I was wondering what you all think of the below pistols? I am looking at picking one of these up but cannot make up my mind due to a lack of knowledge about these pistols.  Does barrel length matter between all of these pistols?  I would rather a 7.5 inch barrel but would a 5.5 inch barrel lose very much over the 7.5 inch?  Also what about the different styles of sites?  I think I would be more comfortable with the more modern sights instead of the Vaquero blade style sights but is the blade sight more for cowboy action or would it be as useful for hunting?  
 
These are also all 44 mags and will be used strictly as a hunting/protection/backup sidearm and not as my main lead tosser.  Just looking for a nice fun pistol that will serve as a good hunting tool in a pinch.
 
They are in the order in which I prefer them and I really do like the classic bluing better than the stainless.  
 
1. The first is the New Super Black hawk with a 5.5 inch barrel and it also comes in a 7.5 inch barrel which I may prefer over the shorter of the two.
 
2. Next is more of a cowboy style Vaquero pistol whith a front blade style sight of which I am not at all familiar with.
 
3. Next is the Super Blackhawk Hunter which a friend of mine has and it is a very fine pistol but I think I like the classic lookers better.
 
4. Last is the same Blackhawk Hunter but with a Bisley grip and hammer.  It is a much different look of which I am somewhat nuetral on, but a very fine pistol none the less.  Not much experience with the Bisley style.
 
So what do all of you cowboys out there think of these pistols?

If possible shoot with each of the styles. You will find one that just points better for you.
 
Some generalities. Drawn from my experiences trying to hunt and carry.
 
4.5 inch barrels
pluses
Easier to carry, looks better (to me), much easier to bring to bare in tight/tangling areas. Like thickets when pig hunting or inside the car when on defense duty. That 3 inches means a lot in how much you can find to hang up on and slow down being able to come on target.
 
Minuses
Less sight radius for precision shooting, louder inherant sound report on each shot, less velocity on any given load (not a big consideration in my opinion on pistols).
 
7.5 inch barrels - Pretty much reverse the above. On carry it really gets to be an issue. On 6.5 inchers I have only found accross the chest or accross the back at belt level effective for carry (I have not had a 7.5 in my hands for more than a few minutes range time). Hip and under the arm shoulder rigs just require way too much travel to clear on draw for most avarage size folks. Not with standing Dirty Harry who is depicted as being some 6'2" or taller. I am not talking or advocating fast draw either, just getting the thing out of the holster and into use. There is a lot of science and work behind the reason most issue firearms for military/police run in the 4-5.5 inch range.
 
Your stated primary purpose is hunting/protection/backup I would be happier and better served with the shorter barrels.
 
Now all that said it is what you want and what floats your boat. Just as an aside my daily carry guns now are a Taurus 44 Special 2" barrel, S&W "Lady Smith" 38 Special or a P-14 Para Ordinance 45 Auto all just depending on the weather and dress code of the day.

I have both extremes - 4-inch Smiths and 4 5/8-inch Rugers, and a 7 1/2-inch Bisley.  I like the looks and portability of the short barrels, but when I want a dedicated hunting handgun, I go for the long barrel.  It has the longer sight radius and higher velocity for more punch.   I carry it in an Uncle Mike's under-arm shoulder holster that holds the gun vertically.   I like these holsters, and often use them even with my shorter guns as they keep the guns out of the way and take the weight off my hips leaving me better balanced.

Rick, Ihave a .41 blackhawk and was wondering how you like the Bisley grip compared to the regular Blackhawk.
 
 Mark

I think I prefer the regular grip.  My Blackhawk is a .41 mag, while the Bisley is a .44 mag.  I have shot enough .44 Super Blackhawks to compare them to, as well.  The "standard" Super Blackhawk grip, being a little longer than the Blackhawk, fits me best.  The Bisley seems to come straight back into my hand more and seems to transmit more recoil - even worse than my Smiths in .41 or .44.   The smaller Blackhawk grip leaves my little finger tucked under the grip frame.

For a hunting pistol wouldnt a barrel length of 7.5 inches be better?  My friend has the Super Blackhawk Hunter in 44 mag and carries it on his side just fine and dandy.  This will be my first pistol also if that helps?  I like the double action S&W's but they are a lot more expensive than the single action Rugers.  I have shot my friends Ruger Blackhawk with the 7.5 inch barrel and thought it felt very nice.  I am going to the gun store in an hour so will try a few out and let you know what I like best.

