Assessment of my new RUGER BLACKHAWK FLATTOP 357/9MM

[Pistolero]

I purchased a new RUGER BLACKHAWK FLATTOP 357/9MM stainless, 5.5 inch revolvers a few months ago and haven't had a chance to shoot it yet due rotator cuff surgery to my dominant arm/shoulder. Until recently I have not had the hand strength or dexterity to even partial disassemble it for inspection.
I recently ordered a set of grip panels to fit the XR-3 grip frame on my new Flattop. When my grip panels arrived I mounted them on my new Blackhawk and discovered that they came very close to fitting but they did not fit correctly.
I returned the panels to the grip maker and at first we could not understand the reason for the misfit. The grips looked beautiful on my new Ruger but did not fit properly. We finally concluded that there might be a slight variance in the location of the XR-3 grip frame locator pins on my Blackhawk and the XR-3 grip frames he uses when crafting XR-3 grip panels.

I decided to try and remove the grip frame and ship it to the grip maker for proper adjustment of the panels. The grip frame came off without a problem and I mailed it out to him a few days ago. I expect the grip frame and panels back in a week or so and I expect they will fit the frame nicely. IMHO sending the frame to the grip panel maker is a good idea to insure a good fit.

I found the loading gate to be difficult to open and when I removed the grip frame I found very small metal shavings around the screw holes to the trigger guard. The front sight blade "looks" unusually tall but I haven't measured it. When my grip frame comes home, I will mount the factory grips and return it to Ruger for a safety check and possible replacement of the rather tall front sight. I called Ruger and explained my observations and they sent me a shipping label.
When it comes back to me from the factory, I will install the Blackhawk Hunter Hammer that I received today from Midway.
Overall this is a great looking revolver, a good value for the money one that I have been wanting for years. I am anxious to take it out to the range. I plan on shooting mostly 9mm ammo for practice, plinking and fun.

 

[rjwinz]

Same gun. Hope to get it out tomorrow for the first time. I don't have a range to shoot at so its usually a trip up the river road on my motorcycle to find places to shoot. Then I will decide whether to send it back to Ruger to straighten the front sight and clean up the action and trigger.

 

[November]

I plan on shooting mostly 9mm ammo for practice, plinking and fun.

Exactly what I've been shooting out of mine, with no plans for 38 or 357 yet. I can reload a batch of 9mm and shoot it in several different action types, but the flattop has been the most fun so far.

 

[medicdave]

There's a difference between the old model xr3 and the new one on the Flattops and new vaqueros in locater pin hole placement. The new frame is also narrower which makes old model grips a bit thin. Here's a progression of tweaking some old model grips to fit the new frame.

Old XR3 stag on new frame. A bit off and a bit thin.



Locater pin hole adjusted. Old hole filled with JB weld, cured overnight, and hole redrilled through new grip frame.



Due to the narrower backstrap the grips are a bit thin.



Pondered for a while and decided to try spacers such as found on knife handles



Still finishing up fit and finish but they moved the grips out 1/16" on each side.





Added to the colors of the stag itself and its shuck I like how it turned out.







Not for everyone, but one way to skin the cat.

 

[NewportNewsMike]

And somewhere in the process, it grew a Bisley hammer!

Nice looking setup. I like the stag / spacer combo.

 

[Hondo44]

Pistolero,

In my experience, it's not the locator pin hole in the grip frames that are off. Those are all drilled with the grip frame clamped in a drill "jig" so they're all located the same relative to the machined surfaces of the grip frame and the upper corner, which they do.

You can share with your grip maker that the reason the custom grips don't fit is because of the factory hand finish grinding and polishing of the grip frame 'straps'. Your custom maker used a Ruger grip frame to size his grips, but the frame he used doesn't match the hand finished grip strap contours on your grip frame.

I would never fool with adjusting the locator pin holes in the grips because those locations insure the upper square corner of the grip panels stay aligned to the corner of the grip frame. Since your gun is stainless, the very best thing to do is sand & polish your grip frame straps to match the custom grips or buy slightly oversize grips that you can perfectly match finish on your grip frame. Sending your grip frame is an excellent idea!! Just adds a little to the cost but you'll get a perfect fit.

I would not send the gun back for a too tall front sight until you shoot it! They're supplied a little tall so you can file down to match the loads that one shoots. Besides, on a stainless gun, you can always push out the front sight pin and change the blade.

Ruger will usually send you a free blade which is only about $6, and cheaper for Ruger than paying postage both ways and handling your gun at the factory which will cost them over $100!! And you won't be w/o the gun for 2 weeks.

A couple of hints for when you get your grip frame back and get your cool new hammer:

Note: I always check the grip frame screw holes for machining chips left in them (especially stainless guns) from threading the holes, and clean them out if present. The two screw holes behind the trigger guard usually have huge rollover burrs from drilling the hammer pin hole and milling the frame. This will cause screws to screw in too tight and/or break off.

