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→History: minor. The antecedent of the original "which was both cheaper and more readily available" was unclear until one reached the end of the sentence: Was the antecedent the "hotly anticipated new cartridge" or, as one eventually discovers. Ruger's Blackhawk variant. A new sentence makes clear what was both cheaper and more readily available. |
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{{Infobox weapon
|name= Ruger Blackhawk
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|manufacturer= [[Sturm, Ruger]]
|unit_cost=
|production_date=
|number= 2 million<ref>{{cite web |url=http://blog.1800gunsandammo.com/ruger-blackhawk-versatility-and-durability-in-the-spirit-of-the-old-west/ |title=Ruger Blackhawk: Versatility and Durability in the Spirit of the Old West |date=25 May 2015 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ruger.com/service/productHistory/RE-Bhawk357.html/ |title=Ruger Blackhawk Serial Number History }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ruger.com/service/productHistory/RE-NMBhawk357.html |title=Ruger New Blackhawk Serial Number History }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ruger.com/service/productHistory/RE-SBhawk.html |title=Ruger Super Blackhawk Serial Number History }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ruger.com/service/productHistory/RE-NMSBhawk44.html |title=Ruger New Model Super Blackhawk Serial Number History }}</ref>
|variants=
<!-- General specifications -->
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|sights=
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The '''Ruger Blackhawk''' is a
==History==
In the early 1950s, [[Western (genre)|Westerns]] were popular in movies and television. [[Colt's Manufacturing Company|Colt]] had discontinued the iconic [[Colt Single Action Army|Single Action Army]] prior to [[World War II]], and few single-action revolvers were available to meet market demand for cowboy-style revolvers. In 1953, the new firm of Sturm, Ruger & Company introduced the [[Ruger Single-Six|Single-Six]], a [[.22 Long Rifle|.22 LR]] [[Rimfire ammunition|rimfire]] single-action revolver. The Single-Six proved to be a popular seller, leading Ruger to develop and market a [[centerfire]] revolver similar to the Single Action Army: the Ruger Blackhawk.
Ruger introduced the Blackhawk in 1955. Chambered for the [[.357 Magnum]], the Blackhawk was a simple and strong design, and it sold well. In 1956, as [[Smith & Wesson]] was introducing the new [[.44 Magnum]], Ruger quickly developed a variant of the Blackhawk in the new cartridge. Ruger achieved wide popularity with this firearm.
The 1955–1962 Blackhawks are known today as the "Flattop" models, because their adjustable rear sights were not protected by "ears" extending up from the frame as later became standard. From 1962 through 1972, Ruger made the "Three Screw" Blackhawk in various calibers, so called by the number of screws visible on the side of the revolver.
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The early models of the Blackhawk still operated the same way as the Colt, in that the hammer was half-cocked to load and unload and that the firearm was not safe to carry with all six chambers loaded due to the hammer resting upon the sixth chamber.<ref>{{Cite news|title = Wild West Legacy: Ruger Gun Often Fires If Dropped, but Firm Sees No Need for Recall|last = Larson|first = Erik|date = 24 June 1993|work = The Wall Street Journal|id = {{ProQuest|398344120}}}}</ref> In 1973, in order to eliminate accidents occurring from the hammer jarring against a round loaded in the sixth chamber, Ruger introduced the New Model Blackhawk. The New Model Blackhawk did not require the hammer to be half-cocked for loading and unloading, and it employed a [[Safety (firearms)#Transfer bar|transfer bar]] mechanism which prevented the cartridge under the hammer from being fired without the trigger being pulled. The New Blackhawk was seen as limiting firearms accidents and legal liability. Ruger then began offering a retrofit program, offering free transfer bar conversions to earlier variants of the Blackhawk.
It is worth noting that the Super Blackhawk is capable of operating with much higher pressure handloads than factory produced ammunition in .44 Magnum. Factory produced loads
These facts make the Ruger Super Blackhawk one of the top choices for handgun hunting. It is capable of reliably taking down deer, elk, caribou, moose, lion, grizzly or brown bear and even cape buffalo.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.shootingtimes.com/handguns/handgun_reviews_handguns_for_dangerous_game_021511/|title=Handguns for Dangerous Game|date=2011-02-15|work=Shooting Times|access-date=2017-10-15|language=en-US}}</ref> It is commonly used to deliver a coup de grace shot to mortally wounded large game, having the ability to dispatch even an elephant with a conscientiously placed
The Ruger Super Blackhawk in .44 Magnum is one of the most accurate big bore pistols for target shooting, typically returning 5 shot groups that are one ragged hole from a rest at 25 yards. Work is commonly performed on the action of these revolvers to give a light, crisp trigger pull, thereby contributing to accuracy.<ref>{{Citation|last=DIYautotech|title=Ruger Single Action Trigger Job Ruger Single Six, Single Ten, Blackhawk, Vaqeuro|date=2012-11-22|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMCMa90gU5A |
==Various models==
[[File:Rugeromsbhbox.jpg|thumb|Ruger Old Model Super Blackhawk]]
[[File:Oldarmy.jpg|thumb|The Ruger Old Army is a 45-caliber percussion revolver based on the Ruger Blackhawk action.]]
