Blackhawks

[Bigbore5]

@hittman , I also prefer Old Models for most of my Rugers. However my New Model SBH 357 Maximum is one of the finest built Rugers I have seen from the factory. It's my avatar gun. Perfect timing, solid lockup, excellent 11° forcing cone, .003" cylinder gap, excellent gripframe to main fitting, a very deep polished blue. It's what all New Models should be straight out of the box.

The only things I have done to it is have Fermin Garza open the throats from .357" to .358" for cast bullets and a lite stoning of the hammer to reduce the pull from 4-1/2 pounds to 2-1/2. It a 1" groups gun all day.

 

[hittman]

Fermin does great work. Nice guy.

 

[contender]

Blame me huh???

Not me?

Seriously, I’m an OM junkie, with a severe case of Rugeritis . But I also have a few NM’s that have a sweet spot in my heart.
I also enjoy a.357 Maxi, along with a couple of.45’s. Very good guns.
But the NM’s as compared to the OM’s, as shipped just don’t quite do it.

 

[Bigbore5]

If you buy a new model, also plan on buying a Powers stoning jig and some fire lapping compound. Fermin will do your cylinder throats very reasonably priced vs buying a reamer and pilots. 4D will rent you a forcing cone 11° cutter ( I pull all my barrels on new ones to close up the cylinder gap and cut new forcing cones on the lathe). Mine also get an LPA or Bowen rear sight. Stainless guns get a 2dogs (Fermin Garza) front sight blade. Since Belt Mountain base pins aren't readily available, a Powers #5 base pin gets fitted.

All that is why I really don't buy brand new New Models. If I am going to have to work on it, might as well start with a beater gun and just add polish and blue or brush finish if it's stainless to the list.

Many people are okay with a factory gun though. I think I am just picky because my job requires precision parts fitting.

 

[JAYDAWG]

I feel your pain, LOL! I, too, am searching for a BH in.357 with 4.6 barrel. I have been on Gun Broker and there are very few preowned for sale. That is a testament to their quality and utility. No one wants to sell theirs it seems. So, I guess it will be new in box for me if I can find a deal. I had one back in 1970 and sure did enjoy shooting it. Handy piece. I hope to make on my truck pistol.

Here you go, box & all...........

OM FLATTOP!!!???!!

https://www.rugerforum.com/threads/flattop-357-bkh34-w-box.317814/

 

[Retsgt]

NICS came through, picking up my NMB .45 today.

 

[arfmel]

Post some pictures when you get it home

 

[Hondo44]

Original Vaqueros and standard Blackhawks have the same size XR3RED GRIP FRAME.
The New Vaquero and Flattop Blackhawks have the same XR3 slightly smaller size grip frame: it’s 1/8” shorter (front to back) behind the trigger guard.

 

[Ale-8(1)]

Go here for all the details . . . https://www.gunblast.com/Hamm_Ruger-SA-GripFrames.htm

At the very bottom is the famous drawing showing the relationship between all the Ruger single-action grips.

 

[Retsgt]

 

[Retsgt]

After checking it out I did notice some things that are odd. The right side of the trigger guard/grip frame is not flush with frame. The stocks are undersized to the grip frame. I would like to get some after market walnut stocks, so I'm hoping this won't be an issue. In usual Ruger fashion, you can't remove the cylinder base pin w/o removing the ejector rod housing. Belt Mountain is out of business so I can't get the Colt style pins for Rugers anymore. I also assumed the ejector rod housing would be aluminum, and in anticipation of this I purchased a steel piece. But the housing installed on my gun is steel (did the magnet test). Otherwise, I'm pleased with gun. I'll run some rounds through it shortly. I just put some dummies in the belt loops to make the pic look good. Don't know why it so large though.

 

[hittman]

https://www.rugerforum.com/threads/single-action-grip-frames-explained.131343/

 

[Ale-8(1)]

Yep, those look like the current XR3-RED series black plastic grip panels. They may run slightly smaller than the grip frame, depending on the particular gun and panels. You might see the same situation on current Ruger wood panels as well. They "fit" but may show a little of the grip frame around the perimeter.

