Wowee

[curioushooter]

Boy, sort of blown away here.

Yesterday I shot my new Bisley Blackhawk 44 Special. Only modifications has been to swap out for Belt Mountain #5 Base pin, which is excellent and installation of Wolff reduced trigger spring (hammer spring is factory).

Two loads tested: 9 grains of PowerPistol and 16.5 grain of 2400 both pushing MP's H&G503 clone mold solid cast of 96-2-2, sized .431, and carnuba blued. Sparked by CCI 300 Primers (standard large pistol). This is a solid load for these 25,000 PSI capable heavy 44 specials!

Solid velocity figures of 1050s FPS from the PP. But even more impressive was the deviation. I thought my crono was wrong because the PP load showed the SAME velocity number for the first two shots. The next four were between 1051 and 1057. This was from an initially clean barrel. Some fowling was present by the 6th shot, but not much. No metallic fowling that I can tell.

Now 2400 had its chance, which really surprised on the velcity. Out of just a 5.5" barrel 1250s FPS were achiveved, and again with single digit deviations. While I didn't get the SAME exact FPS figure twice in a row, all six were between 1251 and 1259 FPS! This is basically a marginally reduced Keith load. I backed away from 17 grains because it looks to be compressing and the H&G 503 is a tad heavier than the 429421. Still even at a half grain less it gets outstanding velocity, basically modern 44 mag. I'm tempted to back it down to 16.

Even better the sights were pretty on. At 25 yards about 1 inch to the left and 2 inches high for the PP and 1 inch to the left and centered for the 2400 load. Groups with not the best trigger and an out of square front sight were 1.5" or so, which is incredible. It may be more accurate than my 22 handguns, a Contender with a match barrel and H&R 999.

Another nice thing is the recoil is most manageable with the Keith load and hardly anything with the PP. The Bisley grip shape is very comfortable for me and that heavy barrel and grip frame really soaks up the shock. It is a far, far less violent felt recoil than my S&W 624 with 6.5" barrel with the same loads.

[Iwsbull]

Great numbers on those loads. I have the shorter barreled version of it and really like it, just wish the grip was a bit longer. Lot of fun to shoot and accurate and it is my walk about gun.

[onelight]

Those are amazingly consistent ! Very nice.

[Thumbcocker]

IMHO the new flat tops are some of the best revolvers Ruger ever made.

[JoeJames]

I am crazy about my Lipsey Ruger BH 4 1/2" in 44 Special. I shoot very moderate loads, because they are plenty accurate and very pleasant to shoot. However, one drawback constant with Rugers for me anyhow; the trigger - soon as I get one I order a spring kit.

[curioushooter]

**UPDATE**

Why is it this SO GOOD?!

So I did a head to head for the following loads...all using the MP molds H&G 503 clone cast of 96-2-2 back in July, air cooled, sized .431 in Lube-a-Matic, and lubed with Carnuba Blue sparked by CCI 300 primers held together with Starline brass full length sized with Hornady New Dimension dieset trimmed with Lee's system. Bullet weighs around 262 grains lubed +/- about one grain. All given were six-shot groups.

16.5 Grains 2400 manufactured 2009, lot X, (slightly reduced "Keith Load" due to approaching 100% case fill and slightly heavier bullet than 429421). The same amazing consistency and about 1.5" group size two-hand sitting down at 25 yards.

7.5 grains of Unique manufactured 2019 ("Skeeter Load" analog). Very mild shooting, single digit variation, about the same group size. Shot to the same point of impact as the above load like it is supposed to!!! This clocked in the 990s FPS.

9 grains of PowerPistol. 1050s FPS but doesn't have the same accuracy as the above loads unless it is just me.

9 grains of Herco. 1050s but doesn't have the accuracy of the above loads unless it is just me.

No metallic fowling observed yet, something I observed immediately using 2400 in my S&W 624 (suspect due to barrel constriction). As usual 2400 is a dirty powder but not terribly so. Cases were dusted by the 2400 load indicating to me it is not sealing perfectly at the mouth, but it didn't seem to matter. The faster powders didn't dust.

Some random observations about these NM Flatops...the rear sight screws fit the screwdriver end on a Victorinox Swiss army knife can opener nicely. The front sight wasn't perfectly square in the rear notch. I solved this with a little diamond lap and a wooden guide I cut on a table saw. And the rear sight pin drifts left and right. Guess I should loctite it? All throats gauged between .431 and .432. No barrel constriction as it would accept .416 pin that slipped all the way through with no resistance and refused the .417 pin.

It's sort of amazing to me how well these soak up the felt recoil. The combination of a shorter, heavier barrel (5.5") and the heavy bisely grip makes it nice even with the Keith loads.

What I truly wonder is how come Unique and 2400 work SO WELL in this application? Every substitute I've tried (Power Pistol, Blue Dot, and Herco) has come up short. These two loads are the REAL DEAL and probably represent the optimal cast bullet revolver hunting loads. Somebody wants to hunt with a revolver...look no further!

And another thing I am wondering. IS THE SKEETER load really up to the job of whitetails inside 75 yards? I am very tempted to settle on that load as the Keith is obviously more than is needed at these ranges. My observation of solid cast bullets of this hardness is they barely mushroom at 1200 FPS. So the Keith load may mushroom, but probably not at distance, so both are basically going to punch a .430 hole. Placement is almost everything and the Skeeter load is so mild and noticeably quieter.

