Buying my first revolver, looking at a blackhawk .357?

[bwesley]

I was currently looking at buying a BP Pietta revolver but changed
my mind with all the info I recieved on them. Now I have my sights
on a Ruger blackhawk .357, would any have info on this revolver
good or bad?

[PA-Joe]

Get the blackhawk with the 357 and 9mm cyclinders. They way you can shoot 38s, 357 or 9mm.

[bwesley]

That sounds like a winner with the option to shoot multiple loads
is it a certain model if so what's the price difference?
or is it a cylinder I could buy if I bought a regular blackhawk?

[Iowegan]

bwesley,  The "convertible" Blackhawks bring a premium in my area. They aren't that accurate with 9mm because the bore is larger than the bullet. The standard 357 Blackhawk will shoot anything from a 38 Special target load up to serious magnums without an extra cylinder. It's a very strong and accurate gun that won't cost a fortune. Should last a lifetime.

[bwesley]

Thanks for the input Iowgan, to be honest I wouldn't pay extra for a
conversion or special blackhawk model to shoot the 9mm but I thought
it was cool to have the option, i'm in for the 357 mag part and besides
the revolver i'm going to purchase I think is just a straight up .357 blackhawk. :-)

[PA-Joe]

New Model Blackhawk Blue $450.00
Convertible with extra cyclinder $510 (BN-34X)
Stainless $550

[bwesley]

I think i'm going to stick with what my gun shop has in stock
which is the stainless .357 for 419.00 I plan on putting money
down on it this Sat. but thanks for the extra options information PA..

[PA-Joe]

You made a good choice. I wonder if the combination 45 long colt and 45 acp have the same accuracy problem?

[Lloyd Smale]

its an excellent choise for a first gun in my opion the only thing better would be a single six .22 there alot cheaper to feed ammo to and the more you shoot it the better youll get.

[Blackhawk44]

My suggestion: Blackhawk .45 Colt/ACP convertible.  From my experience and that of friends, no accuracy problem like 9mm.  Sometimes, ACP even more accurate.  Advantages: built on same frame but larger .45 holes equals lighter gun.  .357 very heavy for its cartridge.  Cheap reloads and Russian ACP available everywhere for everyday and plinking.  CorBon and Buffaloe Bore have loads if you want to try hunting larger game.  Reloading costs little more than .38 bores (all serious pistol shooters will eventually reload).  And if you take Lloyd's suggestion and get a Single Six convertible also, a field gunner would be fixed for life.  These two pieces would cover about all your needs outside of formal competition (but could handle CAS).  You'd never need to waste money on .38's, .357's, .41's or .44 mags.

[Old Griz]

:cb2: Bought one Blackhawk .357/9mm convertible for $354 brand new. My other one I traded for. I didn't think I was paying too much. It is true that both of them shoot .357 loads better than .38s or 9mm loads, but it's not like the 9mm cylinder is that much off. We're talking about a .335 inch bullet compared to a .357. It's not exactly rattling down a barrel w/o touching any rifling.

Blackhawk has the right idea, but cheap .38 reloads and Russian 9mm ammo is cheaper than .45 Colt reloads and Russian .45 ACP. It will still handle your CAS shootin, too—.38s are just as popular around here as .45 Colts are.

[Tom C.]

I have SS NMBHs in .45 Colt with .45 ACP cylinders, and .357. Both are good. My .45s shoot both rounds very nicely. The .357s shoot fine, but I don’t have 9mm cylinders. The 9mm has a rep for not providing the best accuracy due to the undersized bullets. Some loads, however, will work much better than others.

[bwesley]

I always liked the look and feel of the Blackhawk, but besides shooting
it at the range or on the field i also wanted it handy by the dresser droor
for home defense if necessary and for a revolver like that I think it would
be enough for knockdown instead of a 9mm, I would go for the 44 but
just don't have it in my budget for the next couple of months.
I thank you all for the input and you would see a big grin from this ol' boy
when I go to the gun shop saturday.  :grin:

[unspellable]

I'm not so sure the groove diameter in the 357 barrel is much of a problem for the 9 mm.  Most 9 mm pistols have an oversized barrel and they seem to get away with it.  (Except a Browning High Power will tend to keyhole with cast lead bullets of standard 9 mm diameter.)

I'd worry more about the chamber throat diameter, same worry you have with any revolver and Rugers in particular.

[Jerry Lester]

A 357 Blackhawk will serve you well. You're making an exellent choice.

[Prof. Fuller Bullspit]

The .357 Blackhawk is a great choice (is there an echo in here?) I started with one years ago and haven't ever regretted it or sold it either!

[Robert357]

Let's just say that I like Ruger 357 Blackhawks so much that I have a couple of them.  I also have a Ruger 45 (Long) Colt.

Personally, I would not bother with a second cylinder in the 357 Mag (i.e. don't spend extra for a 9mm cylinder), as jumping between 38 special and 357 Mag ammo provides enough of a range of options for whatever you want to do.

More imporant questions are what do you want to do with the revolver.  If target shooting or hunting, then a longer barrel is nice.  

If a holster or hiking gun, then you want a shorter barrel that fits well in a belt holster and doesn't get in the way.

I bought a nice used Ruger Blackhawk in 45 Colt a month ago, used at a gun show for $300.  It was a fair price.  A 357 Mag should go for about that or a little less in good condition with the factory box, depending upon market conditions.

The Blackhawk is one of the strongest frames & cylinders out there.  In handloading there are seperate and more powerful loadings in several calibers for the Blackhawk listed in some reloading manuals.  It is worth it.

Good luck and enjoy.

[Flint]

THe reason the Convertible Blackhawk in 9mm is less accurate than the 38/357 is the bore size, as said.  A 9mm is 354, and 38 is .357.  45ACP and the currently loaded 45Colt both use the same bullet diameter, so there will be no intrinsic accuracy problems.

The reason a Browning Hi-power strips lead bullets is not the bore diameter as Unspellable stated, as all the European 9mm pistols have true 9mm bores, not oversized.  It is the very shallow and fast twist rifling, which is designed for Military jacketed bullets, that causes the tumbling.  A Browning or other Auto equipped with a Bar-Sto barrel will not strip, as the rifling is deeper and a slower twist.

I noted years ago that the S&W model 25 or M1917 revolver would strip 45ACP lead bullets for the same reason, very shallow rifling, as the bore was designed for Military FMJ bullets.