A 44 mag old friend at the range
Posted: Fri Jun 09, 2023 8:09 pm
It's been so long since I've been able to go to the range and get back to shooting the guns I love. First it was Covid and then some serious health issues that had me wondering if I could ever shoot my 44 mag Ruger, again. At one point, I wasn't even sure I could handle the recoil of the 44 mag the way I could in the old days.
Today we made our first trip to the range in over two years to burn some powder. Took a number of revolvers to work on, but the one I most wanted to shoot and the one closest to my heart was the Ruger Super Blackhawk 44 mag. A Ruger SBH was actually my first centerfire gun and the gun I used to take my first deer, way back in the 70s. That gun got sold to a friend along the way, but I've had others over the years. This was the one I shot today, a 1981 vintage SBH, was the same version I started with back in the 70s. Just picking it up brings back a flood of memories.
First time out with this particular Ruger 44, though, so I started shooting at 16 yards to see where it hit, but also to renew my acquaintance with an old friend. Would I be able to handle the recoil? Would I remember how to grip the Super Blackhawk so as not to get bitten by the squared off dragoon trigger guard? Ha! Just like riding a bike. No problem. In fact, that 44 mag recoil brought a smile to my face. Yeah, just like old times.
Shooting offhand (I don't bother to sight in revolvers from a rest), I was printing pretty close to a dead on POI at 16, just a bit low, though I did have to dial in some windage on the rear sight. Next stop, 25 yards.
At 25 yards, I started with a six o'clock hold and fired six shots. I forgot to bring my binoculars to check where I was hitting on the 6" bull, so I had to walk out to the target to see where it hit. What I found was a fair offhand group with the sights looking dead on. Very pleased.
Walked back to the firing line and switched to a dead on hold to put some shots higher in the black. I could see the first one hit higher up where I wanted to be as far as elevation, but a touch right of center. Fired again, but couldn't see where it hit. Fired two more to make it a 5 shot group, but still couldn't see any hits, though it looked like the hit I could see was getting larger. Walked out to the target, hoping for the best.
So here's the target.
What can I say? Walked back and gave my old pal a big kiss right on the barrel. Yeah, this old single action cowgirl was in single action heaven, thanks to an old 44 mag friend of hers. Worth the long wait to come back home.
Today we made our first trip to the range in over two years to burn some powder. Took a number of revolvers to work on, but the one I most wanted to shoot and the one closest to my heart was the Ruger Super Blackhawk 44 mag. A Ruger SBH was actually my first centerfire gun and the gun I used to take my first deer, way back in the 70s. That gun got sold to a friend along the way, but I've had others over the years. This was the one I shot today, a 1981 vintage SBH, was the same version I started with back in the 70s. Just picking it up brings back a flood of memories.
First time out with this particular Ruger 44, though, so I started shooting at 16 yards to see where it hit, but also to renew my acquaintance with an old friend. Would I be able to handle the recoil? Would I remember how to grip the Super Blackhawk so as not to get bitten by the squared off dragoon trigger guard? Ha! Just like riding a bike. No problem. In fact, that 44 mag recoil brought a smile to my face. Yeah, just like old times.
Shooting offhand (I don't bother to sight in revolvers from a rest), I was printing pretty close to a dead on POI at 16, just a bit low, though I did have to dial in some windage on the rear sight. Next stop, 25 yards.
At 25 yards, I started with a six o'clock hold and fired six shots. I forgot to bring my binoculars to check where I was hitting on the 6" bull, so I had to walk out to the target to see where it hit. What I found was a fair offhand group with the sights looking dead on. Very pleased.
Walked back to the firing line and switched to a dead on hold to put some shots higher in the black. I could see the first one hit higher up where I wanted to be as far as elevation, but a touch right of center. Fired again, but couldn't see where it hit. Fired two more to make it a 5 shot group, but still couldn't see any hits, though it looked like the hit I could see was getting larger. Walked out to the target, hoping for the best.
So here's the target.
What can I say? Walked back and gave my old pal a big kiss right on the barrel. Yeah, this old single action cowgirl was in single action heaven, thanks to an old 44 mag friend of hers. Worth the long wait to come back home.
