I just received a Ruger Super Blackhawk Bisley Hunter for my 50th birthday from my wonderful (and cute) wife. After sighting in, I am getting 5 M.O.A. I have already performed a "poor boy's trigger job" on it. I am new to handgun hunting with a big bore (I have carried my model 28 while deer hunting). Just looking for some input.

Yes

Grendel,

You might try some different loads. I'm betting that gun will shoot better than 5 MOA. So if your hold is perfect then 5 MOA is good enough but if your off by 3-4 inches because of wobble then you might have a problem at say 100 yards on deer sized game. If you don't have a solid rest and 5 MOA is the best you can do then either get closer or hold out for a more stable shooting position if the distance is getting to the point where you would have a 5 MOA group.

Gary

Oh and happy birthday!

Grendel,
My bisley hunter does way better than 5moa. It really shines with hardcast bullets. I'm shoot'n Montana Bullet Works, WFNGC, 300gr bullets over a max charge of H110. It shot jacketed good but, it really likes the cast. Checkout some of the groups in my "Guns and Shoot'n" folder on the bragging board.

My Bisleys (Std Models) will do and easy 1.5-2.0 @ 50yds and in the 3"-4" range @ 100 yds(6 shots)--But keep in mind I am shooting a 2X on both so I do not have much resolution out at 100.

My guess is they shoot better but I have never had more powerful scopes on them.

I like the 2x for anything under 100

I would try some different loads --the hunter I had shot the 300XTP very well

Five inches @ 100 yards is dead deer accurate, but I'll bet you will do better with some trigger time and load work. Nice wifey.

I just got one as well, and have not had enough trigger time to really test it. I'm not going to be comfy with over 75 yds for a while. I'm new to handgun hunting as well and this will be my first season. Going to be a fun experience, but I have not had to chase a wounded deer in a very long time and I don't want to so it will probably be under 60 yards. I'm not even really sure about how much rise and drop to expect at varied ranges yet.

You are getting great advice...

WELCOME TO THE SIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Duane

Forgot to mention that I was using 225 gr. Leverevoltions. I was getting about 2" groups @ 60 yards. Have not used more than 3 types of ammo. .44 spec. shoot almost one hole at 60 yards and a foot high. I'll be talikng some of you advice! Thanks guys! And I'm still not over the shock of getting this gift. maybe I shaking too much!

Great site! I'm exited about going hunting again!

I double checked my load development for my Bisley SBH. The load I tried for a 225-Speer produced 4” groups at 100 yards, 240 and 250-grain bullets between 4-5 inches and bullets between 270-310 tightened the groups up to 4” to as good a 2”. With the 280-grain Swift A-frame I get about 2.5” and with the Oregon Trail 310 about 2-2.5”. Of course all of these groups are shot from a bench rest. My gun wears a 2x Leupold EER. Like previously mentioned, I bet if you try a few more loads you will find one that the gun likes. It seems more times than not Ruger’s like the heavier bullets.

Could be you just need a little time to get use to your new gun,happy birthday!!

Yes, I am sure I need a little(Or a lot) more time with it. I do have a Leupold 2x20 scope on it. I think I need to get some of the "Creep" out of the trigger though. One of these days I'll get around to handloading. I have got all the equipt. minus .44 dies. Another range trip is going to have to wait until after family vacation. Thanks again to all.

If you don't handload and want to shoot a cast bullet try the Federal 300 gr cast core. You can try the Remington 240 JHP's too. They both shoot very well in my SBH.

Will do! Is 100 yards to far of a shot for whitetail deer with a .44 slug from a handgun with the right bullet and if I do my part? I am going to get around to handloading some time. I have been saving all my rifle and pistol(.357 mag & 9mm) since 1985, but just have not leaped yet.

With hard cast is there much leading to worry about?

