# muzzle brake for Ruger Super Blackhawk



## topwateraddict (Mar 5, 2008)

Can anyone recommend a good gunsmith in the Houston area that can put a Muzzle brake for me on my Ruger Super BlackHawk in .44 mag? Thanks.

TWA


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## dwilliams35 (Oct 8, 2006)

Weenie.


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## spurgersalty (Jun 29, 2010)

From my past reading and research, porting does a better job on pistols as they are normally ported on the top and down the sides which helps to reduce muzzle rise and recoil.
With a brake, you only tame recoil, and still have muzzle climb which can be difficult for quick follow up shots. 
Both, though, could hinder follow up shots as well as cause a moment of blindness due to flash during low light conditions.
Edit: Wienie
Â©


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## topwateraddict (Mar 5, 2008)

*porting*

Yes, Porting sounds like the way to go. This is my first 44 mag pistol and although i can handle the recoil, my main objective is to tighten up my groups at 100 yards. Thanks Spurgersalty! You know of anybody in the Houston area that could do the porting on the pistol?


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## spurgersalty (Jun 29, 2010)

Don't just take my word for it. Research it a bit, and wait for other responses. There's many more guys here with much more experience and knowledge than I. This is only what I've read in a few articles.
As far as 'smiths in H town, I know none as I'm from the Woodville/Jasper area.

Â©


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## dwilliams35 (Oct 8, 2006)

topwateraddict said:


> Yes, Porting sounds like the way to go. This is my first 44 mag pistol and although i can handle the recoil, my main objective is to tighten up my groups at 100 yards. Thanks Spurgersalty! You know of anybody in the Houston area that could do the porting on the pistol?


I know Briley will do it.

You can also get add-on compensators that WILL have the same upward exhaust as SS is talking about, but you're probably talking about threading the barrel or other "destructive" means. Just porting is less effective, but easier to deal with.

I'm not sure how that's going to tighten up groups on a single action pistol? Any recovery is going to be " broken up" by cocking it..

I still say "weenie". It's just a .44.


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## Pocketfisherman (May 30, 2005)

The accuracy killer on Ruger SA's is the incredibly long time it takes from the trigger pull to the hammer contacting the firing pin (Lock time). Before you do anything, check out the RealGuns.com website and the several articles in their archive on improving the blackhawks with new springs and lockwork. Here's one, you can search their archive for "Blackhawk" for many more. http://www.realguns.com/articles/366.htm


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## Pocketfisherman (May 30, 2005)

Another more detailed fix: http://www.realguns.com/archives/010.htm


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## topwateraddict (Mar 5, 2008)

Good info Pocketfisherman!! Thanks!


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## spurgersalty (Jun 29, 2010)

dwilliams35 said:


> I know Briley will do it.
> 
> You can also get add-on compensators that WILL have the same upward exhaust as SS is talking about, but you're probably talking about threading the barrel or other "destructive" means. Just porting is less effective, but easier to deal with.
> 
> ...


Y'all have to remember, some folks aren't 6' tall/200 lbs. with large framed bodies.
It took me quite some time to work through the "recoil" issues of my SBH Hunter. I'm a slender guy, so the actions are magnified when I shoot due to less arm and wrist strength. As well as just being........a weeniehwell:
For the life of me though, I can't understand why I can shoot heavy recoiling rifles so much easier with no bad habits?

Â©


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## dwilliams35 (Oct 8, 2006)

spurgersalty said:


> Y'all have to remember, some folks aren't 6' tall/200 lbs. with large framed bodies.
> It took me quite some time to work through the "recoil" issues of my SBH Hunter. I'm a slender guy, so the actions are magnified when I shoot due to less arm and wrist strength. As well as just being........a weeniehwell:
> For the life of me though, I can't understand why I can shoot heavy recoiling rifles so much easier with no bad habits?
> 
> Â©


because shoulders are tougher than wrists...I have no problem shooting hot .454 rounds, up until about 7-8 rounds, maybe double that if it's on a bench.. Then it starts to hurt, and accuracy suffers. I used to get the same pains after a BUNCH of .45 ACP, had to wear wrist braces to shoot until I healed up.. We're talking thousands of rounds over a few days, back before I got married and put the brakes on such silliness..

That being said, I NEVER sunk so low as to get a compensated gun...

Actually, that's a lie. One .45 1911, am going to get my .38 super done sooner or later. I've considered having that .454 ported, just always had other stuff on the priority list. Not a high rounds-down-the-pipe gun, if you know what I mean..


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## CHunter (May 25, 2004)

Porting is great but you have to use jacketed bullets and it sure does get louder!


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## michaelbaranowski (May 24, 2004)

I have never considered porting a 44mag. I have been shooting my dad's Redhawk for several years and figured a little abuse was expected with a 44 mag.

And picked up an Anaconda a few months ago. And have been pleased with the way it shoots. I am shootind some hand loads my dad work up for hsi Redhawk and are shooting great in my Anaconda.

We have have a Thompson Encore .270 for about a year and I feel it has less recoil that my Anaconda.


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## B-Money (May 2, 2005)

When slinging insults around a 44 mag, don't use "weenie", use "punk." That's what Dirty Harry said, punk.


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## dwilliams35 (Oct 8, 2006)

Bobby Miller said:


> When slinging insults around a 44 mag, don't use "weenie", use "punk." That's what Dirty Harry said, punk.


 No, "punk"'s on the other side of the gun. "weenie" is on the back side. Dirty Harry never needed no portin'....


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## Screeminreel (Jun 2, 2004)

Are you shooting for group from a rest or from field positions for hunting?

