Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Your first single action revolver?

Got to thinking about how much I love single action revolvers...okay, who am I kidding...I like all revolvers. But it made me think back to my very first one

A 6.5" Ruger Single Six Convertible. And let me tell you, when you slipped in the .22 Mag cylinder that revolver was wicked accurate.



So what was your first single action revolver.

That was mine too.. Exactly.. Wish I still had it but have 3 others!!

You know, I don't really miss mine all that much. I have seriously whittled down my handgun collection to (IIRC) just 8 handguns. I can't keep up with that many... These days, I'd rather have a case of ammo than another handgun.

Also, I guess I'm not that much of a Ruger fan. Don't get me wrong, I think Ruger is awesome and they make some great guns. It's just, I never seem to keep a Ruger.

Mine was a .45 convertible Blackhawk, 4 5/8", which was a pretty good sixgun and a raccoon-killing sumbitch. It, and another one I had much later, didn't shoot ACPs very well, but they'd cloverleaf .45 Colts pretty often. The old WW Lubaloy 255s would expand to thumb size on a typical raccoon. The second Blackhawk never saw a factory load.

A 4&5/8 inch, stainless, Ruger Blackhawk in .357 Magnum, purchased in the middle 1980s.

I still have mine. It’s exactly what the OP had. Couldn’t begin to count the number of critters that have fallen to it and the LR cylinder.

Interarms Virginian Dragoon in 45 Colt. Blued and case colored with a 7 1/2" barrel.

Wish I still had mine. Ruger single six convertible with a 9.5 in barrel. Have others still but not my first.

We saved our money and bought dad one just like that, still have it. Personally my first SA was a 5.5” super Blackhawk 44 mag.

First one purchased in 1967, paid the princely sum of $3.98 + shipping. A "Western Haig" revolver it was, out of the back of magazine. Ram a #6 lead pellet down the bore and go to shootin!

My first was a convertible Ruger single-six 9.5" barrel, 1976 vintage, for Christmas 1976. Then a Blackhawk .41 6.5" for Christmas 1977, then a convertible Blackhawk 4 5/8" .45 for Christmas 1978. I still have them all.

Ruger Bearcat when i was 18,1972 and my mother signed for this neat little revolver and i still have it..

Had same single action as OP. Nephews hated shooting that gun because it slowed them down too much from shooting, lol! That gun like many did not make survive the divorce.

Although, I've stockpile 22lr (learned from the past), I find myself getting tired again of being in another rimfire shortage to where I'm considering giving up on the 22lr and handloading other cartridges as substitutes, especially when 22lr prices get as expensive as centerfire cartridges.

Like the OP, I'd rather have a case of ammo, or perhaps the reloading supplies than more firearms and enjoy shooting the ones I have.

Colt Frontier Scout in 22 lr / 22 mag whet I was 13.

Same as the OP, bought it in 1978.

Same here, but I think I was 17. I wish.........but I don’t.

Same as you

Same thing. Shot many a gopher with it.

My SBH 44Mag. Bought it back in 1977. It was originally a 7.5", cut it along the way.

Mine was a Ruger Blackhawk 30 cal. That sucker was loud!

Ruger Single Six convertible 5.5" barrel and blued. There were a bunch of double actions in between but the next single action was a Ruger Super Blackhawk 7.5" .44 Magnum.

I remember being at the handgun range when someone was shooting one of those back in the early 1990s, I think it was. Loud, and a huge ball of fire.

I was late with the SA's but was on assignment in Houston 1993-4 and ran into Texas Longhorn Arms. I met with the owner and ordered an Improved #5 in 44 Magnum. That was my first. I used a portion of my per diem to pay for it.

https://hosting.photobucket.com/albums/aa437/boxhead61/Guns2011021.jpg

Ruger Old Army percussion. Also has a conversion cylinder.,

Mine was a 1964 Colt SAA 125th Aniv. Commemorative, ugly as hell, but shot great. After getting more into Colts I found where I could send the butt ugly Colt and have it refurbished back to what a normal 1964 Colt would look like.. Because I didn't have a lot of $$$ invested in it, I decided to go for it, It turned out beautiful and is now one of my favorite Single Actions.

Is that a New Vaquero? Very nice.

Sweet!

Some H&R 9 shot thing I couldn’t hit anything with it.

58 Remington was my first , a gift from my dad .

Growing up, I shot dad’s Colt 22/22mag, but my first was a SBH 44mag SS. Liked it but never loved it. Had it looked like the one below, I think I’d still have it.




Love that one, MM. I like that Necker, too. Where’d you get those scales?

