Author Topic: Ruger Black Hawk 357 Mag/9 MM- 4 5/8 bbl. (Read 782 times)

NM LOBO · « **on:** March 01, 2003, 05:43:06 PM »

Hello fellow shooters! I have purchased the above revolver. I have shot this pistol with loads that I have worked up for various other 38/ 357's that I own...I have had poor results with one exception.. groups in average of 3-4 inches-6 shots@ 25yds. I have a 180 gr. lead load that shoots wonderful about 1 1/2 inchs at 25 yds for 6 shots time after time. I deceided that my pistol will shoot at least with one load. I would try and work up a load with my 9mm cylinder....my groups with various handloads are even worse. 125 lead bullets going over 925 fps are hitting the target side-ways!!! I have lots of load developement ahead of me since I have only tried a 8 or so different loads. Has anyone heard of any "problems" with this type of pistol?

Thanks for your time,
NM LOBO

happy old sailor · « **Reply #1 on:** March 01, 2003, 06:42:48 PM »

got into this on another forum when i had the itch for another BH. from what i was told, i got a .41 instead. problem seems to be the 9mm projectile is smaller diameter than .357 so it kinda wobbles out the barrel.

think i would really like a 357/9mm combo. especially as i could shoot cheap 9mm factory ammo at about the same price as .357 handloads.
however, have given up on that project for a while until i have more info.

i needed another .41 anyway

exflatlanderNH · « **Reply #2 on:** March 01, 2003, 09:23:42 PM »

Try 5.8-6.0 grains of Unique under any hard cast 158 lswc.

This load will shoot a ragged hole at 25 feet out of my 6 1/2 BH if I do my part.

I can't help you on 9mm loads - I only shoot factory and that is out of a CZ 75.

NM LOBO · « **Reply #3 on:** March 03, 2003, 07:44:02 PM »

Thanks for both of your replys. I will try the 158 swc load. I suspected the 9 mm lead round being too small for the 357 barrel. I have had 9mm leads shoot well in most of my other 38/357's. Perhaps I should "slug" my barrel before my next shooting session. I hope everything goes well...I have already sent the pistol in for repair. When I bought this pistol (brand new!) there were two small "dings" on the 357 cylinder that were bad enough you could not load two chambers without the cases sticking. Ruger honed out the two chambers.

NM LOBO

Mikey · « **Reply #4 on:** March 04, 2003, 05:40:37 AM »

NM LOBO: Here's a trick I used to use when I tried loading and shooting 9mm bullets from 38s or 357s. Use the 38 caliber bullets. That trick used to work in reverse with my old Colt 38 snubnose. If you are going to handload, use the 38 caliber bullets in your 9mm cases. Use the expander die from your 38/357 reloading set to expand the 9mm cases so you can seat the bullets. The 9mm will take bullets up to 160 grains, so that is a possibility. It may be, as the happy old sailor notes, that the 9mm bullets are too small for the bore but handloading sort of defeats the purpose of being able to shoot inexpensive mil-surp 9mms from that revolver. See how well she does with some of the larger diameter bullets in the 9mm cases, and let us know if it works for you. This be Mikey.