I'm wanting a another BlackHawk

[huntswithdogs]

But can't decide whether I want another 45 or a 357. I've got a BH 45 with the 7.5'' barrel, but wanting something a little shorter this time around. Maybe a 4.5''. What's ya'll thoughts on this? I prefer adjustable sights over fixed. I'm not into shooting elephant loads, but I don't like a gun that will melt the wax outa your ears even when wearing muffs. I tend too flinch from either.
So, with this stuff in mind, what would ya'll recommend.

HWD

[kynardsj]

My experience with the big bore Rugers, 44's and 45's, is that it's more of a boom when you touch it off. A 357 mag hurts my ears worse that the other two ever have. A definate difference in the pitch. Years ago I shot a 357 mag off the hood of my truck with no hearing protection, the sound that reflected off the windshield was awful. My ears rang for days. Unless I'm in the woods taking a shot at a critter, I wear hearing protection with all of them now. All that said, be it a 45 or a 357 Blackhawk, hard to go wrong with a 4 5/8 inch barrel in either. The 45's though, even with a factory type loading, 250 gr lead running around 875 fps, packs a good punch. JMHO

[tacklebury]

Well, I love my .45LC/ACP convertible in 5.5".  It's got accuracy out to 70 yards with the .45 colt and jacketed bullets.  I also get good luck with 200 gr. Dardas RNFP (typical cowboy profile) leads and 6 gr. Unique.  Very accurate and fun plinking loads.  Hornady 250 gr. XTP's are good from 7-10 gr. or the Sierra 240gr Sportsmaster HP.  For big gun loads, I go H110 per Linbaugh spec. with the 300 gr. XTP Magnum or 240 gr. XTP Magnum if ranges will be a little longer.  These definitely kick hard.  I wouldn't carry these in the gun unless I were going into bear/moose country.  Round here I mainly carry 240 gr. Sierra's with 10 gr. Unique. 
 

[Ken ONeill]

Here's a new Ruger stainless 4 5/8" mid - frame Flat Top .45 convertible, available through Lipsey's. The front sight has been changed, and it's had a trigger job, but otherwise stock.
As a mid frame it's best suited to standard .45 Colt loads or a bit more (up to 23,000 psi). This one actually prefers the .45 ACP. I'm liking this one a lot.

[hillbill]

well either choice is a good one.i used to be a 357 guy but now im a 45 guy.id go 45, i think it weighs less.well untill you load it lol

[tacklebury]

My ACP cylinder is slightly more accurate also.  When I do plinking loads, I typically use the ACP now with the same 200 gr. Dardas bullet.  I load these for my EAA witness also and they do great in that as well.    ACP cases are a little easier to avoid double shots of 6.5 Unique as it's more obvious to say the least.    Whenever I load light Unique loads, I weigh every finished bullet and any that are off by more than 2 gr. get recycled.    You can often get 2 gr. variance in bullet/case, so I give it that much.  hehe

[Graybeard]

Why not get one of the .44 Specials they are making now. I'm really enjoying mine and working toward 1000 fps or thereabouts with a Lyman 429421 aka Keith cast bullet. Mine is a 5.5" Bisley.

[inthebeech]

HW dog buddy,
For all I know you've got more years on me than I do you so I apologize if this sounds condesending, but I've just gone through enough money and guns and come out finally with enough experience beaten in to my thick skull to be comfortable with this advice;
Own one gun.  Learn to shoot that gun with one or two loads.  Learn the maintenance, operation, and uniqueness to the point where you can tell by the Point Of Impact which chamber that bullet came out of, and you will find a joy and a peacefullness that I truly think is unattainable any other way.  And there's actually a lot of reward in finding a way to make your 45 do what some tyro claims you can only do with a .357.
With all of my (past) buying and selling you could say that my (XXXXX) gun cost me about twenty grand.  I hope I did not insult you.  I am just trying to offer some advice which if heeded, will get you where you may ultimately end up, for about twenty thousand less.
If not, the economy certainly thanks you. 
Good Luck,
 

[yooper77]

I also have the Ruger 45 Colt/45 ACP convertible with a 5.5" barrel which is a perfect barrel length.
 
