New Model Ruger Black Hawk

[Tallball]

"Yes, you have to stop when the chamber is aligned with the slot. If you go too far, you can't go back."

Most modern Ruger SA revolvers work this way.

The Old Models worked like the old SAA (put the hammer to half-cock).

My friend got a new Super Wrangler, and it has a cylinder that can go backwards.

At least they're consistent??

 

[Armybrat]

Why, why, WHY do people carve/scratch their initials, ss #’s or whatever into firearms? Good Lord, if you’re out there and reading this, please stop. It’s just an incredibly stupid and selfish thing to do. No one needs it and nothing is helped by it. Just stop. Carve your initials into your forehead instead, if you need to leave them on something. Barmcd, that’s a nice gun! Range report due.

Ok, I’m done. Shop as usual.

That is very understandable, but……

My brothers and I presented our Dad with a new Colt SAA .45 on his 70th birthday in 1981.
(it was actually manufactured in 1979)
It has a 7.5” length barrel like Matt Dillon’s gun (a Great Western brand). Gunsmoke was his favorite TV show and he watched every episode several times in reruns for decades. He probably knew the dialogue by heart. lol
I had Dad’s US Army serial number engraved on the back strap and oldest brother crafted a very nice felt lined wood case out of Missouri walnut (Dad’s home state) for it to rest in.
Both Dad & Mom were overwhelmed with emotion when we made the presentation at his birthday celebration with all our family attending. The gift was just a token of our love and respect for what he did for us all.
It is a family heirloom now that will be passed down and don’t care what some other future collector might think about the engraved numbers.

 

[Barmcd]

You sure that isn’t the last three digits of the serial number? Ruger does that to indicat the cylinder is paired with that frame.

I think you're right it looks like it's probably and 3 and 2.

 

[Barmcd]

I loaded a variety of powders, all with 250 grain Berry's plated bullets, to chronograph this morning - Accurate No. 5, Unique, Bullseye and HS6. I started one load below max and went one load higher than max. I saw no need to start any lower because I've tried all of these in my 1873 Army clone. The Blackhawk should handle them easily, I just want to get a feel for the velocity I'll get with the extra two inches of barrel.

 

[gilgsn]

Here is why you cannot/must not push the velocity in your Uberti Cattleman. All three cylinders in this photo are chambered for 45 Colt. The three cylinders, left to right, are from an Uberti Cattlman (just like yours) a stainless Ruger "original model" Vaquero, and a 2nd Gen Colt. Notice how much thicker the chamber walls are at their thinnest sections on the Ruger cylinder than the other two. This Ruger Vaquero cylinder has the same dimensions as a New Model Blackhawk. I don't recall right now exactly how much metal is between the chambers, but you can see it is visibly more than with the other two cylinders. In addition, Ruger moved the bolt locking slots in their cylinders off center from the center of the chambers. The Uberti and Colt cylinders have the locking slots directly on center with the chambers. This means there is very little metal between the chambers and the locking slots, which makes that the weakest spot in the cylinders. Moving the locking slots off center means there is more metal between the chambers and the locking slots on a Ruger cylinder than either of the other two.

Hello.
Very informative, thank you.
Here are my three cylinders below...
Left is an original Colt SAA built in 1897, .38-40.
Top is my 1990 Ruger NM Blackhawk in .41 Magnum.
Right is a 2022 Uberti El Patron in .45 Colt.

I wonder if the .38-40 SAA has more meat between chambers than the original .45 Colt...?
Gil.

 

[Barmcd]

Hello.
Very informative, thank you.
Here are my three cylinders below...
Left is an original Colt SAA built in 1897, .38-40.
Top is my 1990 Ruger NM Blackhawk in .41 Magnum.
Right is a 2022 Uberti El Patron in .45 Colt.
View attachment 1204358
I wonder if the .38-40 SAA has more meat between chambers than the original .45 Colt...?
Gil.

The Uberti Cattleman II has more steel between the chambers than that El Patron. I've heard the cylinder on the latest models are 1/10" larger than previous models.

 

[gilgsn]

The Uberti Cattleman II has more steel between the chambers than that El Patron. I've heard the cylinder on the latest models are 1/10" larger than previous models.

Hello.
My El Patron (2022) cylinder looks to be the same size at the other end. My photo shows the cylinders from the rear, yours shows the front. I don't see why they would make two different cylinders... I would guess that all cylinders are thicker now... The chamber walls of my 1897 SAA look thicker than those of the El Patron, but that's a .38-40 and it's 1897 mild steel... I thought .38-40 and .45 Colt brass would be identical at the base, but the .45 Colt mikes at 0.4765" while the .38-40 is 0.4630". Not much of a difference, but assuming similar tolerances, that would be 0.027 more metal between chambers... At the front of the cylinder that's a whole other story of course, the .38-40 being a .401.
I plan on loading only level 1 loads in the El Patron, albeit at the top of it, but still presumably within the 14Kpsi limit. As soon as I can get more lead I will cast more of both the 285gr RCBS 45-270-SAA and the 224gr MP 454-423 HP. I'll try VV N110 and N340, as well as Vectan Ba9, SP3 and Ba6-1/2, and of course 3F BP.
Although it's been a long time since I shot my .38-40 with a slightly compressed charge of 3F and a 190gr Big Lube bullet, I don't recall a big difference in perceived power with my recent reacquaintance with the .45 Colt. Unfortunately I did not have a Chronograph that day. My next unreasonable purchase will be the new Garmin radar/chrono, because setting up my Chrony at the range is a big production and frowned upon. I find a chrono to be indispensable for load development though.
Gil.

