The Ruger Blackhawk is a six-shot, single-actionrevolver manufactured by Sturm, Ruger & Co. It is produced in a variety of finishes, calibers, and barrel lengths.
Ruger Blackhawk
A .357 Magnum/9mm convertible Ruger Blackhawk in blued finish, with Adjustable Sights, and a 4 5/8" Barrel
In the early 1950s, Westerns were popular in movies and television. Colt had discontinued the iconic Single Action Army prior to World War II, and few single-action revolvers were available to meet market demand for cowboy-style revolvers. In 1953, the new firm of Sturm, Ruger & Company introduced the Single-Six, a .22 LRrimfire single-action revolver. The Single-Six proved to be a popular seller, leading Ruger to develop and market a centerfire revolver similar to the Single Action Army: the Ruger Blackhawk.
Ruger introduced the Blackhawk in 1955. Chambered for the .357 Magnum, the Blackhawk was a simple and strong design, and it sold well. In 1956, as Smith & Wesson was introducing the new .44 Magnum, Ruger quickly developed a variant of the Blackhawk in the new cartridge. Ruger achieved wide popularity with this firearm in a hotly anticipated new cartridge, which was both cheaper and more readily available than the Smith & Wesson Model 29 revolver. According to popular legend, Ruger was able to field a .44 Magnum revolver at nearly the same time as Smith & Wesson due to a Ruger employee finding expended .44 Magnum cartridge cases at a scrapyard and deducing that Smith & Wesson was about to launch a new cartridge.[6][7]
The 1955–1962 Blackhawks are known today as the "Flattop" models, because their adjustable rear sights were not protected by "ears" extending up from the frame as later became standard. From 1962 through 1972, Ruger made the "Three Screw" Blackhawk in various calibers, so called by the number of screws visible on the side of the revolver.
The Flattop and Three Screw Rugers were modernized compared to the Colt Single Action Army, in that they had adjustable sights instead of the Colt's fixed sights, and they used wire coil springs instead of the Colt's flat leaf springs. Bill Ruger chose coil springs due to their greater durability, saying that it solved one of the primary weaknesses of the Colt design.
The early models of the Blackhawk still operated the same way as the Colt, in that the hammer was half-cocked to load and unload and that the firearm was not safe to carry with all six chambers loaded due to the hammer resting upon the sixth chamber.[8] In 1973, in order to eliminate accidents occurring from the hammer jarring against a round loaded in the sixth chamber, Ruger introduced the New Model Blackhawk. The New Model Blackhawk did not require the hammer to be half-cocked for loading and unloading, and it employed a transfer bar mechanism which prevented the cartridge under the hammer from being fired without the trigger being pulled. The New Blackhawk was seen as limiting firearms accidents and legal liability. Ruger then began offering a retrofit program, offering free transfer bar conversions to earlier variants of the Blackhawk.
It is worth noting that the Super Blackhawk is capable of operating with much higher pressure handloads than factory produced ammunition in .44 Magnum. Factory produced loads such as Federal Champion 240 gr JSP loads are right around 800 ft-lbs muzzle energy. Loads in excess of 1200 ft-lbs muzzle energy are commonly produced by handloaders for this caliber and the Super Blackhawk can, in fact, handle more powerful loads than any .44 Magnum lever action rifle and substantially more powerful rounds than any double action .44 Magnum revolver. Buffalo Bore makes a heavy load that is in excess of 1500 ft-lbs muzzle energy.[9]
These facts make the Ruger Super Blackhawk one of the top choices for handgun hunting. It is capable of reliably taking down deer, elk, caribou, moose, lion, grizzly or brown bear and even cape buffalo.[10] It is commonly used to deliver a coup de grace shot to mortally wounded large game, having the ability to dispatch even an elephant with a conscientiously placed close range shot to the head. The wide availability of .44 Magnum cases and bullets make the .44 Magnum chambering far more practical than .454 Casull or .480 Ruger, while allowing for similar ballistics in custom loadings.[11]
The Ruger Super Blackhawk in .44 Magnum is one of the most accurate big bore pistols for target shooting, typically returning 5 shot groups that are one ragged hole from a rest at 25 yards. Work is commonly performed on the action of these revolvers to give a light, crisp trigger pull, thereby contributing to accuracy.[12]
Various modelsedit
Ruger Old Model Super BlackhawkRuger New Model Super Blackhawk and JavelinaThe Ruger Old Army is a 45-caliber percussion revolver based on the Ruger Blackhawk action.The Blackhawk is a popular base gun for custom work. This one is a cooperative effort by members of the American Pistolsmith's Guild.Variation of Ruger Blackhawk of all-steel construction and a number of retro features including .357-size frame and steel micro sight. There is a Bisley Grip Variation and a selection of calibers-.44 Special pictured.