I have never shot a deer with my 44 Mag as far as 100 yds but I have killed 2 hogs at over 100 one with a 8 3/8 29 and the other with a scoped Bisley BH. The shot with the BH was a pass through using a 240gr xtp bullet (About a 150lb pig)right at 100 yds. The 29 shot was a bit off and I hit the pig in the head went through part of the skull and killed a piglet standing behind the one I shot. The shot was about 125 yds (May have not been the best shot but I was on a friends farm and he wanted all the pigs gone) So I took the shot--I was shocked I hit as close as I did --there were about 30+ in the group.

Wow! Well I'm sure pigs die a litte harder than a Wisconsin Whitetail! I used to live in Leesville LA. for a bit. Are you far from there?

I am just north of NOLA

Well, I have finally gotten in some range time. The results are better than than the first time out with my SBH. At 25 yards my groups are almost one ragged whole. I am still using the Leverevolutions and I tried some 240 Gr. Blazers(Which shot just as tight and a bit high at 25 yds.). At 100 yards I am at about 3 1/2-4 MOA. Just for giggles my buudy and I pushed it back to the 200 yard line and I got about a 12 inch group that was 2 1/2 feet low. I am confident that with a good steady rest I will be able take deer out to 100 yards. Most of the shots here in wisconsin are not much past 60 yards even for most people using rifles. Thanks for all the input, and will be trying some of the other rounds mentioned as time and cash allows.

Grendel
Looks like what you are mainly needing is trigger time. Looks to me like your confidence is going up also.
I am not sure what the country you are hunting looks like. Where I live, we have lots of woods, and frindge areas to hunt. I have some stands up, and others to get up in the next week or so. What I try and do is set up my handgun hunting stands at Archery equipment distances. I did some scouting yesterday, and have another tree located for a stand. This spot has 3 draws merging into one. I have multiple deer trails crossing in this draw. The main trail I am covering is about a 25 yard away at the closest shot. It is not likely I would have a shot over 50 yards from this tree stand. This about average for my handgun hunting locations. I try and pick a spot with shots from about 25 to 50 yards.
I consider my skill level to be atleast average. With a Revolver I have a very high confidence level at under 50 yards under most conditions. If I have a good rest, and can get solid I can go back to about 100 yards. I consider 100 yards to be my maximum Revolver range under ideal conditions, and prefer to not shoot nearly that far.
My point is keep the range as close as possible. A 50 yard shot is much easier to make than a 100 yard shot under field conditions. Where I hunt you do not always have the option of going prone and shooting off your back pack.

I totally agree. Before My wife(very cute I must add) bought me the .44 I was planning on using my model 28 @ 25 yards and under. Thats where I felt comfortable at. I know with it I could hit good at 75 yards, but would not shoot at deer past 50 yards with the .357 mag.. My sister and her husband have been taking deer out to 60 yards often with the .357. I wouldn't shoot to 100 yards with the .44 mag. unless I had a very steady rest and was in an opening such as a stubble corn field. Most likely until I have more time with it I will be keeping the range at 50 and under.

One more week and I will be hunting for the fist time with my SBH. I'm going to stay with the Leverevolutions for now because I have them and they are shooting pretty good. Picked up a Uncle Mikes Scoped hangun holster for now. Made in China.....nuts! Well when I get some time I'll make one up out of leather, because I work at a harness shop. Some jobs just have natual perks:) "Aim small, miss small"

Sounds like the 44 is doing well-- may want to try the 240 XTP or the 300 XTP factory load too if the lever-ammo is doing good.

By all means do not forget the 28 if you have a chance--I have a 4 and 2-- 6's one is now scoped --I plan to shoot some 180 XTP's out of the scoped six ths year--my even try a deer under 50 while sitting with my son in the buddy stand.

Good luck I am sure you will do fine

I can never forget my model 28! It shoots so well that I hate to put it down. It is early yet for the SBH, and I need to try alot more ammo. For now though I hate to change mid-stream before I hunt next weekend. I have been saving all my brass since I left Ft. Polk in 85, but I still have not reloaded a single Round. I have two presses A Lee 1000, and a RCBS. The .44 mag I am sure is going to be the first cartridge I load. I just hope I see some deer when I get out in the woods.

Nice present there,just put in all the range time you can.I'd be willing to bet your groups may shrink even more.Good luck.