I think the 5.5 inch barrel may be nicer to have on my hip than a 7.5 inch and a nice hip gun is what I am looking for.

Yep - that's why I carry the 7.5 inch Bisley .44 when I use a handgun for my primary hunting tool.   The short barrels are handier for just carrying or getting in and out of vehicles.

Try to find a used S&W in 44 mag, 4 or 6 inch. They usually aren't shot much because they kick too much so they are in good working order and run $300 to $400. Shoot 44 specials to practice. The Ruger single actions I've owned needed trigger work and the rear sight is cheap. Look at it. There is alot of shake back and forth, the pin fits loosely and the windage is a blade that rides loosely in a slot with a spring on one end and an opposing screw on the other. The Smith has good sights and a good trigger from the factory. Some of the Rugers would jump the cylinder pin when I fired heavy hunting loads from them also. You will want to correct all these things as you gain knowledge and ability and they will equal or excede the cost of a quality revolver. So why not get one to begin with? The Taurus is a good one too. The Ruger Super Redhawks are fine weapons but then you are in a higher price range too. And they are about as rugged as they get. But they need better sights too. Remember it's all about sight picture and trigger control. God bless and good shooting.

Well I went to the local Sportsmans Warehouse and tried out some different Ruger Super Blackhawks and have to say that the 5.5 inch barrel felt the best and I even found a Wyoming style holster to go with it.  I think it would be a great hip gun.  It draws much easier than the 7.5 inch gun.  The holster that I am looking at is a low slung holster that draws at the thigh rather than the hip so would work well with a longer barrel but I still like the shorter 5.5 inch barrel for a nice little protection/hunting rig.  My grandpa has the same gun with the 7.5 inch barrel and has taken everything from deer to elk to black bear with it with great success.  But I want a faster handling play gun and feel the Ruger B-hawk with a 5.5 inch barrel would be great.  

As for M Gardner I do like the S&W's but I really want a single action and I feel that Ruger makes a very nice one, so that is what I am sticking with.

I'm not much of a 'pistolero'. I have only four pistols, and two of those may go years between shooting. However, I rarely go into the woods without my Redhawk in .44 Mag on my hip. Once I had both a 5.5" bbl'd one, and a 7.5" bbl'd one. I now only have the 7.5" bbl'd one. BUT, THAT"S NOT MY PREFERENCE. I strongly prefer the 5.5" bbl'd one for ease of carry.
 
I can't recall if you handload, but if you don't, start. If you do, at least TRY the lightest weight bullets you can get your hands on. My experience on big game indicates that they perform at least as well as the heavy ones do.
 
Paul
 
Oh yeah... You can get jacketed bullets for handloading in both .429" and .430" diameters. The .430" bullets shoot WAY better in my revolver.
 
Paul

Will the 5.5 inch barrel kick much more?  I wish they made them in a 6.5 inch barrel then I could just get the inbetween barrel length and make up my mind.  I agree that the 5.5 would be a better choice as a hip gun and since I dont plan on  mounting a scope I dont really need the longer barrel.
 
Paul how come you didnt keep the 5.5 and instead sell the 7.5 if you like the shorter better?  I do plan on handloading and am going to start this summer when I have more time to learn how to do it.  I will try the lighter bullets as well.

Hi All,

       (quote)I wish they made them in a 6.5 inch barrel then I could just get the inbetween barrel length and make up my mind (quote)
 
    Well why don't you just have 1" lopped off the longer barrel and you will have your ideal length. If this is donde from the cyclinder end then the foresight need not be moved .

I'm not familiar with the holster you intend to get but make sure the bottom is closed because eventually you will get snow or dirt up into it. The new style ruger with the rounded trigger guard won't hurt you to shoot mid range loads with the 5.5 inch barrel. Stay away from the straight backed trigger guard, it'll hit you in the knuckle unless you get grips that fill in that area to keep your knuckle out of the way. Full power 44 mags are a hand full unless you get a large gun. But you can learn to shoot them with practice and good grips. if you reload try bullets of different diameters.(I use .431 Lazercast bullets). God bless and most of all have fun doing this.

                              Mark

QuotePaul how come you didnt keep the 5.5 and instead sell the 7.5 if you like the shorter better?

Sometimes, things are not in our control.
 
I didn't notice any significant difference between the two weapons.
 
Paul