Over the years the Blackhawk has appeared in a wide variety of models. These models include:
New Model Blackhawk Convertible: The cylinder of a Blackhawk is easily removed, and can be replaced with a cylinder for a different cartridge of the same diameter. Ruger has offered "convertible" cylinder revolvers in .45 Colt/.45 ACP, .38-40/10mm Auto, and .357 Magnum/9×19mm Parabellum. Other than being sold with multiple cylinders, these firearms are identical to the Blackhawk.
New Model Super Blackhawk: Produced in blued and stainless, with or without a rib for mounting a scope. The Super Blackhawk is built on the same frame, but with a larger grip (in the 7.5" and 10.5" barrels) and unfluted cylinder (except for 5.5" barrel), in order to more effectively deal with the .44 Magnum's recoil. Also, the grip frames are made of steel, versus aluminium for those same components in the Blackhawk. Ejector rod housings were originally steel on old model Super Blackhawks. The new model stainless steel versions have steel ejector rod housings.
Vaquero and New Vaquero: With the popularity of Cowboy Action Shooting came demand for a single-action revolver that was more traditional in appearance. As the standard Ruger Blackhawk departs from the Single Action Army looks due to its adjustable sights, Ruger offered a fixed-sight equivalent to cater to buyers wanting a more traditional appearance. In all other ways, the Vaquero was identical to the Blackhawk, though offered in slightly fewer variants. The original Vaquero was offered in .357 Magnum, .44 Magnum, and .45 Colt. After some time, Ruger went with a smaller frame to more closely resemble the actual size of the Colt SAA, changed the name to the New Vaquero, and dropped the powerful .44 Magnum from the lineup. While keeping the smaller size, Ruger later went back to the simple Vaquero name.
Bisley: The Bisley grip is a type of angled grip developed by Colt for target shooting at the end of the 19th century. Ruger's "Bisley" offerings incorporated a Bisley-style grip, hammer spur, and trigger. A limited edition of 1,000 units from TALO Distributions featuring Turnbull Restorations Case Hardened frame. The Bisley features a down-turned grip inspired by the old #5 single-action army grip made up for Elmer Keith by gunsmith Harold Croft in 1929, although it is larger in size. This was in turn inspired by the classic 1894 Colt Bisley revolver, so named after the famous English shooting range at Bisley which was the site of many notable shooting matches in the late 19th century and is still in regular use. The Ruger Bisley has become a popular platform for conversion to even larger calibers by custom gunsmiths such as Gary Reeder, John Linebaugh, and Hamilton Bowen.[13][14][15]
In the N64 Game Goldeneye 007, one of the weapons, the Cougar Magnum, is based on the Ruger Blackhawk. James Bond also illegally owned a Ruger .44 Super Blackhawk in the first novel by continuity author John Gardner entitled Licence Renewed (1981).
^Larson, Erik (24 June 1993). "Wild West Legacy: Ruger Gun Often Fires If Dropped, but Firm Sees No Need for Recall". The Wall Street Journal. ProQuest 398344120.
^"Heavy .44 Magnum +P+ Pistol & Handgun Ammunition". Buffalo Bore Ammunition | Strictly Big Bore - Strictly Business. Retrieved 15 October 2017.
