Super happy with my Lipsey's .44 Special Blackhawk!

[mm6mm6]

My Colts shoot .428 diameter bullets very accurately and so does my S&W 624. When I first shot my Ruger Blackhawk with my reloads, the accuracy was rather dismal.

I have since figured out that the new Lipsey's .44's have .430 cylinder chambers and I found I had a bunch of 240 grain and 205 grain .430 diameter bullets. I loaded 'em up and shot 'em yesterday.

The target on the left measures five shots in 2 1/2" at 25 yards. I'm sure the grouping would have been better with someone who shoots better than me working the trigger. The shots on the right were standing, one handed at 7 yards.

Yep, I'm very happy with this Ruger. Skeeter sure was right.

-Steve

 

[bronco45]

I love mine: Great guns in all respects.

 

[contender]

You have found out the same thing a lot of us around here found.
That new 44 spl is one good, accurate shooting gun! Both of mine are just sweet!

 

[Dale53]

I have only had my Lipsey Special to the range once (this week) but will hit it again tomorrow.

I consider this one of the best "Packin' Guns" of all time (John Taffin coined phrase). I would not quarrel with anyone who picked the .45 Colt cartridge for this purpose. Both are quite good. However, I believe that the .44 Special has the edge in a Colt size cylindered revolver. The extra wall thickness of the .44 Special over the .45 Colt allows considerably greater velocity with safety (in a Colt sized revolver). The Blackhawk in .45 Colt can be loaded to give as much as anyone needs for medium game but that is with a larger framed, larger cylinder gun.

I prefer the feel of the Lipsey Special (or custom .44 Specials) if I had my druthers (and I do ) compared to the larger BlackHawks. Neither is really "superior" but I DO have my preferences...

Dale53

 

[gunman42782]

The .44 Special is Special, indeed!

 

[kooz]

I consider this one of the best "Packin' Guns" of all time (John Taffin coined phrase). I would not quarrel with anyone who picked the .45 Colt cartridge for this purpose. Both are quite good. However, I believe that the .44 Special has the edge in a Colt size cylindered revolver. The extra wall thickness of the .44 Special over the .45 Colt allows considerably greater velocity with safety (in a Colt sized revolver). Quote


I believe that the playing field has been pretty much leveled between the .44spl and the .45Colt as far as the strength of the guns they are available in. The New Vaquero and the USFA guns fall somewhere between the Colt SAA and the Blackhawk in strength, and can easily digest a steady diet of 24-26K loads. I have packin guns in both calibers and like both.

 

[VonFatman]

Nice shooting Steve. I too enjoy these Blackhawks and will try some .430's next time I reload for the guns.

Bob

 

[Stoots]

Steve,

Is this the one with the new springs?


Great shooting!

 

[Boge]

You might want to slug the chambers first. Mine takes a 0.431 bullet. :wink:

 

[hanabi]

Throats measure .431"
Groove diameter is .430"

Joe O

 

[jforwel]

I have been very happy with mine using 240gr XTP and H110 powder.

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Each target is two 5 shot groups, left is with 2400 and right is with H110 at 25 yards. Both loads are under 2" but H110 beat 2400 by an 1/8".

I am still trying to get my cast bullet loads this tight.

 

[Rodfac]

Jforwel...great groups. I'd be interested in the exact powder charge. I'm using Lyman's 429215 GC, sized .430" when cast from wheel weights over 6.5 gr of Win 231, or 7.0 gr of Unique for about 950 fps in my 4 5/8" Lipsey/Ruger .44 Spl. It's a good load that regularly gives me less than 1.5" gps at 25 yds.

Using the Hornady GC, I have virtually no leading. Without the GC, it's about the same, well over 100 rounds without leading, and that using only Lees' Liquid Alox lube. Groups open up without the GC to slightly less than 2" at 25 yds. Still outstanding, but after seeing all those shots clustered into one ragged hole, it's addictive.

Here's a representative gp. The other one is the same gun with new homemade coco bolo grips. Best Regards, Rodfac

 

[jforwel]

Rodfac those are nice grips. The H110 charge is 19.0gr and the other is 16.0gr of 2400. The H110 load and I think the 2400 load came from a recent article in Handloader. From a 5.5" barrel H110 will hit 1182fps and using 2400 I get 1162fps.

My best cast load so far is 7.0gr of Unique under a home cast 429421 weighing 254gr with WW. The best I have done is 9 shots in 2" at 25 yards with one flyer that added another 3/4". So I have to keep trying.

 

[Rodfac]

Thanks jforwel. I'll give 'em a try. Here's a pic of tonight's efforts: 7.2 gr of Unique, Lyman 429215 Gc @ .430". Shot offhand, weaver stance at 22 yds. I got lucky and was able to hold the sight picture through two cylinders full! Gotta be honest though, it's arguably the best standing gp I've ever fired...even got my wife to take a pic for posterity. Regards, Rodfac

 

[Dale53]

Nice shootin', Rodfac!!

I"m pretty dern happy with mine, also.

Dale53

 

[jforwel]

Great shooting. Looks like a nice piece of land you're standing on. Sometimes I think I need to get away from the bench and do more off hand fun stuff.

 

[Boge]

Rodfac, that is real "shootist" style work there!! :wink:

Question: was there a particular reason that you settled on 7.2 gr Unique out of curiousity?

 

[Rodfac]

Worked up to it, Boge. The gun shoots well with it and it's got enough umph to keep my buddies from calling it a sissy load! I've shot heavier doses of Unique, but why push it when "less is more"? Same for the bullet weight. 240 gr's is pretty much the standard, but this 429215 bullet saves me 35 gr of valuable wheel weights on each pull of the trigger. Gettin' harder to find a tire dealer willing to give/sell you cannon fodder.

Jforwel...we've got a small farm NE of Louisville; gives me a range good enuf for 300 yd rapid fire with the M1, and no neighbors near enuf to complain about the cannon fire! It's a piece of heaven and pretty rare east of the Mississippi.

Wish my eyes were better, though...seems like by the time you get some semblance of trigger control, (a forty year odisey in my case), the eyes are on the way south! Dime store specs help though. LOL

Regards, Rodfac

 

[jforwel]

Rodfac have you considered trying Lyman's diopter eyepiece? I had read about them for a while and finally bought one. I use reading glasses myself. I put this thing on my shooting glasses and WOW! how clear the sights became. I use it now for testing and slow shooting at rocks or steel. Midway has them.

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?productnumber=936878

 

[bronco45]

Great shootin Rodfac. Sure like the Cocobolos on that 44. You ought to frame that pic.