I'd buy a Ruger Super "Duper" Blackhawk in a heartbeat! Even if it was a 5-shot. I love my standard 4-5/8" blued Super Blackhawk.
No problem... All it takes is money, or about twice the price of the base model, plus a revolver to convert. Also check out Freedom Arms and Magnum Research.
.Yep, all those options are much more money than what I assume a Ruger SA .454 would cost
Yup, you're right, and that's the whole point.
Ruger could tool up and build the revolver you want, but they won't do it unless they see a market demand large enough to pay for the development, tooling and manufacturing costs and still leave them with a profit. To do that they have to sell thousands, not hundred's of guns.
They are well aware that some potential customers want this-or-that, but when they crunch the numbers they find that cost vs. sales don't come out on their side.
Which is the reason we have custom gunshops.
I wish sometimes that Ruger would collaborate with Gary Reeder and try and produce a production version of his "stretched frame" Blackhawks. This is very wishful thinking at best IMO.
If Reeder and Ruger were to collaborate (unlikely as it is) I would at least hope that Ruger would insist that the guns not be covered in cheap, tacky looking laser engraving and other stupid nonsense
One of us posted that the Blackhawk is not as strong as the Redhawk. Is that true?
For some time several custom gunsmiths have offered .454 Casull, Blackhawk conversions using special aftermarket 5-shot cylinders, and apparently these have not developed problems, large or small.