Nice .44 Special, but small grip for me.

[Clarkston_cz]

I checked out a new Blackhawk in .44 Special today.

Great Ruger SA., but the grip was a little small for my hands.

Does the .41 Magnum Blackhawk share the same grip?

The .44 Magnum Bisley with 7.5 inch barrel was very comfortable
for me, but I like a 4-5 inch barrel.

If the 4 5/8 .41 uses the .357 grip, then a Super Blackhawk or OM Vaquero are on the list.

 

[Dale53]

The new .44 Steel Grip frame Ruger single actions have a grip that I don't care for. However, I fit Pachmayr grips made for a Colt SAA and I am extremely pleased. I have the .44 Lipsey Special and a 50th Anniversary Flattop (same grip frame) and have a SS .44 Special with 4 5/8" barrel on the way. They will ALL wear the dreaded Pachmayrs but I WILL be comfortable from "mild to wild" with my Pachmayrs.

Dale53

 

[BearStopper]

I believe all the NM flattops share the same gripframe and the standard Blackhawks share a slightly different gripframe. The black plastic stock grips found on alot of the late model Blackhawks of all types are much thinner than the wood grips typically used on these for the previous 40-50 years. A set of custom grips may be in order to make it feel better in either grip style. Some guys prefer the xr3 style gripframe found on the flattops as opposed to the xr3-red style found on the standard Blackhawks but for me it can go either way.

 

[CraigC]

For what it's worth, very few people can get all their fingers on a SAA-style grip frame. Just tuck that pinky under like God and Sam Colt intended.

 

[steve b]

Yeah, I'd prefer a longer Hunter type grip and I only have medium size hands. steve b

 

[tom black]

I didn't like them either and got rid of mine, bought a couple 4 5/8 & 5.5" Bisley FT 44 Special's and I've never looked back.
Tom Black

 

[gak]

As someone said, get a set of custom grips and it'll cure that, I've got small hands and the new ones are still a bit small (mostly thin/narrow) on me. A set of grips from Carl "Pvt" Schultz cured mine. I had mine set up about half-way inbetween the XR3s and Reds--or about where the Colts are--and they're perfect. Some other fine gripmakers hangin around here can help with that too. I've done the reverse with the large frame Vaquero (same as Blackhawk). Too chunky for me so had some slimmer ones made. Slimmed down some existing ones too. Don't kill a good gun just on account of the stock grip set up. Let your caliber and cylinder frame choice drive the decision. My .02.

 

[Clarkston_cz]

Thanks for the replies.

Know that the OM Vaquero grip is perfect for me.

That .44 Magnum Bisley looks better and better.

 

[EDK]

Thanks for the replies.

Know that the OM Vaquero grip is perfect for me.

That .44 Magnum Bisley looks better and better.

I'm pretty much exclusively shooting Original Size VAQUEROS in 357 and 44. I converted all of them to DRAGOON or HUNTER grip frames...and have switched several to SUPER BLACK HAWK hammers also. I'm also shooting BISLEY VAQUEROS. It's a toss-up between the HUNTER or the BISLEY for me anymore.

The XR3-red requires a flat bottom grip like EAGLE GRIPS Gunfighter models to be comfortable, but the HUNTER/DRAGOON or BISLEY is even better...with the Gunfighters too. I favor having three fingers on the grip.

 

[JimMarch1]

I shoot the standard NewVaq grips with a Super hammer, but I re-shaped the bottoms of the plastic panels to rounded so that it works better with a pinkie-under hold.

Note how the tip of the hammer hits my thumb RIGHT at the joint. I consider that optimal - I want to throw my thumb over the top of the hammer rather than try and slide it down with the pad of my thumb.

When I bring the barrel back down out of recoil I can "re-curl" the pinkie to help with that process. The pinkie-under hold also forms an indexing point - a way to make sure the gun's position in the hand is the same for every shot at the time of firing.

I have a fair amount of experience with this combination:

 

[COR]

Thanks for the replies.

Know that the OM Vaquero grip is perfect for me.

That .44 Magnum Bisley looks better and better.

There's no such animal as an OM Vaquero (Just "Vaquero" or "NM Vaquero") :wink: Some here will crucify you for that and the term 45 "Long" Colt....but I digress

To each his own when grips come into play, The Bisley is my favorite for stout loads but I also like the Gunfighter Grip Gary Reeder does to a XR3-red. My most carried trail gun for the last couple years has been the FT 44Spl with a 51/2" tube fitted with some PVTSchultz American Holly. It really comes down to what works for each individual. I wouldn't be caught dead with that gun JimMarch carries around, but if it works for him, who the hell am I to say it doesn't...my point is that you need to try each one and you'll eventually settle in to your idea of comfort. Grips can make all the difference. You may even find your tastes change along the way...