Old Model Blackhawk .357 magnum 4 5/8”

Very nice! Does the gun still deliver the same accuracy as it did with the longer barrel? Could the original front sight be used again on the shorter barrel? Somewhere on the www I read about that the shorter gun might need a higher front sight. Did you make the job yourself or was it done by a gun smith?

My first one was a Colt SAA 44 Special with a 5.5" barrel. The front sight needed a little bit of tongs-torture to the left and then shot to point of aim.

10 1/2" Super Blackhawk.

Some claim you can't wear one of them out.
It's not wore out, but the internals had to be replaced.
Bought it used, and then shot the heck out of it.

17, just out of high school, in 1987. Step Dad did the paperwork,
because I was too young, we just fixed that a couple years ago.

That gun got me into reloading, it was too expensive buying the new
LSWC ammo a guy sold at the Monroville gun show.
$10/box if you bought 5 or more, I usually bought 10.
Would shoot them up between shows, then go back like a
Heroin Whore needing a fix.

Not a big fan of single action revolvers, but have a few. First was either a Ruger Single Six convertible (which my brother has had for the last 20 years or so) or a Colt convertible which I still have. The only other two are a New Model Blackhawk.357 Mag (which my son alwalijed so I gave it to him last night) and a beat. Up .30 Carbine Blackhawk which I might do something with some day.

Ruger Blackhawk in 22lr/22mag

I've seen your gun on here several times. Like most of your stuff, it's a perfect example of a real working gun. I had one that looked identical. As you are aware, the Super Blackhawk, for many years, I'd say until the mid-eighties, wasn't available in anything but the configuration yours started out as, the 7 1/2" barreled, unfluted cylindered blued model. In the mid-eighties, I bought a Blackhawk in 45 Colt with the production 4 5/8" barrel. Somebody had taken the aluminum grip frame off and replaced it with a Super Blackhawk's. So it looked just like yours except for a fluted cylinder, but it was a 45 Colt and IIRC, it also had the 45 ACP cylinder. I believe it was the fifth single action I owned.

Ruger SBH in .44M - an original 3-screw... Wish I still had it..

The Ruger SBH 44M was my second handgun. That was back about 1980, I guess that was about the two extremes back then 22LR to a 44M....lol

Same for me.

My father-in-law gave me his deceased brother's late 50s 6 1/2 inch Blackhawk .44 Mag. My first and only single action. I believe it was called the 3-screw. It is my most prized firearm and a hoot to shoot (with mild handloads).

The first I shot was the same as the OP's. It still lives at Mom and Dad's house. The first I owned would be a brass framed 1860 Army, assembled from a kit, when I was 14 or so. That one is at my sisters now, as she likes shooting BP far more than I do.

I can't answer for MM, but I can tell you my experience in cutting down Ruger's. Typically you will need a higher front sight with the .44 magnums. Back in the day we probably got 3 of those jobs per month at the shop I worked at. It's amazing how long Ruger went before they made a short barrel .44 magnum.

Ruger BH in 45 colt with a 7 1/2” barrel. Used Ruger/TC loads in it pushing a 325gr. Cast bullet to 1325ish. Mounted a leupold 2x in a no gunsmithing mount and promptly got beaned by the scope. Had it D&T for a leupold mount and found it to be very accurate until it loosened up after a lot of bullets went down range.

Old70

Accuracy didn't suffer at all. Same front sight put back on. I had it done by a gunsmith in San Marcos CA, back in the day when I was at Camp Pendleton.

I got the scales with the knife, I think it was The Knife Connection. One of the online stores. They were an add-on item.

Besides cutting the barrel, along the way I added a Belt Mtn locking cylinder pin, Rough Country rear sight, and a steel ejector rod housing.

Single Six convertible,wish I still had it.

I have the exact same-------I love shooting it.

My first pistol was a Colt Frontier Scout. I was in 9th grade. The guy at the outfitter wouldnt sell it to me, so my father took my cash and bought it for me. Shoots ok. Still have the original box and the bill of sale.

Later put on stag horn grips which fit my hand better. and recently i made grips of teak.

Lots of years later when i needed a serious PISTOL to keep the bears away on camping trips.... got a Ruger Security Six 357 with the longer barrel. Got it cheap cuz the front sight was slightly bent.

was going to replace the front sight but it shot so well i never did.

Looks like some in stock here:

https://www.amazon.com/KA-BAR-BK-11HNDL-Becker-Custom-Micarta/dp/B004GIDJK0

Checked the knife sites I frequent, out of stock in most places.

