Some advice for new handgun hunter

I am new to the forum and I am wanting to get into handgun hunting full swing this year. I have recently bought a late 70's model ruger blackhawk in 41 magnum and I absolutely love the gun. I have since had a jack weigand mount drilled and tapped on top and I mounted a burris fastfire ii. I went with a hogue monogrip because I have rather large hands and the grip was on sale for about 15 bucks. I do not like the look of that particular grip, I feel it takes away from the single action cowboy look but so does a scope mount on top. I have had the trigger and assembly polished inside and it has a nice crisp trigger.

I want to find a nice set of large laminated wood grips for my blackhawk, just something I can hold onto while shooting. I also was looking into putting a scope on it instead of the red dot but I really don't know what to do since I am new to all of this.

Who all has made modifications to their Blackhawks and what do you prefer on your hunting handguns, red dots, scopes or open sights?

Thanks for any help.

Jon

Welcome to the fun house.

As far as grips go you might look at the hogue wood grips. The plastic ones I got seem to be wider and much better feeling.

I have scopes on both my Bisley hunter and my BFR. My for fun gun is open sights.

Good luck and I hope you hang around.

Hello Jon! Welcome!! In the past, I have always liked scopes on my hunting handguns just because its easier for me to make a clean kill. Also, a 460 smith and wesson is capable of clean kills out past 200 yards, so a scope is very much needed if a person is to shoot at that range. However, I have a Colt Anaconda in 45 colt that is open sights, and I'm having a 500JRH built that will remain open as well.

Usually, most guys limit their range to 100 yards or less with open sights. I've been practicing, and even 50 yards would not be an acceptable shot for me right now! It is not easy to shoot open sights, but it is as fun as a barrel of monkeys!

Glad ya found us! Oh, and don't worry if this gun that you have now doesn't look like the traditional single action pistol, your next one might. Because I promise ya, you won't own only one handgun once ya get into this!!!

Welcome! Being you are new to the plague, I would suggest starting out with a 2x or 4x scope (a variable will also work). The point of it is to start out with lower powers, until you get the hang of it. Use the scope to get your confidence built up; kill a few big game. Once you've got your confidence built up, if you want, try open sights. Open sights on a revolver, in my opinion, is the ultimate challenge in the handgun world. I'm not saying its impossible, it just takes a lot of discipline and practice; but it is very rewarding. I just think, being new, you could possibly get disappointed quickly starting out with irons. I, personally, have handguns in all three variations: scoped, red dot, and irons; but the scope is the majority. Well, that's my 2 cents.

Well guys I really appreciate all of the information, I think I will look into one of the leupold fxii handgun scopes in 2x. I had looked hard at this before but never pulled the trigger on it. I will put that fast fire on my mark III and hopefully slay some deer with my blackhawk once I get a scope on it.

Rlb what hogue wood grips do you recommend?

My suggestion is to give it up before starting. Other wise you might end up broke destitute and living in a van down buy the river. But by god you'll have a nice handgun collection to fondle on the banks of that river.

Yea I'm on my way to that lol ill have some nice guns on the rack in the pack of that van. Lol

I would try these.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/156367/hogue-cowboy-grips-ruger-blackhawk-single-six-vaquero-walnut

Or the finger grove model. They are big, but not as ugly as the rubber ones.

Now I honestly looked at those, but I wanted something a little bit bigger. I was looking online at hogue grips, and I do like the finger groove models I jut would like to see what they look like on a blackhawk.

I use different guns for different hunting locations, some have scopes, some have red dots, you will get the hang of it.Let me give you some advice,hide your wallet, WELCOME.

Jhedges, look on the bragging board in MIHunter's folder, he has the finger groove laminated hogue grips on a blackhawk.

The thing about revolvers is you will need a 5-8" scoped gun, and a short carry gun, 4-6" open sighted. If your just out walking, or riding a quad, horseback, it always nice to have a belt gun, just in case. If you are purpously hunting, carry the scoped rig