New production Super Blackhawk?

[hylander]

What are your thoughts on a new production SBH .44 ?
Especially tolerances, I known every gun is different, but overall?
I am thinking of ordering one 7.5"
It will be for shooting mostly cast.

[Thumbcocker]

I think Ruger's new cylinder boring machinery has done a lot to produce uniform throats. That still leaves the issue of thread choke and overall build quality. I have seen recent production Rugers that were as good as anything they ever made and some that just looked shoddy. Rather than ordering one I would prefer to look at one or more in stock. In a perfect world you would be able to examine it and check for choke. If you do order one and it is not right, send that sucker back. Ruger will usually make them right.

Don't overlook used. SBH's are very durable . My absolute most accurate revolver is a Bisley hunter model that was purchased used. I spent some money on it having it gone over by a good gunsmith for trigger and cylinder gap work. Often current Rugers are a "kit gun". All the parts are there but you may have to finish things that should have been done at the factory. The design is solid. The execution is sometimes lees so.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

[DougGuy]

Afaik, Ruger won't address thread choke or cylinder throats. Much better off shopping for one in person, take a cleaning jag with you, wrap a couple layers of paper towel on it and push it down the bore, you can feel for thread choke if the resistance against it moving changes, if it gets harder to push at the barrel/frame junction, that's choke. If no change in resistance? Buy it. Throats can easily be honed.

Or take a bullet/boolit the size you want to shoot along with the jag and see if they fit through the throats. Likely they won't but you never know. Ordering one is like Ruger Roulette, you'll get a gun but in person in hand, much better.

[bosterr]

What would it take to eliminate thread choke? Maybe turn the barrel shank .002" smaller before threading? This question comes from a guy who was never a machinist.

[hylander]

Will not be able to look at a new one in person, because no LGS has them.
Very few ever come up for sale local.
I can order a new one through the shop I work for though.
I could hand lap a constriction out and send a
cylinder the Doug for honing.
Only smith I know that could set the barrel back is 120 miles away and probably six months out to get it back.

[contender1]

I'm, constantly amazed at how many people assume a gun will be bad prior to buying one and actually shooting it.

Yes,, there have been enough cases of guns having issues,, to where it is totally possible. But what is NOT mentioned often enough is all the GOOD ones out there.
And yes,, shooting cast bullets is different than shooting jacketed ones.

I just wish folks would actually shoot a gun before trying to "fix" it.

And yes,, if there is something out of specs,, Ruger will fix it. But as noted,, thread constriction isn't one of these things. If the cylinder throats are too large,, they will often correct that. And if too small, a simple honing by DougGuy here can easily fix the throats for shooting cast.

For the OP,, Ruger does all they can to build guns correctly AND in a quick enough timeframe to meet production. No,, they do not test fire them for accuracy,, just for function. If you buy one,, the first thing to do is clean it. the second thing is to actually shoot it to see how it performs.

Just like any other man made object,, you can get good or bad ones. But overall,, they turn out a lot more good ones than bad ones.

[hylander]

Not assuming they might be bad before I buy it, I have not bought a new Ruger revolver for a few years, so was just trying to gage how QC is on them these days. Also I have dealt with Rugers CS many times and they have been top notch every time.

[contender1]

My apologies if I seemed a bit harsh in my reply. It wasn't meant to be. I just see all kinds of people asking about a gun prior to getting one or actually shooting one and a lot of negative stuff is mentioned.

I've seen guns that by all accounts would fail a close inspection, yet they shoot VERY well. And I've seen brand new, top quality tight & great looking guns shoot like crap. I once bought a Kimber 1911 that was so tight & well built, I just knew it'd be a good shooter. Well, it shot 10" low & 4" left. Fixed sights. It also had a mechanical issue. After the 1st 8 round magazine,, I started having the hammer follow the slide to half cock.
It went back to Kimber. They replaced the barrel & bushing, and the hammer & sear. It still shot low & left by the same amount. And after about 300 rounds,, the hammer & sear problem re-surfaced. I replaced the hammer & sear myself with a Brazos Custom matched set, and had the slide milled for adjustable sights. Problems solved. The hammer & sear have now had over 50,000 rounds through it,, and no issues. It's a USPSA LTD 10 competition gun now.