IMHO the new flat tops are some of the best revolvers ever made.

There, I corrected it. Ruger has been on my do not buy list for a while. I had a Mark II that I didn't like and an EC9s that is a total dumpster fire of a firearm. I've always found many of their revolvers owned by others to be crude and piggisly oversized. I still think this about the Super Blackhawk, Single Six (which are larger than 357 S&Ws!), Old Vaquero, GP100, and Redhawk. IMO the Security Six was pretty neat and so is the Bearcat. The flatops and new Vaqueros get the sizing right and my flattop is certainly made pretty well.

[JoeJames]

I forgot to mention that along with the spring kit I also later replaced the factory black plastic grips with a pair which really improved the appearance and feel of mine.

[TCLouis]

Put a 6 1/2 inch barrel on that thing ant would be a perfect replacement for the Blackhawk that started my love for 44 Mag all those MANY years ago!

Velocities are in the perfect range too and . . . AND the Bisley grip.
What's not to love!

[curioushooter]

The Bisleys (or at least mine) already comes with an Altamont fake rosewood (laminated, dyed, and compressed birch) grip which looks nice except for the gaudy plastic Ruger Eagle medallion hot glued in there. It looks alright from a distance but don't get too close...

I really think I did right by getting the 5.5" barrel. Shorter would have been a waste of velocity and sighting radius. Also leaves something to cut-down for recrowns. The 4 5/8ths are right at the ejector rod housing.

Longer than 5.5" and I think I would start suffering from torque-recoil. Something I've become convinced of with powerful big bore cartridges is that a lot of the energy is coming from the muzzle, especically with slower powders. That blast up there seems to whip the barrel in an arcing motion and the longer the barrel the more mechanical advantage it exerts vs. your fingers on the grip. I found it necessary to bevel off the left side of the butt of my S&Ws grips so that they would stop pounding that sharp edge into my LEFT palm.

The Bisely frame completely fills my hand and extends all the way down to my pinky. And downward rotational force causes no pain. The smooth backstrap allows some slide under recoil. It's designed for careful aimed fire, not speed shooting. For me at least it is a winner.

I used to have a Bisley SuperBlackhawk in 44 mag years ago with a 7.5" pipe and I loaded 265 grainers to about 1400+ FPS. At a certain point it doesn't matter what the grip was like that was violent and painful.

The 44 Special Flatop to me is a far nicer revolver. It's smaller and much more portable, much more pleasant to shoot, more accurate, and has more than enough power on tap if called for. Keith took Elk and all manner of large game with 1200 FPS 250 grains SWCs. My 5.5" flatop is surpassing that sending a slightly heavier, larger meplat, bullet even faster.

I was reading some Skeeter yesterday and was impressed by how much trouble he went through to get his 44 special made. And he spent 200 1940s era dollars on it and took a decade. Today you can order in your underwear one of these Blackhawks off a website for $580 (what I paid, and surely less value than 200 1950s dollars) and it's a superior firearm in design (can safely hold all 6 rounds) and strength (there is no doubt that these new Flattops are far stronger than any 44 special Colt of yore). And yet, few have even heard of these gems...too busy stockpiling tupperware and crates of 9x19 I guess.

[JoeJames]

Now and then those same people with the crates of 9x19 ask me why I shoot the 44 Special. I usually just say I like the idea of that big old boolit plundering down range at 900 fps accurately.

[curioushooter]

900 FPS?! More like 1200!

You'd be surprised at how absolutely ignorant Tupperware shooters can be. They often have no idea of external ballistics because they usually don't handload or have chronos and think ammo is something you buy for the lowest price possible.

When you explain to them that factory loaded 44 Magnum or handloaded 45 colt or 44 special have double the power and about triple the KO factor of 9x19 they at first disbelieve, then make excuses, and a few finally understand. It sort of diminishes their belief in "SUPERIOR FIREPOWER" as 6 of 44 has about the same actual POWER as a dozen an a half of what their pistol carries. And no doubt it is far better to take one accurate shot of sufficient power, and that power can be delivered effectively at far greater ranges.

I don't even bother trying to shoot my pistols past 25 yards. It runs up against trying to isolate the variable of my crappy shooting vs what the firearm is capable of. I like to shoot things better than I am, personally.

[JoeJames]

Well 900 fps in my Ruger BH, and 1050 or so fps in my Rossi with my special 44 Magnum hand loads. I have commented that it is like a 22 LR in some ways ... same velocity as a standard velocity 22LR, but double the diameter, and six times the weight. It is not for the spray and pray crowd. I hand load, cast my own boolits, and don't start loading in serious quantities until I have chronographed them.

[TCLouis]

DANGIT . . .
I had said no new guns, and then you have to go and post this.

Wonder how much I could get out of my 7 1/2 Super Blackhawk to help finance one of these?

1200 fps or so would take care of anything I can think of that I am likely to come across.

[Cosmic_Charlie]

I had a 5-1/2" model that would not shoot well. Finally realized it had thread choke. Guess I could have rebarreled it but I was pretty sour on it by then so I sold it. Got a Smith 24-3 and it puts them right in there. I have had trouble with new Rugers. Bought a minty SBH made in 1987 and it shoots like it should too. Happy some of you got good ones!