Took My Ruger Blackhawk 44 Special and 41 Mag to the range today

Striper69 · Nov 22, 2018

I wanted to see if I could use either or both of them for hunting out to 50 yards or better yet to 100 yards.

I got the 41 Mag to get near a bulls-eye at 100 yards and got the 44 Special to hit about 4 inches above it. I'll adjust the 44 Special to hit the bulls-eye at 100 yards tomorrow. I need to take a different target to the range to be able to use the sights better.

I think I may be able to get a deer with either or both of these guns this season. :party29:

SRD · Nov 23, 2018

.41 Blackhawk was my first HQL purchase,plan on using it tomorrow for the first time (hunt not first time use).

Uncle Duke · Nov 23, 2018

SRD said:
.41 Blackhawk was my first HQL purchase,plan on using it tomorrow for the first time (hunt not first time use).

Good Luck with it! One sweet combination there! But, I might be biased...

Tracker · Nov 23, 2018

Striper69 said:
I wanted to see if I could use either or both of them for hunting out to 50 yards or better yet to 100 yards.

I got the 41 Mag to get near a bulls-eye at 100 yards and got the 44 Special to hit about 4 inches above it. I'll adjust the 44 Special to hit the bulls-eye at 100 yards tomorrow. I need to take a different target to the range to be able to use the sights better.

I think I may be able to get a deer with either or both of these guns this season.

What load are you using for the 44 special? Just wondering if changing it may lower the poi allowing you to save the one your using now for longer shots?

Magnumite · Nov 23, 2018

what load was used in the 44 Special?

dist1646 · Nov 23, 2018

I may have more than one Ruger .41 mag. :innocent0

Great shooters and I would not hesitate to use them on deer!
I don't believe the .44 special makes Maryland's requirements for it to be used on deer though. Not that a .44 special isn't capable of doing the job, lots of good cartridges don't make their arbitrary requirements. :sad20:

Uncle Duke · Nov 23, 2018

dist1646 said:
I may have more than one Ruger .41 mag.
Great shooters and I would not hesitate to use them on deer!
I don't believe the .44 special makes Maryland's requirements for it to be used on deer though. Not that a .44 special isn't capable of doing the job, lots of good cartridges don't make their arbitrary requirements.

I think you’re right on both counts.

Striper69 · Nov 24, 2018

Magnumite said:
what load was used in the 44 Special?

A +P load featured in a recent issue of Handloader magazine. 10.5 gr. of Power Pro with a 180 gr. Hornady HP bullet.

Sucker is dead on at 50 yards. I may stick with this zero and just aim up 4 inches at 100 yards.

Striper69 · Nov 24, 2018

SRD said:
.41 Blackhawk was my first HQL purchase,plan on using it tomorrow for the first time (hunt not first time use).

My 41 Mag load is a work in progress. I'm going to get some Hornady HP bullets tomorrow morning and load those up to test out. I was using some 180 gr. Berry's Bullets and they won't give consistent results.

IronEye · Nov 24, 2018

I just bought a used Ruger Blackhawk in 41 Magnum 4.62". Built in 1990 from the serial number. I have never shot a gun that was Magnaported before - looking forward to trying it out. Can pick it up next week.

Sometimes that's what happens when you walk into a gun shop to just pick up some primers. :innocent0

I have been shooting some warmer 44 Special loads through my Taylor & Co. Cattleman. These are still listed as being under the 15.5K max but are a step up from the cowboy action loads. That gun is not as strong as a Ruger. I figure the Ruger 41 Magnum can fill in at the range when I want a little more power and just reserve the Cattleman for mostly cowboy loads from now on.

I suspect that there will be little effect from the Magnaporting when shooting hard cast lead bullets at lower velocities. Except from the increase in noise that is. I'm not quite sure how i would be able to tell without having an unported 41 mag to compare against.

Brian Pierce had a nice article in Handloader from a few years ago on the 44 Special. He listed three pressure levels and discussed the guns that were safe at each level. I seriously considered a Ruger in 44 Special until the 41 Magnum "fell in my lap".

