Has anyone shortened a 50th 44 Mag?

[ShortBBL]

Since they are so cheap now, I was thinking it would be fun to buy one and chop it to 4 5/8.... I love the smaller grip frame of the flattop.

Has anyone done it yet? Pictures? Cost?

I guess a guy could try it himself but mounting a new sight might be the tough part... at least for me.

Thanks!

 

[tek4260]

Pair of 50th 44's cut to 4 5/8. The most expensive part is the Brownells 11deg crowning tool. The sight on the SBH GF'd 44 had been finished and blued. It was a reuse of the original, while the one with the Bisley hammer had a .595 height sight installed and filed to the proper height. 8)

 

[Lloyd Smale]

dustin linebaugh has mine. hes shortening it to 4 5/8s and making a post style front sight blade.

 

[JWhitmore44]

The Single Six and stainless Blackhawks use a screw on front site.

 

[tek4260]

The Single Six and stainless Blackhawks use a screw on front site.

They are too short for the 44 and 45. I'll measure mine later and post the height after I filed it. It is sighted for a center hold at 25 yards with 300gr over a max charge of H110 with the rear sight all the way down. The Flattops can use a shorter sight than the regular Blackhawk, but the SS sights will be short and cause it to shoot high.

 

[gunsbrad]

Here is mine shortened to 5 1/2. A few other odd things got changed also.

 

[ShortBBL]

Nice stuff! Thaks for sharing.

 

[flatgate]

The Single Six and stainless Blackhawks use a screw on front site.

None of my stainless Blackhawks have a screw attached front sight. They have a "pinned" front sight blade, though.....

Tall is where it's at, at least for me.....

flatgate

 

[M'BOGO]

Here is mine shortened to 5 1/2. A few other odd things got changed also.

That makes me want one.

 

[ShortBBL]

I was just doing some thinking (Yeah, dangerous, I know) and I wonder if Ruger would put the barrel from a 4 5/8" $$ Special Flattop OR from a 4 5/8 44 Super BH on one of the 50th 44's??? Maybe that would be the best and lowest cost?

What do you think?

 

[Tommy Kelly]

I have several rugers my son cut off for me and have looked at his 44 flattop cut off. His was new in the box when he cut it. I don't think I would have cut it because of the gold filled writing on the top of the bbl. He just cut one off for me. It was a regular super blackhawk with the warning on the side of the bbl. I already have a 4 5/8 super factory made and was wanting a pair. But after looking at the warning on the side of the bbl I decided to cut it to 5" instead of 4 5/8 that is as short as we could go without getting into the writing. To me it just looks bad to have part of the banner missing. Ruger got smart and put the warning under the bbl instead of down the side where it sticks out like a sore thumb. we don't reblue the bbls if we did you could remove the writing and blue over it and it would look ok. He cut my 30 carbine bbl back to 4 5/8and it lost some of the writing but it was under the bottom where it's not noticed instead of down the side. I love the short bbl's and have everything ruger makes in the 4 5/8 but it was never offered on the 30 carbine and I didn't mind altering it to suit me and make it what I wanted and would enjoy.

 

[JWhitmore44]

The Single Six and stainless Blackhawks use a screw on front site.

None of my stainless Blackhawks have a screw attached front sight. They have a "pinned" front sight blade, though.....

Pay no attention to me I have no idea what I am talking about

For some reason I was thinking the stainless blackhawks used the screw on front site. I must have been confusing the stainless single six.