 

[Barmcd]

Some of the data from the Blackhawk this morning. As before, the first shots were fired with the barrel pointing down as the gun was cocked, the next five were fired after the barrel was pointed up as the gun was cocked. A few rounds didn't record. For the most part, these are loads that I shot in the Uberti Cattleman II which delivered much lower velocities with its 5 1/2" barrel. It struggles to deliver 700 FPS.

Shot List	Index	Velocity	Temperature	Barometric Pressure	Bullet Weight	Ft/lbs	Power Factor	Date
	1
9.9 gr Accurate No. 5	2	754	69F	30 in Hg	250	316	188	4/11/2024 11:04
9.9 gr Accurate No. 5	3	762	69F	30 in Hg	250	322	190	4/11/2024 11:04
9.9 gr Accurate No. 5	4	813	69F	30 in Hg	250	367	203	4/11/2024 11:05
9.9 gr Accurate No. 5	5	801	69F	30 in Hg	250	356	200	4/11/2024 11:05
9.9 gr Accurate No. 5	6	798	69F	30 in Hg	250	353	199	4/11/2024 11:05
Average Velocity	786
Extreme Spread	59
Standard Deviation	26
Averate ft/lbs	343
Average Power Factor	196
Shot List	Index	Velocity	Temperature	Barometric Pressure	Bullet Weight	Ft/lbs	Power Factor	Date
7.1 gr Bullseye	1	764	69F	30 in Hg	250	324	191	4/11/2024 11:15
7.1 gr Bullseye	2	857	69F	30 in Hg	250	408	214	4/11/2024 11:15
7.1 gr Bullseye	3	891	69F	30 in Hg	250	441	222	4/11/2024 11:15
7.1 gr Bullseye	4	874	69F	30 in Hg	250	424	218	4/11/2024 11:15
	5
7.1 gr Bullseye	6	876	69F	30 in Hg	250	426	219	4/11/2024 11:15
Average Velocity	852
Extreme Spread	127
Standard Deviation	51
Averate ft/lbs	404
Average Power Factor	213
Shot List	Index	Velocity	Temperature	Barometric Pressure	Bullet Weight	Ft/lbs	Power Factor	Date
7.1 gr Unique	1	643	69F	30 in Hg	250	229	160	4/11/2024 11:07
7.1 gr Unique	2	757	69F	30 in Hg	250	318	189	4/11/2024 11:07
7.1 gr Unique	3	753	69F	30 in Hg	250	315	188	4/11/2024 11:08
7.1 gr Unique	4	753	69F	30 in Hg	250	315	188	4/11/2024 11:08
7.1 gr Unique	5	780	69F	30 in Hg	250	338	195	4/11/2024 11:08
7.1 gr Unique	6	767	69F	30 in Hg	250	327	191	4/11/2024 11:08
Average Velocity	742
Extreme Spread	137
Standard Deviation	50
Averate ft/lbs	307
Average Power Factor	185
Shot List	Index	Velocity	Temperature	Barometric Pressure	Bullet Weight	Ft/lbs	Power Factor	Date
7.6 gr Unique	1	643	69F	30 in Hg	250	229	160	4/11/2024 11:10
7.6 gr Unique	2	796	69F	30 in Hg	250	352	199	4/11/2024 11:10
7.6 gr Unique	3	789	69F	30 in Hg	250	346	197	4/11/2024 11:10
7.6 gr Unique	4	816	69F	30 in Hg	250	370	204	4/11/2024 11:10
7.6 gr Unique	5	817	69F	30 in Hg	250	371	204	4/11/2024 11:10
7.6 gr Unique	6	817	69F	30 in Hg	250	371	204	4/11/2024 11:10
Average Velocity	780
Extreme Spread	174
Standard Deviation	68
Averate ft/lbs	340
Average Power Factor	195
Shot List	Index	Velocity	Temperature	Barometric Pressure	Bullet Weight	Ft/lbs	Power Factor	Date
8.1 gr Unique	1	682	69F	30 in Hg	250	258	170	4/11/2024 11:12
8.1 gr Unique	2	864	69F	30 in Hg	250	414	216	4/11/2024 11:12
8.1 gr Unique	3	845	69F	30 in Hg	250	396	211	4/11/2024 11:12
8.1 gr Unique	4	876	69F	30 in Hg	250	426	219	4/11/2024 11:12
8.1 gr Unique	5	862	69F	30 in Hg	250	412	215	4/11/2024 11:12
8.1 gr Unique	6	857	69F	30 in Hg	250	408	214	4/11/2024 11:12
Average Velocity	831
Extreme Spread	194
Standard Deviation	74
Averate ft/lbs	386
Average Power Factor	208

 

[ahutch71]

After doing some research I've found that Ruger made a Redhawk in 45 Colt for a little while along with a Super Blackhawk Hunter. I'd like to find one of either at a reasonable price, but all I've found are prior sales and out of stock notices. That's why I'm focusing on a Blackhawk which should be readily available. I kinda actually like the look of the Bisley model and have seen a few of those for sale at a premium, but not crazy price.

I had one of those Redhawks for a while but didn’t love it and sold it. It had a very tight cylinder gap, and when shooting Unique loads (which I like for 45 Colt) it would start binding pretty quickly. I kept a toothbrush in my pocket and could brush the face of the forcing cone to free it up, but I eventually got annoyed and rather than filing down the cone I sold and got a Blackhawk that I like much better. Then I started shooting 44, and 45 fell out of favor with me. I found a Blackhawk “Shootist Mistake Gun” (7.5” 44Spl Blackhawk Bisley) and 45 went onto the shelf. Have one of the SBH Hunters in 44 Mag and that’s a great iron as well.