Ruger Super Blackhawk 10.5 " .44 mag

[Sea Buck]

Just rec'd a nice year end bonus and am thinking of investing in a Ruger Super Blackhawk SS 10.5" in .44 mag. Use will be game,& target. I'll probably scope it, and regrip it.My questions: What are the pros and cons of this revolver? Am I making the right choice? I'd just love to drive a coyote with a 240 gr slug!!

[mes227]

I do not (yet) have a SBH, but I do have the Super Redhawk stainless in 44mag with 7-1/2" barrel. I also have a S&W Mountain Gun stainless in 44mag, which is a special edition of the 629 with tapered barrel and shortened under lug to reduce weight. Both are fantastic. Really works of art. The Mountain Gun is my favorite, though; of all my handguns, in fact, with a close second being the Model 610 10mm/40S&W. Both 44mags have great hand feel, both are very accurate and exceptionally well built guns. In terms of one over the other, for anything but hunting I'd take the Mountain Gun. Very well balanced, aims itself, easy to holster, easy to handle in every sense. The longer barrel of the SRH, however, makes for more accurate longer-distance shooting (that is, accuracy of the shooter, both guns are exceptionally accurate before introducing human error). It's greater weight also reduces felt recoil, but also makes it a bit front heavy, which will be worse with the longer barrel. Not terribly so, but noticeable. And while I can shoot the Mountain Gun all day, and have often put several hundred rounds through at a time, I tend to not shoot the SRH as much simply because it's a bigger, heavier gun. I do not yet have a scope on my SRH but that's near the top of my wish list (actually I have 3 revolvers in "need" of scopes, the 44mag, a SRH in 480 Ruger with 9-1/2" brl, and a S&W 460 XVR with 8-3/8"....I am pondering buying 1 or 2 scopes for all three....obviously I do like big, heavy guns!)

If I were to buy a 44mag for hunting I'd get the Super Blackhawk, though. I very much like the Bisley Hunter version. SA for the simplicity of the mechanism and for the reduced weight. The SBHs get excellent reviews and they're hard to find used, especially the Bisleys, suggesting that people rarely let them go. They are great guns and I'd buy one if the price were right, but my next revolver will likely be in 41Mag just for a change, though. Or a 445 Supermag.

[steveno]

I have had four Ruger 44 mags ( 2 Redhawks and 2 Superblackhawks) and by far the Superblackhawks were the better of the two types. I should have kept the 10.5 inch version and I don't miss the others at all. Don't put a scope on it and rubber grips were a LOT more comfortable for me. the best shooting bullet was the 265 gr Hornady soft point. it is too bad that Ruger made a 10.5 inch version in 41 mag.

[Pahoo]

I think this would be one of many great choices as they are great shooters. I'm not sure if mine has a 10" barrel so will check that. Very accurate. Mine has a Hogue grips but the wood looks better. There are quite a few bases available and mone is an older Redfield but have never installed it. I just enjoy shooting it as is. After the first three or four intorductory rounds, I can hndle it quite well. Also have taken at least two deer with it. ...



Be Safe !!!

[lashlaroe]

I have a .44 SBH with 7-1/2" barrel (if I recall correctly). It is a great hunting and target handgun and I happen to like how a single action recoils. As to whether or not to scope it, I'd leave that to you to decide, based upon your preference and what you expect to hunt and at what ranges.

I do also like SRHs in .44, but have a particular soft spot for the Blackhawk. I have taken deer and hogs with mine with iron sights, but then in my situation, I rarely get a shot out to even 100 yds with most at 50 yds or less. As with all firearms, practice with yours is key, but the SBH will be capable of accuracy better than you are likely to be able to hold.

[Jim March]

There's something odd and cool about the 10.5" barrel SRHs.

The ejector and ejector housing are both "over-length" - they're 5" as opposed to the 4.68" on all the other barrel lengths.

A *huge* number of them had their barrels chopped even with the ejector rod as carry guns that have a longer ejector stroke than other variants. This also results in a "bull barrel" look, as the barrel is thicker at that point than it is with the other barrels. This in turn gives you a stronger mounting point for custom sights.

[Wag]

Great choice. Get the Pachmayr grips for it.

--Wag--

[lashlaroe]

In my opinion, you should refrain from putting Pachmyer grips on it until you shoot it and decide that you want to. The Colt style guns have a natural roll upon recoil that is facilitated by the roundish wood grips. Many, like myself, find that this is preferable to the rubber grips that will transfer all the recoil to the shooter's hand.

