Shorten a Super Blackhawk barrel?

[Jeff H]

Yeah: people have a hard time assigning a meaningful value to someone else's modified gun. If a gun is modified in a professional way and the result is something you can't buy and is desirable, then, What the hey? I say it's worth more......................Randy

I had a 7 1/2" OM Blackhawk .45 Colt cut to 5 1/2" in '07 or '08. Installed a $100 screw-on front sight (Jim Stroh?) and added an OM Super Blackhawk hammer and "un-converted" it.

Since I only paid $300 for the gun, the additional expense was worth it for what I feel is the single best handling SA I have ever owned. When Ruger came out with the 5.5" .44 Special, I traded the .45 to a collector who'd been bugging me about it and who knew everything about the gun. He even researched who bought it originally (new) because the SN was reserved for someone.

Anyway, it handled better than the new .44 Special and I only miss that gun for that reason. The guy that got it was very happy to get it. Even though he's a collector, he appreciates the handling of that particular piece as much as I did and that is why he wanted it.

Now, before anyone goes off on me about hacking up an OM .45 Colt, first, it was MY OM .45 Colt and, second, it had been ported. I was please that it had been ported by the previous (second) owner because I could cut it without feeling any guilt. He had also had the B/C gap reduced to .002" and had the throats reamed. All the work was so well done you wouldn't have noticed it (except the porting) without noticing "correct" dimensions and having been advised of the work.

He had it done his way and enjoyed it. I had it done my way and enjoyed it. Now, a fourth owner is very, very pleased to have it.

[Jeff H]

If you go from 7.5" to 4.625" you'll probably have to change the ejector housing, too.

I am not 100% certain on this, but I think he'd be OK. If I remember correctly, the 10" model had a longer ERH. I know my OM .45 Colt was the "standard" length because I replaced it with an aftermarket steel housing. I did have to cut the shoulder at the rear of the housing slightly because the previous owner had the barrel set back a bit to close up the B/C gap. Funny thing - when you shorten it from the back end, the screw hole moves!

[LUCKYDAWG13]

i was thinking about shortening my 7 1/2 SBH 44 mag but then i found a NMBH 4 5/8 barrel in 41 mag for $300
that looked like it was new in box so for me i'm glad that i didn't have it cut down

[pull the trigger]

I have a 41nmbh and a SSS both, and swapped out of a NMBH 45colt all with the 4 5/8 barrels and really like that length. Also have a 4" barrel GP100 and love it as well. I would not have bought the SBH with the long barrel except it was a screamin deal

[EDK]

I bought a shortened barrel gun and the front sight was off center so that adjustment was really weird. It got sent to Ruger for a new barrel...back when shipping was under $20. Problems solved.
I'd contact Ruger...and they might basically rebuild the gun on their dime. Do some searches on repair jobs at factory.