I first installed pachmayr presentation grips which i use on all my pistols.
 
yooper77   

[bmb]

im really into the 357, myself. its a very versatile catridge and its all i use for handgun hunting:) im actually getting a 4 5/8" bh for Christmas! i love the barrel length. take a look at my post in handgun hunting for an idea of what they will do:) good luck with choice and have fun!

[huntswithdogs]

Tacklebury, I think that's what my dealers getting in but in Stainless and convertible.

Ken, That's what I'm talking about!! That looks like it's right up my alley!

GB, I thought about a 44spl...for a minute or two. Then the 45 kept overriding everything else. Decisions, decisions...

All of these ya'll showed me are the flattops, right? I know they're listed as Medium framed guns. Will they have the same feel as my BH? Do they feel smaller?
I reckon I need to get off this afternoon and go back to the gunshop. Do a little comparison shopping. Lord only knows what'll happen while I'm there. The last time this little 410 SxS tried to follow me out the door. It was all they could do to pry it outa my hands....


Off to see the wizard(or is that magician because he sure can make my money disappear!) at 5 eastern.


HWD

[Avyctes]

Once upon a time I had a 45ACP/45C Blackhawk Convertible which got traded for a 6-digit Springfield M1 rifle.  I don't regret the trade, but I do lament the loss, if you know what I mean.  I made a fantastic trade but missed the Ruger.  Later I got a Uberti 1873 in 357.  I like it, but I still miss the Ruger 45.  Mine was in the 5.5" barrel I believe, and I really enjoyed it.  I used the ACP for plinking and shooting bowling pins and carried the Colt cylinder in it for hog hunting.  I always use hearing protection even when shooting .22s so that is not an issue. 

[huntswithdogs]

Ok...I looked at the Lipsey 5.5'' convertible last nite. It's a great looking gun, but I still want the 4 5/8'' like Ken showed off. The one question I have is about the grips. Will an extra set of Pachmeyers that I have fit this frame? The stock white grips felt a lot thinner than what I'm used to. My current gun has wood panels(stock) that feel thicker.
I reckon my dealer was trying to sell me the 5.5'' one that he just got in,because when I asked about the shorter barrel, he told me they weren't available yet(see above pictures...REALLY?). If I were to call Lipsey's would they talk to me and give me info on whether they have stock on this gun or do ya reckon they'd direct me to MY dealer?

Thanks,
HWD 

[huntswithdogs]

My Christmas present to me came home Friday! I got the same gun as Ken pictured above. Boy will this thang shoot!

HWD

[temmi]

I don’t know how helpful this will be but I am a BH fan and mine is in 45 Colt  with a 5.5 inch barrel.

My next one will be a Bisley with a 7.5 inch barrel also in 45 Colt.

Cause I am a 45 Colt fan.

Snake

[SHOOTALL]

there is just something speical about the 44 spl. BH 

[Ken ONeill]

Hunts withdogs,
Congratulations on your new gun. I think you will like it.

The gripframe on these flat tops is indeed smaller than the XR-3RED gripframe that Ruger began putting on Blackhawks starting in the late 1950's-early1960's, and is very close to the original XR-3 style, Colt SAA etc. The plastic stocks are also a bit thinner than the wood stocks found on New Models from 1973 until a couple years ago when the supplier, Lett, closed their doors.

I haven't tried the Pachmayr grips designed for the XR-3RED on a flat top frame, and don't know if they may fit. Personally, I really prefer the Flat Top grip frame size.

[huntswithdogs]

Ken,
After shooting this one, on Sat, I'm gonna leave the grips as they are. I thought they were gonna be an issue for me, but I did surprisingly well with it just like it comes. I got a knuckle smacked a time or two but I think that was a grip issue.

HWD

[painted horse]

Inthebeech.....thats probably very sage advice. Hard to do, but good nonetheless. Been thinking of thinning the herd a little myself. Tough choices..