Nice-looking gun! Thanks for sharing.

 

[XUSNORDIE]

After checking it out I did notice some things that are odd. The right side of the trigger guard/grip frame is not flush with frame. The stocks are undersized to the grip frame. I would like to get some after market walnut stocks, so I'm hoping this won't be an issue. In usual Ruger fashion, you can't remove the cylinder base pin w/o removing the ejector rod housing. Belt Mountain is out of business so I can't get the Colt style pins for Rugers anymore. I also assumed the ejector rod housing would be aluminum, and in anticipation of this I purchased a steel piece. But the housing installed on my gun is steel (did the magnet test). Otherwise, I'm pleased with gun. I'll run some rounds through it shortly. I just put some dummies in the belt loops to make the pic look good. Don't know why it so large though.

Had mine for a few weeks now....those plastic grips had to go immediately. Replaced with Ruger Rosewood, looks and feels much better.

Haven't got it out yet. I only intend to shoot cast so the cylinder is boxed up ready to send out.

 

[Base Pin Maker]

Retsgt, I still have stainless Colt Style pins available. Kelye @ Belt Mtn

 

[Retsgt]

Midway has some nice walnut XR3 stocks by Hogue. I tried a set of ruger OEM stocks from my old model vaquero and they were undersized too.

 

[Ale-8(1)]

You really want XR3-RED panels. The XR3's fit the smaller original grip frames from pre-1962.

Check the reference listed under posts #39 and #42.

 

[Retsgt]

Miday and the Hogue website just list the stocks as XRT. There is nothing listed in either site for the XRT-RED. Of course the picture on Hogue shows a very well fit set of grips. Don't know if I should just order directly from Hogue and take chance. Sorry XR3-RED!

 

[XUSNORDIE]

These fit mine perfectly....just plain stock

 

[GasGuzzler]

Yep, those look like the current XR3-RED series black plastic grip panels. They may run slightly smaller than the grip frame, depending on the particular gun and panels. You might see the same situation on current Ruger wood panels as well. They "fit" but may show a little of the grip frame around the perimeter.

I tried a set of ruger OEM stocks from my old model vaquero and they were undersized too.

I almost feel like the XR3-RED grip frames are now slightly bigger instead of the other way around. Not sure it's the grips that have shrunk. I put some Old Model Blackhawk XR3-RED walnut grips on my Blackhawk sized XR3-RED Wrangler grip frame and the walnut was barely short all the way around on both sides. Gun and grips are 50 years apart in age. The OEM walnut grips and another set of walnut Ruger grips both fit my 1978 Blackhawk with no extra metal showing.

 

[Ale-8(1)]

I almost feel like the XR3-RED grip frames are now slightly bigger instead of the other way around.

I think this is a good possibility.

 

[Retsgt]

My Hogue walnut stocks arrived.

 

[JackBull]

Do the new blued BH have aluminum or steel grip frames?

 

[gnappi]

I don't know about all of them but my 2013 .357 did have an aluminum grip frame replaced with a stainless Dragoon style.

 

[Retsgt]

Aluminum. The ejector rod housing is steel.

 

[gnappi]

So, who here PREFERS the aluminum grip frame?

 

[Retsgt]

I can live with the aluminum GF. I would prefer a stainless if not only for the looks and a little extra weight. If it was a simple remove and replace it would be better but, nothing is easy when it comes to working on guns.

 

[Ale-8(1)]

I'd sure like to stumble on a small pile of the steel XR3-RED grip frames off the blued Old Armies.

 

[contender]

"I'd sure like to stumble on a small pile of the steel XR3-RED grip frames off the blued Old Armies"

A lot of us would enjoy that as well.

I don't mind the aluminum alloy grip frame. I just look at them as I think Bill did. A less expensive type of g/f to help keep expenses & retail costs down to sell a lot of them.

 

[powder smoke]

Strange. I'd think they used the same size grip frame, JMHO

Not strange every byer wants a little something different ! If you cannot understand that
I cannot help ya. ps