A Christmas present to self-new to me Ruger .357 Blackhawk

[Stan in SC]

I have been considering for awhile a single action pistol to complement my Winchester lever gun.
I work part time a couple of days a week in a gun/pawn shop and that in itself is dangerous. Too much exposure to temptation.
The upside is that the shop owner gives me pretty good employee pricing on items which have been on the shelf for sale for at least 30 days.
For the past two months I have been fondling a pair of Ruger new model Blackhawks in .357. I swear I did my best to sell them but they were still both there yesterday so I invoked the 30 day rule and got a really great price on the one of my choice which happened to be the one with Pachmyar grips. My serial number research on the Ruger website indicated a manufacture date of 1981 which surprised me since the revolver was in such great condition.
It will be a week or more before I get all thru with Christmas and have a chance to get to the range and shoot it.
Merry Christmas to me.

Stan in SC

[Chuck 100 yd]

Enjoy!!

[Larkbill]

What length barrel? Mine is a 6 1/2. One of my better shooting handguns. Now I just need a matching levergun.

[Griff]

[Stan in SC]

I forgot to mention that it has a 6-1/2" barrel.

Griff, I have absolutely NO idea how to post pictures.Sorry.

Stan in SC

[pwl44m]

I forgot to mention that it has a 6-1/2" barrel.

Griff, I have absolutely NO idea how to post pictures.Sorry.

Stan in SC

As if that's an excuse ! Congrats on Ur purchase. Pics are really easy & nuthin to be afraid of.
Perry

[rjohns94]

Congrats. Looking forward yo the range report

[gamekeeper]

Congratulations Stan, a Ruger .357 was the first single action I ever fired.

[Griff]

Griff, I have absolutely NO idea how to post pictures.Sorry.
Stan in SC

Here's one that works: Picture Posting Tutorial.

[Sixgun]

Stan the Man,
Do you realize how much you hurt me when you said, "I researched the gun on the Ruger website and found it to be made in 1981". You seemed surprised that it was in such great shape for being madeway back then! Come on, it was NOT that long ago. Dang, these things make me feel sooooooo old as I remember buying a BRAND NEW Ruger old model back in 72 when I was 18.

Of course, they were not called "old models" then and my older brother did the paperwork for me. Yea, I guess you could call it a straw purchase, but that's not how we looked at things back in the day.

Ha! You will have a revolver that will last you the rest of your days even if you shoot it everyday. But let me warn you, the first single action leads to many more. Like nice leverguns, single actions are a major disease with me.------6

[Griff]

But... even "new" models have severe limitations... If you REALLY want a smooth single action... the original Ruger Blackhawk is the one to have!

[Meeteetse]

Bought my first Blackhawk in 1970(?) just after they added the safety block or whatever it is called. My first was a 4 5/8" .357 with the 9mm cylinder. What others have said is true. That first gun started an addiction that has lasted to this day. I have owned short and long barreled .357's, .45 Colts and .44 mags, and a couple of .22's. They are fun to shoot, easy to carry in the right holster and just plain cool. Few other guns are as much fun. There is something about the loading and unloading process of a SA that gives a special feeling you don't get from loading semi-auto mags or even DA revolvers. Maybe I've seen too many John Wayne movies. Leverguns to match make it even more fun.

p.s. to Sixgun: Sorry Sixgun, but your first purchase in 1972 "IS" a long time ago, especially since that makes me 10 years older than you.

[Sixgun]

p.s. to Sixgun: Sorry Sixgun, but your first purchase in 1972 "IS" a long time ago, especially since that makes me 10 years older than you.

Meeteetse,
Let me explain something to you. I remember like it was yesterday. The year was 1987 and my dad, my older brother, and myself to headed upstate for deer hunting. My dad was then 60 years old. My brother, who incidentally, never did get along with our father and who was a VN vet told my dad he was OLD. My dad, a WW2 vet (occup. forces) stopped the truck and asked my brother if he wanted to fight and he would show him just how "old" he was.

We were in a 1984 Ford pickup and beings I was the baby, I was sitting in the middle. The cuss words were flying, the 16 oz. Pabst Blue Ribbons were hurled at each other (not me) but in the end, my brother backed off. Even at 60, my father, a full blooded Italian who had arms like tree trunks, could have whipped both of us and any bystanders.

So, the point here is that 1972 or 1981 is not that long ago and you and I are not old. "Old" is what my
grandfather died at...96. We be spring chickens, like Griff.

On second thought, I must be old as how in the hell did I equate an old model Ruger with my dad and my brother throwing beer at each other. I'm going to bed.------6

[JerryB]

Well I reckon that I will have to vary a little from the OP and tell Sixgun "That ain't nothing" I bought my first and only Ruger in 1959, a Blackhawk .44mag. I shot it for a couple of months and sold it when I bought a Colt SAA.45.

[wecsoger]

Good gun, although I'm wondering if you'll regret passing on the that other one so you'll have a pair?

Blackhawks, although not traditional (single action with adj. sights) are typical Rugers, which is to say excessively strong. You'll give up from being beat to death by hot .357 loads before you hit the limitations of that revolver.

I had one, only reason I traded it off was I needed a Glock for duty carry. Made up for it though, got a Vaquero in .44 mag to make up for it.

Enjoy.

[Stan in SC]

Sixgun,
Old? Old ? You want old? When you were 18 in 1972 I was 31. LOL.
My first Ruger was a single six with both cylinders which I bought new in 1963 for $40.
Thank you for all the comments. I know I am going to really like this revolver. I have owned a Super Redhawk for a few years.
Ruger makes fine strong handguns.

Stan in SC

[jhrosier]

Stan,

You are going to enjoy your .357 blackhawk.
Don't let the arguments for old model vs. new model distract you.
I have several of each and somehow wind up shooting the new model more often, no particular reason.
I shoot mostly cast bullets in mine and enjoy very good accuracy.
The .357 Blackhawk is a stout gun and will handle stout loads without any issues.

I will be interested in your range report.

Jack