Calling all Super Blackhawk Owners

Thanks to everyone for your replies. I place a lot of value on your thoughts and experience. Sounds like you can't go wrong with either one. I'm still leaning towards the 4.62 barrel. Just something about that 4.62" that keeps calling me. Anyways, thanks for your time and thoughts. I really appreciate it!
HS

My only Super is a 4-5/8" blued and unfluted model. I bought it to be my heavy caliber packing gun and it has measured up perfectly for the task. Matched with a Simply Rugged pancake holster it's my idea of perfection.

Barrel length doesn't really affect recoil much at all. I have a 4 5/8a5" a 5 1/2 and a 7 1/2" ruger super blackhawks and there isn't hardly any felt recoil difference in any of them. The 7 1/2 will gain a little speed but not much difference there either. My favorite is the 4 5/8" for use it packs best and shoots really well. I like the shorter bbls more than the longer ones. I have every caliber that ruger makes in 4 5/8" and a few that they dont make I have shortened to 4 5/8" To me its the perfect length. Buy whatever you like best as far as length. If you are buying new concider the 4 5/8" convertable 45 colt. It is my favorite caliber and is capable of a wide range of power with the 45 acp and 45 colt loads you can go from mild to wild loads in factory loaded ammo and if you reload the possibility's are endless.

BlackEagle said:

You should buy an Old Model if you really want to soothe the Rugeritis. This one was cut to exactly 5 inches, and is wearing real buffalo horn grips. It is a shooter, not a safe queen. Please dont cut one down like this, you can find them already cut

Click to expand...

I think that is the sexiest profile. I have a 7.5" that i plan to cut to that length with a weigand sight base and dx blade.

I have one of each barrel length, & if I could carry in the woods this one for today....


This one for next time....

Like stated by Flatgate, in stainless you can change out the front sight blade.
Either way you would be well armed...

I have a standard SBH in the 7.5 bbl, it's a great shooter. I have also put a few rounds through a 5.5 bbl. Another great shooter.

pennsylvaniaboy said:

BlackEagle said:

You should buy an Old Model if you really want to soothe the Rugeritis. This one was cut to exactly 5 inches, and is wearing real buffalo horn grips. It is a shooter, not a safe queen. Please dont cut one down like this, you can find them already cut

Click to expand...

I think that is the sexiest profile. I have a 7.5" that i plan to cut to that length with a weigand sight base and dx blade.

Click to expand...

I tend to agree with you about that 5" length:





Bob Wright

You guys did notice this took a 6 year jump, right???

This is what you call an old but good post topic. I have carried a standard old model Super Blackhawk (and taken several Mule Deer with it) for many years that I bought new in 1972 for $125.

This old model short barreled .41 Magnum with a Super Blackhawk hammer has become my new favorite woods gun for the last 5 years. Loaded with 265 grain hard cast lead bullets it can match my old .44 for power and is a lot easier to carry.


John

A Super Blackhawk was the first center fire handgun I ever fired (about the age of 10 or so), I never understood my Father's love of the single actions....that is until I got older

I now have one of my own, a 10 1/2" New Model

I have both 4.62" and 5.5"in 44 mag. also a 44 spl. flattop,in 4.62. The 4.62" get carried the most. and shot the most . No difference in recoil or hand punishment.

I have a bakers dozen + SBH's and SRH's not counting the couple .454's .
If I could only have one SBH , it would be Stainless and have a 5 1/2" barrel and Bisley grip frame.

If you've never carried the SBH in the field before I would suggest the lightest possible version. They get heavy. So I definitely would go with the 4 5/8", but with fluted cyl of the 5 1/2".

You might consider two relatively recent issue distributor exclusives:

1. SBH SS with 3 3/4" barrel from Lipsey's:
http://ruger.com/products/newModelSuperBlackhawkStandard/specSheets/0817.html

2. New Vaquero 44 Mag in SS, fluted cyl and 3 3/4" barrel for lightness, and SBH hammer from Talo: http://www.realguns.com/articles/789.htm
http://ruger.com/products/vaqueroStainless/specSheets/10596.html

Personally I don't like the Birdshead grip, therefore I'd swap to the SBH Hunter grip which has more knuckle space behind the trigger guard than the XR3-RED grip frame on the 4 5/8" and 5 1/2" SBHs (which already have more space than the Bisley grips). I prefer it on my field carry gun.
One advantage of the 5 1/2" barrel is you can add the 5" ejector housing for fully ejecting those long Mag cases as also shown here:



You might also consider Ruger's mid frame 44 Spl flat top Blackhawk in SS:

Hondo44 said:

If you've never carried the SBH in the field before I would suggest the lightest possible version. They get heavy. So I definitely would go with the 4 5/8", but with fluted cyl of the 5 1/2".


You might also consider Ruger's mid frame 44 Spl flat top Blackhawk in SS:

Click to expand...

I picked up a 4 5/8" SS .44 spl Flat top for that very reason. I have a 5.5" SBH, fluted cylinder. great gun, love it but as a field/backup gun it is big. Not so much that it's heavy as it's only a few ounces heavier than the FT. But it is just plain bigger and tends to be more noticeable on the hip.

Still, when I go pig hunting with a revolver as my only weapon, that SBH gets the nod.

I like the 5.5", but added the longer Hunter grip frame:

My "Super 41", my favorite.

I really like the 4 5/8" bbl. length on my .41 magnum and on my customized 4 digit SBH.
Easier to pack, and a hoot to shoot!