Mid 70s, a Single Six .22 mag,. $105 bucks used from Schutz Bros in North Manchester IN.

Was my BD or Xmas present, 5th grade.
It sucked on groundhogs so pops got me a Blackhawk .357 the next year.

I was in Cabela's this morning and they had a blued Ruger Single Ten with fiber optic sights. I thought of this thread and almost bought it! After sales tax I was looking at $705 though. I passed. (I'm more in the market for a 3" 686+ at this point).

Some great looking pistolas on this thread!

I only recently got my first single action--a .45 LC/.45 ACP Convertible Bisley. It's been fun; I enjoy it immensely.

Freedom Arms model 83 in 357 magnum

Nice. I have one similar cut to 4 1/2" though a Flattop. It resides in Idaho.

Ruger Single-Six Convertible. Worked all summer and it was my payment. I was 12. That was 60 years ago. It is in my gun safe now.

Nice to see you post Scott. Hope y'all are well.

Single-Six 22 LR 1957-58.

Mine was a stainless Ruger Super Single Six .22 LR/Mag, bought around '95 or '96.

roundoak, you got the finish on that one just right, the kind you can't buy in the stores downtown.

So do I (my son has it now) and I bought mine in 1978 as well. Paid $129 for it. That even looks like the holster I had.

A Ruger New Model Blackhawk .41 Magnum with a 6.5 inch barrel. Bought it new at the Kaiserslautern Rod & Gun Club in 1989 when I was stationed in Germany. It is a great, accurate revolver.

I added a 5.5 inch Single Six Convertible around 2005. It is very accurate with both cylinders.

My first SA was my first handgun. A three screw Ruger Blackhawk 357 mag.. Six inch barrel. No conversion. Regretfully lost to the foolish trades of youth.

single six. 1957 model. traded a buck 110 for it in 1964.

My first single action was a .44 Magnum.


A 5.5" Stainless Super Blackhawk.

I was 18. Carried it for a number of years.
Had it when I was in the Infantry.
Carried it when I worked in the Frank Church on outfitter and guide ranch.

This is the only pic I have of it,



The day i killed this scrawny buck I used it to pop the heads off a bunch of grouse while waiting for my dad to bring the truck around to get me and the deer. We were a couple hours from where we started that morning.



Sold the SBH years ago and bought a Model 29. No regrets, as I have always shot the M29s a little better. But that .44 was a good one.

Used Single_Six for $30, its been awhile

Wow! Didn't know they made them without adjustable sights.

Scrawny buck...grin

In answer to the op. Ruger Super Blackhawk blued 7 1/2 inch. Carried it around in a shoulder holster for a while till I dumped it for a Blackhawk 45 4 5/8 inch.

the shorter barrel version of that was my first and only SA revolver. never warmed to it other than the looks. but i am a s&w fan so theres that.

Super blackhawk 10.5 inch barrel 1980.

Ruger Bisley 7-1/2 inch in .41 Magnum. Owned it a long time, then sold it, then bought another, which I also sold after finding a Freedom Arms Model 97 6 inch in .41 Magnum.

Although I lived in Wyoming when I got this, it reflects my urban heritage. I don't own a centerfire single action revolver
and probably never will unless it is a historical piece. I know, blasphemy.

The first was a Navy Arms Griswold & Gunnison like this-

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/891942078

and the second was a Ruger Single Six 22 with a 5 1/2 inch barrel.

https://www.gunauction.com/buy/14424242

I shot the snot out of both until I got my driver's license, a couple of years later.

Ruger Super Blackhawk 44 Mag, 7.5 inch and two boxes of 240gr Remington HP's, the guy at the gun store gave me a free set of red headphones with purchase LOL, circa 1984.

Colt SAA in .38-40 with a 7-1/2 inch barrel.

Bought at the same time in 1983 a Ruger Blackhawk 357 Maximum and a Super Blackhawk 44mag. For shooting IHMSA, wish I still had the 357 maxi.

Love those. I bought one in the late 1980s, and still have it. It often rides along in a jacket pocket.

Colt SAA in .45 in 1979. Purchased in a pawn shop on Yadkin Rd outside FT Bragg. Also got a nice K22. Used my outprocessing check; I had just enough money for gas to get home. Bought several more guns from this pawn shop on another tour several years later.
Bob

Single Six

Still have the Colt? What year was it made? Pictures?

Never owned one - went the DA Smith route but have always wanted a 5-6” Blackhawk in .44 Mag

Thanks. I am as well as an old fart can get. Retirement is way under rated.

Hey, Scott. Still keep chickens?