^"Handguns for Dangerous Game". Shooting Times. 15 February 2011. Retrieved 15 October 2017.
^. www.handloads.com. Archived from the original on 16 October 2017. Retrieved 15 October 2017.
^DIYautotech (22 November 2012), Ruger Single Action Trigger Job Ruger Single Six, Single Ten, Blackhawk, Vaqeuro, archived from the original on 19 December 2021, retrieved 15 October 2017
^Quinn, Jeff (23 August 2004). "The .500 Linebaugh". Gunblast. Retrieved 8 September 2009.
^Taffin, John. "Taffin test: The .500 Linebaugh". Sixguns.com. Retrieved 8 September 2009.
^Taffin, John (May–June 2006). "The sixguns of John Linebaugh: the man who wrote the book on big!". American Handgunner. Retrieved 8 September 2009.
External linksedit
Ruger New Model Blackhawk on Ruger.com
New Model Super Blackhawk on Ruger.com
An Exploded-View Diagram of a Ruger Blackhawk from American Rifleman
Ruger Bisley on Ruger.com
May 02, 2024
ruger, blackhawk, shot, single, action, revolver, manufactured, sturm, ruger, produced, variety, finishes, calibers, barrel, lengths, magnum, convertible, blued, finish, with, adjustable, sights, barreltyperevolverplace, originunited, statesproduction, history. The Ruger Blackhawk is a six shot single action revolver manufactured by Sturm Ruger amp Co It is produced in a variety of finishes calibers and barrel lengths Ruger BlackhawkA 357 Magnum 9mm convertible Ruger Blackhawk in blued finish with Adjustable Sights and a 4 5 8 BarrelTypeRevolverPlace of originUnited StatesProduction historyManufacturerSturm RugerProduced1955 presentNo built2 million 1 2 3 4 5 SpecificationsMass36 48 oz 1 021 1 361 g Length10 1 4 13 1 2 inches 260 343 mm Barrel length4 5 8 7 1 2 inches 117 191 mm CartridgeVaries see CalibersActionSingle action revolverFeed system6 round cylinder Contents 1 History 2 Various models 2 1 Calibers 2 2 Finishes 3 In Popular Culture 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksHistory editIn the early 1950s Westerns were popular in movies and television Colt had discontinued the iconic Single Action Army prior to World War II and few single action revolvers were available to meet market demand for cowboy style revolvers In 1953 the new firm of Sturm Ruger amp Company introduced the Single Six a 22 LR rimfire single action revolver The Single Six proved to be a popular seller leading Ruger to develop and market a centerfire revolver similar to the Single Action Army the Ruger Blackhawk Ruger introduced the Blackhawk in 1955 Chambered for the 357 Magnum the Blackhawk was a simple and strong design and it sold well In 1956 as Smith amp Wesson was introducing the new 44 Magnum Ruger quickly developed a variant of the Blackhawk in the new cartridge Ruger achieved wide popularity with this firearm in a hotly anticipated new cartridge which was both cheaper and more readily available than the Smith amp Wesson Model 29 revolver According to popular legend Ruger was able to field a 44 Magnum revolver at nearly the same time as Smith amp Wesson due to a Ruger employee finding expended 44 Magnum cartridge cases at a scrapyard and deducing that Smith amp Wesson was about to launch a new cartridge 6 7 The 1955 1962 Blackhawks are known today as the Flattop models because their adjustable rear sights were not protected by ears extending up from the frame as later became standard From 1962 through 1972 Ruger made the Three Screw Blackhawk in various calibers so called by the number of screws visible on the side of the revolver The Flattop and Three Screw Rugers were modernized compared to the Colt Single Action Army in that they had adjustable sights instead of the Colt s fixed sights and they used wire coil springs instead of the Colt s flat leaf springs Bill Ruger chose coil springs due to their greater durability saying that it solved one of the primary weaknesses of the Colt design The early models of the Blackhawk still operated the same way as the Colt in that the hammer was half cocked to load and unload and that the firearm was not safe to carry with all six chambers loaded due to the hammer resting upon the sixth chamber 8 In 1973 in order to eliminate accidents