Ya, I'm sure more time on the range, and getting to reloading.

Update: Well I have had a bit of range time, and am handloading and the results are pretty good. I dropped the MOA from 5 to 2-3 MOA and @ 60 yards I have almost one hole. I have to play around with the loading side of this game, but I know now that the SBH can shoot. Most of the rifle hunters I hunt with can't group like that( To be fair, they don't shoot as often as I do). I do love the 300 gr. XTP. Now, to learn to cast, and a trigger job to take up the creep. Grendel very happy.

you get that creep taken care of and I bet your groups will be a little smaller

I find that my Bisley SBH Hunter really prefers a heavy hard cast lead slug over anything else. I don't have my reloaders set up right now (in between moves) so I am stuck with using preloaded ammo

I tried the 240gr Blazers. Those did not shoot worth a crap out of my gun.
Tried some Double Tap 240gr Hard cast. Better groups but still not small enough to make me happy

Tried Double Tap 320gr Hard cast. I am in love! They shoot almost one ragged hole at 25 yards and if I do my part, I can keep them inside a 5-6" ring at 100 yards.
On some other forums I subscribe to there are a number of serious .44 shooters that have also had very good luck with the heaver hard cast lead slugs.

Yeah, that is a load I have used quite extensively and it shoots really well.

Yes, very good stuff but Whitworth will do 6" at 100 OFF HAND, seen him do it! I have a hard time matching his off hand shooting but at 73 I shake like mad.
The SBH will SHOOT if you get away from the funny bullets. The 300 gr XTP is great with 20.5 gr of 296 and a Fed 150 primer. The 240 XTP will be with 24 gr of 296 and the Fed 150 but I don't like them for hunting, opens too fast.
I shoot only cast for hunting and have taken deer over 100 yards off hand. I found the RD 265 gr boolit is great and it shoots like this at 50 and 100 yards with 22 gr of 296 and the Fed 150. The can was 100 yards and I hit the rail so I aimed higher for the last shot. It will hold 3/4" at 50 and 1-1/4" at 100.

I made the mold for this boolit. It weighs 330 gr and will do 1/2" at 50. I shot a drop group at 200 yards and got the 3 shots in 1-5/16".

Now if you don't like that, you need my long, long range gun!

That's too funny!

If you have 5 inch groups at 100, RARE, by the way with most shooters, you must add in wiggle and wobble off hand so you might be good for 15" to 20" and that is a miss or a cripple.
Reduce the guns groups and get good enough to hold and shoot with less wiggle and you can get to 6" at 100. From any kind of rest, even off your knees and you can center deer at 100 easy.
Accuracy FIRST, then practice. If your gun will not group good, all the practice in the world will not make you a better shooter.
Get away from 25 yards as fast as you can and make 50 your starting point. My worst loads shoot great at 25, a waste of time. YOU WILL LEARN NOTHING ABOUT BOOLIT STABILITY AT 25 YARDS!
Your loading bench is the starting point. Whitworth has learned to load and I have watched him from my ladder stand, shoot those little water bottles at near 100 yards, off hand. I still beat him from sandbags though!

Wonderful long range rig. You should bring that over to Sundance for the MOA shoot this summer.

That would bring so many laughs, nobody would be able to shoot and I might win!

I recently spoke with JD Jones at SSK Industries. He stated to me that if you got a revolver that shoots 5 inch groups at 100 yards, you better hang on to it.

A S&W model 29 will do an inch at 100. So will a SRH. Many Freedoms will do it but that is hit and miss. A SBH can almost equal it. My best group was 4 shots in 2-1/2" at 500 yards with a BFR. Those with cast boolits too.
No, don't believe that stuff. Learn the revolver and it can go head to head with a rifle.
This is a load workup group at 50 yards with a BFR .500 JRH.

5 shots in the hole in the top of this can at 100 yards from a BFR revolver. Other holes from a rifle.

I used to shoot pop cans at 200 yards with a SRH.

Man, I have a lot to aspire to. Sometimes wish I was not at the beginning of this journey.

But I sure love reloading for my rig!

But it's a really fun journey!