Single Action Suggestions?

[LDB]

My latest bug is wanting a CF single action. I've scratched the RF bug and will pick up a Super Wrangler from my FFL friend this afternoon. But very little clue on a CF choice. New or previously appreciated? What barrel length? What caliber? What finish? My criteria:

I don't like recoil. I won't be hunting or otherwise in need of major power. Once I get some brass I'll try my hand at loading from the left end of the recipes. So I want something with a light option, either by a ".xx special" option or just ability to be loaded light.

I won't be hunting or going on long hikes etc. just enjoying owning it to look at it and competing with myself and my last trip to the range so longer barrel or more weight isn't an issue.

I don't feel any need to change anything, not that I wouldn't if it will improve the shooting, but otherwise only having a great looking set of grips if it doesn't already.

I've never had a .4x caliber but always had a small bug about the .41 being interesting. And there's a less well-known .41 Special. But no clue if even that would be low enough recoil. And of course "everyone knows" a SA is "supposed" to be a .45 Colt.

So all advice on pros/cons to any/all SA models and which to focus on and which, if any, to ignore unless killer deals is appreciated. And with any suggested models advice on fair prices is an appreciated bonus. Thanks in advance to everyone who read all this and chooses to reply.

 

[Neon Vernon]

This will be a highly subjective discussion fraught with peril.

I'd start with a 357 Blackhawk. 5 1/2" is my personal preference. I've played with all the barrel lengths available and the 5.5 is the Goldilocks length for me, you may find something else best.

Old or New Model? I've never cared for the 357 on the 44 frame, it's like a V6 in a work truck. The standard/mid frame is plenty strong for any sane 357 load and is still appropriate if you just want to plink with 38's.

I think that I'd look look for one of the Lipsey's Flattop 357/9mm convertibles, there's enough versatility and options with that platform to keep a fellow busy tinkering for a while.

 

[gunzo]

You mentioned a winning factor for having any bore size shooting lite loads,,, reloading.

A 357 convertible is very versatile, being able to add 9mm to mix, but even without interest in a 9mm version, shooting 38 specials in the 357 cyl. can be as pleasurable & low recoiling as you reasonably want them to be.

Same for about all of them when reloading comes into play. You mention the 41, same. You can go from pretty mild to reasonably serious power if you wish.

Whatever you decide, I think you might enjoy it.

 

[jehu]

You'd be wantin a Single Seven 5 1/2 or 7 1/2 bbl. 327 magnum!!

 

[contender]

Gunzo made some excellent points.

Ruger doesn't make a 5-1/2" barrel .357/9mm SA revolver. Factory options are 4-5/8" & 6-1/2".

I would opt for the 4-5/8" due to the description of your uses. Then,, getting the convertible one would allow a wide range of ammo options.
9mm brass is cheap & easy to get. I have a lot of excess left on the ground at my range.
.38 Spl is an easy to load caliber, and can be very mild,, to moderate levels of power/recoil. And if you did desire a bit more power,, you can step up to .357 Mag.

The .41 mag is capable of downloading,, and also going up in power. Just not quite as versatile as the .9mm/.357 combo. But it is a bit of a step up.

Lastly,, the .45 acp/.45 Colt convertible. Again, very versatile in brass & ammo choices. I liken it to the .9mm/.357 convertible in that it has a lot of uses over a wide range.

Ammo choices affect the use & desires. Cast bullets over jacketed. Mild to wild. You can easily get cast & lubed,, or my preference is cast & powder coated,, loading them to mild specs, for just plain fun, paper punching or plinking. Or you can get the same type of bullets,, and build a serious load for self defense or hunting.

Either way,, versatility would dictate that a 9mm/.357 combo or a .45acp/.45 Colt combo in a 4-5/8" bbl would fit the points you put forth as criteria.

