and even now work in gun shop/ pawn.. I have first chance at any firearm..buy only earlier versions of rugers...sw. etc. In all my years I've never seen so many issues with factory new guns..especially the semi auto polymers. Good luck guys!!😂
Also, I don't think people know how much work it takes for you to set up and shoot a video. Setting up and painting targets, setting up the cameras, reloading the ammo, etc. Post production editing also take time. Thanks again, George.
Thanks roy! I enjoy doing this but you are right it takes a lot more to make UA-cam videos, at least the kind that I make, then most people are aware of. Editing alone takes between 6 and 12 hours depending on the complexity of the video.
I have one exactly like yours. I replaced the OEM stocks with pachmayr finger grooves. I see Ruger put some custom engraving on your cylinder, which looks classy. I also have two other SBHs - one with the 10.5" barrel and the other the 7.5". The 10.5" barrel is my least favorite. The shortest one doesn't give up all that much in terms of ballistic efficiency, and recoil is quite manageable. Mine is about 25 years old and had none of the problems that yours had. Kudos to Ruger for "making things right", which speaks well of their customer service.
My wife bought me this exact pistol when we were in the early stages of dating. Yes, she's a keeper. We live in Alaska, and it's been my everyday backup carry when out in the backcountry for 20+ years so it's got some scratches and dings. Got my eye on that Ruger/Marlin Trapper. New subscriber, great video and channel.
I have owned two 7.5” SBHs and one with the 4 5/8” barrel. The short one was by far my favorite. For me, the smaller Blackhawk grip frame was much more comfortable to shoot. Fit is key. And it was easier to carry in bear country.
I too love the smaller grip of the Blackhawk. I did a review recently on one with rubber grips which are very small. And it really nestled nicely in the hand
Your right about not flinching. It’s one of the hardest obstacles to overcome when shooting big bore revolvers. It can rear it’s ugly head at any time to even the best of shooters. Another great video in the books.
I was late to revolver shooting at almost 70 4 or 5 years ago I purchased Ruger Black Hawk in 45 colt it became one of my favorite pistols to shoot. Thanks for the reminder! Lol
Man at 5:30 when that hits the target you really feel it. I bought this same pistol for my father with a 5.5in barrel and all blued. He didnt get a chance to shoot it before he passed and I just cant bring myself to shoot it. I love videos like this because I get to see similar pistols in action and see how they perform. Thanks!!!
44 Super Blackhawk has always been my favorite firearm. Of course most of mine have also been seven and a half but I've got a couple five and a half and I enjoy the 4 and 5/8 but I've never gotten one for myself but I do have a really nice 41 mag custom in 4 and 5/8 that shoots wonderfully. Just a point of order, when you measure that Barrel cylinder Gap you have to do it with at least shells in the firearm. Because those shells reduce the rearward movement of that cylinder. That's what you have to measure for. And I do have a couple of Blackhawk 44 mags that are both 5 and 1/2 like I had said that actually are built on the Super Blackhawk frame but they have fluted cylinders and they do not have that Dragoon grip. Where it does make itself well known to your right middle finger or left middle finger depending on which hand you're shooting it with. Have them or somebody put a Dragoon grip frame on it. It doesn't make the firearm appreciably larger and it is far more comfortable to shoot. When I shoot mine on the target range or whatever I only ever load it with five rounds, first of all your box of ammo is always set up in rings of five rounds each. So you don't ever have just a couple of rounds left over or Oddball number of rounds left over. And there's no reason for six in the gun unless you're going to hunt or carry it for defense which I have actually done a couple of times. But I've done extensive practice with reloads of firing two and loading too firing to and loading to and you can keep up a respectable rate of fire that way with a single action revolver. And also if you choose to get it in a caliber that you can get a magazine for you can always load it out of a magazine. Just a unique trick I learned some years ago. First of all, it sounds like they refit a new cylinder in it. That's the only way to relieve that handshake that I know of. Another point that I would like to make the 4 5/8 is more critical to your grip being consistent. That said, if you will let it flip through your hand a little bit more you'll find it easier to Cock it for the next shot because as that grip allows the firearm to rotate in your hand it makes it easier to just lift your thumb and catch the hammer and let the firearm come back down on target as you cock it and you're ready for the next shot much faster. I was easily able to put five shots on target with my Ruger Super Blackhawks and Full House loads inside of about 4 seconds and put them all into a single ragged hole at 30 ft.
Beautiful to look at, to hold, a true classic. Fun to shoot, so long ago I had the Single Six w/Magnum cyl. in .22. Fun plinking and economy were the motivators, but ALWAYS coveted the .44 and .357 Ruger mags. I too liked the looks of the 4 5/8" bbl.
It's funny, I was never a fan of the short barrel Blackhawk until I got my hands on this one. And the more I handled and shot it the more it felt just right. I guess it proves you can indeed Teach an old dog new tricks😄
@@TargetSuite Interesting summation...id wager this dog is older than your "dog" but my fondness for the 4 5/8" dates to 69' in Gainesville, Fl. During the dry seasons, we'd go into cypress bay heads and work over the moccassins concentrations with that Ruger Single Six. Sadly, it became a casualty to books n tuition, and was replaced by 71' with a Ruger Mark 1, which is still my plinking go to. Just something about the looks of that 4 5/8's that no matter the caliber, it's worn well. Enjoyed watching the vid very much. Few can appreciate that trigger also...just sayin.
I have the same pistol but blued and love it. I sent it back to Ruger when I first got it because it had surface rust and rough machining in the surrounding areas of where the cylinder sits. They took care of the issue and reblued it and now it’s perfect. This is a very accurate gun
I’ve tried a 7inch barrel back in the 70s but not a short barreled one. It wasn’t hard shooting with the long barrel. Nice gun and good shooting. I remember seeing people that couldn’t handle the .44 mag. recoil so they got rid of them. I’m short so I prefer the short barreled revolvers. But they are expensive to shoot. Unfortunately I never got into reloading.
I had two S&W Model 29's, one 8-3/8" barrel and one 4" barrel. Hunting and camping in grizzly country, I carried the 4", but I also found that the shorter gun was more fun at the range and riding around in the desert. Very rarely ever used the longer barrel pistol, even when hunting deer in the timber.
Thanks for your comment! It's amazing how many people are showing a preference for the shorter Barrel. I never would have guessed at my own reaction much less the broader opinion of my viewers.
That’s typically what to expect from Ruger nowadays. My new Super Blackhawk ( same one as yours) arrived with horrible fitting grips and a loses barrel. But the customer service is outstanding.
Oddly enough Magnum Research measures their barrel lengths from the front of the frame to the muzzle. They ignore the part that extends through the frame ending at the forcing cone. Go figure…
@@cw2a . .357 caliber super high velocity cartridges are very hard on revolvers. They flame cut the top straps, they wear away the forcing cones, and the rifling near the cone. I could never enjoy shooting knowing that every full power shot was greatly accelerating the wear and tear on my expensive beauty. Sean over at “Go Big Bore or Go Home” split the entire barrel of his BFR when a small crack developed at the forcing cone. Something the hyper .357s are known for.
@@cw2a They did! Back in the early 80s they had a blackhawk chambered for that round. It was only offered for a brief time as concerns arose around the gas cutting of the Backstrap at the barrel/cylinder gap.
Beautiful revolver! I have the 7.5” Super Blackhawk Hunter. The added mass and barrel length are nice, but it’s not easy drop into a holster and carry through the woods.
Thank you for posting this! As we all know, the 16th Anniversary is the "stainless steel" anniversary. My wife gave me a 4-5/8" Super Blackhawk that year. I gave her a few nights at a fancy hotel and went to some artsy fartsy stuff in Seattle. Packed that Ruger on the PCT from Snoqualmie Pass to Rainy Pass. Just subscribed to your channel. I also have a 6-1/2" .44 mag Blackhawk (pre-Super), which, IMHO, is a bit more accurate.
After several years with two S&W DA it was time for a Ruger Blackhawk Stainless 357 in 6,5". My absolute favorite gun after I installed a 30 oz. reduced power rebound trigger spring (Wilson)! After watching this and some other clips I know there can only be one more: this one in the clip or even better the Bisley variant - if I can get hold of one, here in Germany.
Very nice wheel gun sir , I have a 44 and 45lc Blackhawk both with 7.5in barrels , this has peaked my interest in the short barrels, thanx for posting , good video
A few thoughts.....my spirits were uplifted when you said "tomato can"....but was let down by the results....🙂 my Brother has been a long time Ruger fan, but the last 3 he has bought (.22 Charger, LCP Max, LCP .22 Light Rack) have all been sent back to the factory. What has happened to Ruger's QC? And one final thing.....I'm not sure I would enjoy a single action if it only clicked once when cocking....I would probably spend to much time trying to figure out where the other three clicks went....😀 Another great video, thank you!
