David Bradshaw Photos Vol. 129 - Super Blackhawk Hunter

[Lee Martin]

Ruger Super Blackhawk Bisley Hunter .44 Mag, immediately after punching water jug midair... with Nosler 240 JHP over 24/H110. Grip started as RWGF aluminum Bisley Bison Hunter, modified by David to the Bison Finger Groove.


Ruger SBH .44 Bisley Hunters----top, with RWGF Bison Finger Groove aluminum grip frame & walnut panels. Bottom: stock SBH Bisley Hunter.


Bison Finger Groove near final fitting to Super Blackhawk frame. While making finger grooves, Spine on left & right walnut panels is an experiment at indexing consistent grip on draw of revolver with muzzle heft. Flare at butt helps.


Frame with barrel & cylinder of SBH Hunter .44 weighs 2 lbs, 8.7 oz. (41 ounces).


Aluminum grip frame with walnut panels, well under 1/2-pound. Flare at butt indexes heel of hand to offset muzzle heft of Hunter model.


5-shots at sunset, from rest, @ 100 yards. Sierra 210 Jacketed Hollow Cavity (JHC). Powder charge somewhere between 22 to 26 grains/H110 over mag primer in Federal .44 Mag brass.


Heft of .44 Bisley Hunter with ribbed 7-1/2" barrel makes for smooth swing on moving target. Against this, pointing must be sure, as momentum of revolver precludes lateral adjustment, There is more time for lateral adjustment during an overhead shot. A shot taken below horizon line cuts no slack. Bullet and target must reach the same place at the same time. Sierra 210 JHC.


Opposing legs of factory trigger spring are nearly straight. Held by a drift punch, this spring is bent to form a shallow "V." With full cock dog on hammer cleaned up, and trigger sear likwise, New Model Ruger has 2-lb letoff.


Super Blackhawk Hunter (top) features original Redhawk front sight, finest interchangeable insert sight yet devised. Bottom: Redhawk 5-1/2". Two styles of red plastic inserts were made; S&W-style trapezoid insert came first. Solid plastic colors include red, florescent orange, yellow, powder blue, and white. Solid black steel ramp and black plastic ramp, also original, possibly not reaching distribution.


SBH Hunter uses stainless steel version of long extractor, installed at David's behest on prototype SRM .357 Maximums in 1981. Stroke clears a 1.605" Maximum case, has ejection to spare for 1.285 magnum & .45 Colt brass.


-Lee
www.singleactions.com
"Chasing perfection five shots at a time"

[bradshaw]

Lee.... beaucoup thanks, again and again.

This photo essay begins a series on the Ruger SBH Hunter.
David Bradshaw

[potatojudge]

The feel of an un-scoped Hunter is nice, and I bet that Bison Hunter feels good in the hand. 

I've been working on my two Hunters this week. The Bisley 41 with Bowen front and rear sights is in the process of getting a Leupold 2.5-8. Once I shape the front sight it should be ready to sight in.

The pictured gun is a 44 with a tune up package by Stroh and grips that pre-date my ownership but which feel nice. Supposedly these Alaska Arms rings hold zero on removal and reinstallation. They are very nicely made, well designed, about the same weight as (beefy) Ruger rings, but do add a little bulk to the side as can be seen in the pics. I'm hopeful they work out because I really do enjoy the Hunters with irons, but need scopes for my hunting.

I have an idea in mind for a holster with a steel insert the length of the sight rib area with Ruger scope bases screwed on. The scope mounts to the holster, which solves the problem of what to do with the scope when you're hunting thick woods with irons, but only takes a few seconds to reinstall on the gun, which I need because our woods are sandwiched between hay fields where game grazes. Maybe I can talk Doc into this one.

First pic is a wood clamp I use to level the gun while mounting and leveling the scope. 