occurring from the hammer jarring against a round loaded in the sixth chamber Ruger introduced the New Model Blackhawk The New Model Blackhawk did not require the hammer to be half cocked for loading and unloading and it employed a transfer bar mechanism which prevented the cartridge under the hammer from being fired without the trigger being pulled The New Blackhawk was seen as limiting firearms accidents and legal liability Ruger then began offering a retrofit program offering free transfer bar conversions to earlier variants of the Blackhawk It is worth noting that the Super Blackhawk is capable of operating with much higher pressure handloads than factory produced ammunition in 44 Magnum Factory produced loads such as Federal Champion 240 gr JSP loads are right around 800 ft lbs muzzle energy Loads in excess of 1200 ft lbs muzzle energy are commonly produced by handloaders for this caliber and the Super Blackhawk can in fact handle more powerful loads than any 44 Magnum lever action rifle and substantially more powerful rounds than any double action 44 Magnum revolver Buffalo Bore makes a heavy load that is in excess of 1500 ft lbs muzzle energy 9 These facts make the Ruger Super Blackhawk one of the top choices for handgun hunting It is capable of reliably taking down deer elk caribou moose lion grizzly or brown bear and even cape buffalo 10 It is commonly used to deliver a coup de grace shot to mortally wounded large game having the ability to dispatch even an elephant with a conscientiously placed close range shot to the head The wide availability of 44 Magnum cases and bullets make the 44 Magnum chambering far more practical than 454 Casull or 480 Ruger while allowing for similar ballistics in custom loadings 11 The Ruger Super Blackhawk in 44 Magnum is one of the most accurate big bore pistols for target shooting typically returning 5 shot groups that are one ragged hole from a rest at 25 yards Work is commonly performed on the action of these revolvers to give a light crisp trigger pull thereby contributing to accuracy 12 Various models edit nbsp Ruger Old Model Super Blackhawk nbsp Ruger New Model Super Blackhawk and Javelina nbsp The Ruger Old Army is a 45 caliber percussion revolver based on the Ruger Blackhawk action nbsp The Blackhawk is a popular base gun for custom work This one is a cooperative effort by members of the American Pistolsmith s Guild nbsp Variation of Ruger Blackhawk of all steel construction and a number of retro features including 357 size frame and steel micro sight There is a Bisley Grip Variation and a selection of calibers 44 Special pictured Over the years the Blackhawk has appeared in a wide variety of models These models include New Model Blackhawk Produced in blued steel in 30 Carbine 357 Magnum 41 Remington Magnum 44 Special and 45 Colt produced in stainless in 327 Federal Magnum with an 8 round cylinder 357 Magnum and 45 Colt Multiple barrel lengths were offered in many of these configurations New Model Blackhawk Convertible The cylinder of a Blackhawk is easily removed and can be replaced with a cylinder for a different cartridge of the same diameter Ruger has offered convertible cylinder revolvers in 45 Colt 45 ACP 38 40 10mm Auto and 357 Magnum 9 19mm Parabellum Other than being sold with multiple cylinders these firearms are identical to the Blackhawk New Model Super Blackhawk Produced in blued and stainless with or without a rib for mounting a scope The Super Blackhawk is built on the same frame but with a larger grip in the 7 5 and 10 5 barrels and unfluted cylinder except for 5 5 barrel in order to more effectively deal with the 44 Magnum s recoil Also the grip frames are made of steel versus aluminium for those same components in the Blackhawk Ejector rod housings were originally steel on old model Super Blackhawks The new model stainless steel versions have steel ejector rod housings Vaquero and New Vaquero With the popularity of Cowboy Action Shooting came demand for a single action revolver that was more traditional in appearance As the standard Ruger Blackhawk departs from the Single Action Army looks due to