Thanks for watching. And yes I too was disappointed by the Tomato can. I think the HORNADY XTP just didn't mushroom going through the can. My 22 magnum rifle made that same can dance like crazy!
I had a Ruger super Blackhawk with a 7 1/2” barrel 30 years ago. I no longer have it, but it felt better built than the ones today. However so did S&W, Colts, and other guns. They have mostly went to quantity production and more so today you have to send guns back for repairs.
There might have been a shift in the way gun companies control their output quality. But I don't have any data to support that. Nonetheless, the important thing is how do they stand behind the guns that they make, and Ruger is at the top of the list in customer service as far as I'm concerned. Thanks for your comment!
Thank you for watching. Getting into reloading is a little tough on the wallet in the beginning, but but you can recoup that in the long run. And for me it's as much about availability of ammo to shoot as it is saving money. Thats because getting components is easier than finding Factory ammo. You just have to be constantly on the lookout for primers and snatch them up when they are available.
Perfect timing. I was watching the Mossberg video & this one popped up. 👍 Everybody is different but I think stainless cylinders look better unfluted. Beautiful Ruger. Thanks. 🙏 🇺🇸 👍
@@TargetSuite Lol. I took my more than 50 year old 870 added a magazine tube extension , a ribbed 21inch barrel & Carlson Rifled choke. Looks & performs great but still has the corncob forearm. Old but dependable like me. 😂😂 I love the 4 5/8 barrels on a Ruger.
Another Great video.... I just called Ruger a few weeks back with a question. They tuke care of my ishoe and my part was in the mail. No problem.... I would highly recommend there products.... Great shooting. And Thanks for the update
Hi George, I agree with you Ruger has excellent customer service and stands behind everything they make. Have had a lot of Ruger guns in my life and was never disappointed in any. Some good shooting especially with the shorter barrel. Sometimes that short sight line can be tricky. I like the short barrel for EDC, but the 5 1/2" is my favorite to shoot. My 71/2" is A good shooter and I do well with it ,but the weight sometimes gets my arm tired out after a while.lol. I use Shepherd hooks to hang my steel works okay.
I want to eventually get a new Vaquero from ruger. And it's because of that 5 1/2" barrel and smaller frame. My guess is it will be a sweet shooting revolver.
I have three of these Ruger Blackhawks, each with a different barrel length and chambered in 357, 45 Colt, and 44 magnum. Love shooting these firearms.
My favorite barrel length for Ruger single action guns is the 4 5/8" barrel. A few years ago there was a LNIB 1971 Old Model Super Blackhawk. Back then they only came with 7.5" barrels. This one had a 4 5/8" barrel on the gun and a 7.5" barrel in the box. I ended up buying it and upon contacting the dealer was told it was a one owner gun. The gentleman who sold the gun to the shop was 94 years old. I asked if they would contact him and ask how the short barrel go on the gun as the markings, front sight insulation and crown all matched the 7.5" barrel that the gun probably originally came with. They unfortunately refused... Ruger had no record so how it became a short barrel is lost to history...
Great video! I have the 7 1/2" bbl. in 44 mag. super Blackhawk. I replaced the wood grips with a Houge grip. The cowboy grip was sliding in my medium size hands. But the Houge grip has a finger grooves and the bottom bumps out too far, can you recommend another replacement grip? I love the wood cowboy grips though!
I wish I could give you a recommendation. But I love the standard grips that come on a single action revolver. They fit my hand and they allow some of the recoil to slip through my grip instead of punishing my wrist.
Herrett's. I'm not sure if they are made anymore, but there's usually plenty of them on ebay. That's what I use on mine. They don't exactly have the cowboy look,but they are much more comfortable. Hogue makes a wood grip similar in shape to their rubber grips. There's also the old Mustang grips that are similar on style to the Herrett's.
I have a blued 7-1/2 inch super Blackhawk in 44magnum marked “made in the 200th year of American liberty” on the top of the barrel. Still have the paperwork bearing Bill Rugers name as CEO too.
@@edmiera3583 Well you’d think they’d be worth a little more but they aren’t. At least not since the last time I checked. Even though they are considered the “bicentennial” model, I question wether or not they continued to make them past or possibly even before 1976. Because even though they are certainly uncommon, they aren’t as rare as I would have expected. Other than that, they seem to be just a standard new model Blackhawk. Very nice blueing, fit and finish though. Much nicer than some of the newer guns from ruger. Blueing almost seems similar to colts custom shop. Very high polish deep blue.
I have a Taurus T44, which is called a 4" barrel, but it has a chamber with porting at the muzzle. They are 10oz lighter than a Super Blackhawk, and not fun at all with full house 44 mag loads. However, with 200 gr bullets at about 1250 fps it is a beast, but controllable.
I have preferred the short barrel revolvers for years. Probably because I carried them as a police officer/ Deputy at the beginning of my career. Even competed with them S&W models 66 and 686.
I did shoot some 44 specials earlier before this video. There wasn't enough pressure to expand the cases into the chamber and so there was a ton of carbon that worked its way back around the cases and out the back of the cylinder. It was a mess to clean up. Too much trouble. Thank you for your comment. I really appreciate it.
I have a 3.75” barrel stainless steel Ruger Super Blackhawk Bisley .44 Magnum. Love it! Shoots great with cast performance 320gr. WLN gas check with 21.5grns. W296/H110
I have one also and love Ruger anything except , maybe the Mini 14. I got mine in a trade with my brother, I had a 5.5" Vaccaro in 45 Colt and I was looking for a shorter 44 mag. I just love it, I shoot mostly 214gr Lee SWC hand cast bullets loaded in 44 Special cases with hot charges of Unique or Power Pistol for around 1000fps. Great for chasing cans around the yard and cheap.
One thing I've done with nearly all my Ruger revolvers--I replaced the original grips with Pachmayrs. I have Diamond Pros on the GP100, formerly the Decelerators. I have Presentations on all my Blackhawks, including the SBH.
Think I'll go clean a Ruger for it's maiden range voyage tomorrow. Been shooting handgun a lot after work in the construction yard. several 380, several 22, Most fun with a Heritage long barrel 22 lr/magnum with adjustable fiber optic sights. Put a bullet in the top, open end of a soda bottle and it came out center bottom 25 yards. Put one in the center of a cap, lots of misses too. Cheap pistol, but nice, cheap fun.
I have the same Blackhawk but with fluted cylinders. The stocks that came with it are gorgeous, but I had to go with the Hogues to save my knuckle. I too reload and tend to load them on the hot side. Rugers were made for hot loads. I have my SAA in 45 Colt for cowboy loads which is little more pleasant to shoot. Love em both in different times and settings.
I am running a 3.75 in Talo Ruger Super Blackhawk. I love the darn revolver. I also have a Bisley Blackhawk 5.5 inch stainless .41 mag which I really love. It even has the engraved cylinder. I have changed the sights on three of the Ruger revolvers I have. They all have the V notch rear and a fiber Optic front. Both the Bisley and the Super Blackhawk have green and the stainless single six has a red fiber Optic front sight. All three have real stag grips and if course the original wood grips. I also purchased a set of grips made from Rams horn for the Super Blackhawk. I have a pair of grips that you wont find most likely any where. They are made of Alaskan Jade. I spent so much time in Alaska every year and a gent made the Jade grips for me. And although they are nice they do not look so good on the Single Six they were made for. Makes them look like a pimps gun. Haha! But cool nonetheless. I honestly believe if you are really into revolvers that Ruger builds the best. They can handle hot loads. Now when I am in Alaska however I carry a Glock 20 in 10mm of course. That 15 + 1 is a great advantage for bear country.