 

[Neon Vernon]

Contender, the Lipsey's Flattops were made with 5 1/2" barrels. If you haven't had a chance to play with the NM mid-frames you're missing out

 

[Richard76]

you don't like recoil, I would go 327 or 32 H&R and either reload or shoot 32 S&W in them

 

[s4s4u]

38's in a 357 should shoot soft enough

45 Colt can be loaded from mild to wild, so that is my personal preference

 

[jehu]

With the 327 you get so many caliber options, its like getting 4 guns in one!

you don't like recoil, I would go 327 or 32 H&R and either reload or shoot 32 S&W in them

 

[nvbirdman]

I would recommend a stainless .357. Barrel length is up to you. It can fire low recoil .38 special and it will require less maintenance.

 

[GunnyGene]

I'll just address the grips. First, I've never found any factory revolver grip that was satisfactory regardless of make or model. Factory grips are just there so you have something to hang on to. After market grips are widely available and well made ones will offer better control, reduce felt recoil, and look good. I've had a grip made by Hogue on my .41 mag for 26 years. I like wood, since I can tweak them to perfectly fit my hand.

https://www.hogueinc.com/grips

 

[s4s4u]

When it comes to SA grips, I am 100% Bisley, of the Ruger variety.

 

[LDB]

Thank you all for a number of good, interesting and helpful responses so far. Definitely food for thought.

 

[LDB]

Well, I just got back from picking up my new Super Wrangler from my FFL friend. He has a Ruger 0405 .41 Mag Blackhawk 4-5/8 he bought as hog hunting backup. It's been fired a dozen rounds. I can get it, 100 rounds of ammo, a leather holster, a set of dies, a set of A-Zoom snap caps and maybe some brass and powder. Basically anything and everything he can find that's .41 Remington as he has no other to want any of it for. For $550. Not what I initially had in mind but too good a deal to not take I think.

 

[Hondo44]

Grab it!! The biggest regret in this hobby is not grabbing a great deal when it bites you on the butt!

You have a daunting task ahead of you! One that will lead you down a crooked path and cost you a lot until you buy and sell enough to find the one you really like. Or you'll keep most of them like many of the rest of us that can't figure out which ones to shoot on range day......

 

[contender]

Neon Vernon,, I was not aware of a Lipsey's special .357 with the 5-1/5" bbl. My apologies. I'm more of an Old Model guy anyway!

LDB,, go buy that .41!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If you don't like it,, it can be easily used for trade fodder here.

 

[XUSNORDIE]

Well, I just got back from picking up my new Super Wrangler from my FFL friend. He has a Ruger 0405 .41 Mag Blackhawk 4-5/8 he bought as hog hunting backup. It's been fired a dozen rounds. I can get it, 100 rounds of ammo, a leather holster, a set of dies, a set of A-Zoom snap caps and maybe some brass and powder. Basically anything and everything he can find that's .41 Remington as he has no other to want any of it for. For $550. Not what I initially had in mind but too good a deal to not take I think.

If you don't buy it I will send my FFL info to him! If you buy it and don't like it I will send my FFL info to you!

 

[GunnyGene]

Well, I just got back from picking up my new Super Wrangler from my FFL friend. He has a Ruger 0405 .41 Mag Blackhawk 4-5/8 he bought as hog hunting backup. It's been fired a dozen rounds. I can get it, 100 rounds of ammo, a leather holster, a set of dies, a set of A-Zoom snap caps and maybe some brass and powder. Basically anything and everything he can find that's .41 Remington as he has no other to want any of it for. For $550. Not what I initially had in mind but too good a deal to not take I think.

Please, please, please don't put it in some Chinese nylon trash or kydex. Get quality vegetable tanned gun leather for it.

I patronize Diamond D. And recently Ryan Grizzle.

https://www.diamonddcustomleather.com/

https://rgrizzleleather.com/index.html

 

[GSP7]

I love my Cimarron , AWA , US Arms Abilene , Uberti, Taylor, Herters , SAs . Favorite round is .44 special

Cimearrons are the smoothest, best triggers of the newer or new bought SAs

Reloaded ammo only

 

[hittman]

My single action advice:

Stick with old models. More value there.
4 5/8 barrels more desirable to many.
I prefer 41 magnum. Reload those light or go with a 357 and shoot 38s thru it.

 

[Wyandot Jim]

Neon Vernon,, I was not aware of a Lipsey's special .357 with the 5-1/5" bbl. My apologies. I'm more of an Old Model guy anyway!

