Ruger's Old Model Blackhawk .357 caliber

Ruger's "Old Model" Blackhawk .357 Magnum

With the introduction of the .357 Blackhawk in 1955, Bill Ruger began a long tradition of providing American handgunners with one heck of a lot of gun for the money. Ruger single action revolvers have established a long and admirable track record for strength, durability, and accuracy. It's fair to say that they are now the standard by which all others are judged.

Prior to 1973, these guns featured an action that operated like the classic Colt Single Action. Like the Colt, these early Rugers should be carried with an empty chamber under the hammer, to prevent accidental firing in the event that the hammer was stricken inadvertently. In that year, Ruger introduced the "New Model" single-actions, which featured a transfer-bar mechanism. The New Model was and is a fine sixgun, but it operates differently than the century of single actions that preceded it; the old "half-cock" notch was gone from the hammer, and it was now necessary to open the loading gate to free the cylinder for loading and unloading. Needless to say, operating the New Model was downright frustrating to those of us who had cut our teeth on traditional sixguns. For years thereafter, we could often be observed trying to half-cock a hammer that wouldn't. Grrrr…

Another thing many of us preferred about the older Rugers was their superior triggers. The New Models had longer, heavier pulls than their predecessors. Mr. Ruger understood that many of us would cling to these fine old guns, and his company implemented a policy of retro-fitting them with a modification of his transfer-bar mechanism which preserved the guns' excellent trigger pulls and traditional manual-of-arms. They are easily identified by their slender triggers, and a visible transfer bar that rises toward the firing pin when the hammer is cocked. Old Models so fitted, are as safe to carry with six rounds loaded, as their post-1973 counterparts. The gun featured in this article is an Old Model .357 Magnum, made in 1970 and later fitted by the factory with the aforementioned transfer-bar modification. It was a wedding gift to my son Erik from his uncle Larry, and it was a fine gift indeed.

The featured Blackhawk has a very decent trigger, creep-free and breaking at about four pounds. I have owned and shot several New Models over the years, and the triggers on these old guns is a "breath of fresh air". There is nothing to worry about except observing the Four Rules, keeping the sights aligned, and gradually increasing pressure on the trigger until the gun fires. This gun routinely produces six-shot groups around two inches at 25 yards, with a wide range of factory loads and reloads. It particularly liked my favorite "mild" .357 woods load, consisting of 7.0 grains of HS6 powder under a Hornady 158 grain lead semi-wadcutter hollow point, for about 1100 feet per second. These it would hunker right into an inch and a quarter, when I did my part. The older my eyes get, the harder it gets for me to do my part. I can still see plenty well enough to bust empty cartridge boxes at 50 yards though, and the Blackhawk is fully up to the task. With heavy .357 loads, it would make a fine deer gun inside that distance as well.

How good are the Old Model Rugers? Good enough that I have pretty-well decided that any future Ruger single-actions in my holsters, are going to be Old Models. There are a few things from the "good old days" that are every bit as good as we remember them, and an Old Model Blackhawk is among them. They are a thing to be treasured, and enjoyed for the purpose which they were intended. Erik has gotten himself a fine sixgun in this Old Model .357, still capable of rendering a lifetime of dependable service.

We should all be so lucky.

Photo and Digital editing by Peggi Sargent