Opinions Wanted on New Pistol

[x101airborne]

And really the only reason I chose the 44 mag is its versatility. If you want light plinkers, 44 spl and 200gr wadcutters. if you want medium hunting, 44mag cases, unique, and 240gr swc's. If you find yourself in bear country, the ranch dog 300 gr and all the h-110 it will hold. And Lord knows how many molds there are for the 44's.

[white eagle]

I would look at BFR's for my next handgun

[Tommy Kelly]

I believe If I were you I'd go for a ruger blackhawk in the 41 magnum caliber. They are extremely accurate guns from the start and I have heard of no issues with them as far as sizing. I prefer the 4 5/8" guns they pack easily and are a great shooting gun with less recoil than a 44 mag. I would change out the hammer spring to a heavier spring to reduce hammer travel time and do a little sear work myself and have a great little gun for around 1/2 the money you have then buy ammo with the rest and shoot a lot and get to know the gun. I already have the gun just not the ammo but I really enjoy shooting it and will eventually round up a good supply of ammo for it.

[45r]

If it was me I'd look for a F/A model 83 in 44mag.You might have to spend a little more but it wouldn't loosen up for a long,long time if ever.A BFR would be probly the next best choice if you can't find a M-83.Sometimes you can get a good deal on GB or AA.

[NHlever]

It's my understanding that $1000 won't buy you much in the way of a custom gun, twice that might, and three times that will get you something pretty nice. Even the FA guns are closer to $2000, and no guarantee of perfect either. S&W's I haven't owend for a while, I got burned a couple of times on their stuff when they were going through a bad spell, and it's too expensive for that so you are treading in narrow ground. Lately I've been going over both used, and new guns as carefully as possible, and choosing the best I can find knowing I might have missed something and will end up trading again. Tomorrow I am going to a gun shop that has 4 old model 3 screw .357 Blackhawks that can be bought for $325 or so. I'll probably pick what I think is the best of the bunch, and buy it. Possibly I could get that made into a .44 Special for under a thousand, and maybe not. Like you, I don't need engraving, but I sure want something that shoots, functions, and is dimensionally correct!

[tek4260]

Really sounds like you need a FA 97. Most everything else will have a small hitch or 2. Nothing major mind you, but something that will take a few moments to correct. Fermin has an excellent article on fire lapping on gunblast. Several threads here about lightening the the trigger. Brownells sells tons of fun tools like forcing cone reamers and throating reamers. Tons of aftermarket to make it your own and the fun of doing it all.

As far as the BFR, I have one and they are blocky and heavy. A major thumbs down. But they shoot great if mine is anything like the rest of them which redeems it in my eyes.

[Char-Gar]

I am a huge fan of the 44 Magnum sixgun and have had one or more since 1962. Over the years I have owned a couple of dozen. Today I have two and they are both crackerjack sixguns.

1. A 5" Smith and Wesson 629 that I bought new in 1991 and it is the best shooting sixgun I have every hand in my hand, and I have had many. It will shoot as well as any linebored, custom sixgun every made. It wears a pair of Herrett's made to measure stocks.

2. A 7.5" Old Model Ruger Super Blackhawk. I paid $225.00 for it in 1993. It was made in the 3rd. year of production. It isn't quite as accurate as the above Smith, but it will shoot far better than I can hold under any and all field conditions. I put a good brushed blue finish on it, and added some exhibition grade walnut grips by Ted Adomavich (Blu-Magnum). I also touched up the trigger a mite.

I have no issues, with the fellow who wants a custom made sixgun. Pride of ownership is a very good thing and provides many hours of pleasure. But let us not forget that highly accurate production sixguns are out there.

[NHlever]

Yesterday I bought a used Ruger 5 1/2" stainless steel Super Blackhawk. The groove dimension is .4295, and the chamber throats are .4305, and the burn rings around each chamber look pretty even. I looked at it in the strongest light I could, and the chambers do look pretty concentric with the bore. I paid $400 for it, and that is probably too much, but is the going rate around here, in fact it is probably more like $425+. I am anxious to shoot it though it is 18 degrees here, and windy today so it may not happen today. The trigger could be a bit better, the grips don't fit perfectly, etc., but using the OP's goal numbers, I have $600 to put in to it, and that will buy quite a bit of tinkering. Things look good, but if for some reason, it doesn't work out, I could trade it a couple of times until I get one that does, and still have money left over for making it nice. That is how I usually end up doing things. Sometimes it takes two or three trades to get a very good shooter, but then I have a known value to work on. You can't even guarantee that with a full custom gun. I have read about tight spots in bores, out of time cylinders, and other problems with them too. Over the years I have gathered a number of really nice shooting guns this way. It cost's me more than being content, and in some cases I have sent stuff back to the factories (with varying results), but I enjoy the trading, tinkering, and having guns that respond to my loading, and shooting efforts. I've learned quite a bit in the process too. Any one of the handguns I have right now ( with this latest one still in question) would be a wonderful candidate to send out to a good smith to be customized if I wanted something special, and I wouldn't have to spend any money having him correct things just to make it shoot. (I guess I already spent some of that money trading, but it has been a fun ride).

[Lloyd Smale]

Ive told myself that any more custom guns are out of the question now that im retired. Ive got quite a few of them now and could probably live with what i have. That been said theres one gun id still like to have built. Id love one of the new small framed ajustable sighted 357 rugers converted to 5 shot 44 mag. Make mine a 4 5/8s in blued gun with a case hardened frame and some nice grips. One of these days im going to have to buck up and have Dustin linebaugh or clements do one for me. It would make in my opinion the ultimate light weight holster gun. Problem is like was said your not going to get it for a 1000 bucks. The cost of a new gun is 500 and im betting the work if would cost you a grand and more if you wanted custom grips and case hardening. Now if you found a 44 special gun to start with and used the factory barrel and just had the 5 shot conversion done you could probably get within the 1000 dollar mark but thats still not including the price of the base gun. Ive got a couple FA guns and there real nice guns. But i still prefer a custom gun. Theres just something about having a gun made just how you want it. Many people compain about the long wait for completion but the antisipation is half the fun of doing it.

[NHlever]

Lloyd,
My new flattop 4 5/8" .44 Special is a pretty nice gun, but it weighs exactly the same as my 5 1/2" stainless steel .44 Magnum Super Blackhawk. Converting that to a 5 shot would make it even heavier. I love the size, and but I wish the gun writers hadn't advised Ruger to make it all steel. I was going to have one custom gun before I die, but now I'm not sure what to start with. I do have a 3 screw .357 Blackhawk, but I hatet to mess with that since it is such a good shooter, and both it, and my new model .45 Colt Blackhawks are a quarter pound lighter than my little .44 Special. I think the new flattop .357 anniversary guns feel like a brick in my hand, but that is just me, and years of old model shooting I guess.

[jsizemore]

Quit half steppin' and buy the Freedom Arms.

[bjeffv]

I have a colt anaconda, that was factory magnaported. Love the trigger on it. Dan wesson also makes some cool wheelguns.

[LVRFAN]

Ruger old model Super Blackhawk.