its adjustable sights Ruger offered a fixed sight equivalent to cater to buyers wanting a more traditional appearance In all other ways the Vaquero was identical to the Blackhawk though offered in slightly fewer variants The original Vaquero was offered in 357 Magnum 44 Magnum and 45 Colt After some time Ruger went with a smaller frame to more closely resemble the actual size of the Colt SAA changed the name to the New Vaquero and dropped the powerful 44 Magnum from the lineup While keeping the smaller size Ruger later went back to the simple Vaquero name Bisley The Bisley grip is a type of angled grip developed by Colt for target shooting at the end of the 19th century Ruger s Bisley offerings incorporated a Bisley style grip hammer spur and trigger nbsp A limited edition of 1 000 units from TALO Distributions featuring Turnbull Restorations Case Hardened frame The Bisley features a down turned grip inspired by the old 5 single action army grip made up for Elmer Keith by gunsmith Harold Croft in 1929 although it is larger in size This was in turn inspired by the classic 1894 Colt Bisley revolver so named after the famous English shooting range at Bisley which was the site of many notable shooting matches in the late 19th century and is still in regular use The Ruger Bisley has become a popular platform for conversion to even larger calibers by custom gunsmiths such as Gary Reeder John Linebaugh and Hamilton Bowen 13 14 15 Old Army The Old Army is a percussion cap and ball black powder revolver based on the Blackhawk frame Calibers edit 30 Carbine 32 H amp R Magnum 32 20 Winchester Convertible Single distributor discontinued 327 Federal Magnum 9 19mm Parabellum 357 Magnum Convertible 357 Magnum 357 Remington Maximum Discontinued 10mm Auto 38 40 Winchester Convertible Single distributor discontinued 10mm Auto 40 S amp W Convertible Discontinued 41 Magnum 44 Special 44 Magnum 44 40 Winchester 44 Magnum 44 40 Winchester Convertible Single distributor discontinued 45 ACP 45 Colt Convertible 45 Colt 454 Casull Super Blackhawk Distributor Exclusive 480 Ruger Super Blackhawk Distributor Exclusive Finishes edit Blued Stainless steelIn Popular Culture editIn the N64 Game Goldeneye 007 one of the weapons the Cougar Magnum is based on the Ruger Blackhawk James Bond also illegally owned a Ruger 44 Super Blackhawk in the first novel by continuity author John Gardner entitled Licence Renewed 1981 See also editRuger Single Six Table of handgun and rifle cartridgesReferences edit Ruger Blackhawk Versatility and Durability in the Spirit of the Old West 25 May 2015 Ruger Blackhawk Serial Number History Ruger New Blackhawk Serial Number History Ruger Super Blackhawk Serial Number History Ruger New Model Super Blackhawk Serial Number History Sturm Ruger booklet Fifty Years of 44 Magnums Sixguns com Larson Erik 24 June 1993 Wild West Legacy Ruger Gun Often Fires If Dropped but Firm Sees No Need for Recall The Wall Street Journal ProQuest 398344120 Heavy 44 Magnum P Pistol amp Handgun Ammunition Buffalo Bore Ammunition Strictly Big Bore Strictly Business Retrieved 15 October 2017 Handguns for Dangerous Game Shooting Times 15 February 2011 Retrieved 15 October 2017 44 Magnum Load Data Handloads Com www handloads com Archived from the original on 16 October 2017 Retrieved 15 October 2017 DIYautotech 22 November 2012 Ruger Single Action Trigger Job Ruger Single Six Single Ten Blackhawk Vaqeuro archived from the original on 19 December 2021 retrieved 15 October 2017 Quinn Jeff 23 August 2004 The 500 Linebaugh Gunblast Retrieved 8 September 2009 Taffin John Taffin test The 500 Linebaugh Sixguns com Retrieved 8 September 2009 Taffin John May June 2006 The sixguns of John Linebaugh the man who wrote the book on big American Handgunner Retrieved 8 September 2009 External links editRuger New Model Blackhawk on Ruger com New Model Super Blackhawk on Ruger com An Exploded View Diagram of a Ruger Blackhawk from American Rifleman Ruger Bisley on Ruger com Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ruger Blackhawk amp oldid 1216201923 Bisley, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
