Most accurate Blackhawk caliber?

[Bill in Oregon]

Wondering if those here who have extensive experience with Blackhawks in .357, .41, .44 Special/.44 Magnum. and .45 Colt have any thoughts on which caliber was easiest to get accuracy out of. I know this has much to do with the individual revolver, cylinder throat diameters and the infamous Ruger barrel/frame "choke." In my wide but shallow experience, I have had a couple of Super Blackhawks that were very pleasingly accurate. Oddly, the most accurate .45 Colt Ruger six was an old model Vaquero with shooting the classic dish-based, dirty-lubed Remington 250-grain over compressed Goex FFFg. I have tried the .41s and never got the inherent accuracy attributed to this chambering, but I suspect it was more the aging idiot shooting the thing than the revolver itself.

[Scott Tschirhart]

Out of the box, I don’t really know. .44 and.41 probably have better chamber dimensions as I have always opened chamber throats on a .45 before it shot like it should.

[AJMD429]

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The 32-20 Buckeye Conversion a friend had was phenomenal with cast loads, and another had a 30 Carbine that was accurate with handloads (but the cartridge is evidently a pain to reload). I think the 32-20 is a 0.308" barrel so that may aid things.

[samsi]

I've only had one .357 and never owned a .41, so in my limited experience the .44's have been the most consistently accurate out of the box. I've had a couple .45's that were spectacular after opening the throats, but as-built, not so much.

[Scott Tschirhart]

I've had a couple .45's that were spectacular after opening the throats, but as-built, not so much.

Exactly my experience.

[Ysabel Kid]

The .30 M1 Carbine, .357 Magnum, and .44 Magnum ones I've shot were all more accurate than I can be offhand. Never tried them in a Ransom Rest to really see. All are old models.

[Old Savage]

This 45 had the correct cylinder throat dimensions from the factory.

[Old Savage]

This Flat top is pretty accurate. Changed the point of aim after the first shot to put it in the black.

Most accurate I have shot was a SBH that would clover leaf at this range, indoor range max 50’.

[44shooter]

I haven’t really seen accuracy problems with any of them outside point of impact issues with Vaqueros. I remember 45 ACP and 45 Schofield being accurate and very pleasing to shoot. I have seen an inaccurate Single-Six, or at least it was with 22lr.

[JimT]

The majority of the time, the one I spent the most time shooting became the most accurate one.

[Scott Tschirhart]

The majority of the time, the one I spent the most time shooting became the most accurate one.

That’s probably right. Some guns are dimensionally better than others but I don’t know if I can detect a trend.

[Bill in Oregon]

Thanks fellas. In the larger-bore sixguns I have pretty much lost all interest in jacketed bullets, so the cylinder throat dimensions assume greater importance. Jim, your prescription of practice is mighty sensible. As some of you have noticed I am something of a gun gadfly and rarely have put in extended time with any particular handgun. And the results show up at the range! In my defense, it takes all kinds.

[JimT]

Back when the Sixgunner.Com website was running we had Gary Reeder build a custom Ruger Vaquero .45 Colt for the first 20 that signed up. When I got mine I never did check the chamber throats or the bore diameter. I just started shooting it. A lot. I took it after Javelina and shot a sow with it. Never did measure it. I could hit what I was aiming at and that's all the counted.

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[Bill in Oregon]

Jim, that's a keepsake for sure. That's Arizona javelina country, right?

[JimT]

Jim, that's a keepsake for sure. That's Arizona javelina country, right?

Yessir. Northwest of Tucson near the town of Oracle.

[Grizz]

I think the 44s have inherent accuracy. but i think the 7mms are also inherently accurate. the 10inch sbh I hunted with seemed inherently accurate shooting plain base cast bullets at unknown velocity. the bullets hit the dot every time, when it was centered....... LOL made lots of venison, and daughter shot a caribou with it . . .
told people who shot it that the bead is the bullet. took the mystery out of it.
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[Keith D]

I got a new Blackhawk in 44 Special years ago 5.5" barrel. Slugged the bore after a bit, and sure enough the barrel was choked at the threads. Fire-lapped it with approximately 60 rounds and it seems to be more accurate than I can shoot it now. Need to file down the front sight a bit.

