My new winter project Ruger .44

[Bigeasy]

This will be my winter project.  It's a Ruger Superblackhawk .44 Mag., 4 5/8' barrel, stainless steel.  I am going to replace the grip frame, hammer, and trigger with Bisley parts, and make a set of stag grips.  I have big hands, and the standard Ruger grip frame  just don't cut it with heavy loads, and the rubber grips are functional, but ugly...  Should be a nice woods carry gun.  Its accurate as the attached target shows.

The only thing I have not decided on yet is the finish.  I am not sure if I want to bead blast the entire gun for a dull, satin look, or polish it to look like nickel.  I know the satin finish would be more practical, but the polished finish would be nice, especially with a set of stags....  Any thoughts?

Larry

[Ken ONeill]

I like polished pins, ejector rod head and screw heads, with most of the rest of the gun bead blasted, except for the hammer and trigger. which are either jeweled or polished.

[Autorim]

I like the idea of bead blast finish except to the sights, hammer and trigger being a matte black. That way the whole gun is a dull, but classy finish. I agree about the Bisley grips. All of my single actions are now Bilsley grip frames.

[Swampman]

http://www.clccustomgrips.com/

[Bigeasy]

Thanks for the link Swampman.  He seems to do nice work.  When I use Sambar Stag, I can recommend the company below.  I have bought stag blanks from them on several occasions, and have been pleased.

www.elenhunting.com

Larry

[Glanceblamm]

Bigeasy, I was looking at your target and couldn't help but wonder if you had to "bottom out" that rear sight like I did on my identical model?
I really did hate that front ramp sight and Dave Clements has a couple of good replacements for it and I believe that a Bowen sight can be had from him for the rear to further enhance this.

[Bigeasy]

Glanceblamm - Good question.  Not sure, so I looked.  There is still quite a bit of adjustment left in the rear sight.  It seems about in the middle of its adjustment range.  The way I posed the gun and target is misleading - It is the little target at 25 yards.  The gun is dead on for elevation, a little to the left.

What is it about the Ruger ramp front sight you don't like?  It seems durable, and is smooth out of a holster.

Larry

[warrior1]

i just had an opportunity recently shoot my bisley 5.5" barrel.
i could tell just from the way the grip fit my hand i was going to like it.
unfortunayely ,i was in deer camp and i didn't have a lot of time to devote to shootin,however , io hope to get more range time before it turns to cold.

good luck with your project,dan

[Steve P]

WOW, did a double take.  Looks EXACTLY like my 44.  I shot about 40 rounds through mine last weekend.  20 gr 2400 with 250 hard cast bullet.  I had one group about 1.5" at 25 yards.  The other groups up to 2.5".  Shot at a 6" gong at 200 yards and hit it several times per cylinder.  These guns will shoot.  I am debating on whether to try to make a set of grips.  I like the feel of the Hogue, but agree a pleasing wood would look better. 

Steve

[Flash]

Larry,
I would go with high polish. You gotta admire a bright stainless single action, especially when you do it yourself. I have a 9 1/2" Super that's bright polished but no pics. Polish that baby up, put your stags on and you'll fall in love.

[Jim n Iowa]

I have the same SBH cut down to 4 5/8", I use Pach. large grips (decelerator). I load hard cast 240g bullets in 44 sp and carry as a field/backup gun. I noticed that the barrel has started to rotate, this is a repeat problem of this gun. Ruger repaired it once but since I cut the barrel down I am probably SOL this time. I have a RedHawk that the barrel is starting to rotate also for the second time. Anyone got a clue for 44's that can handle a load within the specs of all load manuals (not even max loads)?
Jim

[Glanceblamm]

What is it about the Ruger ramp front sight you don't like?  It seems durable, and is smooth out of a holster.

Larry

It is a good durable sight for sure but a hard one for me to get squared up for some reason as compared to a flat top partridge type. I think that some contrast might have helped and one in red or green may have been the answer. I did put a dab of white fingernail polish on it as high as I could but this still would not cover the full range of the sight height wise. In short, I was just not comforatable with the sight picture. I did take my '07 deer with it placing the bullet through a gap of 18" of perhaps 4' deep at an honest 53yds while aiming at a baseball size area in front of the left shoulder on the "angling towards" shot. It seemed like I hit the very hair that I was aiming at but I still did not like that sight picture.

I just had a revelation thinking about this!....Perhaps I should have put my paint on that ramp as high as possible with the intent that the paint should never be visible in the sight picture!...this may have evened things out for me and kept me from having to bottom out that rear sight!. perhaps mine was a matter of contrast after all.
Strangely enough, I do like the half moon sights ranging from my old H&R to my Vaquero's in either blued or stainless. Perhaps my eyes adjust much better to the gentler curve of these verse the tighter rounded bulb on top of the SBH?

Sorry For Taking Away From Your Post...You sure came to the right place and shouldn't have to dig too far to get some great ideas from Lloyd, twodogs, and many others.

[Tallwalker]

The rear angle of the front sights on the Super Blackhawks / Blackhawks varies quite a bit. The steeper ones give me a pretty good sight picture under most light condiitons, but the ones that are more shallow in angle (more flat) wash out in many light conditions, and I just can't see them well.