Yeah I still to this day love this revolver. They made the same thing but with a Bisley frame instead. I do not mind the one Bisley I do own one which is the 41 mag as previously mentioned . But the rest of my Ruger revolvers have the standard grip frame. It is what I am most familiar with and they are comfortable to me anyways. I shoot large calibers mainly . I own a .500 S&W for when I want to feel some pain. Haha. And have added a .460 mag to my collection recently. About 25 years or so ago when I lived in Jackson Wyoming I took a short trip down to Freedom Arms and ordered a .454 . Since then I have never looked back. The only one I find myself flinching at times with is the .500 mag. But that is usually after about 20 rounds or so. Personally when it comes to these larger calibers I have yet to figure out why they produce double actions? Anyone that feels the need to pull a trigger that fast accurately is way more manly than I am I recently watched a video with a gent who really tore into these Rugers. He said his came missing a frame screw , and his cylinder pin falls out under heavy loads and his grip panels were of different thickness. I shoot Buffalo Bore as well as Underwood through mine in the past and never had an issue. Mine came complete and well put together. He also said Ruger has crappy customer service. I have never ever in all my years dealing with Ruger have ever had any issues with them at all. Maybe I am just lucky? Haha In today's world of Tupperware guns such as Glocks, the Rugers sure feels heavy. And even this one with the 3.75 inch barrel is still pretty heavy. A chest rig is the way to go if you decide to carry it while our in the wooded areas with toothy critters around. I do not know how collectable these are? I do however know how much Rugers prices have gone up. I believe I have seen these on GunBroker for around $1000.00 new . That is considerably higher then what I bought mine new for. Oh one thing I do need to add, careful with what grips you use. Some after market wood grips shatter when you fire this short barrel off. I putchased a gorgeous pair of Altmont ( spelling?) Grips and they lasted about 40 rounds . Stag and Rams horn are holding up extremely well. I also added a pair of Buffalo horn grips but I screwed up and ordered ones with checkering. A bit rough on the ole hands when firing off rounds. You also are not stuck with the sights that come on these. You can order the thin blade with gold bead from for more accurate work. Or get a Hiviz front ramp. But you do have to drill a hole on the front Hiviz which is nerve racking. The rear sight blade I went with a V notch which I really like Anyway before I leave ya 5o read this ridiculous reply. Have you ever experienced any problems with yours? Besides that one gent I was telling you about with a video on UA-cam I have not heard anything negative before or after.
I shot a bunch of 44 specials in a earlier video. They were pleasant to shoot but boy they were dirty. The cases would not swell to seal the chambers and there was a lot of gas that came out the back of the revolver. Still, it was a lot of fun.
I owned this exact gun, without the engraved cylinder back in the early 2000s. I just went back to find it again, after selling the old one for a Glock. I now have this gun with the Bisley handle … Southport CT vintage. I will never sell it again. I’m an SASS shooter, I like single actions.
I have a 7.5 inch barrel and my son has a 10.5 inch barrel. They are fun to shoot. My Super Blackhawk is stainless and the finish is less than stellar.
As one who has driven a lot of T-posts, it ain’t that easy in less you have some nice, soft and rock free soil. It is,however, easier than swing a 20# sledge do drive posts in.
Great video. I was researching to decide between the 0814 and the 0811, wanting the smallest carry size for a Rocky Mountain hunt, this answered if the smaller barrel would still be suitable. Thank you
I love that Ruger the barrel length is perfect I think, I have two in that length in 45 LC so mild recoil, I have a 4” 44 mag S&W model 29 and 629 and a S&W in a 2.5” barrel and an alloy frame the revolver weighs 20 oz now that one is wicked to shoot
Just bought this gun about a week ago with a three and three-quarter inch barrel. I have a few things to say about that. With that Barrel length the extractor can't push that spent cartridge out without pulling it out by hand (slow reload). Even if you have a pre-loaded cylinder that would take as much time to reload. Not necessarily a problem with a 44 magnum as a home defense weapon. Also I have miss fitting grips, not bad but for the price it should be right. Cylinder does bounce back and forth a bit probably around your same measurements. I have a metal ber on my load gate that shouldn't be there... Pretty much other than that I love the gun. Some call it Dirty Harry's backup gun... nice weight distribution absorbs a lot of recoil. I'm not a big guy and I can still shoot it accurately one handed.
I do not have this particular revolver, but I do have the Ruger Blackhawk 357 in stainless steel and it's my opinion that these are the finest single action revolvers made and they are extremely accurate and suitable for big game hunting as well as just target shooting and plinking. I would put the Ruger Blackhawk up against anything in it's class that Colt or Smith and Wesson has ever made. Don't get me wrong, Colt and Smith and Wesson are great revolvers and I'm not trying to take anything away from them, but my preference, and it has been for a lot of years is for the Ruger firearms Co. Not once has any Ruger that I own let me down, I love them all, but the Blackhawk is my absolute favorite of them all and the reviews like this set my blood on fire for my next purchase of the Ruger Blackhawk
We have the same machine in 357 mag / 38 and love the 4-5/8 barrel ! If somebody made a better single action revolver than Ruger I'd like to know who ? Nice shooting and keep up the great work ! 👍
I don't think there is another domestic manufacturer of single action revolvers at this price point. Now if money is No Object there is Magnum research😉
freedom arms and magnum research. ruger has a lot of potential with the blackhawks and a few minor tweaks of this and that, and it would be a BIG step up from what they currently are. in fact, the rugers being rough makes them a great option to work on yourself and make it everything it should be.
The SBH, 7 1/2" was my first carry gun. Though it was a mere set of wheels short of a cannon, i loved it and carried it everywhere for years. The revolver in the video was a grail gun for me for years, until i just decided to buy one and stop wishing for it. Not quite the same feel as the longer barrel, it actually seems a bit heavier in the palm, but i love it as its much easier to tote in vehicles. Any accuracy issues are me, not the gun. Great video.
I have the same gun in .454 Casull. Mine has a Bisley grip. I always wear shooting gloves. Recoil is stiff but not painful. I'm still trying to conquer the dreaded flinch.
Nice review. I would like to try the 4 5/8". I have the 5 1/2" and 10 1/2". I have never had the 7 1/2". I like the 5 1/2", but the grip is a bit small for me. I wish Ruger would use the grip frame with the squared off trigger guard, only without the squared off trigger guard.
She’s a beaut George! Ruger is a great company, I pretty much shot the life out of a lcr 22lr to where it got out of time and Ruger replaced it with a new one no questions asked. 👍😃✌️🇺🇸
I just got the same exact revolver. The grips was also horrendous fitting. There is no excuse for a gun to leave the factory with grips like they are sending out!! Ruger however did say that they were going to send me a new set. Let’s hope they fit correctly!
I've had my 4-5/8 super blackhawk for @ 30yrs (mine is blue) and replaced the factory grips with some very nice polished stag grips that probably cost more than gun today . The older grips don't have those sharp corners .
I added a fatter hogue grip to mine and it really makes that a nice shooter. All my other Rugers have Bisley grips which are very nice without changing the grip width. IMHO.
Yes it does get called that, but the forcing cone is really only a short section of that extension. But I'm trying to slice hairs too thin. Thank you for your comment and thanks for watching!
I really like the Blackhawk in 4 5/8" for field CARRY. I much prefer 5 1/2" or 7 1/2" for shooting. My experience has been with .41 mag. And .45 Colt. I rarely shoot full throttle ammo in anything. Large bore handguns just don't need as much speed as most people think to be incredibly effective field and hunting guns.
You are spot on. Studies have proven time and again that increasing the velocity of a typical handgun round does not result in a similar increase of terminal performance in elastic tissue. Now water jugs and tomato cans are another matter 😉
@@TargetSuite Years ago I read of a 300 lb black bear being shot completely through on a broadside with a 5 1/2" Colt .45 using the standard Winchester lead round nose factory load. That one or the Remington version were under 900 FPS. A lot of the " classic" handgun writers tended to agree that lead bullet .44s and 45s of 240-250 grains at about 1000 FPS were more than capable of punching big game reliably.
big Big BIG Brother to my Ruger Stainless Single-10 .22. I was given a new Colt .45 barrel and I want to put it on my Pieta Californian, but I'm not sure the threads are interchangeable. - I wonder if anyone who watches your channel happens to know?
8:51 I'm glad you got it right - finally, but they should never have allowed a firearm like that to leave their factory. When I purchase something I expect it to be right and not have to screw with shipping it back and waiting who knows how long for it to be corrected. - Ruger knows better. I hope they replace whoever was responsible for that error.
I’m a long time Ruger fan. But I would think Quality Assurance should have caught those issues before the gun ever left the factory. You didn’t mention if they did anything about the chamber chamfering?
I have a SS Ruger super blackhawk with the 3.75" barrel its a Talo edition. and a 5 1/2" SS super blackhawk and also a blue 10 1/2 model. The 10" is a little long to carry.
Although I’m not a huge revolver fan, I do enjoy your videos. I noticed some of your shots show “fire” coming from the barrel. Why would some and not all or vise versa? Impressive shooting. 👍
Doug, that's a great question. I noticed that when I was shooting and it became even more evident when I was editing. Since I weighed every one of those powder charges it can't be that. I'm hoping somebody will jump in with an answer.
