Ok so I've posted about my Great Grandpa's Ruger Blackhawk in .44 magnum. It's a great story I grew up hearing my dad tell many times. Well I took it out the other day and fired three rounds of 180 grain Federal JHP. I must say I did not care for the way my hand felt after the third shot. I'm no YouTube influencers like Scott on Kentucky Ballistics (love his content) and dont measure my manhood by how much
recoil can I absorb. I can shoot it just fine I just don't like to. So here is my where I'm stuck. I'm unsure if I want to part with it for something that I will enjoy shooting more or hang on to it because it i am the 4th in my family line to own this .44.
Perhaps by posting on here will help.
I'm not going to post the story again (I'm not sure how to link it either) it's under my other posts. I'm kinda struggling with this because after losing my dad, my best friend and just recently someone I have grown very close to I find myself wondering why am I so wrapped up with the story behind things like this .44. It's a story that I've told all my friends when I bring it out to shoot or just having a show and tell session. However ultimately when I'm gone that story kinda goes with me. To anyone else it's a funny story sure but the .44 is just another Ruger Blackhawk to anyone else. Or am I wrong?
After the third round was sent down range i asked my buddies if they wanted to shoot it. Afterwards it went back in the house and my mind wandered into the you know why not put it towards something you'll actually enjoy shooting. I know the pawn shop down the road has a couple rifles that I have been looking at lately. I immediately felt like I betrayed my family lineage somehow.
I have been back and forth on this for about a week now. There's a part of me that thinks that if I do sell/trade it for something I will actually shoot more often by Grandpa, my dad and great grandpa would be alright with it. Another part of me cringes at the thought of getting rid of "a family gun". The only reason I made sure I kept it in the first place is because of the story behind it.
I don't recall if I mentioned in that post that my great grandpa had to send it back to Ruger in pieces due to double charging a reload. So it's been refinished from the factory and I have the invoice for the rebuild.
That in a nut shell is where I'm stuck. Anyone in a similar bind or maybe on the other side of it. Perhaps this will help someone out in the future find some peace with whatever decision they make with a gun that was passed on to them (assuming we'll still have that option). I appreciate you for reading this post and welcome any thoughts you may have.
Good luck !
