Best No-Drill Scope Base For Ruger BH?

[Jeff R]

My .41 Mag Blackhawk needs a scope. From internetting, it seems like the Weaver 301 base gets great reviews. I would get it without the Weaver rings, as they do not get great reviews.

Are there better alternatives that I should consider? Also, I have never owned a scope for a handgun. Do you have any "favorites" that you really like?

Thanks!
Jeff

rocketing towards 200 posts!

[44man]

I never found one. Get a Weigand base and drill and tap. Your choice of a red dot or scope depends on if you hunt or shoot paper.

[5Shot]

Weaver 301...just researched this a while back.

[oldfart1956]

Weaver 301's on my Ruger Super Blackhawk .44mag. and the Blackhawk .45colt. Both 7 1/2 inch barrel guns. About 1K rounds thru the .44 mag and I couldn't even guess how many thru the .45 colt....several thousands? I even sent a Nikon scope back (in 2 baggies!) from heavy loads in the .45. Nothing has gone wacky or got loose yet on the mount. It may put a minor scuff mark where it wraps around the barrel. Not a concern for me. Clean&Loc-tite the screws and snug em' down. Have the new Nikon on the .44 and an UltraDot on the .45. Audie...the Oldfart..

[Jeff R]

I never found one. Get a Weigand base and drill and tap. Your choice of a red dot or scope depends on if you hunt or shoot paper.
44Man,
I will be shooting paper targets. So,. . . Do you recommend a red dot or a scope? I am coachable.
Jeff

[Jeff R]

. Text snipped - Have the new Nikon on the .44 and an UltraDot on the .45. Audie...the Oldfart..
Oldfart,
What model is the "new Nikon?"
Regards.
Jeff

[contender1]

As a Ruger collector,,,, when I encounter a D&Ted top strap,,, it immediately reduces the value of the gun. As a shooter,,, it's fine. But I've seen & purchased way too many of them to not address this thread.
There used to not be a no D&T mounts available for the SA firearms. That has changed. With modern companies offering a good quality mount, where you do not have to D&T the gun I'd say investigate those options first.
While I FULLY support the thought; "It's my gun & I'll do with it as I please" I'd like to offer a bit of food for thought. None of us here are permanent owners of anything. Eventually we will either change our desires & sell something,,,, or our surviving families will sell things. Very few are the families who can not use extra $$$ when selling stuff after a person passes. I love my family and want them to get as much as possible for my stuff they don't wish to keep after I'm gone. I've gone to the trouble of documenting as much detail about my collection as I can so they can sell for top dollar. They are educated.

So,, back on track of mounts & all.
Weigland does make some excellent mounts as well as the Weaver mentioned. The OP has mentioned a desire to just punch paper. Red dot optics are a good and fun way to enjoy this. I have a Freedom Arms 454 with a red dot, and it's a killer.
In general, a scope will allow for a more precise tight group,,, where a dot will allow a faster target acquisition. In red dot optics,,, there isn't magnification, (at least in most of them,) so a dot is purchased buy it's "moa-dot" size. a common one,,, say a 3 MOA will project the dot to where it will be the same size as a 3" dot at 100 yds. A 5 MOA will have a 5" dot at 100 yds. Basically the higher the dot number,,,, the larger the dot size at distances.
Dot optics are excellent for aging eyes, or low light shooting, and hunting. They have long been used for speed shooting by the best in the world during competition.
A scope will give magnification, and a more precise aiming point. Normal scope stuff applies.

I use both, and I've got guns with factory set-ups to mount a scope or optics. I've also got firearms that I've added optics to. Never drilled & tapped any.

[44man]

44Man,
I will be shooting paper targets. So,. . . Do you recommend a red dot or a scope? I am coachable.
Jeff
Scope is best for paper. Red dot for hunting. You can shoot good with a red dot if you use a target to center the dot. It is only the amount of target the dot covers.
I have used Weaver no drill and they beat the barrel with the clamp. I slid brass shim stock in and recoil cut the brass. I did not like cut marks on the barrel. They did hold zero but flexed too much.
I am a shooter and could care less about a collector. I even have a Weigand base and red dot on my Ruger Old Army for deer. Too many guns today come drilled and tapped.
How would you like a Rem 700 with no holes?

[tdoyka]

i kinda agree with 44man, i'm a shooter not a collector. now if i had an old savage m99 that wasn't tapped, i would keep it untapped and i would try to find a peep tang sight for it. right now i have a ruger super redhawk that is getting the factory open sights replaced by a warren one hole sight and a marbles ruger front sight. i'm going to do that today:-).

red dot for hunting
scope for targets

[44man]

Changing sights can add value. I never seen where holes right lost money.

[RJM52]

Have to disagree with Mr. 44 this time around... Bought a 1977 vintage .41 BH in 1990+- that had a Weaver NO D&T System on it with a 4X Leupold in the saddle. Just took the mount off about two years ago and zero damage to the gun...and the loads that went through that gun were not exactly light. And who knows how many rounds were put through it before I bought it...

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b77/RJM52/Single%20Action/RugerBH-SSS-Marlin-FA020.jpg



Took the base off about two years ago...zero issues...


http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b77/RJM52/Single%20Action/DSCF7368_zpscdda18ed.jpg


A friend in Oregon put one on his .41 BK at my recommendation about 2001. When I was visiting him in 2013 he decided to make it open sight again and I was there when he took it off...again zero issues...

After taking the scope off the .41 it went onto a 7.5" NM .30 Carbine for a short period of time before I decided to sell it and just keep an OM .30 Carbine I also had...

Just make sure everything is degreased and LocTited in place...

As to scope or red dot... Except for speed shooting or 50' bullseye I prefer a scope especially for hunting. Used to have mostly 4X Leupolds like pictured above but have since gone to 2X scopes or a 2-6 variable. I still have a 4X on a Single-Six Hunter and it is a tack driver...

That is three rounds sighting in at 25 yards and then 9 in that ragged hole...

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b77/RJM52/Single%20Action/030806range009.jpg

Bob

[oldfart1956]

Oldfart,
What model is the "new Nikon?"
Regards.
Jeff Jeff that scope is a Nikon Encore 2.5-8X28 EER with BDC. Some pro's and cons on the scope. It's an extended eye relief scope (EER) so it works on handguns...but with some caveats. As you adjust the power from 2.5 to 8 the eye relief changes. A lot. Pistol scopes don't do that. On 2.5 hold it at arms length. On 8 power you'll have to bring the scope much closer. The BDC works kinda neat. Found a load that worked at 25yds. on the crosshairs, 50yds. on the first circle and 75yds. on the lower circle inside the reticle. Cool. Since buying the UltraDot however I'll never buy another scope again. Not for a handgun or a rifle. They work perfectly for the ranges I use them. Not a target shooter but I hunt and plink a bunch. A 4moa dot works just fine. Audie..the Oldfart.