Blackhawk 44 Special size

[hmeier4799]

Ruger's web site shows that the New Model Blackhawk, 44 Special, 5 1/2"
weighs 45 oz. and the New Model Super Blackhawk, 44 Mag, 7 1/2" weighs 48 oz. Why only 3 oz. difference?
How do the dimensions for the cylinder frames or cylinders compare for the two models?

 

[Glupy]

Good luck figuring out Ruger's weight specifications.

In this case the 44S is built on the smaller Blackhawk frame. The 44M is a larger framed Super Blackhawk. There is a lot more metal on the Super BH. Hold 'em side-by-side. Anyone have a picture?

Dave

 

[sunday bill]

Don't have pics and don't know how much a Super Blackhawk weighs, but my 5 1/2" Ruger New Model .44 Special weighs 2 lb. 11 ounces (43 ounces), empty.

In comparison, a 2 1/2" non-adjustable sighted S&W 629 .44 Mag weighs 36 ounces.

A 3" non-adjustable sighted Taurus .44 Special Model 431, 5 shot I just traded for weighs 32 ounces, empty.

My Kimber Pro Carry Commander-size 1911 weighs 28 ounces, empty.

Haven't weighed other handguns lately

 

[Hammerdown77]

Those weights on Ruger's website are screwy. I can kinda believe the 45 oz. weight for the .44 Special (judging by sunday bill's numbers), but the weight of the Super has got to be wrong. I have a Special, 5.5" and it has a noticeably smaller cylinder than a Super (I have a Hunter, not a standard Super). The frames are also bigger on the super, AND the Super has a significantly longer grip frame than the Special. Add in an extra 2 inches of barrel, and I just can't see the difference only being a few ozs.

 

[kooz]

My blued .44 Special Flat Top with 4 5/8" bbl weighs 41.8oz with the Tru-ivories in place and 42oz even with the stock grip in place.

 

[sunday bill]

The Flat Top that I mentioned in my post above is also blue.

Bought my old scales to weigh double shotguns (birdguns). Except for guns intended for concealed all-day wear, I've never been concerned about the weight of a handgun and had never weighed these guns until I traded for the Taurus listed in the earlier post and thought it felt unusually light. But, in case you're interested:

A stainless 4 3/4" .357 Blackhawk weighs 2 lb. 14 oz.

A blue/case colored 5 1/2" 2nd Gen. Colt SAA .45 Colt weighs 2lb. 5 oz.

A 5 1/2" blue .45 Colt stag-gripped Commercial Colt New Service weighs 2 lb. 9 oz. (I have heard this gun referred to as "big and heavy")

A SS 3 3/4" Ruger Birds Head .45 Colt weighs 2lb. 7 oz.

A 5 1/2" SS .45 Colt Ruger Bisley Vaquero weighs 2 lb. 11 oz.

A SS 5 1/2" .357 Ruger Bisley Vaquero weighs 2 lb. 15 oz.

A blue 5 1/2" .357 Ruger New Vaquero weighs 2 lb. 14 oz. (that upswept hammer must be heavy)

A blue 7 1/2" .45 Ruger Vaquero (sporting a blue Bisley gripframe installed by me) weighs a flat 3 lb.

A 10" Freedom Arms Premier .454 Casull with factory wood grips weighs 3lb. 7 oz.

A blue Colt Series 70 1911 5" (Gov't) , 45 ACP weighs 2 lb. 4oz., empty and without a clip.

The revolvers were all weighed empty.

 

[flatgate]

Me? I like HEAVY revolvers. I shoot "heavy for calibre" loads and a "overweight gun" reduces the recoil.

I know I'm a "off the wall" shooter, but, I'll always take a "heavy, large calibred revolver" over a pip squeek bored pea shooter, i.e. anything below .40 cal.

OK, I'll admit, the .22's and .32's are ONE HECK OF A LOT OF FUN!

JMHO,

flatgate

 

[sunday bill]

Surely some feller out in the countryside can carry his SBH down to the meat counter at his friendly neighborhood grocery store, weigh it, rush home, and enlighten us as to the actual weight of a SBH.

 

[Ale-8(1)]

My Old Model 7-1/2" Super Blackhawk weighs three pounds right on the nose.

:)

 

[sunday bill]

I notice Ale8(1)'s 7 1/2" SBH weighs exactly the same as my 7 1/2" non-factory , 45 LC Bis Vaq.

An e-mailer tells me his SBH cylider measures 1.750" long. My Flat Top 44 Special's cylinder measures 1.609".

His cylinder diameter is 1.750". Mine is 1.675".

The point being here, considering the chambers should be comparatively the same, this is one area where the SBH would appear to gain an ounce or two on the Special.

On another thought, I own a pair of SS .357 Bisley Vaqs my better third bought for me in '99. Their cylinder windows will accept, with room to operate, every .357 Ruger SA cylinder I've ever tried in them.

We've had several .357 BHs and Vaqs that won't accept any other, than their own, .357 Ruger SA cylinder that we had at the time.