@@TargetSuite It's due to the frame rate of your camera, the shots that show muzzle blast just happened to be when the "shutter" was open when fired. If you can adjust the frame rate to 60 or 120 FPS you will get more of the muzzle blast showing...."shutter"....can you tell my camera career started in the age of film? 😆
hate to be argumentative, but i have a .44 mag. stainless ruger that is 3 3/4", and i also have one in.45acp/.45colt, a convertible, as well. so. 4 5/8 is not the shortest barrel available.
What I could tell from Ruger's website is that those guns were all specials from Talo or one of the other distributors, not a standard offering from Ruger. But I guess technically you are correct and I stand corrected😉
I have a Vaquero Birdshead Sheriff Model in 45 Colt with 3 1/2" barrel. Shooting "Ruger-level" loads (a step up from 44 Mag), it is a thumper, but I have found I prefer a shorter barrel on heavy kickers. The momentum of a heavy barrel is harder to overcome for fast follow-up shots, and the longer recoil impulse places more stress on my wrist than the smaller gun. Recoil is more intense, but it's over quicker with a "snubby", is the best way I can describe it. Accuracy? It gets consistent hits on a 12" gong at 100 yards.
If you want a shorter barreled revolver from Ruger, get the Redhawk Alaskan. 2.5" barrel chambered in 44 mag, 454 Casull and .460 ruger It's their dangerous game defense gun for when all else fails
NOT too short. 4-5/8" is fine for a carry revolver. I have 3 .44 Magnums, all S&W Model 29/629s. My favorite is a S&W "Mountain gun" with 4" barrel. I also have a 3" Model 629 and a Nickeled 6-1/2" Model 29 with tapered barrel and NO rib. Both of those are Performance Center Models, the 3" was a Lew Horton limited edition. The 6-1/2" is from the "Heritage Series". The 3" is of debatable practical value, I will admit. But I liked how it looked (and still do). It has a round butt and finger groove fancy walnut grips. A bit too heavy and big for CC. I did use it as a truck-center-console gun for a while, worked good for that. But I decided not to leave such valuable handguns unattended in a vehicle anymore. That Ruger is a super carry gun for hunting or open carry. Thanks, George! 👍
@@TargetSuite Thank you. I have lots more. Mostly S&W, some Colts. I have been collecting them for something like 50 years now, and had two great benefactors to help. It also helps that my wife is an avid shooter (our date nights are "dinner and shooting") and doesn't mind my indulgences. I just recently added a Colt Officer's Model Match in .22 LR to the collection and last week a Colt "Competition", series 70 .45 I like auto pistols too, but not as much. 😋
I have a hawes western marshall in 44mag it sports a spout of 7.5 and so far the only ammo that I find "uncomfortable to shoot" knuckle banger is ammo inc 240g jhp very stout round
Thanks for sharing! And there is just no need to beat ourselves up with super Stout 44 Magnum ammo. It's unnecessary unless you're hunting and really spoils the fun.
My Cow Bow Action revolvers were always 4 1/2 and the oldergeneration (larger frame) Bisley Vasquero. Excellent arms! I do have trouble with "T" posts for hanging targets. Believe it or not, on rare occasions I miss low or high; honest, it happens. If my 250g lead allow boolits strike the hard "T" post, it knocks out a cookie biste of metal. Well, after decades of such abuse, the post is cut all the way. ;-)
I have the same problem with nicking the T post. And that generally makes it impossible to get the brackets off. But X steel does make guards for the T post. I just have never gone that far
@@TargetSuite Turns out I had an unexpected hospital visit. It came in while I was in there. I have picked it up but will be a bit before I can try it out.
@@TargetSuite Got out to a range on Wednesday. All seems to be functioning OK. I shot some HSM 200gr loads. I was surprised with how light the trigger felt. Recoil was a bit snappier than I expected given that it is rather moderately loaded (rated a bit under 1000fps). Partly that may be due to my current weakness. Accuracy seemed acceptable given that I have been out of the shooting world for a few decades all the while my eyesight deteriorating. I think as I practice and get stronger (grip especially) it will improve. I really enjoyed dueling with myself on the 10 yard dueling tree. Will take some time to dial in the sights as my grip improves and I try different ammo. The range I was at doesn't allow the use of defense JHP loads. 🥴
A couple of updates . . . As several of you pointed out, 4-5/8" is not the shortest 44 mag barrel Ruger offers and yes, Customer Service did replace the cylinder because of the off-center chamfers.
Good to see someone discussing Ruger quality control.
I bought a Ruger sr1911 which is a stainless steel .45acp.
I bought a stainless gun to avoid rust problems. Long story short, the gun became a rust bucket in hardly no time.
The mainspring housing, grip safety, hammer, slide stop, and mag release rusts badly.
I don't know what finish Ruger used to blacken those parts but it's not even "rust resistant".
I assumed those parts would be blackened stainless steel. They're probably not even stainless judging by the rust problem.
I bought a Ruger LCRx .22 mag revolver and boy was I surprised at just how cheap that gun felt, from the useless vestigial front sight to the wobbly, flimsy cylinder crane it was nothing like the Ruger revolvers I had owned in the past.
The rear sight and the cylinder release button developed rust within the first week that I owned the gun.
Ruger no longer receives an immediate pass from me because of their reputation in the past.
This is 2022, not 1972, 82, 92.
I'd have to think long and hard before buying another Ruger handgun.
My only suggestion would be to contact Ruger customer service. My experience with them has been stellar!
I am no novice to rugers or other brands.am 73. Started working in gun shop. In 1968..off and on gun dealer and even now work in gun shop/ pawn..
I have first chance at any firearm..buy only earlier versions of rugers...sw. etc. In all my years I've never seen so many issues with factory new guns..especially the semi auto polymers. Good luck guys!!😂
Their 1911s are crap anyway.
Also, I don't think people know how much work it takes for you to set up and shoot a video. Setting up and painting targets, setting up the cameras, reloading the ammo, etc. Post production editing also take time. Thanks again, George.
Thanks roy! I enjoy doing this but you are right it takes a lot more to make UA-cam videos, at least the kind that I make, then most people are aware of. Editing alone takes between 6 and 12 hours depending on the complexity of the video.
@@TargetSuite We appreciate your effort to produce high quality videos.
I have one exactly like yours. I replaced the OEM stocks with pachmayr finger grooves. I see Ruger put some custom engraving on your cylinder, which looks classy. I also have two other SBHs - one with the 10.5" barrel and the other the 7.5". The 10.5" barrel is my least favorite. The shortest one doesn't give up all that much in terms of ballistic efficiency, and recoil is quite manageable. Mine is about 25 years old and had none of the problems that yours had. Kudos to Ruger for "making things right", which speaks well of their customer service.
Thanks for your comment. I appreciate it. And yes kudos to Ruger customer service!
My wife bought me this exact pistol when we were in the early stages of dating. Yes, she's a keeper. We live in Alaska, and it's been my everyday backup carry when out in the backcountry for 20+ years so it's got some scratches and dings. Got my eye on that Ruger/Marlin Trapper. New subscriber, great video and channel.
I have owned two 7.5” SBHs and one with the 4 5/8” barrel. The short one was by far my favorite. For me, the smaller Blackhawk grip frame was much more comfortable to shoot. Fit is key. And it was easier to carry in bear country.
I too love the smaller grip of the Blackhawk. I did a review recently on one with rubber grips which are very small. And it really nestled nicely in the hand
Your right about not flinching. It’s one of the hardest obstacles to overcome when shooting big bore revolvers. It can rear it’s ugly head at any time to even the best of shooters. Another great video in the books.
Thank you sir. I appreciate that comment!
It helps if I shoot some rim fire first to calm my nerves.
Once I get settled in I don't have much trouble with flinching.
I was late to revolver shooting at almost 70 4 or 5 years ago I purchased Ruger Black Hawk in 45 colt it became one of my favorite pistols to shoot. Thanks for the reminder! Lol
You are welcome! Aside from a time from my mid twenties to my early 30s I'm a latecomer to revolver shooting as well. And I am really enjoying it!
Man at 5:30 when that hits the target you really feel it. I bought this same pistol for my father with a 5.5in barrel and all blued. He didnt get a chance to shoot it before he passed and I just cant bring myself to shoot it. I love videos like this because I get to see similar pistols in action and see how they perform. Thanks!!!
I'm sure sorry about your dad. Thanks for watching!
Good shootin' and glad Ruger took care of it.
Thanks Buffalo! And yes, Ruger did good!
Too bad it left the factory that way however. Glad they squared it up.
44 Super Blackhawk has always been my favorite firearm. Of course most of mine have also been seven and a half but I've got a couple five and a half and I enjoy the 4 and 5/8 but I've never gotten one for myself but I do have a really nice 41 mag custom in 4 and 5/8 that shoots wonderfully.
