Like a kid in a candy store.

[Scott Tschirhart]

I’ve looked hard for a number of years to find a handgun that was both powerful enough to take any game I care to shoot, handy enough to wear, accurate enough in my hand to make hits at extended distances, and reliable enough to not worry about.

I’ve been fortunate enough to look at a variety of sixguns and pistols. Some worked well and others didn’t though I would have thought they would work better.

I may have finally found one that really works. I have a Three Screw Ruger Blackhawk with a 4 5/8 inch barrel. It needed a bit of work. I had Fermin Garza open up the cylinder throats. I fire lapped the bore to smooth it up. The trigger and timing needed no adjustment.

[Scott Tschirhart]

Now to the kid in the candy store part.

I own quite a bit of leather and daily wear holsters from Simply Rugged. This gun conceals under a common work shirt with a good pancake style holster.

But when I am out in the brush country, I prefer something a bit more protective. I found this new old stock Ruger Practical Holster on eBay and immediately snatched it up.

[marlinman93]

I love those flap holsters for hunting or hiking where a quick draw isn't as important as protecting the gun.

[Walt]

Have you settled on a load for it?

[LeverGunner]

Nice gun, and nice score on the holster. I carry my Blackhawk in a Simply Rugged Sourdough Pancake holster. It's comfortable both IWB and OWB.

[Scott Tschirhart]

Have you settled on a load for it?

It was 8 gr of Unique under any cast or swaged bullet from 255-270 grains. But now that Unique is hard to come by, I am experimenting. Most likely the winner will be 231….but we will see.

[Scott Tschirhart]

Now I just need an XR3 grip frame and to put these beautiful mesquite stocks on it.

[LeverGunner]

Those are beautiful!

[Twodot]

Now I just need an XR3 grip frame and to put these beautiful mesquite stocks on it.

maybe one of those brassy ones from Ronnie Wells

https://rwgripframes-com.3dcartstores.com/

..

[Scott Tschirhart]

I really like the aluminum grip frames.

This gun does carry easy.

[LeverGunner]

Mine is my constant companion.

[Scott Tschirhart]

Very nice.

[Ysabel Kid]

Now to the kid in the candy store part.

I own quite a bit of leather and daily wear holsters from Simply Rugged. This gun conceals under a common work shirt with a good pancake style holster.

But when I am out in the brush country, I prefer something a bit more protective. I found this new old stock Ruger Practical Holster on eBay and immediately snatched it up.

Oh, that's a beauty Scott! I don't think I've ever seen one for the shorter barrel single-actions. And great pick on an Old Model!

[Ysabel Kid]

Have you settled on a load for it?

It was 8 gr of Unique under any cast or swaged bullet from 255-270 grains. But now that Unique is hard to come by, I am experimenting. Most likely the winner will be 231….but we will see.

I started reloading with 231 powder. Looks like I'll be circling back to it 44 years later!

[LeverGunner]

Very nice.

Thanks.

Do you ever wear yours IWB? I have the IWB tabs for mine and I've found it to be pretty comfortable that way. Also good if you need extra protection for the gun/holster.

[Scott Tschirhart]

Have you settled on a load for it?

Walt, I’m close to settling on 8 gr of 231. Will double check tomorrow if everything works out.

[trapper45]

In our 'For-What-It's-Worth-Dept,' my Winchester 'Ball Powder Propellant Loading Data' booklet, Tenth Edition, Revised 1985, lists only one .45 Long Colt load: 250gr lead bullet; 7.1gr of 231; 875fps; 13,000 C.U.P. Pressure. Rounded down to an even 7 grains, it's identical to an 8-gr Unique load in a 7-1/2" Blackhawk, a 4-5/8" Blackhawk, and a 16" Winchester 94 Trapper. That 7 grains of 231 also does well with 200-grainers as well. Works great for me, and just might for you, too. Cheers.

[Scott Tschirhart]

I’ve used 7.1 grains of 231 and it seems to be an accurate load (for some people it’s their favorite load) but it seems to be a little short on velocity clocking at less than 800 fps in my guns.

I want to be closer to 900 fps.

[bmtshooter]

Love those mesquite grips.

[Scott Tschirhart]

8 gr 231 with a 255 gr Hornady Cowboy bullet gives me 874fps

7.2 gr 231 gives me 697fps but really smokes the cases. Here’s a comparison:

[Scott Tschirhart]

These stocks fit the Flattop so well that I need to look for another set.

[Scott Tschirhart]

I found some great stags that might be even better.

