Ruger Black Hawk 44 Mag 4 5/8

[Hank08]

Thanks Steve,  love my single actions.  There's some beauties pictured here, bet there's more out there, let's see them.
H08

[Lloyd Smale]

forgot to metion that I also have a 4440 fluted cylinder that dustin linebaugh generously donated to the project.

heres mine. A project i took on myself. Its  super that i fitted an aluminum grip frame and ejector rod housing to and bead blasted the whole gun so it would match. The grips are white (fake) micartas that our own 44 man scrimshawed a pic of elmer keith on one side and a pic of my chocolate lab whos name happens to be elmer kieth on the other. My neigbor scalloped the recoil sheildand loading gate. My buddy did the action on it. I put a bowen rear and a clements front post sight on it and a sherrifs model belt mountain base pin to get a little more positive extraction. Only hunting ive done with it was last spring i took a 1000 lb cow buffalo with it.

[Stuart C.]

Ok, dumb question.
What's the advantage of the 44 over the 45 Colt?
I tried to figure this out myself and see that the 44 mag pressure is up around 3000 psi and the 44 special is about half that, but where's the 45 colt in the mix?  Is the advantage of the 44 mag the ability to shoot 44 specials for practice and then higher velocity rounds for hunting?

[Keith L]

The 45 Colt is a mild round designed for Colt single action and similar pistols.  Factory ammo tends to be low pressure and safe for all guns.  If you handload, however, and have a strong enough gun like a Blackhawk or an original Vaquero, or a Contender it can run with the .44 mag.  I load, so I don't see the need for a .44.

I am sure that there are other opinions but this is mine for what it is worth.

[S.B.]

Keith, the only problem I can foresee is if you have several guns of this caliber, and load enough, sooner or later, couldn't you mistake ammo and end up with damage to a S&W or Colt revolver? That been my theory all along with hot loading for a Ruger. They may be fine with the super hot loads but, not every gun is. Maybe I'm just too dumb to own a Ruger and hot load for it, only?
I now own both Ruger and S&Ws in .44 mag. and I'm considering loading the same for both makes, to prevent this happening.

[Hank08]

SB, That's what I do.  In my FA .454 I only use .45 cases so I load one load that's on the high end for the Ruger and the low end for the .454 but still powerful enough for any use I have for either.  On the other hand I have a FA.353 that the load I use is more than I want to shoot in a Ruger so I color code it and mark the ammo boxes so hopefully I wont use them in a Ruger.
H08

[Keith L]

All my 45s to date are hardy.  I have stayed away so far from ones that can't take it, but it has been close a time or two.  Some day one will come home with me and I will have to change my ways...

[Great_White_Buffalo]

I know this is a old thread but I do want to thank everyone with there responses. I was seriously doubting picking up a SBH .44 4 5/8 barrel do to recoil and sight radius. I planned on shooting spls until I was more comfortable and move on up into the hotter loads. You guys put out some good experienced info and sealed the deal for me. I will be picking up on Saturday and have no regrets thanks yall. I planned on this being my wondering the woods and sometimes hunting revolver but wasn't sure it was a good idea. Know I see it will be my wondering the woods, hunting, and CCW. Thank you everyone

[shvlhead.45]

While I've never shot a .44 Mag SBH, I do own, carry, shoot the 4 5/8 NMBH in .45 Colt that only gets Ruger level hand loads with stout but w/i book loads of 2400 and 296 pushing 240, 250, and 300 gr XTPs.  That revolver carryies all day right nice; little and big piggies just drop when shot.  Now, one warning; those black plastic grips will scrape the calleouses(sp) off a heavily calleoused hand in short order.  Hogue Blackhawk grips are too big for my smallish hand so I found a Pachmyer Presentation that does OK till I find a set of wood grips that I like and can afford at the same time.

Enjoy, you're going to like.

v/r
Shvlhead.45

[ronbow]

I just bought a SBH 5.5 bbl in .44mag to carry while bow hunting in case I have to contest a bear (or anything else). For you guys that say the recoil is "moderate", try shooting Bullalo Bore 270 gr. loads. Be careful how close your thumb area is to the hammer.