I can say that in the past with a scope on my RH, there were many times when I shot groups down around the 1" area at 100yds. These were with top end 180gr load and they usually cleared out the other folks on benches to either side of me.

That said there are several things you can do that will help to tighten up your groups. One thing is your ammo. Are you loading your own, and if so are you doing case trimming? If your cases aren't the same length your not going to get a consistent crimp, which will result in different release pressures on your rounds which can and does open groups up.

This is just one example where I proved it to a friend using his 41 magnum loads and his revolver at 40yds standing two hand hold no rest. The stick on is a 2" spot.



The group on the left were loaded by him using too much crimp, the ones on the right we backed off only about 1/8 of a turn on the die. Just that little adjustment pulled them in as you can see. After this he went back and trimmed all, including those same cases to length, and after they shot as close or closer than the group on the right did.

The crimp is simply one little thing which a LOT of folks take for granted when loading handgun rounds, the other is trimming cases. If you want to get some funny replies, throw a post up on trimming handgun cases and see how that works out.

Most do not feel accuracy with a handgun is worth a darn shooting much over 20yds, much less out to 100. Even more feel a 3" group at 20 to 25 is outstanding. I like to think a 3" group at 50 is decent shooting while standing with no rest, but I would much rather see one closer to half that to be honest, especially if shooting from a bench.

The shooting of cast bullets was also mentioned above. This is another way you can creep up on those smaller groups without going through a whole lot of expense in changing up your revolver. To be honest even as close as 5 years ago, I would have never thought this to be true simply due to some of the usual groups I got with my jacketed bullet loads. Then I began casting my own, and to be honest, in the past three years I have not loaded one single jacketed round for any of my revolves. The accuracy I got right from the get go has been outstanding. I won't say it wasn't without a little work, but I will say the work was simply learning what needed to be done differently with the cast bullets over the jacketed I had been shooting. Most of which was simply changing from one powder to another.

With all this said, before you decide to throw your revolve under the knife so to speak, and have the barrel changed up, pull out 25-30 new unfired cases, and give them all a good trimming. Then take 5 or 6 of them, this can even be done with prefired cases, back off your crimp die. Now, load them with your favorite load, and adjust your crimp so that it is just rolling the very lip of the case over the bottom edge of the cannalure. Shoot 4 or 5 of these rounds measuring the last round in the cylinder after each shot. If you find any movement or creep what so ever from the bullet give the crimp die only the slightest turn down, and repeat. Once you have found the point your not seeing any movement after shooting 5-10 rounds ahead of the last one your measuring your good to go.

Putting a crimp on bullets has been WAY over emphasized with loading for magnums. While you DO need a GOOD crimp you don't need to try and swedge the lip of the case into the side of the bullet. The case neck tension should be doing most of, if not all of the holding the crimp should only stabilize the bullets in place.

Many years ago when the Super Redhawk's first hit the market, I had the distinct pleasure of being at the range when a group of shooters came out to the 200yd line. They were all shooting the new SRH's loaded with the then new Sierra 300gr bullets. Those folks shot quite a few groups which were better than some of the rifle groups, and a couple of them did it standing up, all with open sights. To say I was impressed would be an understatement of vast proportions, but then and there I learned first hand what could be done with a stock revolver, and some finely tuned handloads. None of their revolvers were tuned up or tricked out, they were all factory issue with 10" barrels IIRC. They were part of Ruger's shooting team and were out to practice up for a match they had coming. I picked out all of the tid bits of knowledge I could while they were there, and left with some better ideas on how to assemble my own loads.

Lastly comes putting your tuned loads into practice. Nothing will ever replace trigger time while working on accuracy. Bear in mind the sight radius on any handgun is a couple of times shorter than with a rifle. Even the slightest change in grip pressure trigger squeeze, or even muscle tension can and does change your point of impact. Moving your barrel only .002" at the muzzle will open up your groups significantly at 100yds. I don't remember where it came from by when I was working hard to close up my groups with my 44 years ago, I would repeat over and over in my head the name of the game is the same. I know it sounds corny, but if it isn't the same each and every shot, you cannot expect the groups to be.


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## B-Money (May 2, 2005)

dwilliams35 said:


> No, "punk"'s on the other side of the gun. "weenie" is on the back side. Dirty Harry never needed no portin'....


So, now Dirty Harry is a weenie?


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## dwilliams35 (Oct 8, 2006)

Bobby Miller said:


> So, now Dirty Harry is a weenie?


 Never seen somebody that tried so hard to misinterpret something.


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## CHARLIE (Jun 2, 2004)

Pocketfisherman info is correct. Shooting a single action like the Blackhawk like you say there is plenty time for the body to relax after the trigger breaks. Its like shooting an arrow you must shoot it and follow through until the arrow is gone. Same with the pistol you have to shoot the bullet out of the barrel. Believe it or not you relax when the trigger breaks and you no longer have good sight alignment. You just have to "shoot it out the barrel" like said above. lots of dry firing helps. Proven good info. No amount of muzzle breaking, or porting is gonna help if you are flinching or dodging the recoil. I had an instructor tell me one time and I have found this to be true. No amount of altering the gun or grips is going to help the shooter. If you can shoot you can shoot standing in S#%& up to your neck otherwise forget it. LOL


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## topwateraddict (Mar 5, 2008)

Screeminreel

Again, thank you for the helpful information. Looks like I will have to look into getting some 44 mag dies. I only load 308's right now. 

By the way i plan on shooting the pistol from a bench or out of a deer blind. So either way I will have a good rest.


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