I'm not sure anything that you hit with .410 or a .429 bullet of the same type, velocity and weight would be able to tell the difference.

Man, oh man is 41 Magnum ammo expensive. You need to handload or have a fat wallet. I picked up a box of Winchester 240gr hunting ammo at the shop. $38 for 20 rounds. Yikes. Platinum Tips says the box. Must be real platinum.

BTW: LAXAmmo currently has 41 magnum for $44 per 100. Copper plated 210gr bullet at a listed velocity of 966FPS. Also have 250 rounds in an ammo can for $111. Both of these are new ammo.

dist1646 · Nov 24, 2018

IronEye said:
I just bought a used Ruger Blackhawk in 41 Magnum 4.62". Built in 1990 from the serial number. I have never shot a gun that was Magnaported before - looking forward to trying it out. Can pick it up next week.

Sometimes that's what happens when you walk into a gun shop to just pick up some primers.

I have been shooting some warmer 44 Special loads through my Taylor & Co. Cattleman. These are still listed as being under the 15.5K max but are a step up from the cowboy action loads. That gun is not as strong as a Ruger. I figure the Ruger 41 Magnum can fill in at the range when I want a little more power and just reserve the Cattleman for mostly cowboy loads from now on.

I suspect that there will be little effect from the Magnaporting when shooting hard cast lead bullets at lower velocities. Except from the increase in noise that is. I'm not quite sure how i would be able to tell without having an unported 41 mag to compare against.

Brian Pierce had a nice article in Handloader from a few years ago on the 44 Special. He listed three pressure levels and discussed the guns that were safe at each level. I seriously considered a Ruger in 44 Special until the 41 Magnum "fell in my lap".

I'm not sure anything that you hit with .410 or a .429 bullet of the same type, velocity and weight would be able to tell the difference.

Man, oh man is 41 Magnum ammo expensive. You need to handload or have a fat wallet. I picked up a box of Winchester 240gr hunting ammo at the shop. $38 for 20 rounds. Yikes. Platinum Tips says the box. Must be real platinum.

BTW: LAXAmmo currently has 41 magnum for $44 per 100. Copper plated 210gr bullet at a listed velocity of 966FPS. Also have 250 rounds in an ammo can for $111. Both of these are new ammo.

Was that the one at Gun Shack in Mt. Airy? I was tempted but decided to wait until I can find an early 3 screw in good enough condition to suit me. I'm picky!

Magnumite · Nov 24, 2018

NOTE: The 44 Special Rugers are built on the New Vaquero frame. It is not built to take 44 Magnum pressure loads.

IronEye · Nov 24, 2018

That was the gun from the Gun Shack in Mt Airy.

Funny, we couldn't get the base pin out. Finally it gave in. Looked like dried up WD40 was holding it in place..

True that you can't put 44 Magnum loads in a Ruger 44 Special Blackhawk. What Pierce suggests is there are 3 tiers of 44 Special revolver. Google for his article. It was in Handloader #236. "brian pierce handloader 236 44 special".

When i say warm loads I'm talking about ~950FPS with a 240gr hard cast lead bullet. Under the 15.5K SAAMI limit. Cowboy loads would be about 750FPS.

Read the article. Make up your own mind.

Bisleyfan44 · Nov 24, 2018

IronEye said:
Man, oh man is 41 Magnum ammo expensive. You need to handload or have a fat wallet. I picked up a box of Winchester 240gr hunting ammo at the shop. $38 for 20 rounds. Yikes. Platinum Tips says the box. Must be real platinum.

Try this:

https://www.targetsportsusa.com/rem...mmo-210-grain-soft-point-rtp41mg1-p-4082.aspx

Cannot beat this price, period!

IronEye · Nov 24, 2018

Nice price. Thanks.

I like handloads too. Less than 25 cents a pop. Bullets and brass arrived today - i had the dies and powder.