[bradshaw]

z1r.... eyeball first photo with an eye to finding a recoil-nullifying grip for your newly acquired Blackhawk .41 Mag. Ronnie Wells brought the RWGF Bradshaw Bison Fingergroove to Raton for the 2023 Shootists Holliday, where it received a workout on one of Ronnie’s .500 hand cannons. According to Ronnie, shooters took a shine to it. Your Blackhawk aluminum RWGF will retain the light weight it has now, your distance shooting should improve, and your hand will barely remember it was firing .41 Mags in a compact, light revolver.

I predict it will transform magnum shooting with an aluminum grip frame.
David Bradshaw

[contender]

Making me drool a bit more with an eye towards my Hunters.

[bradshaw]

A look at the Ruger website this morning, 23 March 2024, shows:
* Super Blackhawk Hunter----“limited availability”
* Super Blackhawk Bisley Hunter----“currently unavailable”

Horror of horrors, the Hunters seem the last guns in Ruger’s lineup to employ the superlative, original Redhawk front sight!

Snowing like fury this very moment. Time to toss a jug of frozen water for the SBH Bisley Hunter, which at the moment wears an in-progress Ronnie Wells brass grip frame. If the gallon pulverizes on the first shot, that will be enough.
David Bradshaw

[K9TXS]

Mar 29, 2023 10:13:51 GMT -5 potatojudge said:

Who makes these quick release rings?

[guym]

I believe that those are from Alaska Arms. They have a good website.

My first post here! 

Regards, Guy

[guym]

Recently purchased a Bisley Super Blackhawk Hunter, a 44 magnum. It was previously owned by gunsmith Bob Baer and I found it at Tylers Guns in Texas. Looks like Bob did some work to it, modified the grip frame and a bit, and added a lanyard attachment. Not sure if he worked on the action, but it sure feels good. The Ruger doesn't look like it's been used much. I haven't shot it yet. It didn't come with the scope rings, and scope rings from my Ruger Number One single shot rifle fit the gun, but the 1.5-4x Burris scope doesn't clear the rear sight, so I'm looking for somewhat taller rings.







Bob Baer is on the far left, in black: 


I'd been looking for one of these for some time. Anything 41 magnum and beyond would have been fine with me. Of course I am all set up to load 44 mag, so ammo for this is going to be easy for me. Looking forward to getting a scope on it, some range time and hunting too.

Regards, Guy 

[potatojudge]

Mar 23, 2024 15:32:18 GMT -5 K9TXS said:

Mar 29, 2023 10:13:51 GMT -5 potatojudge said:

Who makes these quick release rings?

Yep. Apparently the owner doesn't have any experience using these on pistols so I think we're the test subjects. They're the same as the No 1 rings, that is the same height front and back. The M77 ring sets use two different height rings. 

[wilecoyote]

Mar 23, 2024 15:49:12 GMT -5 guym said:

I believe that those are from Alaska Arms. They have a good website.

My first post here! 

Regards, Guy....if your "Regards, Guy" doesn't deceive me, I'm very happy to find you here : Welcome!

[guym]

Mar 23, 2024 18:17:17 GMT -5 wilecoyote said:

Mar 23, 2024 15:49:12 GMT -5 guym said:

I believe that those are from Alaska Arms. They have a good website.

My first post here! 

Regards, Guy....if your "Regards, Guy" doesn't deceive me, I'm very happy to find you here : Welcome!

Glad to be here! Thanks for the kind welcome. 

Have been a fan of revolvers for a long time now. Wasn't sure if there was a designated place on the forum for new members to say howdy, and I'm all excited about my new-to-me Bisley Super Blackhawk Hunter... Dang, that's a mouthful. 

Regards, Guy

[contender]

guym,, by all means; "Welcome!"

Jump right in!

The Hunter models by Ruger are about the best combo package a guy could ask for who doesn't want to spend any more on any custom work. Available with either a plow handle g/f or a Bisley one. Interchangeable front sight inserts,, (with several colors available,) a rib that accepts rings already, so no scope base is necessary,,, yep,, a top notch handgun for sure.