[[File:APG custom blackhawk 2003.jpg|thumb|200px|The Blackhawk is a popular base gun for custom work. This one is a cooperative effort by members of the American Pistolsmith's Guild.]]
[[File:Ruger 44 Special Flat Top circa 2009.jpg|thumb|Variation of Ruger Blackhawk of all-steel construction and a number of retro features including .357-size frame and steel micro sight. There is a Bisley Grip Variation and a selection of calibers-.44 Special pictured.]]
Over the years the Blackhawk has appeared in a wide variety of models. These models include:
*'''New Model Blackhawk:''' Produced in [[blued steel]] in [[.30 Carbine]], [[.357 Magnum]], [[.41 Remington Magnum]], [[.44 Special]], and [[.45 Colt]]; produced in [[stainless steel|stainless]] in [[.327 Federal Magnum]] with an 8-round cylinder, [[.357 Magnum]], and [[.45 Colt]]. Multiple barrel lengths were offered in many of these configurations.
*'''New Model Blackhawk Convertible:''' The cylinder of a Blackhawk is easily removed, and can be replaced with a cylinder for a different cartridge of the same diameter. Ruger has offered "convertible" cylinder revolvers in [[.45
*'''New Model Super Blackhawk:''' Produced in blued and stainless, with or without a rib for mounting a [[Telescopic sight|scope]]. The Super Blackhawk is built on the same frame, but with a larger grip (in the 7.5" and 10.5" barrels) and unfluted cylinder (except for 5.5" barrel), in order to more effectively deal with the .44 Magnum's recoil. Also, the grip frames are made of [[steel]], versus [[aluminium]] for those same components in the Blackhawk. Ejector rod housings were originally steel on old model Super Blackhawks. The new model stainless steel versions have steel ejector rod housings.
*'''[[Ruger Vaquero|Vaquero]] and New Vaquero:''' With the popularity of [[Cowboy Action Shooting]] came demand for a single-action revolver that was more traditional in appearance. As the standard Ruger Blackhawk departs from the Single Action Army looks due to its adjustable sights, Ruger offered a fixed-sight equivalent to cater to buyers wanting a more traditional appearance. In all other ways, the Vaquero was identical to the Blackhawk, though offered in slightly fewer variants. The original Vaquero was offered in [[.357 Magnum]], [[.44 Magnum]], and [[.45 Colt]]. After some time, Ruger went with a smaller frame to more closely resemble the actual size of the Colt SAA, changed the name to the New Vaquero, and dropped the powerful .44 Magnum from the lineup. While keeping the smaller size, Ruger later went back to the simple Vaquero name.
*{{anchor|Bisley}}'''
*'''[[Ruger Old Army|Old Army]]:''' The Old Army is a [[Percussion cap|percussion]] ("[[Caplock mechanism|cap and ball]]") [[black powder]] revolver based on the Blackhawk frame.
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*[[.357 Remington Maximum]] (Discontinued)
*[[10mm Auto]]/[[.38-40 Winchester]] Convertible (Single distributor—discontinued)
*[[10mm Auto]]/[[.40 S&W]] Convertible (Discontinued)
*[[.41 Magnum]]
*[[.44 Special]]
*[[.44 Magnum]]
*[[.44-40 Winchester]]
*[[.44 Magnum]]/[[.44-40 Winchester]] Convertible (Single distributor—discontinued)
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*[[Bluing (steel)|Blued]]
*[[Stainless steel]]
== In popular culture ==
[[James Bond (literary character)|James Bond]] illegally owns a Ruger .44 Super Blackhawk in the 1981 novel ''[[Licence Renewed]]'' by [[John Gardner (British writer)|John Gardner]]. Additionally, in the 1997 video game ''[[GoldenEye 007 (1997 video game)|Goldeneye 007]]'', one of the weapons, the Cougar Magnum, is based on the Ruger Blackhawk.
==See also==
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* [http://ruger.com/products/newModelBlackhawk/overview.html Ruger New Model Blackhawk on Ruger.com]
* [http://ruger.com/products/newModelSuperBlackhawk/overview.html New Model Super Blackhawk on Ruger.com]
* [http://www.ruger-firearms.com/Firearms/FAFamily?type=Revolver&subtype=Single%20Action&famlst=11&variation=Blued Ruger Bisley on Ruger.com]
{{Ruger}}
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[[Category:Ruger revolvers]]
[[Category:Single-action revolvers]]
[[Category:.32 H&R Magnum firearms]]
[[Category:.327 Federal Magnum firearms]]
[[Category:.357 Magnum firearms]]
[[Category:.41 Magnum firearms]]
[[Category:.44 Magnum firearms]]
[[Category:.44 Special firearms]]
[[Category:.45 Colt firearms]]
[[Category:.480 Ruger firearms]]
[[Category:.454 Casull firearms]]
[[Category:.30 Carbine firearms]]
[[Category:Revolvers of the United States]]
[[Category:Weapons and ammunition introduced in 1955]]
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