SRD · Nov 24, 2018

Striper69 said:
My 41 Mag load is a work in progress. I'm going to get some Hornady HP bullets tomorrow morning and load those up to test out. I was using some 180 gr. Berry's Bullets and they won't give consistent results.

I've been shooting Buffalo Bore 230.I'd like to have something in a 180 JHP or similar but I don't reload and all I find off the shelf is 170.But this gun/caliber was designed and bought for hunting,so I'll use what's available.

With that said I'd be interested in any load you come up with (secret handshake of course

).

Magnumite · Nov 24, 2018

IronEye said:
That was the gun from the Gun Shack in Mt Airy.

Funny, we couldn't get the base pin out. Finally it gave in. Looked like dried up WD40 was holding it in place..

True that you can't put 44 Magnum loads in a Ruger 44 Special Blackhawk. What Pierce suggests is there are 3 tiers of 44 Special revolver. Google for his article. It was in Handloader #236. "brian pierce handloader 236 44 special".

When i say warm loads I'm talking about ~950FPS with a 240gr hard cast lead bullet. Under the 15.5K SAAMI limit. Cowboy loads would be about 750FPS.

Read the article. Make up your own mind.

Got it. I thought is what refences were but sometimes the different genre of Blackhawks gets confused.

For 44 Special I prefer the 800 - 950 fps range. If I need more I use a magnum revolver. I don’t have a 41 but it has a following. I read what others write about it and put the fundamentals of the cartridge into memory.

IronEye · Nov 25, 2018

Thanks to all for the good info and the concern expressed.

The tier three loads are listed in that article were intended for 44 Specials that were converted from 357 Blackhawk revolvers.

Ruger really has made a mess with the different frame sizes. There have been "Ruger/Thompson Center only" loads listed in the reloading handbooks for many years. In particular there are listings for 45 Colt. Unfortunately those "Ruger Only" loads may no longer be safe in Rugers. When is a Vaquero not a Vaquero? When it is a "New" Vaquero. When is a Blackhawk not a Blackhawk? When it is a Flattop Blackhawk.

I believe that the current run of 44 Special guns are on the smaller Flattop frame. These may or may not be safe with the tier three loads.

Confusing. Reloading is not for everyone. Error on the light side. Approach heavy loads with caution. If you want a magnum buy a magnum. Stay safe.

dist1646 · Nov 25, 2018

IronEye said:
That was the gun from the Gun Shack in Mt Airy.

Funny, we couldn't get the base pin out. Finally it gave in. Looked like dried up WD40 was holding it in place..

True that you can't put 44 Magnum loads in a Ruger 44 Special Blackhawk. What Pierce suggests is there are 3 tiers of 44 Special revolver. Google for his article. It was in Handloader #236. "brian pierce handloader 236 44 special".

When i say warm loads I'm talking about ~950FPS with a 240gr hard cast lead bullet. Under the 15.5K SAAMI limit. Cowboy loads would be about 750FPS.

Read the article. Make up your own mind.

You got a really good buy on that one! Can't tell you how many times I almost went back and bought it.

IronEye · Nov 25, 2018

I was seriously considering ordering a new one. In fact I've had loading dies for 41 Magnum for at least a year.
Then i walk in to get some primers and a good looking used gun with wood stocks (plus) and magnaported (maybe a plus) in the display case for $100 less (at least) than new. You had me at hello

Thanks very much for not buying it before I saw it. I appreciate that. I hope you find that 3 screw at a good price soon. Good Luck.

Took My Ruger Blackhawk 44 Special and 41 Mag to the range today

The #1 community for Gun Owners of the Northeast

Member Benefits:

Ultimate Member

R.I.P.

Ultimate Member

Active Member

Ultimate Member

Ultimate Member

Ultimate Member

Ultimate Member

Ultimate Member

Active Member

Ultimate Member

Ultimate Member

Active Member

Ultimate Member

Active Member

R.I.P.

Ultimate Member

Active Member

Ultimate Member

Active Member

Users who are viewing this thread

Log in

Forum statistics