I hear grip salesmen state, "Oh. Ruger ain't like Colt. All their current grip frames for a specific model are identical. Any ol Ruger plow handle grip'll fit any other old Ruger plowhandle". Don't know if the cause is their casting of frames or what, but I've found this to hold reasonably true.

Their grip frames may be about the same dimension, but I know darn well all their cylinders or cylinder windows within model and caliber ain't.

 

[t-reg]

Blue SBH grip frame = aluminum

NV / Anniversary grip frame = steel

That must add at least a couple oz.'s to the smaller frames.

 

[Ale-8(1)]

SBH square-back blue grip frames are steel.

Original (large frame) Vaquero blue grip frames are steel, as are the ones on the Buckeye Specials and the Bisleys.

An XR3-RED aluminum grip frame with panels weighs five ounces.

A steel SBH grip frame with panels weighs ten ounces.

A steel ejector rod housing weights about an ounce more than an aluminum one.


:)

 

[BIgMuddy]

On my postal scale:

7 1/2" OM SBH 47 oz.

5 1/2" FT 44 Spec. 42oz.

4 5/8" FT 44 Spec. 41oz.

 

[CraigC]

Blue SBH grip frame = aluminum

NV / Anniversary grip frame = steel

That must add at least a couple oz.'s to the smaller frames.

No, the Supers are all steel.

IMHO, the mid-frame flat-top receiver 'may' just be a little heavier than a comparable Old Model. Just seems like the difference between the 50th .357 and an Old Model is more than just a steel vs. aluminum grip frame.

 

[Ale-8(1)]

Be interesting to strip the grip frames and ejector components off of a couple of identical barrel length, same caliber 50th and old Model guns and weigh them.

 

[hutchman]

From the above, it appears the 4.62 44 spl Flattop weighs 42 oz. From Ruger's website, the 4.62 44 mag weighs 45 oz and a 7.5 weighs 48 oz (which is verified in this thread). So my guess is the 45 oz for the short barrel is close........

I have read that when you handle the 44 spl, you notice the difference immediately. I have also read that when you carry a gun all day long, the extra weight of the 44 mag is a real issue when compared to the 44 special.

I really don't understand how 3 ounces can make that much difference. I do understand the draw of the 44 spl and am not here to question whether it is better or worse.........but I really don't buy that the 3 oz differnce makes the 44 spl that much easier to carry or handle for that matter.

I have not been able to handle one yet though. I have owned a 4.62 Blackhawk in 45 Colt and a 5.5 inch SBH. I have spent some time in the gunshop lusting after a 4.62 SBH, which seems to me to fit me and feels really nice. I need to find a short 44 spl and see for myself I guess.

 

[EDK]

Weight difference between the various steel/stainless steel grip frames? Changing Original Size VAQUEROS to DRAGOON or HUNTER grip frames picks up some weight as well as fit them to my hand size. AND the previously mentioned steel ejector rod housing versus aluminum.

Your belt and holster makes some difference also. A lined 1 3/4 belt and HSR holster from MILT SPARKS versus a cartridge belt and western style holster from MERNICKLE...comparable materials from top end makers. Not to mention how many cartidges you are carrying.

On the newer guns, how much difference between the "cheese graters" and walnut or stag or ivory?

Lots of variables. How much is the average Law Enforcement Officer on the street carrying...looks like more stuff than BATMAN carries!

 

[sunday bill]

After thinking about this for two or three days, and considering all that's been said, I really still can't figure why the weights between the SBH and the "little" 44 Special are so close.

My wife and I have shot CAS since 1998. We've owned a lot of Rugers. Besides the cowboy match guns, I've owned several SBHs, one old Flat top .44 Mag and this one 5 1/2" .44 Special Flat top.

Weight and bulk be-derned, I prefer the handling qualities of this gun over any Ruger I ever handled, except possibly the feel of the .45 Bird's Heads rolling in my hand under heavy recoil.

 

[Flashman]

Super BH .44 mag 5 1/2" 43.5 ozs.

NV Stainless .45 4 5/8" 39 ozs.

 

[Yosemite Sam]

Don't forget, stainless tends to be a bit heavier than carbon steel.

I don't really get it, either. My 5.5" blue NM flattop .44 Special is not significantly lighter or, to my mind, "easier handling" than my other 5.5" NM Blackhawks, which are all "large frame". It has different handling characteristics because it's got the standard gripframe, hammer, and trigger, and most of my other BHs are Bisleys.

-- Sam

 

[hutchman]

Do the Flattop 44 spls, have XR3 or XR3-RED gripframes? This could be another reason for some to prefer them......

 

[Bisley Bud]

The flattop 44 specials have what is referred to as the "new xr3" frame. Ever so close to the 1955 xr3 frame in dimensions. The big difference is the locking mechanism in the grip frame. The frame is thinner than the xr3red frame. I like that. It fits my hand better.

 

[CraigC]

Be interesting to strip the grip frames and ejector components off of a couple of identical barrel length, same caliber 50th and old Model guns and weigh them.

I've thought about doing that.