While rubber grips are better for carry situations where a quick second shot is desired and preferrable, this is not necessarily the case when hunting or target shooting. Of course, if you do add a scope, then you may find that the rubber grips help control that extra weight.

As usual, my advice is to try what you have before modifying. Your preferences and results are will vary from mine and many others.

[Jim March]

What Lash said, except I'll add one more: get ahold of three different loads:

1) Some 44Special that you KNOW aren't going to recoil much at all. (Hardly matters what type, there's no such thing as a 44Spl loaded hot enough to sting in THAT gun!)

2) Some good "standard" 44Magnum by any major brand. 240gr rated at 1,400fps (will do more in a 10" tube but ignore that).

3) Some REALLY wild stuff by DoubleTap Ammo, Grizzly Cartridge, Buffalo Bore or Garrett. 300gr or more loaded hell-bent-for-leather.

Try #1 above first, get your hold correct. Move up to #2, see how it feels...if it's just too ugly in your hands, either switch grips or get some advice on holding SA wheelguns. Once the #2 loads feel good, move up to the major stuff and see if it STILL feels good .

Upshot: if you can control the #2 loads with zero pain, you won't hurt yourself too bad when you step up to the majors. Get everything sorted out before going to #3. But also remember, that big heavy barrel is going to seriously help with recoil control, better than more or less any 44Mag handgun you can buy.

[Wag]

I recommended the Pachmayr grips because with the stock grips, a dozen rounds leave me quivering in agony. With the Pachmayr grips, I can shoot it all day long with no trouble whatsoever!



--Wag--

[rep1954]

Jim March said: The ejector and ejector housing are both "over-length" - they're 5" as opposed to the 4.68" on all the other barrel lengths.

Actually they are 5" and 4" on Ruger Single actions resulting in a 5 5/8" and 4 5/8" barrel when made flush to the ejector housings. I owned a 10 1/2" SBH and ended up shotening it flush to the 5" ejector housing. Shooting off hand the shorter barrel was much more comfortable than trying to hold the long barrel on target.

[GeauxTide]

You'll wish you bought a 7.5". I had a 41 and 44 Smiths in 8.375" and they were too long for comfortable holstering. Handling a Ruger SBH in 10 felt very unbalanced.

[BIG P]

I like the SBH IN 1O.5 I use a shoulder rig hunt deer & hogs.its a great shooter good truck gun.& man does it do a job on yotes.had mine 10 years its still goes to the woods with me.

[Jim March]

You'll wish you bought a 7.5". I had a 41 and 44 Smiths in 8.375" and they were too long for comfortable holstering. Handling a Ruger SBH in 10 felt very unbalanced.

Right. Which is why so many got chopped .

But when you do that, you get "the best SBH that Ruger never made" .

[bamaranger]

My Dad bought one of the first 10.5" guns to hit our area. Put a huge set of wooden aftermarket grips on it and a 2.5x scope. With it, I could routinely bust clay birds on the berm of our area range at 125 yds or so, shooting from rest or improvised support. It was hauntingly accurate.

Sister has it presently and I hope some day she offers it my way.

[Ozzieman]

Go with the Ruger Hunter. I would check out both the Hunter and the Bisley Hunter and see which one fits you the best. Personally l like the standard but a good friend has the Bisley and depending on your hands one will work better than the other.
Also the fact that the hunter is set up for good rings from Ruger, with a good quality scope will drive tacks.
Then all you need to finish out a good set of guns is to add a Ruger 77/44 bolt.

Many, like myself, find that this is preferable to the rubber grips that will transfer all the recoil to the shooter's hand.
+1 I feel this is a very good comment and accurate.

http://www.ruger.com/products/newMod...er/models.html

http://www.ruger.com/products/newMod...er/models.html

[shortwave]

Started out with the 10.5". Found that its was as accurate, dependable and well crafted as previously described.
I also found out that the 10.5" length was a bit cumbersome for me when hunting as Jim March described.

Had trouble drawing the 10.5". Carried the thing "across the chest" and my arms just were'nt long enough for a comfortable, smooth draw.
I lost a nice buck due to an unholstering issue .

If I was soley stand hunting. I didn't mind the extra length as I would just sling holster harness over shoulder, walk to stand and hang rig over tree limb at stand.

