Has anyone here ever rebarreled a Blackhawk?

[C. Latch]

I am thinking (which means the money isn't here yet, so, for now, daydreaming....) about swapping to a heavier barrel for my .45 Bisley Blackhawk. When I was a kid and used to shoot a lot of single-actions, my grandpa had a pretty wide assortment; most had either the 6.5" barrel (.357s and .41) or 7.5" barrel (.30 and .44s and .45) and, honestly, while I like the 5.5" barrel for carrying, I'm thinking somewhere between 6 and 6.5" would suit me better for offhand shooting.

Also, a heavier contour would be NICE, not only for stability from offhand, but for recoil mitigation. I don't think I have much to gain in terms of mechanical accuracy over the stock ruger barrel - I still have at least one load that shoots up to the limits of my own abilities, and can't ask for better - but in practical terms, I do think this is worth investigating.

(Assuming one can spend several hundred dollars to replace something that already works, and still say the word 'practical' with a straight face)

To that end, I'm wondering if anyone has ever had a gunsmith fit a different/longer/shorter/better barrel to a Blackhawk, and if so, what pistolsmiths do good work at good prices? Any to avoid? Any particular barrel suggestions?

[canyon-ghost]

102164

It's more 'practical' to buy a second Blackhawk. I'm proof positive that you can't have too many Blackhawks!

102162

[starmac]

Here is my thinking, which is dangerous, but I would shoot what I have, save my pennies and buy another one.
Here is my reasoning too (wife says is dangerous). The way I see it you can spend as much as the gun cost, but in the end it is worth the same amount, or you can watch for the right deal and not only have what you want, but it is about like having your money in a savings account, and get to play with it too.

[Lefty Red]

I am with everyone else and just buy another BH with the barrel length you want.

[leftiye]

But. But. Nobody makes a 10 inch heavy barrel (no taper) for a blackhawk (Bisley) except Gary Reeder. Plus a bunch of others. To be honest I really like 10 inch barrels on blackhawks. Rugers are light in the muzzle. Can get pricey if you have it done by some "Cadillac" gunsmith though. Depends what is important to you.

[44man]

I would buy a SBH Hunter in 7-1/2" myself.

[C. Latch]

Wow, y'all are no fun!

:wink:

[high standard 40]

I don't personally have a Blackhawk that has been rebarreled, but my brother does. It's a SS 357 mag that now sports a 10" Shilen barrel. It's a very nice looking gun and is scary accurate. It's also of a length and weight that is not available from Ruger.

[Lefty Red]

I was going to have my SBH rebarreled and tricked out. The cost got up there quick! I could get a BFR cheaper.
But its your weapon and money. It would be cool to have a one of a kind weapon to keep a lifetime.

Lefty

[DougGuy]

Some barrels may shoot cast much better than factory. Try Alan Harton - Single Action Service in Houston. He may be your most practical bet for cost and turnaround time.. aharton@hotmail.com

While you're at it, let him walk through the action and the cylinder throats, OR if you really want to get persnickity with it, let him rechamber a smaller caliber cylinder to match grade tolerances for .44 or .45 :bigsmyl2:

Edit: For the post below this one.. I would love to have one of Bowen's .50 Specials in a short barrel! How bout a cpl pics of your 50AE?

[Gunslinger1911]

On one hand, a great reason to buy another gun.
On the other hand, you could have a Ruger that no one else has - odd length, heavier contour.

Just depends on how you want to spend your money - both are good options.

Me, I had an old .357 Blackhawk I had put in the vicinity of 25,000 rounds through. Sent it to Gary Reeder, came back as 5 shot 50AE with a very heavy 4 3/4" barrel.
$125 for the used gun, shot the snot out of it for 20 years (first centerfire pistol), $650 for conversion. (this was 15 years ago - can't touch a conversion for under $1k + now I don't think).

Worth it ? To me, YES ! I have a gun that nobody else has. (Or probably ever will), general comment is "you did WHAT !!!!!!. But they all want to shoot it.

[monge]

Took the barrel off my vaquero machined it back to close up cyl gap. Made my own clamp and wrench man was that barrel tight!

[TUG]

I've had a couple rebarreled and rechambered. OM Blackhawk 357 to 41 special, by Andy Horvath and an OM Blackhawk 357 to 44 special and a OM Single-Six rimfire to 327 federal magnum,both of those by Alan Harton. Email Alan and ask him or call Andy and ask as he does not email.
Ronnie

[C. Latch]

OR if you really want to get persnickity with it, let him rechamber a smaller caliber cylinder to match grade tolerances for .44 or .45

I have actually thought about that, but if I was going to spend that money, I'd go on and have a new cylinder made, line-bored, slightly oversized if possible, close to minimum chambers, and NO SILLY SCROLLWORK on the outside.

A rebore would, though, be a cheap way to get rid of the annoying 5-and-1 groups with my current cylinder. One charge hole must be misaligned; it always shoots high and left, so I don't use that hole.

[Changeling]

Hi Latch, if the current revolver doesn't shoot correctly and Ruger WON'T correct it, that would really drive me crazy!
I just went through that scenario with my first Ruger .45.
So I sold it and bought another . 45 at a gun show. I checked it out as best I could with a set of calipers, .451 barrel and the cylander throats were small enough that I could have them "honed" to correct deminsions, witch I did, and it still wouldn't shoot (300 + gr bullets). I never tried anything smaller.
I sent it back to Ruger. Received it back recently with a target shot at 15 yds with "double tap amo 250 gr cast" witch they used. All bullets were touching! No idea what they did, but I believe it was a new barrel because a small blemich was not there.

So, if yours is not shooting correctly (one cylinder off) I sincerely suggest you send it back to Ruger with a full explanation regarding the trouble cylinder. Include your load information, don't make them guess.
PS. mark the bad cylinder

[C. Latch]

A bad barrel really isn't my issue. Like I said in my first post:

I don't think I have much to gain in terms of mechanical accuracy over the stock ruger barrel - I still have at least one load that shoots up to the limits of my own abilities, and can't ask for better

I'm not terribly worried about the one misaligned cylinder hole; if Ruger replaced the cylinder I'd have to get someone to ream the throats again, Ruger would probably replace my trigger parts and make me have to adjust the trigger again....it's not worth it to send it back to them. I am glad to hear they finally got your sorted out, though!

[meister mash]

I did one myself. Used a timberwolf 357 barrel. Bought the die that fits the barrel threads on sale some where and turned it to fit. The stainless timberwolf barrel took cold bluing just fine too.
The factory barrel had a bulge in it.

[leftiye]

I'd bet that ruger would solve your accuracy problem. The cause being so obvious. New cylinder. I really like my 10 inch bisleys and blackhawks BTW.

[C. Latch]

I'd bet that ruger would solve your accuracy problem. The cause being so obvious. New cylinder. I really like my 10 inch bisleys and blackhawks BTW.

What accuracy problem?

[Lloyd Smale]

ive had gunsmith shorten barrels and replace barrels to change calibers or replace a poor shooting barrel.

[leftiye]

Sorry, someone mentioned a gun that shot five and one groups.

[C. Latch]

Sorry, someone mentioned a gun that shot five and one groups.

I apologize; I should have never mentioned the cylinder in this thread; all I did was open the door for my thread to drift off into somewhere I had no desire for it to go.