In building a new Ruger,, they have assemblers who do a job, and inspect the portion of their job at their station. Then the gun moves to another assembler. Each one has gauges & testing items to make sure they are building each one to specs. As long as it's within the specs,, it continues.
But they do not shoot them for accuracy. Each gun is test fired inside an enclosed machine designed to do just that, function test. Usually (2) rounds, then it's off to the distributor.
At each assembly station, that worker is the QC person for that segment. And without firing for accuracy,, even they do not know how well it'll perform.

Only by actually getting one on the range, test firing it for accuracy & function will any of us determine if it's what we seek. Just like my Kimber,, it was bought with a good careful inspection. Yet, it's performance was extremely bad. Once I replaced a few parts, and added adjustable sights,, that gun became a top competition piece. I later found out that Kimber had suffered a problem with a very large batch of bad parts,, not properly heat treated.

[hylander]

No worries, no offense taken.
I have my eye on two used ones, one SS the other blued.
Both I believe from the 80's.
But also like buying new, just something about a new gun knowing
no one has messed with it (until I do)

[FergusonTO35]

What are your thoughts on a new production SBH .44 ?
Especially tolerances, I known every gun is different, but overall?
I am thinking of ordering one 7.5"
It will be for shooting mostly cast.

The other day there was a new or like new stainless 7.5" at a shop near me for $750.00. I can give you their contact info if you like, they are happy to ship.

[hylander]

The other day there was a new or like new stainless 7.5" at a shop near me for $750.00. I can give you their contact info if you like, they are happy to ship.

Thanks,
I can order a new one through the shop I work for

[gc45]

Ruger sends out plenty of guns that are ok, also plenty that are not, then it's the buyer's loss and or job to get it right and that's a shame as Ruger should be upgreading their QC catching issues at the plants. Now days most of us are stuck with depleating guns stores so we turn to the Net where it's all buyer beware for most anything..I would gladly drive 120 miles to a good gunsmith if there was one and I would gladly wait 6 months for him to fix a gun I will have and enjoy a long time..Guns that don't shoot well are just a piece of metal and I won't have one..Call me picky as H---

[contender1]

gc45,, sadly,, thanks to many variables,, Ruger has modernized things. It used to be that Ruger would introduce a new gun,, then us mere mortals would have a 2-3 year wait before ever seeing one. Due to high demands,, and the smaller SKILLED workforce,, they just could not keep up with things.
After all the Ruger family left the business,,, and it was actually floundering a bit, (stock prices were under $5 a share,) re-organization took place.
They streamlined a lot of the manufacturing. They increased production AND kept expenses (read costs to consumers,) down by hiring
"parts assemblers" and not the skilled (slower) gun builders. By doing so,, production was able to keep up with demands for the most part. And the cost to the customer was reasonable. But the SKILLED gunsmith types cost a lot more to employ. Plus,, the TIME,, (read expense) of slowing down to build a gun was prohibitive. Modern manufacturing method for mass production require different methods than what was previously done. And it has allowed them to not only stay in business, but come out of the downward trend they had been on.

But there is a great solution!

Buy a Freedom Arms! They are still built slowly, by skilled gunsmith types, and are very carefully checked for any flaws. Darn near perfect handguns!
Oh,, but according to Bob Baker at Freedom Arms,, there is about a 20 month wait time once ordered,,, and you will pay around $3000.00 for one.

So, if you are a very picky person, just put up the money, wait your turn, and have an excellent hand built firearm!

But if you are a working man,, and want a gun a lot sooner,, and can accept small flaws,, or the occasional necessary fix of a small issue,, buy a Ruger,, shoot it, and if it's not right,, Ruger will fix it. All at a much less expense,, and much quicker timeframe. But be careful,, often you get a gun from Ruger that doesn't need ANY work on it at all!

[hylander]

gc45,, But be careful,, often you get a gun from Ruger that doesn't need ANY work on it at all!

But where is the fun in that? (Lol)

[Bazoo]

I had a brand new one a couple of years ago. The overall fit and finish was not quite as good as I like, though I can't remember the specific things now that I didn't care for - I sold it unfired. I didn't measure it so I can't comment there.

[hylander]

Ok
I think I'm going to order a new 7.5"
Then after shooting it and making sure all is good, then cut it to 6"

[contender1]

There ya go!

Let us know how it does!

[Thumbcocker]

Ok
I think I'm going to order a new 7.5"
Then after shooting it and making sure all is good, then cut it to 6"

The 5 1/2" ones balance very well.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

[hylander]

Ordered the 7.5 blued today