44 mag super Blackhawk 7.5"

A Ruger Bearcat that I couldn't hit near anything with. I really wanted a Convertible Single-Six, but couldn't afford one at the time. I sold that Bearcat to a kid in the dorm at a $5.00 loss and good riddance. My first and last ever cowboy style handgun.

My first was a Herters .44 magnum with, I think it was a 6 1/2" barrel. Loved that gun. Got it when I was 17 (1983) from a friend of the family for $90 including a holster and a Lee loader kit with no instructions. My only other gun at the time, a bolt action 16 gauge broke soon after, and since Ohio was a shotguns and muzzleloader only firearm state for deer hunting, I reluctantly had to sell it to buy a shotgun. The next year, they legalized handguns for deer.

Thought I'd be the only one.

About fifteen years ago, at age fifty, I came on here and asked for advice about choosing my first handgun.

A couple of buddies had Blackhawks in 357, another a Taurus 92C in 9mm, another a Virginia Dragoon in 44 mag, and an Uncle had a Colt Trooper III. (I think it was a III)

Anyway, I knew I wanted more than a 357, and something a little less usual. Nor did I need everything the 44 mag had to offer. And I wanted target capability, targets which would satisfy a life long rifle enthusiast.

I was considering an EEA Witness in 10mm or a 41 mag revolver. The guys here, Bob, 41 Keith (RIP), P Weed and a few others, guided me toward a Ruger in 41. Of course there were those who told me I HAD to purchase a 22 rimfire. That only an idiot would buy a magnum for his first handgun.

I think it was Bob who sent me a link to a guy with five Davidson's Ruger bisley Hunter revolvers in 41 mag. Buy it now $500. I sent him the money for one and purchased a Nikon 2x20 to go in the Ruger rings. 500 cases, a couple pounds of H110, a pound of Unique, 500 Berry's 210 gr bullets, a couple hundred Sierra 170s and a couple hundred 210 gr XTPs got me through the next six months.

Then Bob came out to Idaho and explained that Handguns were not meant to be shot like a short barreled rifle. Thus I started a search for a DA Smith in 41.

That first 6 inch Smith is gone now. Replaced by my pride and joy, a Smith Mountain Gun in 41. Also joining it in the stable are a bunch more Ruger SA and DA in 327 and a Taurus Titanium in 41 for carry. And I did finally get that 22 about a year ago, a Bisley Single Six five inch.

Just a run of the mill 3rd gen Colt. I had Colt fit the ivories (with nickle medallions) when I lived in CT.
Bob

My first 5 handguns were all single actions.

1st was a Colt 1851 cap and ball. My 2nd handgun was a 1st gen Colt SAA in 45 Colt, (which I had to re-build from the frame out) and my 3rd handgun was a Colt New Frontier 22. My 4th was a Ruger Old Army cap and ball, my 5th was a Ruger Super Blackhawk. My 1st DA revolver was my 6th handgun, a S&W M29 with an 8-3/8" barrel

My dad said I couldn't have a pistol until I was 18. After my folks divorced my mom kept to that, but somehow I convinced both of them that a cap and ball was safer. They agreed and my "Uncle Bill" the man who took me under his wing, helped me pick out and taught me to use a .36 caliber 1851 style. Someone had inlaid a walnut diamond into the maple grips. He helped me file the sights to point of aim and impact and that was my first. I was 13 years old. Once my folks learned it was no safer than a cartridge gun, the flood gates opened. A Hawes .22 and a Ruger Blackhawk. 357. By my 16th birthday I had a Rugrr Vaquero in 45 colt

Very nice. Thanks for the picture. Is the cylinder bushing removable?

Nice trick. Parents can be so gullible, LOL. I was told I could only have guns chambered in .22, so I convinced my folks that a Mini-14 was .22 caliber, which it was.

No on the removable bushing. It's an early 3rd gen. Nice case work, fit/finish and it shoots to POA. I'm happy. Colt smoothed up the action and got it to shoot to POA for free when it was in the custom shop having the stocks fitted. Colt used to do that kind of stuff.
Bob

Purchased 1975.

Nice.

The Single Six is fixed sights.
The Super Single Six has adjustable sights.

Single six convertible bought from my high school physics teacher in 1968 (at school) for $69. Those 22 magnum loads are tough on the ears. I still have it.

That's interesting, I did not know the later ones were called "Super".

My first was a Ruger Bearcat. My dad gave it to me for Christmas in 1959 or 60. It was a great little gun and I shot a lot of tin cans and shot at a lot of prairie dogs but don't recall ever hitting one.