Just a point of order, when you measure that Barrel cylinder Gap you have to do it with at least shells in the firearm. Because those shells reduce the rearward movement of that cylinder. That's what you have to measure for. And I do have a couple of Blackhawk 44 mags that are both 5 and 1/2 like I had said that actually are built on the Super Blackhawk frame but they have fluted cylinders and they do not have that Dragoon grip. Where it does make itself well known to your right middle finger or left middle finger depending on which hand you're shooting it with. Have them or somebody put a Dragoon grip frame on it. It doesn't make the firearm appreciably larger and it is far more comfortable to shoot.
When I shoot mine on the target range or whatever I only ever load it with five rounds, first of all your box of ammo is always set up in rings of five rounds each. So you don't ever have just a couple of rounds left over or Oddball number of rounds left over. And there's no reason for six in the gun unless you're going to hunt or carry it for defense which I have actually done a couple of times. But I've done extensive practice with reloads of firing two and loading too firing to and loading to and you can keep up a respectable rate of fire that way with a single action revolver. And also if you choose to get it in a caliber that you can get a magazine for you can always load it out of a magazine. Just a unique trick I learned some years ago. First of all, it sounds like they refit a new cylinder in it. That's the only way to relieve that handshake that I know of. Another point that I would like to make the 4 5/8 is more critical to your grip being consistent. That said, if you will let it flip through your hand a little bit more you'll find it easier to Cock it for the next shot because as that grip allows the firearm to rotate in your hand it makes it easier to just lift your thumb and catch the hammer and let the firearm come back down on target as you cock it and you're ready for the next shot much faster. I was easily able to put five shots on target with my Ruger Super Blackhawks and Full House loads inside of about 4 seconds and put them all into a single ragged hole at 30 ft.
Wow! That is a very comprehensive comment. Thank you so much for taking the time!
Beautiful to look at, to hold, a true classic. Fun to shoot, so long ago I had the Single Six w/Magnum cyl. in .22.
Fun plinking and economy were the motivators, but ALWAYS coveted the .44 and .357 Ruger mags.
I too liked the looks of the 4 5/8" bbl.
It's funny, I was never a fan of the short barrel Blackhawk until I got my hands on this one. And the more I handled and shot it the more it felt just right. I guess it proves you can indeed Teach an old dog new tricks😄
@@TargetSuite Interesting summation...id wager this dog is older than your "dog" but my fondness for the 4 5/8" dates to 69' in Gainesville, Fl. During the dry seasons, we'd go into cypress bay heads and work over the moccassins concentrations with that Ruger Single Six.
Sadly, it became a casualty to books n tuition, and was replaced by 71' with a Ruger Mark 1, which is still my plinking go to.
Just something about the looks of that 4 5/8's that no matter the caliber, it's worn well.
Enjoyed watching the vid very much.
Few can appreciate that trigger also...just sayin.
I have the same pistol but blued and love it. I sent it back to Ruger when I first got it because it had surface rust and rough machining in the surrounding areas of where the cylinder sits. They took care of the issue and reblued it and now it’s perfect. This is a very accurate gun
I’ve tried a 7inch barrel back in the 70s but not a short barreled one. It wasn’t hard shooting with the long barrel. Nice gun and good shooting. I remember seeing people that couldn’t handle the .44 mag. recoil so they got rid of them. I’m short so I prefer the short barreled revolvers. But they are expensive to shoot. Unfortunately I never got into reloading.
It is expensive to shoot. I don't know how anybody could manage a UA-cam channel without reloading or having a real ammunition sponsor.
I had two S&W Model 29's, one 8-3/8" barrel and one 4" barrel. Hunting and camping in grizzly country, I carried the 4", but I also found that the shorter gun was more fun at the range and riding around in the desert. Very rarely ever used the longer barrel pistol, even when hunting deer in the timber.
Thanks for your comment! It's amazing how many people are showing a preference for the shorter Barrel. I never would have guessed at my own reaction much less the broader opinion of my viewers.
That’s typically what to expect from Ruger nowadays. My new Super Blackhawk ( same one as yours) arrived with horrible fitting grips and a loses barrel. But the customer service is outstanding.
Oddly enough Magnum Research measures their barrel lengths from the front of the frame to the muzzle. They ignore the part that extends through the frame ending at the forcing cone. Go figure…
Interesting. One day I hope to get my hands on one of those find guns from Magnum Research
If they made a 357 Max I would already own one!! They only offer the 350 Legend.
@@cw2a . .357 caliber super high velocity cartridges are very hard on revolvers. They flame cut the top straps, they wear away the forcing cones, and the rifling near the cone. I could never enjoy shooting knowing that every full power shot was greatly accelerating the wear and tear on my expensive beauty. Sean over at “Go Big Bore or Go Home” split the entire barrel of his BFR when a small crack developed at the forcing cone. Something the hyper .357s are known for.
@@cw2a
They did! Back in the early 80s they had a blackhawk chambered for that round. It was only offered for a brief time as concerns arose around the gas cutting of the Backstrap at the barrel/cylinder gap.
@@chuckaddison5134 Yes the Ruger. Apologies I meant a BFR Magnum Research.
Man ,Ruger sure makes a beautiful revolver! and nice shooting to George .I have the 7.5 blued ,awesome gun. Thanks for the video, Slim.
Thank you slim! I always appreciate your comments.
Beautiful revolver! I have the 7.5” Super Blackhawk Hunter. The added mass and barrel length are nice, but it’s not easy drop into a holster and carry through the woods.
I really like the looks of the Hunter models. I tried to get one but Ruger had none in production when I placed my order.
Thank you for posting this! As we all know, the 16th Anniversary is the "stainless steel" anniversary. My wife gave me a 4-5/8" Super Blackhawk that year. I gave her a few nights at a fancy hotel and went to some artsy fartsy stuff in Seattle. Packed that Ruger on the PCT from Snoqualmie Pass to Rainy Pass. Just subscribed to your channel. I also have a 6-1/2" .44 mag Blackhawk (pre-Super), which, IMHO, is a bit more accurate.
I have the NSBH with the Bisley grip and a 3 3/4 in. bbl. Crazily enough, it's now my EDC on a dropleg rig.
That’s gangster af
@@mannyfox8089 I hate to be a bummer, but I replaced it with my Kimber TLE II. I carry my Ruger on my shoulder rig, now, as a backup.
After several years with two S&W DA it was time for a Ruger Blackhawk Stainless 357 in 6,5". My absolute favorite gun after I installed a 30 oz. reduced power rebound trigger spring (Wilson)! After watching this and some other clips I know there can only be one more: this one in the clip or even better the Bisley variant - if I can get hold of one, here in Germany.
Very nice wheel gun sir , I have a 44 and 45lc Blackhawk both with 7.5in barrels , this has peaked my interest in the short barrels, thanx for posting , good video
Thanks for watching and thank you for your comment!
A few thoughts.....my spirits were uplifted when you said "tomato can"....but was let down by the results....🙂 my Brother has been a long time Ruger fan, but the last 3 he has bought (.22 Charger, LCP Max, LCP .22 Light Rack) have all been sent back to the factory. What has happened to Ruger's QC?
And one final thing.....I'm not sure I would enjoy a single action if it only clicked once when cocking....I would probably spend to much time trying to figure out where the other three clicks went....😀 Another great video, thank you!
Thanks for watching. And yes I too was disappointed by the Tomato can. I think the HORNADY XTP just didn't mushroom going through the can. My 22 magnum rifle made that same can dance like crazy!
I had a Ruger super Blackhawk with a 7 1/2” barrel 30 years ago. I no longer have it, but it felt better built than the ones today. However so did S&W, Colts, and other guns. They have mostly went to quantity production and more so today you have to send guns back for repairs.
There might have been a shift in the way gun companies control their output quality. But I don't have any data to support that. Nonetheless, the important thing is how do they stand behind the guns that they make, and Ruger is at the top of the list in customer service as far as I'm concerned. Thanks for your comment!
A buddy handed me a box of .429 projectiles today. 250 rounds! Reckon I'll drag the old SBH out and get to loading.
Awesome. Diversification is good😉
I have one and I truly love that revolver. The only negative is the cost of the ammo. I'm lookoing into getting into reloading. Thanks for your work.
Thank you for watching. Getting into reloading is a little tough on the wallet in the beginning, but but you can recoup that in the long run. And for me it's as much about availability of ammo to shoot as it is saving money. Thats because getting components is easier than finding Factory ammo. You just have to be constantly on the lookout for primers and snatch them up when they are available.