Today, I much prefer the 7.5" to the rest of the lengths for an all purpose hunting/shooting gun.

YMMV

[Charger Fan]

Honestly, the 10.5" SBH is one of my very most favorite guns to shoot. Sure it's long, but I don't find it particularly nose-heavy, not when compared to some of my heavy barrel Dan Wessons. I have a fondness for long barrel handguns & own quite a few.
As mentioned above, drawing one in haste from a holster could prove troublesome, but that's about the only drawback I can think of with a 10.5" SBH. I've got large hands & prefer these smooth Herrett's on my shooter (the other one is unfired) over the stock grips. Everyone's different though & there are many grip opinions.

[swsurgeon]

I have the stainless 10.5" with larger wood grips. I like it for hunting hogs with iron sights. It is very accurate and that long barrel really milks the hot, heavy slug loads for all they are worth. I don't find it any harder to hold than a shorter scoped revolver I also like.

[Jim March]

You know, the 10.5" SBH is still in the official catalog! I doubt the production numbers are very high, but...hey, checked out of curiosity, Davidson's has three in stainless right this second.

Man, that'd make a sweet project. Chop it flush with the long ejector, Bisley-ize it, upgrade the sights...dayum.

[Katsumi Liquer]

I've had a stainless SBH 10.5" since about '02 and routinely shoot my 240 gr. full-power magnum handloads through it. It is strictly a range gun.

Pros:

1. It is stupidly accurate. Sub-2" offhand groups are the norm at 25 yards with my handloads, and the gun, when properly benched, is fully capable of sub-3" groups at 100 yards, using the stock iron sights (though I did have to put a dab of white paint at the tip of the front sight to make it stand out a little better).

2. The gun's heft helps to absorb the recoil when shooting full-power loads. I do have a Hogue "Monogrip" grip on it, which further helps with recoil management. In all honesty, 100 rounds of full-power magnum loads through the gun at a single range session is no more punishing than, say, 100 rounds through a .40 S&W handgun.

3. For some reason, full-power loads don't sound as obnoxious when fired through the 10.5" barrel. I confirmed this one time when a friend brought his SBH with a 4" barrel to the indoor range, and I ran some of my handloads through his gun. The report from his gun was a relatively sharp and annoying CRACK while the 10.5" SBH produced more of a loud THUMP.

4. The trigger pull is extremely easy to improve. Simply unhooking one of the legs of the trigger return spring will reduce the trigger pull significantly; polishing the hammer/sear surfaces will yield a proverbial "glass rod" break. I did both on mine (in addition to replacing the hammer mainspring with a slightly lighter one), and the trigger now breaks at a little under a pound.


Cons:

1. Because of the long barrel, the gun tends to balance a little nose-heavy.

2. The gun is so much fun to shoot that you go through ammo very quickly, and this can be expensive even if one handloads for it!

[Jim March]

3. For some reason, full-power loads don't sound as obnoxious when fired through the 10.5" barrel. I confirmed this one time when a friend brought his SBH with a 4" barrel to the indoor range, and I ran some of my handloads through his gun. The report from his gun was a relatively sharp and annoying CRACK while the 10.5" SBH produced more of a loud THUMP.

That's because the powder is burning inside the barrel (behind the bullet) instead of in the air?

[swsurgeon]

Like Katsumi, I did some trigger work on mine. He's right---it's easy and feels like a match trigger created by a good gunsmith.

[Nemsis]

How about a 5.5" SBH?
Or is that too short for a .44 mag

[Jim March]

The right 44Mag loads will work just fine out of a 4" or 5" barrel, no problem. By 5" it's starting to really run right.

SBHs from Ruger that have 4.68" or 5.5" barrels have the smaller XR3-RED grip frame, as opposed to the larger grip frame on the longer barrels.

If you're going to shoot HOT 44Mag you might be happier with a Ruger Bisley hammer/trigger/grip setup. Right now the "Bisley Blackhawk" in 44Mag only ships in blue with a 7.5" barrel, or if you want stainless pay $100 more for the Bisley Hunter variant. But man, that would be a truly sweet gun chopped even with the ejector rod...hey, which on a Hunter is over-length again, same as the 10.5" I think!? Being stainless it'd be an easy chop'n're-crown job, also very easy to cut a new front dovetail...scope ring mounts would still be there...damn, that'd be a sweet as hell setup, wouldn't it?