Blackhawk 357 Mag question

[CDR]

Hi everyone Craig here and i'm new to the forum. I have a Ruger, New Model Blackhawk 357 magnum that i have inherited and i cant identify it due to the barrel length (10.5") not matching anything i find in the books on production. I can see it was produced in 1978 (i think) serial # starts 3440 but cant find it being made in 10.5 barrel.

It is definitely a 357 mag not a 357 rem maximum, can anyone help?

Thanks, CDR

 

[CDR]

Update..Its not a 10.5" barrel its a 10" barrel

 

[pete44ru]

.

Welcome to the forum, Craig !

I'm certainly no expert, but AFAIK the 1982 SRM (.357 Maximum) model was the only New Model Blackhawk with a barrel longer than 7-1/2" (they're listed with either a 7-1/2" or 10-1/2" bbl), similar to the .44 Magnum Super Blackhawk 10-1/2" barrel.

I'm wondering if your .357 BH got re-barreled with an SRM 10-1/2" bbl.

A call to Ruger Customer Service with the SN should tell you how it left the factory.



.

 

[CGDustDevil]

CDR - Photos would be helpful! The SN you offered suggests the right time frame of 78... It would be 34-40xxx. I do not know of any 10.5 (or 10") factory models from that era. Does it have a Ruger rollmark on the barrel?

And the barrel measurement is taken from the forcing cone. So if the exposed barrel is 10", then it would be a 10.5 most likely.

Best regards, Pete

 

[rugerguy]

welcome to the Forum, sounds like a neat gun,, and the good info above tells you something is "different", so are there markings on the barrel ?? yes, a picture would help....wont be the first one that has another barrel put on it 'aftermarket' (gunsmith) whatever...........

 

[CDR]

Thanks everyone, Ive measured it four times...it's definatly a 10" barrel and not 10.5. not sure how but it is....and yes it is a roll marked ruger barrel?? i have pics to show but cant figure out how to attach them, how do i do it?

Thanks again everyone,

CDR

 

[powder smoke]

Tutorial to post pics here, http://www.rugerforum.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=51390

Many use Photobucket for the host! Good luck

 

[CDR]

OK, I checked with Ruger but they said this was made 1978 before their electronic system was in place so they have no definitive record on what barrel it was shipped with. One of the responces from you guys said that some were shipped out with a 10" barrel

( this from mart on this site: "I know they made a few 357 Mags with 10 inch barrels. John Taffin notes that in his book, "Big Bore Sixguns." I've never seen one but if yours is a factory original you have a somewhat rare one. Hopefully the Ruger historians will chime in on this one. I'd be curious to know how many were made with the 10 inch barrel.")

I honestly dont know what to think at this point, any other help or input would be appreciated. Hopefully there are pics attached to this post.

Thanks again,
CDR

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[Frank V]

CDR, welcome to the forum.
You said you inherited the gun, if from a family member it'd be what I call a "family gun" & in my opinion should stay in your family.
Being scoped & with the longer bbl, I'll bet it's a tack driver. Of course you know the .357 will take .38 Specials too. I'm thinking if you use it it will become a favorite should be very accurate. Sorry I can't help with identification, I'm sure most here would like to hear how well it shoots.
Good shooting hope you find out more about it.

 

[rugerguy]

well with NO "Inc" on the barrel rollmark tells us its an older one from one of the old flatops ,,my guess, and yes, it could have been put on by anyone ,including the factory......as noted above without KNOWING it is "factory" installed, at time of shipping, oh well, a sum pof the total of the parts, the barrel itself is worth a few dollars to the right person, too bad the gun was drilled and tapped for the scope base, detracts from the value...bet it will be an awesome shooter, and if its "family". so be it, if only it could talk.........bottom line , its a "keeper" :wink:

 

[Ballplayer]

Check that cylinder gap, lots of powder residue showing on the pistol and scope. Very nice, I think the drill/tap enhances the value especially with that barrel length.......just my opinion though.

 

[CDR]

Whats a good bullet to shoot if i want to make it a 100 yard shooter?

CDR

 

[s4s4u]

Whats a good bullet to shoot if i want to make it a 100 yard shooter?

CDR

For paper, steel, or critters?

 

[CDR]

Good question, paper and critters?

 

[David Bradshaw]

Whats a good bullet to shoot if i want to make it a 100 yard shooter?

CDR

***

CDR.... the list is long.

.357 bullets accurate @ 100 yards
Sierra 170 FMJ
Sierra 180 FPJ
Hornady 180

.358 bullets accurate @ 100 yards
Speer 180 FP
Hornady 200 RN
Sierra 200 RN

Beyond the few mentioned above, good jacketed bullets include 158 JHP and JSP and, yes, 125 JHPs by Hornady and Sierra, with every bullet mentioned so far easily capable of shooting under 4-inches @ 100 yards. The gun will be the arbiter. A top .357 Blackhawk will cut sub-fours, while many group 5-to-7 inches from one one football filed away. The better factory .357 is no slouch.

A .357 revolver prefers chamber-to-bore runout of less than .006-inch, chamber exits which support the heel of the bullet as its shoulder engages rifling, a smooth, concentric forcing cone, and a uniform bore without excess groove diameter.

Equal, possibly superior accuracy resides in cast, meticulously cast, while poorly balanced shed accuracy before reaching 100 yards; and sloppily cast simply do not rate.

The .38 Special, .357 Mag, ands .357 Maximum enjoy high intrinsic accuracy. The gun and the bullet each are law unto themselves. An accurate bullet cannot be driven without an accurate gun.
David Bradshaw

 

[Frank V]

CDR, if you cast your own a great bullet is the Lyman 358156, it's about a 155gr bullet with a gas check. It'll stand high velocity & has been accurate for me.

 

[contender]

Ok,, rugerguy has made a very valid point. The barrel is an OLD one,,, w/o the "inc." in the rollmarking. And if the gun was made in 1978,,, it's a New Model,, and as such,,, I seriously doubt it was shipped from the factory with a 10" bbl.
Next,,, by the amount of buildup around the barrel to frame gap,, the soot & all on the frame & up on the scope,,, I'd be curious as to it's proper assy. Either a bigger cylinder gap, or slightly out of alignment.
And by it having the top strap drilled & tapped for the scope base,,, shows it has some non-factory work.
But,, it's a family gun & if it shoots good for you,, then hey,,, enjoy the heck out of it!

 

[JStacy]

I like the Hornady XTP 158 HP, you can also shoot the Hdy 158 FP which is a more resistant bullet to expansion. A maximum charge of WW296 and a mag primer will make the best use of the long barrel. If the barrel to cylinder gap is greater than .006 you might want to have the barrel set back one thread and recut. I have several revolver is barrel/cylinder gaps of .002 and they work fins and do not bleed off as much pressure as a larger BCG will.

 

[chet15]

Yes its a neat gun!! It has obviously been rebarreled with a 10" .357 flattop barrel at some point in its life. The barrel itself is the rare curiosity. Would be curious to know if it has 6 groove rifling or 8 groove.
Chet15

 

[LAH]

Would be curious to know if it has 6 groove rifling or 8 groove.

+1