Ruger's Super Blackhawk - Out Of The Box

Guns Magazine, Nov, 2003 by Glenn Barnes

Forty-eight ounces of bear killing, hog slaughtering, deer slaying, silhouette shooting and target blasting perfection--Ruger's famous New Model Super Blackhawk .44 Magnum is one tough, versatile six-gun. Introduced to the shooting public in 1973, the New Model was simply an ultra-modern rendition of this firm's reliable and bull-strong predecessor.

Changes incorporated into the New Model include a slightly beefier top strap (my New Model measures .029-inch thicker than my old model) for added strength, and a brand new internal design incorporating an innovative transfer bar system. This creative transfer bar system allowed the shooter to safely carry the revolver with all six chambers loaded. It can also help prevent accidental discharges should you happen to drop the six-gun hammer down onto a hard surface.

Antecedents of the New Model and similar single-action designs should only be carried with five cartridges, leaving the hammer down on an empty chamber for safety's sake. Many savvy pistoleros continue this practice even with the New Model. With each new metamorphosis in a proven handgun design, there is inevitably going to be stone sense of loss, whether it is simply physical, or perhaps even sentimental or maybe historical.

What did shooters disinherit when Ruger offered us the NM Super Blackhawk? When you slowly thumb cock the hammer on an old model, you here and feel the familiar click clack, click clack, that spells C-O-L-T, or in this case perhaps B-I-L-L. New Models simply go ker-thunk. The cylinder is recessed on the old three-screw model, which adds a touch of class in my opinion, while the New Model lacks this feature. Not much to yield when you consider what it would cost Ruger, and eventually shooters, to produce these cylinders; and ker-thunk really doesn't sound too bad, it kind of has a solid feel and throaty resonance to it.

How does it fit and feel? Clearly this is subjective topic, but Super Blackhawks have always fit my hand like the proverbial glove, and New Models are no exception. Many experienced shooters complain of the Dragoon-style square back trigger guard rapping their knuckle when a heavy load is touched off, but fortunately I've yet to experience this malady.

Thirty years have passed since the NM Super Blackhawk was introduced, yet its design is superbly modern and its appearance remains somewhat futuristic for a single action six-gun. Beefy, bull strong, and built to withstand practically any abusive shooting and hunting situation imaginable; that's the foundation and manufacturing principle behind this successful revolver.

Durability, strength, and good looks are clearly attractive attributes, but don't account for much if the pistol fails to shoot tight little groups. So how does it perform? I tested a current-production sample with nine factory loads and three of my favorite hand loads to determine its potential. Hornady's excellent 240-grain XTP fueled by 21.0-grains of AA9 or alternately 21.0-grains of Alliant 2400, or 23.0-grains of Winchester 296 using the same bullet, averaged 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 inches at 25 yards with speeds averaging around 1,350 to 1,380 fps.

Black Hills' 240-grain JHP, along with Corbon's 240-grain JHP, and Garrett's 310-grain Hammerhead loads were the show-ponies in the factory load tests. They produced very close to published speeds, with Corbon actually exceeding theirs, and exceptional accuracy.

If you're in need of an ultra-modern single action six-gun for hunting or simply bumming around the woods, give Ruger's NM Super Blackhawk a look. No, it's not the newest model to hit the dealer's shelves. By contrast, it has been faithfully serving shooters and outdoorsmen for three decades now. And as always with any Ruger handgun, you get more bang for your buck.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Model: N.M. Super Blackhawk

Caliber: .44 Magnum

Finish: Blued or stainless steel

Barrel Length: 4 5/8, 5 1/2 or 7 1/2"

Sights: Serrated ramp front, adjustable rear

Weight: 45 to 52 ounces

MSRP: $519 to $639

Contact: www.ruger.com