@@TargetSuite Thanks for the great advise. When I begin reloading, I will let cha know and how its going. Shhh...dont tell da wife! heheh
Perfect timing. I was watching the Mossberg video & this one popped up. 👍 Everybody is different but I think stainless cylinders look better unfluted. Beautiful Ruger. Thanks. 🙏 🇺🇸 👍
Ah, the Mossberg video! I was worried that it's Darkness would have people running for the hills and away from my content😉
@@TargetSuite Lol. I took my more than 50 year old 870 added a magazine tube extension , a ribbed 21inch barrel & Carlson Rifled choke. Looks & performs great but still has the corncob forearm. Old but dependable like me. 😂😂 I love the 4 5/8 barrels on a Ruger.
Another Great video.... I just called Ruger a few weeks back with a question. They tuke care of my ishoe and my part was in the mail. No problem.... I would highly recommend there products.... Great shooting. And Thanks for the update
Awesome!
Hi George, I agree with you Ruger has excellent customer service and stands behind everything they make. Have had a lot of Ruger guns in my life and was never disappointed in any. Some good shooting especially with the shorter barrel. Sometimes that short sight line can be tricky. I like the short barrel for EDC, but the 5 1/2" is my favorite to shoot. My 71/2" is A good shooter and I do well with it ,but the weight sometimes gets my arm tired out after a while.lol. I use Shepherd hooks to hang my steel works okay.
I want to eventually get a new Vaquero from ruger. And it's because of that 5 1/2" barrel and smaller frame. My guess is it will be a sweet shooting revolver.
I have three of these Ruger Blackhawks, each with a different barrel length and chambered in 357, 45 Colt, and 44 magnum. Love shooting these firearms.
Many would say you have the best of the best!
My favorite barrel length for Ruger single action guns is the 4 5/8" barrel.
A few years ago there was a LNIB 1971 Old Model Super Blackhawk. Back then they only came with 7.5" barrels. This one had a 4 5/8" barrel on the gun and a 7.5" barrel in the box.
I ended up buying it and upon contacting the dealer was told it was a one owner gun. The gentleman who sold the gun to the shop was 94 years old. I asked if they would contact him and ask how the short barrel go on the gun as the markings, front sight insulation and crown all matched the 7.5" barrel that the gun probably originally came with. They unfortunately refused...
Ruger had no record so how it became a short barrel is lost to history...
Great video! I have the 7 1/2" bbl. in 44 mag. super Blackhawk. I replaced the wood grips with a Houge grip. The cowboy grip was sliding in my medium size hands. But the Houge grip has a finger grooves and the bottom bumps out too far, can you recommend another replacement grip? I love the wood cowboy grips though!
I wish I could give you a recommendation. But I love the standard grips that come on a single action revolver. They fit my hand and they allow some of the recoil to slip through my grip instead of punishing my wrist.
Herrett's. I'm not sure if they are made anymore, but there's usually plenty of them on ebay. That's what I use on mine. They don't exactly have the cowboy look,but they are much more comfortable. Hogue makes a wood grip similar in shape to their rubber grips. There's also the old Mustang grips that are similar on style to the Herrett's.
@@wernervoss6357 Thanks for the info!
@@TargetSuite I think you are right I do like the original grips!
I have a blued 7-1/2 inch super Blackhawk in 44magnum marked “made in the 200th year of American liberty” on the top of the barrel. Still have the paperwork bearing Bill Rugers name as CEO too.
Nice! I'd hold on to that.
I have the 4 5/8 marked the same way, can you give me some info on it?
@@edmiera3583 Well you’d think they’d be worth a little more but they aren’t. At least not since the last time I checked. Even though they are considered the “bicentennial” model, I question wether or not they continued to make them past or possibly even before 1976. Because even though they are certainly uncommon, they aren’t as rare as I would have expected. Other than that, they seem to be just a standard new model Blackhawk.
Very nice blueing, fit and finish though. Much nicer than some of the newer guns from ruger. Blueing almost seems similar to colts custom shop. Very high polish deep blue.
I have a Taurus T44, which is called a 4" barrel, but it has a chamber with porting at the muzzle. They are 10oz lighter than a Super Blackhawk, and not fun at all with full house 44 mag loads. However, with 200 gr bullets at about 1250 fps it is a beast, but controllable.
I have a Ruger super Blackhawk that had the barrel cut off 4 5/8 inches shot my first nine point buck with it
Great story! I bet that's a gun you will never let get away😉
I have preferred the short barrel revolvers for years. Probably because I carried them as a police officer/ Deputy at the beginning of my career. Even competed with them S&W models 66 and 686.
You're in danger of Aging yourself. Not many folks remember the days when Law Enforcement Officers carried revolvers😉
@@TargetSuite I know right! Those were the good old days. Before plastic guns !!
did you shoot any .44 specials out of this beast? another good one George, thanks for keeping it down to earth
I did shoot some 44 specials earlier before this video. There wasn't enough pressure to expand the cases into the chamber and so there was a ton of carbon that worked its way back around the cases and out the back of the cylinder. It was a mess to clean up. Too much trouble. Thank you for your comment. I really appreciate it.
My 44 mag is a 71/2 in bbl. But have an old model 357 it is blue with 4 5/8 bbl. first pistol i ever bought. and i LOVE it.
Awesome. I love the old models!
I have a 3.75” barrel stainless steel Ruger Super Blackhawk Bisley .44 Magnum. Love it! Shoots great with cast performance 320gr. WLN gas check with 21.5grns. W296/H110
Wow! I bet that's a handful!
It's refreshing to see someone on youtube using the correct revolver grip
👊👊
Nice looking revolver George. The mid length barrels for 44 mag seem better to me too; have several but the favorite is a 5" SRH.
That's great. I hope to get an SRH for the channel one day.
Nobody beats or matches ruger service thank you for sharing 👍👍
You are welcome. Thank you for watching!
I have one also and love Ruger anything except , maybe the Mini 14. I got mine in a trade with my brother, I had a 5.5" Vaccaro in 45 Colt and I was looking for a shorter 44 mag. I just love it, I shoot mostly 214gr Lee SWC hand cast bullets loaded in 44 Special cases with hot charges of Unique or Power Pistol for around 1000fps. Great for chasing cans around the yard and cheap.
👍👍
One thing I've done with nearly all my Ruger revolvers--I replaced the original grips with Pachmayrs. I have Diamond Pros on the GP100, formerly the Decelerators. I have Presentations on all my Blackhawks, including the SBH.
👍👍
Think I'll go clean a Ruger for it's maiden range voyage tomorrow. Been shooting handgun a lot after work in the construction yard. several 380, several 22, Most fun with a Heritage long barrel 22 lr/magnum with adjustable fiber optic sights. Put a bullet in the top, open end of a soda bottle and it came out center bottom 25 yards. Put one in the center of a cap, lots of misses too. Cheap pistol, but nice, cheap fun.
Sounds like a great range day Mark! I'm guessing you guys are enjoying some great weather about now.
We have similar tastes. I have one of these as well. I affectionately refer to it as Calamity Jane.
Haha!
I have the same Blackhawk but with fluted cylinders. The stocks that came with it are gorgeous, but I had to go with the Hogues to save my knuckle. I too reload and tend to load them on the hot side. Rugers were made for hot loads. I have my SAA in 45 Colt for cowboy loads which is little more pleasant to shoot. Love em both in different times and settings.
I am running a 3.75 in Talo Ruger Super Blackhawk. I love the darn revolver.
I also have a Bisley Blackhawk 5.5 inch stainless .41 mag which I really love. It even has the engraved cylinder.
I have changed the sights on three of the Ruger revolvers I have. They all have the V notch rear and a fiber Optic front.
Both the Bisley and the Super Blackhawk have green and the stainless single six has a red fiber Optic front sight.
All three have real stag grips and if course the original wood grips. I also purchased a set of grips made from Rams horn for the Super Blackhawk.
I have a pair of grips that you wont find most likely any where. They are made of Alaskan Jade. I spent so much time in Alaska every year and a gent made the Jade grips for me. And although they are nice they do not look so good on the Single Six they were made for. Makes them look like a pimps gun. Haha! But cool nonetheless.
I honestly believe if you are really into revolvers that Ruger builds the best. They can handle hot loads.
Now when I am in Alaska however I carry a Glock 20 in 10mm of course.
That 15 + 1 is a great advantage for bear country.
Great comment! Thanks!
I also have one of the TALO 3.75's. I believe they only made 500 so pretty rare. Have only seen / heard of one other.
Come to think of it.. pretty sure it is 3 and 5/8ths.. gonna go get it out of th esage and measure.
Nope, 3.75 it is.
Yeah I still to this day love this revolver. They made the same thing but with a Bisley frame instead.