[2ndovc]

With my Rugers, the ,44 Magnums have been the most accurate. One has been extensively worked over and the best of them. One of the Vaqueros has has an action job, I don't know what else as I bought it that way, but it's an accurate revolver.
I also have one .45 Colt/ ACP Bisley that when I feed it right, it's quite accurate. The .32 Federal, 10mm/.40S&W, and .44WCF are decent shooters and are probably better than I think, just haven't spent as much time with them as I should.
The one exception is a 3 3/4" Vaquero in .44 Spl. can't get that thing to shoot well not matter what I try. Thinking that one is going to hit the road soon.

jb

[Griff]

I've only owned one Blackhawk, a 4.625" old model in .357. I wasn't the handgunner I probably thought I was, but as I really only plinked at rocks & such out in the desert during my off-road forays exploring the CA desert, I can say it was minute of 3-4" rock at whatever distance I thought appropriate... It did harvest the occasional jackrabbit tho'. My wife ultimately used it as her 1st cowboy action pistol, back in the days when only 1 pistol was needed.

[Walt]

In the late 70s and early 80s I shot a lot. My most accurate Ruger was a stainless 7 1/2" SBH which surprised me on a number of occasions with 5 shot sub 4" groups off hand at 100 yards. I owned a lot fewer guns at that time which was likely a contributing factor.

[Scott Tschirhart]

I suspect that some Blackhawks are accidentally more accurate than others regardless of the chambering.

[AJMD429]

In the late 70s and early 80s I shot a lot. My most accurate Ruger was a stainless 7 1/2" SBH which surprised me on a number of occasions with 5 shot sub 4" groups off hand at 100 yards. I owned a lot fewer guns at that time which was likely a contributing factor.

What kind of sights did it have...?

[AJMD429]

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I love that kind of sight on a handgun. Can't hit anything with the partridge ones.

[Walt]

The sights were the original adjustable rear and ramp front sights shooting at a white 12" steel gong at 100 yards. BTW, a 19th century American sportsman named E.E. Patridge invented the squared-off Patridge front sight and flat-bottom square rear sight.

[Ji in Hawaii]

Without a doubt or exception the very most accurate Blackhawk I have ever fired was a 4-5/8" barreled example chambered in 357 Magnum. Thatʻs because itʻs the ONLY Blackhawk I have ever fired. That being said, I LOVE this gun. I purchased it back around 2005 when I still lived on Maui. Itʻs stainless steel as are all my handguns to help resist the salty Hawaiian atmosphere. I did order a Super Blackhawk in 44 mag while living on Maui too, but it was horribly finished with grind marks, and a misshapen loading gate that would not fit to close completely, so rattled around, and bugged me to no end. Before ever firing it I put it up for sale, and sold it for what I paid to the first person who responded to the add. Even showed him what bugged me about it, but he didnʻt care, he just wanted a brand new 44mag. I think I paid $350, and got my money back. In reality all my gripes were cosmetic, and didnʻt effect the performance of the gun.

[Griff]

I suspect that some Blackhawks are accidentally more accurate than others regardless of the chambering.

+1.

[Old Savage]

Ji, good to see you back.

[JDL]

I had a 6 1/2" .41 almost 50 years ago that was as accurate as some rifles that's been through my hands. Now I have a four and five eights inch .357 that does as well for me. As a matter of fact, I was at the range this morning with some friends shooting steel plates. I was cleaning the racks one handing my Blackhawk while one friend was using both hands on his Gen 5 Glock 34 and leaving one or more standing but.....he was sure shooting faster than me!
I have just got back to shooting my Blackhawk after years of shooting various autos in 9mm and .40 S&W. I had forgot how it's so easy to shoot!