LDB,, go buy that .41!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If you don't like it,, it can be easily used for trade fodder here.

Well you can get 357 Old Model Blackhawks with 5-1/2" barrels. But you have to pay to play
It is a shame Ruger didn't make them.

 

[LDB]

Ok, the actual reckoning. No holster as it fit, slightly loosely but adequately, in his .454 holster, or maybe .500 holster. And no dies as the dies for his .454, or something, interchanged with it.

What's included: The LNIB 0405 revolver with its correct box, the A-Zoom snap caps, 2 boxes of 50 HSM 230gr "Bear Load", 5 boxes of 20 Hornady 210gr XTP, 1 box of 20 Hornady 190gr. Leverevolution FTX, 4 boxes of 20 Barnes XPB bullets and 1.x bags of 100 Starline brass. All for $550. I don't see how I can pass on it. I'll keep one box of the XTP ammo for I have no clue why. The other 7 boxes of factory ammo are a couple hundred dollars worth so hopefully maybe $150 in trade amount. The 4 boxes of Barnes maybe another $60 in trade value. The brass I'll keep.

So how far wrong am I in my thinking?

 

[jehu]

Do it!

 

[XUSNORDIE]

So how far wrong am I in my thinking?

You are only wrong if you don't take that deal.

 

[GunnyGene]

Ok, the actual reckoning. No holster as it fit, slightly loosely but adequately, in his .454 holster, or maybe .500 holster. And no dies as the dies for his .454, or something, interchanged with it.

What's included: The LNIB 0405 revolver with its correct box, the A-Zoom snap caps, 2 boxes of 50 HSM 230gr "Bear Load", 5 boxes of 20 Hornady 210gr XTP, 1 box of 20 Hornady 190gr. Leverevolution FTX, 4 boxes of 20 Barnes XPB bullets and 1.x bags of 100 Starline brass. All for $550. I don't see how I can pass on it. I'll keep one box of the XTP ammo for I have no clue why. The other 7 boxes of factory ammo are a couple hundred dollars worth so hopefully maybe $150 in trade amount. The 4 boxes of Barnes maybe another $60 in trade value. The brass I'll keep.

So how far wrong am I in my thinking?

The XTP is a great deer getter, especially in a rifle.

 

[Ale-8(1)]

Just an observation . . .

You say you don't like recoil and then present a really good deal on a .41 Magnum. If you are willing to do the reloading to get "gentle" loads out of a .41 Mag, you could do the same with any of the Ruger centerfires, including the others whose chambering begins with a "4".

The .41 deal looks good, but do consider what I mention here. Good luck.

 

[gunzo]

By not liking recoil & new to single actions I recommend saving the bear loads for later. They could likely turn a lot of folks against the caliber & the platform.
I've fired thousands of heavy loads out of Blackhawks, but I've gotten old & probably wouldn't like them either.

 

[Star43]

If you could ever find an early model 1985 SSM 32 H&R Magnum, you would be very happy. Since you don't like recoil, that would be the gun for you. 32 Mag is a great round and you could shoot the 32 S&W Long rounds in it too. Very accurate also. I have the 5 1/2 barrel and love it.

 

[LDB]

Yes, definitely, to the .32 but they seem to be few and far between. By getting this deal that will probably cause a few .32s to turn up in the next few weeks. And yes, it seems dumb to go for a .41 while not liking recoil since unlike .38 and .44 there isn't a "special" version available. Without DIY intervention anyway.

My initial thought was to get a 5.5-7.5", depending on caliber/availability .357M/.45LC and then load light specials for that. The .45LC was getting the lean because a SA is supposed to be a .45LC. I've wanted a .41 for 50 or so years since when the "good" writers were with Shooting Times and other great publications.

So I can trade the bear and other hot ammo for Choice cowboy action rounds or similar, or just for components, and roll my own. And eventually maybe find and trade for a .45LC or .32 single action. And check own a .41 from my list. And it just seems like too good a deal to pass on.

 

[gunzo]

You're in luck. Starline makes 41 special brass. In stock at Powder Valley for 28 bucks a hundred or Midway for 36.