I do not mind the one Bisley I do own one which is the 41 mag as previously mentioned . But the rest of my Ruger revolvers have the standard grip frame. It is what I am most familiar with and they are comfortable to me anyways.
I shoot large calibers mainly . I own a .500 S&W for when I want to feel some pain. Haha. And have added a .460 mag to my collection recently. About 25 years or so ago when I lived in Jackson Wyoming I took a short trip down to Freedom Arms and ordered a .454 . Since then I have never looked back.
The only one I find myself flinching at times with is the .500 mag. But that is usually after about 20 rounds or so. Personally when it comes to these larger calibers I have yet to figure out why they produce double actions? Anyone that feels the need to pull a trigger that fast accurately is way more manly than I am
I recently watched a video with a gent who really tore into these Rugers. He said his came missing a frame screw , and his cylinder pin falls out under heavy loads and his grip panels were of different thickness.
I shoot Buffalo Bore as well as Underwood through mine in the past and never had an issue. Mine came complete and well put together. He also said Ruger has crappy customer service.
I have never ever in all my years dealing with Ruger have ever had any issues with them at all.
Maybe I am just lucky? Haha
In today's world of Tupperware guns such as Glocks, the Rugers sure feels heavy. And even this one with the 3.75 inch barrel is still pretty heavy. A chest rig is the way to go if you decide to carry it while our in the wooded areas with toothy critters around.
I do not know how collectable these are? I do however know how much Rugers prices have gone up. I believe I have seen these on GunBroker for around $1000.00 new . That is considerably higher then what I bought mine new for.
Oh one thing I do need to add, careful with what grips you use. Some after market wood grips shatter when you fire this short barrel off. I putchased a gorgeous pair of Altmont ( spelling?) Grips and they lasted about 40 rounds .
Stag and Rams horn are holding up extremely well. I also added a pair of Buffalo horn grips but I screwed up and ordered ones with checkering. A bit rough on the ole hands when firing off rounds.
You also are not stuck with the sights that come on these. You can order the thin blade with gold bead from for more accurate work. Or get a Hiviz front ramp. But you do have to drill a hole on the front Hiviz which is nerve racking.
The rear sight blade I went with a V notch which I really like
Anyway before I leave ya 5o read this ridiculous reply. Have you ever experienced any problems with yours? Besides that one gent I was telling you about with a video on UA-cam I have not heard anything negative before or after.
Nice 44 ! Try some 44 special rounds too. More comfortable to shoot. Have a Blessed Day !
I shot a bunch of 44 specials in a earlier video. They were pleasant to shoot but boy they were dirty. The cases would not swell to seal the chambers and there was a lot of gas that came out the back of the revolver. Still, it was a lot of fun.
I owned this exact gun, without the engraved cylinder back in the early 2000s. I just went back to find it again, after selling the old one for a Glock. I now have this gun with the Bisley handle … Southport CT vintage. I will never sell it again. I’m an SASS shooter, I like single actions.
I have a 7.5 inch barrel and my son has a 10.5 inch barrel. They are fun to shoot. My Super Blackhawk is stainless and the finish is less than stellar.
Thanks for your comment and thanks for watching!
As one who has driven a lot of T-posts, it ain’t that easy in less you have some nice, soft and rock free soil. It is,however, easier than swing a 20# sledge do drive posts in.
Problem is, where I am trying to drive those t-post the roots are almost solid. It's hard to break through.
Some shots show flame out of the barrel and more don't. From the same cylinder load. Just an observation. Great video.
Yes and I have no explanation for the inconsistent flamethrowing. All of those charges were weighed individually.
really good video that answered every question i had about whether or not i wanted to buy this same gun.
Great video. I was researching to decide between the 0814 and the 0811, wanting the smallest carry size for a Rocky Mountain hunt, this answered if the smaller barrel would still be suitable. Thank you
I love that Ruger the barrel length is perfect I think, I have two in that length in 45 LC so mild recoil, I have a 4” 44 mag S&W model 29 and 629 and a S&W in a 2.5” barrel and an alloy frame the revolver weighs 20 oz now that one is wicked to shoot
Oooo! A 20 oz 44 mag would not be something I would shoot casually. It would have to be life or death😉
Just bought this gun about a week ago with a three and three-quarter inch barrel. I have a few things to say about that. With that Barrel length the extractor can't push that spent cartridge out without pulling it out by hand (slow reload). Even if you have a pre-loaded cylinder that would take as much time to reload. Not necessarily a problem with a 44 magnum as a home defense weapon. Also I have miss fitting grips, not bad but for the price it should be right. Cylinder does bounce back and forth a bit probably around your same measurements. I have a metal ber on my load gate that shouldn't be there...
Pretty much other than that I love the gun. Some call it Dirty Harry's backup gun... nice weight distribution absorbs a lot of recoil. I'm not a big guy and I can still shoot it accurately one handed.
I do not have this particular revolver, but I do have the Ruger Blackhawk 357 in stainless steel and it's my opinion that these are the finest single action revolvers made and they are extremely accurate and suitable for big game hunting as well as just target shooting and plinking. I would put the Ruger Blackhawk up against anything in it's class that Colt or Smith and Wesson has ever made. Don't get me wrong, Colt and Smith and Wesson are great revolvers and I'm not trying to take anything away from them, but my preference, and it has been for a lot of years is for the Ruger firearms Co. Not once has any Ruger that I own let me down, I love them all, but the Blackhawk is my absolute favorite of them all and the reviews like this set my blood on fire for my next purchase of the Ruger Blackhawk
We have the same machine in 357 mag / 38 and love the 4-5/8 barrel ! If somebody made a better single action revolver than Ruger I'd like to know who ?
Nice shooting and keep up the great work ! 👍
I don't think there is another domestic manufacturer of single action revolvers at this price point. Now if money is No Object there is Magnum research😉
freedom arms and magnum research. ruger has a lot of potential with the blackhawks and a few minor tweaks of this and that, and it would be a BIG step up from what they currently are.
in fact, the rugers being rough makes them a great option to work on yourself and make it everything it should be.
The SBH, 7 1/2" was my first carry gun. Though it was a mere set of wheels short of a cannon, i loved it and carried it everywhere for years.
The revolver in the video was a grail gun for me for years, until i just decided to buy one and stop wishing for it.
Not quite the same feel as the longer barrel, it actually seems a bit heavier in the palm, but i love it as its much easier to tote in vehicles. Any accuracy issues are me, not the gun.
Great video.
I have the same gun in .454 Casull. Mine has a Bisley grip. I always wear shooting gloves. Recoil is stiff but not painful. I'm still trying to conquer the dreaded flinch.
Nice review. I would like to try the 4 5/8". I have the 5 1/2" and 10 1/2". I have never had the 7 1/2". I like the 5 1/2", but the grip is a bit small for me. I wish Ruger would use the grip frame with the squared off trigger guard, only without the squared off trigger guard.
Great video. I seem to reach for the 4-5/8 over the 7-1/2. Fun shooter and looks good
Yes. With just a little getting used to, the shorter Barrel is much more enjoyable to shoot!
Good shooting and nice recoil, what powder and how many grains are you loading for the xtp bullets
George, if you want a "long barreled" .44 Mag., get a leever gun. :)
Nice revolver! It fits John Taffin's description of a "Perfect Packin' Pistol."
Yep. I'm not a long barrel revolver fan. I think they just needed the extra sight radius for silhouette shooting.
She’s a beaut George! Ruger is a great company, I pretty much shot the life out of a lcr 22lr to where it got out of time and Ruger replaced it with a new one no questions asked. 👍😃✌️🇺🇸
They're have been a few naysayers about Ruger customer service, but my experience with them has been like yours . . . first class!
I just got the same exact revolver. The grips was also horrendous fitting. There is no excuse for a gun to leave the factory with grips like they are sending out!! Ruger however did say that they were going to send me a new set. Let’s hope they fit correctly!
Amazing job with the pause on the muzzle flash!
I've had my 4-5/8 super blackhawk for @ 30yrs (mine is blue) and replaced the factory grips with some very nice polished stag grips that probably cost more than gun today . The older grips don't have those sharp corners .
That is correct about the sharp corners. Even my 1995 Vaquero has fantastic grips.
If the cylinder and barrel are aligned, it’s a blast to shoot . One of my faves.
I added a fatter hogue grip to mine and it really makes that a nice shooter. All my other Rugers have Bisley grips which are very nice without changing the grip width. IMHO.
I have one in blue, bought it in 1990, excellent revolver.
Excellent!
She's a beauty! Mystery question of life... Why do you suppose that the fireball only happens occasionally? Barrel temp? Remaining unburned gasses?
Charles that is the $64k question. All of those charges were individually weighed so I know it's not a variation in powder weight.