[Scott Tschirhart]

I have to admit that 7.2 gr of 231 groups well.

[LeverGunner]

8 gr 231 with a 255 gr Hornady Cowboy bullet gives me 874fps

7.2 gr 231 gives me 697fps but really smokes the cases. Here’s a comparison:

I'd say that 8.0 grain load is running right.

I have some loads that are pretty sooty for my 44 Special, but as long as they are accurate I ignore it.

This load isn't as sooty as yours, but it ain't clean either. Sure does shoot good though. This is 18 consecutive shots, with the right target being the first 6.

[Scott Tschirhart]

That’s a great load for your gun and very good shooting! The sad part is that I have had success with Unique from 6 to 9 grains in the .45 Colt.

[Bill in Oregon]

Working up cast-bullet loads for new big-bore sixguns is one of life's great pleasures. Great rigs and targets guys. Hope I get to do this again some day but thanks to your posts and photos I can at least do it vicariously.

[2ndovc]

Nothing better than a good shooting revolver. Especially a Three Screw that starts with a .4!

jb

[Scott Tschirhart]

What I’m thinking of is a minimum of at least a .45 ACP because I find that works well on deer.

But I also want it to shoot well in my levergun

[Scott Tschirhart]

I tried a bunch of loads today. Some were pretty good but in the end 8 gr 231 came out on top.

[2ndovc]

Diggin' that '66 too! One has been on my list for some time, but I'm so fond of my Win. '73 I don't want to ignore it with a new .45 Colt carbine.

jb

[LeverGunner]

Nice. I always liked the looks of a '66 rifle.

[Walt]

The .45 Colt load I shoot most frequently is 6.2 gr of Titegroup and my alternate load is 7.5 gr of 231. Under a 250 gr machine cast bullet it flies at 860 fps with a standard deviation of about 16. My records show that 8.0 gr of 231 shoots at about 945 fps with an SD of around 12 with the same bullet. I get the impression that Titegroup leads the barrel just a little more than does 231. In terms of accuracy, they're all three good loads in my guns.

[Scott Tschirhart]

This afternoon all loads were with a 255 gr Hornady Cowboy bullet:

7.2 gr 231 was 787 in the Blackhawk and 1024 in the rifle

7.5 gr 231 was 850 and 1096

8 gr 231 was 890 and 1134

6.2 gr TiteGroup was 872 and 1096

[Walt]

Scott, I admit I was a bit surprised at the 85 fps gain between my 7.5 gr and load and the 8.0 gr load but they were likely shot from different revolvers. Sooo many variables in this game.

[Scott Tschirhart]

Scott, I admit I was a bit surprised at the 85 fps gain between my 7.5 gr and load and the 8.0 gr load but they were likely shot from different revolvers. Sooo many variables in this game.

Walt,

Do you notice that TiteGroup heats your gun up quickly?

It has the right velocity and seems to shoot well.

[Walt]

Scott, no, I never noticed the barrel heating up because virtually all of my shooting is; I shoot five at my gongs, then my shooting partner shoots five and so on. It's not an issue.

[Scott Tschirhart]

I’ll probably play more with TiteGroup because it has good velocity but stays lower on pressure. AND it is actually available.

[LeverGunner]

I have most of a jug of Bullseye, but I count on that being not available when gone. I picked up some Titegroup to work up loads with. I've loaded it before, about 10 years ago, in 38 Special and 45 auto.

I hope it'll do well in 44 Special and special level loads in magnum cases.

[Walt]

LeverGunner, I switched from Unique in my .44 Specials to Power Pistol. It's an excellent moderate intensity powder and I have used three loads with good success. Under a machine cast 240 gr bulletn 7.0 gr will result in about 880 fps with a standard deviation of 4 fps in at least one of my guns, 7.5 achieves a velocity of around 930 fps with an SD of 9 and 8.0 gr will hit about 980 fps with an SD of 8. It's a wonderful powder which meters well and it appears to be as position-insensitive as Titegroup.

My 7.0 gr load does smoke the cases a bit so I have loaded up some loads with 7.3 gr which I'll experiment with soon.

[Scott Tschirhart]

In Handloader Magazine Brian Pearce recommends the 270 SAA bullet over 7.5 gr of TiteGroup for 950-1000 fps from a 5 1/2 inch SAA…….now that’s really interesting.

So I loaded up some test rounds with 7.5 gr of TiteGroup under a 255 gr bullet and others under the 270-SAA bullet.

The latter might be a really good hunting load.