Install all five screws but do not cinch them tight. Align the grip frame edges flush with the cyl frame by tapping with the butt of a plastic handled screw driver. Tighten one trigger guard screw, then front screw and then one ear screw. Then tighten them all.

TRY MY SHORTCUT FOR CHANGING JUST HAMMER and/or PAWL (especially with your recovering shoulder):
Recognize, you do not need to hassle with the PESKY LOADING GATE SPRING, pull the trigger pin, OR trigger/transfer bar JUST to remove the hammer and pawl. Once you remove the grip frame, the hammer pin is the only other part you need to remove. After that, just pull the hammer back and all the way down, then depress the hammer plunger in the base of the hammer with a small tipped screwdriver to clear the trigger extension where the transfer bar connects to it. Let the hammer & pawl fall out. Install in reverse! Piece o' cake.

Hope that's helpful, you get to shoot that baby, and enjoy it soon,

 

[Pistolero]

Hondo44,
I appreciate your valuable information!
Regards,

 

[medicdave]

And somewhere in the process, it grew a Bisley hammer!

Nice looking setup. I like the stag / spacer combo.

Thank you much. Most of the time I prefer the plow handle to the bisley frame, but just about everything gets bisley hammers for my short thumbs lol.

 

[xtratoy]

A thought on the tall front sight blade on these new 357/9mm Flat Tops. Does Ruger have a rear sight blade that is taller that would fit into the rear sight to adjust the elevation without filing on the front sight of the blue guns. I have a Stainless model 357 FT with the tall sight and while I could install a shorter front sight on mine I would just as soon put a little taller rear blade in.

 

[Hondo44]

Yes. There's two on the page linked below, with white outline and $2.99 w/o white outline. These will fit the single action rear sight:

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/215472/ruger-rear-sight-blade-high-with-white-outline-notch-ruger-super-redhawk-44-remington-magnum?cm_vc=ProductFinding

But if you called and complained to Ruger customer service, these are the kind of small parts they will send out free.

Ruger might send you a free shorter front sight too.

 

[Chief]

I don't see the 357/9mms laptops on the ruger web site. Where might they be obtained?
Thanks

 

[rjwinz]

Assuming you mean flattop and not laptop, they are on the Lipsey's website under dealer exclusives.

 

[Chief]

Assuming you mean flattop and not laptop, they are on the Lipsey's website under dealer exclusives.

Darn tablet posting! Yes I meant flattop. Thanks for the info.

 

[Colonel Daddy]

This thread begs the question, "If the grip frame is narrower on the New XR3 Flattop than the Old XR3 Flattop why could not the locator pin also be different?"
I've not tried my Old Flattop grips on my New Flattops and had no reason to do so. I've seen at least one photo of a New XR3 Flattop with Old XR3 grips and they were a definite mismatch.

 

[Hondo44]

Assuming you mean flattop and not laptop, they are on the Lipsey's website under dealer exclusives.

Darn tablet posting! Yes I meant flattop. Thanks for the info.

They are on the Ruger website under the New Model Blackhawk heading, last bullet; distributor exclusive:
http://www.ruger.com/products/newModelBlackhawkDE/models.html

 

[Hondo44]

This thread begs the question, "If the grip frame is narrower on the New XR3 Flattop than the Old XR3 Flattop why could not the locator pin also be different?"
I've not tried my Old Flattop grips on my New Flattops and had no reason to do so. I've seen at least one photo of a New XR3 Flattop with Old XR3 grips and they were a definite mismatch.

The pin is different; it's shorter. But it's also in a slightly different location. If one puts old XR3 grips on a new XR3 grip frame, or visa versa, the holes in the grips must be moved about 1/32" in one direction or the other.

Old grips on new flat top grip frame:

 

[Chief]

Assuming you mean flattop and not laptop, they are on the Lipsey's website under dealer exclusives.

Darn tablet posting! Yes I meant flattop. Thanks for the info.

They are on the Ruger website under the New Model Blackhawk heading, last bullet; distributor exclusive:
http://www.ruger.com/products/newModelBlackhawkDE/models.html

.

Hondo,
Using your link, I see 2 357/9mm blackhawks and they are Williams specials and not flattops. What am I missing? All the lipseys I see are .45 colt/acp.
Thanks

 

[rjwinz]

The exclusives on the Ruger site are regular NM's, from Williams Shooters Supply. The flattops are on the Lipsey's site. I assume Lipsey's had Ruger make a run of these in both blue and SS, 3 barrel lengths, and your FFL should be able to get one from them.

 

[Chief]

Found 'em! Thanks for the help.

 

[Hondo44]

Hondo,
Using your link, I see 2 357/9mm blackhawks and they are Williams specials and not flattops. What am I missing? All the lipseys I see are .45 colt/acp.
Thanks

Sorry about that, that's where they should be. Ruger is usually behind in updating their website and this is no exception.