Might be the camera not catching all of them.
Just an FYI...That "barrel extension" is actually called The Forcing Cone.
Yes it does get called that, but the forcing cone is really only a short section of that extension. But I'm trying to slice hairs too thin. Thank you for your comment and thanks for watching!
I really like the Blackhawk in 4 5/8" for field CARRY. I much prefer 5 1/2" or 7 1/2" for shooting. My experience has been with .41 mag. And .45 Colt. I rarely shoot full throttle ammo in anything. Large bore handguns just don't need as much speed as most people think to be incredibly effective field and hunting guns.
You are spot on. Studies have proven time and again that increasing the velocity of a typical handgun round does not result in a similar increase of terminal performance in elastic tissue. Now water jugs and tomato cans are another matter 😉
@@TargetSuite Years ago I read of a 300 lb black bear being shot completely through on a broadside with a 5 1/2" Colt .45 using the standard Winchester lead round nose factory load. That one or the Remington version were under 900 FPS. A lot of the " classic" handgun writers tended to agree that lead bullet .44s and 45s of 240-250 grains at about 1000 FPS were more than capable of punching big game reliably.
big Big BIG Brother to my Ruger Stainless Single-10 .22.
I was given a new Colt .45 barrel and I want to put it on my Pieta Californian, but I'm not sure the threads are interchangeable.
- I wonder if anyone who watches your channel happens to know?
8:51 I'm glad you got it right - finally, but they should never have allowed a firearm like that to leave their factory. When I purchase something I expect it to be right and not have to screw with shipping it back and waiting who knows how long for it to be corrected.
- Ruger knows better. I hope they replace whoever was responsible for that error.
Hopefully somebody will chime in with your question.
Great Video, Handsome Firearm, and A Fabulous Finish. God Bless
Thanks!
Yep I would real like one of them . Great stuff mate 👍
I’m a long time Ruger fan. But I would think Quality Assurance should have caught those issues before the gun ever left the factory. You didn’t mention if they did anything about the chamber chamfering?
I didn't mention it but they had to replace the the cylinder altogether.
I have a SS Ruger super blackhawk with the 3.75" barrel its a Talo edition. and a 5 1/2" SS super blackhawk and also a blue 10 1/2 model. The 10" is a little long to carry.
Well I would say two out of three of your guns were fantastic. But I agree the 10.5 inch barrel is a little ungainly.
Although I’m not a huge revolver fan, I do enjoy your videos. I noticed some of your shots show “fire” coming from the barrel. Why would some and not all or vise versa? Impressive shooting. 👍
i think you have the "fire" on all the shots , but can only see it in the slow motion pics
Doug, that's a great question. I noticed that when I was shooting and it became even more evident when I was editing. Since I weighed every one of those powder charges it can't be that. I'm hoping somebody will jump in with an answer.
@@TargetSuite It's due to the frame rate of your camera, the shots that show muzzle blast just happened to be when the "shutter" was open when fired. If you can adjust the frame rate to 60 or 120 FPS you will get more of the muzzle blast showing...."shutter"....can you tell my camera career started in the age of film? 😆
Great video cant beat that 44 mag👍
Ayyyymen! Thanks for watching!
Very nice Ruger, George!!!
Thank you Gerit! Good to hear from you!
My G’Bear Insurance policy is the 3-3/4 Model 817 loaded with Buffalo Bore 340 gn cast.
Can you say "deep penetration"!?!?
Absolutely gorgeous pistol ! Gorgeous!
hate to be argumentative, but i have a .44 mag. stainless ruger that is 3 3/4", and i also have one in.45acp/.45colt, a convertible, as well. so. 4 5/8 is not the shortest barrel available.
What I could tell from Ruger's website is that those guns were all specials from Talo or one of the other distributors, not a standard offering from Ruger. But I guess technically you are correct and I stand corrected😉
Did you have to register those guns you used to drive in that T-post?
Haha! They predate 1968 so, no😄
I have a Vaquero Birdshead Sheriff Model in 45 Colt with 3 1/2" barrel. Shooting "Ruger-level" loads (a step up from 44 Mag), it is a thumper, but I have found I prefer a shorter barrel on heavy kickers. The momentum of a heavy barrel is harder to overcome for fast follow-up shots, and the longer recoil impulse places more stress on my wrist than the smaller gun. Recoil is more intense, but it's over quicker with a "snubby", is the best way I can describe it. Accuracy? It gets consistent hits on a 12" gong at 100 yards.
That's a damn shame. Pretty heartbreaking when a fine company like Ruger starts to deteriorate in quality! Sign of the times? I wonder. Great video!
I was thinking about getting a 5 1/2" barrel but after watching your video I think I'll get the 4 5/8".
If you want a shorter barreled revolver from Ruger, get the Redhawk Alaskan. 2.5" barrel chambered in 44 mag, 454 Casull and .460 ruger
It's their dangerous game defense gun for when all else fails
NOT too short. 4-5/8" is fine for a carry revolver.
I have 3 .44 Magnums, all S&W Model 29/629s. My favorite is a S&W "Mountain gun" with 4" barrel.
I also have a 3" Model 629 and a Nickeled 6-1/2" Model 29 with tapered barrel and NO rib. Both of those are Performance Center Models, the 3" was a Lew Horton limited edition. The 6-1/2" is from the "Heritage Series".
The 3" is of debatable practical value, I will admit. But I liked how it looked (and still do). It has a round butt and finger groove fancy walnut grips. A bit too heavy and big for CC. I did use it as a truck-center-console gun for a while, worked good for that. But I decided not to leave such valuable handguns unattended in a vehicle anymore.
That Ruger is a super carry gun for hunting or open carry. Thanks, George! 👍
That's some fine revolvers. I wish we were neighbors 😉
@@TargetSuite Thank you. I have lots more. Mostly S&W, some Colts. I have been collecting them for something like 50 years now, and had two great benefactors to help.
It also helps that my wife is an avid shooter (our date nights are "dinner and shooting") and doesn't mind my indulgences.
I just recently added a Colt Officer's Model Match in .22 LR to the collection and last week a Colt "Competition", series 70 .45
I like auto pistols too, but not as much. 😋
The "Mountain Gun" line are really nice guns! I can see why that is your favorite of the three.
And there is so much power available in a 44 Mag you can use lighter loadings and still have devastation on target.
I have a hawes western marshall in 44mag it sports a spout of 7.5 and so far the only ammo that I find "uncomfortable to shoot" knuckle banger is ammo inc 240g jhp very stout round
Thanks for sharing! And there is just no need to beat ourselves up with super Stout 44 Magnum ammo. It's unnecessary unless you're hunting and really spoils the fun.
My Cow Bow Action revolvers were always 4 1/2 and the oldergeneration (larger frame) Bisley Vasquero. Excellent arms! I do have trouble with "T" posts for hanging targets. Believe it or not, on rare occasions I miss low or high; honest, it happens. If my 250g lead allow boolits strike the hard "T" post, it knocks out a cookie biste of metal. Well, after decades of such abuse, the post is cut all the way. ;-)
I have the same problem with nicking the T post. And that generally makes it impossible to get the brackets off. But X steel does make guards for the T post. I just have never gone that far
thank you sir great job on the vidio love the short barrel
Thanks for watching. And thank you for your comment!
Well I bit the proverbial bullet and ordered that exact model. Fingers crossed.
Excellent! Let me know how it works out
@@TargetSuite Turns out I had an unexpected hospital visit. It came in while I was in there. I have picked it up but will be a bit before I can try it out.
@@TargetSuite Got out to a range on Wednesday. All seems to be functioning OK. I shot some HSM 200gr loads. I was surprised with how light the trigger felt. Recoil was a bit snappier than I expected given that it is rather moderately loaded (rated a bit under 1000fps). Partly that may be due to my current weakness.
Accuracy seemed acceptable given that I have been out of the shooting world for a few decades all the while my eyesight deteriorating. I think as I practice and get stronger (grip especially) it will improve. I really enjoyed dueling with myself on the 10 yard dueling tree.
Will take some time to dial in the sights as my grip improves and I try different ammo. The range I was at doesn't allow the use of defense JHP loads. 🥴
I have one of those and paired with my marlin 1894 also in 44 mag will leave this world with me
You've got a great pair of guns there!
4 5/8 in my opinion is perfect single action size . Lots of S&W 44 mag N frames are 4 inch barrel
Amen. I've got a video coming up this Friday that will point out how close the shorter Barrel and longer Barrel revolver are in velocity and Power
I had a 5.5" Redhawk might be the best One Size Fits All .... or a 6.5" S&W 45 LC ????? HA!
👍👍💥