Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns New single action again!! Flattop Ruger Blackhawk

Well.... I am a blued gun fan and went with the stainless Flattop 357 to have a more weather resistant finish. But I couldn't stand not having a blued option!

So.... we will see how this one weighs in comparison and I'll use it as a workout hike companion and just see how it holds up compared to stainless.

Basically this medium frame grip size meant I'd never shoot my standard so I needed to upgrade from that one of course!!

Nice pair of 357s!

Very nice! I picked up a used blued 44 spcl flattop last year. Really liking it.

Has all but replaced the GP100 .357 as my go to woods bumming/working around the yard handgun.

What barrel length did you get Dave?

I purchased the blued 44spl the first year Ruger offered it. 4 5/8". I recently found an used stainless in the same configuration. I be selling the blued. Very nice gun. I have only shot the Winchester Cowboy load. Nice load for plinking.

Working well.

Very nice!

Those medium frame flattops are the Goldilocks of the Ruger lineup (in my opinion). They have a great balance, and the size is just right for a comfortable, belt portable packing gun that can get the job done.

They have a pretty good following here, in various calibers. Mine is a .45 convertible, though is used almost exclusively for shooting ACP. The ACPs, seem a perfect plinking round for the size of the revolver.

For a .38 Special/.357 they would be great, plus shooting full wadcutter .38s, I bet would make the little gun a great small game getter.

I have the stainless 4 5/8" .45 convertible flattop but the .45 Colt cylinder is usually in it. Mine has had issues with some brands of .45 ACP ammo wanting to back out of the cylinder while loading and locking up the cylinder. American Eagle is one brand that does that. My handloads and most other brands don't do this. That and I just like .45 Colt....

There's something about a 4 5/8" blackhawk that just feels right in the hand.

Nice pistol. Like you, I go back and forth too...blued, or stainless. I never can make up my mind which I like better.

Very nice. Hard to beat a 4 5/8" Flattop 357.

Sexy gun!

That’s a really nice SA. I’ve always wanted one of these, but to date have only owned double actions. For a long while I’ve been reading about which caliber, barrel length, and type of grip is best for different uses. I’ve always thought the Bisley grip would be the best all around, but in reading many posts about them, the plow handle seems to be better all around with the exception of heavy loads.

After reading the comments here, I think I’m going to pick up a Stainless, 4 5/8”, mid sized flat top convertible in 45LC/45ACP as I have a lot of 45 acp rounds on hand, and the LC seems to be a do all round that can be loaded up or down to suit the use. I’m still torn on the 357/9mm vs 45LC/ACP but I have a number of 357 double actions, and no 45LC guns at all. Guess I’ll pick one up and find out.

Craig

I'm a sucker for 4-5/8ths inch barreled Ruger single actions. They look / feel / balance right. The 5.5" Super Blackhawk might possibly be better yet.

I'm not a big fan of the Bisley grip. I've owned 4 so far and 3 have been sold. 1 was a drift-adjustable single six .32 mag, one was a blued Bisley .44 mag, one was a Bisley hunter .44 mag, and the last, which I still have, is one of the 5 shot .454s. That's the only one with enough recoil for the Bisley grip's recoil absorbing characteristics to offset what are, for me, major negatives in handling.

Now that they're not in production I'd like a short barreled flat-top .44 special .. but not a bisley.

Nice lookin' guns up-thread. Bad, enabling influences ya'll are.

My .44 is the 5.5". That is the biggest reason it hasn't completely replaced the 4" GP100 as my favorite. I've even thought about having it cut down but I know I am more accurate with the longer sight radius.

I have a blue 44 special in 4-5/8" in the flat top configuration. I'd have preferred to have a stainless one but I haven't been able to find one at a reasonable price. My 357 mag is a full size Blackhawk also 4-5/8" in blue. I'd certainly like to get on of those also in Stainless. I'd probably carry it more. My 45 Colts are also full size Blackhawk and Vaquero which is good because if I'm going to carry a heavy load it would be in those. But I don't always carry the heavier loads and it would be nice to have the flat top in at least one of those. It would be nice if Ruger decided to make them a catalog item, Just think how many more sales they might get from me.

My idea of mid frame .45 perfection

Darn double tap...




Here is an old Flattop .357

That's a nice one Mac, I really like the grips. Where did you get those?

The grips are Lone Star Custom Grips.

I swapped the stainless grip frame that the gun came with for a lighter weight aluminum one, and the owner of the grip company wanted the frame so I sent it to him. He made these grips for me. They are the nicest set of single action grips I have had, no doubt.