I think I might want a single-action revolver. Some questions.

[JonInWA]

Now go ahead and get a Blackhawk! 😎

[HeavyDuty]

I went through this a few years ago. My justification was that I wanted a northwoods carry gun.

I ended up with a Ruger NM Vaq in .45 ACP (not a convertible.) Mine is a 5152 which is stainless, short barreled with a birdshead grip. I slicked it up a little, replaced the basepin and reamed the cylinder mouths. Raj at Eagle had one of his guys fit a nice set of thinner walnut grip panels while I waited. I’ve slowly been polishing it up by hand with Mother’s mag polish.

It’s a great little gun that shoots well. It was a good choice for me.

https://ruger.com/products/vaqueroSt...eets/5152.html

[Zeke38]

This Bisley is a shooter! The 44 Special is special. 250 grain Keith and 8.0 Power Pistol equals 964fps. One hole 5 shot groups at 25 yds from a rest. My only SA all the other 44s are S&W.

[willie]

For most of us Ruger is the last word in single actions. The Blackhawk series has two offerings known as convertibles. Each comes with two cylinders. For example, the .45 Colt convertible is sold with a .45 ACP cylinder. The other convertible is a .357 Magnum revolver with a 9mm cylinder. I recommend the 45/8 inch Blackhawk. It has adjustable sights and an aluminum grip frame which reduces weight. Having had both I say get the .45 Colt with the extra cylinder. If you already reload for .38 Spl or .357 Magnum, then you may prefer this caliber. I never found the 9mm cylinder to be useful because in my revolvers this round was not accurate. Nominal diameter for 9mm jacketed bullets is .355. The Ruger barrel will likely be .358 or 359 which is ok for the .38 or .357 offering.
Single actions have the same mechanical accuracy as double action revolvers. If you have not fired these to any extent, you will see that there is a short learning curve. Out of the box trigger pulls are sometimes a tad heavy. The hammers have a longer travel arc and hit with a "thump" instead of a lighter tick. Having put many rounds through both types, I can pick up either and hit what I can see to the point that long range hits become stunt shooting. I could teach you to do the same thing in a short time. So, sir, buy a Ruger and proceed. You will not regret the decision.

[Trooper224]

Years ago I was heavily into single action revolvers. Today my Colt SAA is the only one I have left, that in itself says something.

You really need to decide what your priorities are. "I want a single action revolver" actually covers a rather broad field. If you're thinking traditional and just want a "sixgun" to play around with, then I'd say go Uberti/Beretta. Their quality isn't as good or better than Colt. That's just envy from those who can't afford the pony. However, their quality has gone up since the Beretta acquisition and is much more consistent. They're far more affordable too, for a fun gun. If you're looking for something that might be used for a broader range of purposes, then you really can't beat Ruger. I used to hunt Coyotes at 100 yards with my nickel plated, 7.5 inch Colt SAA, but my eyes were younger then. Today I'd want the vastly better sights of the Blackhawk. The Vaquero is also a good choice if you want the strength of a Ruger but the more traditional look. An original Vaquero was my platform for heavy load experimentation and it never failed. If you really want something to cherish and pass on to your children nothing really beats the Colt. Regardless of quality or features, it's the real thing and the only one with that pedigree. Your best bet for one today is Gunbroker and the like. You've mentioned Freedom Arms and they're excellent, but pricey.

[Bigghoss]

You jerks got me looking at Ruger single actions again. I don't plan on getting this one, but it sure is pretty.

[Poconnor]

All my single action revolvers are Ruger blackhawks . If money wasn’t an issue i’d Have more. I would rather have four blackhawks instead of a SAA. I am very partial to the stainless flat tops

[RONK]

I went through this a few years ago. My justification was that I wanted a northwoods carry gun.

I ended up with a Ruger NM Vaq in .45 ACP (not a convertible.) Mine is a 5152 which is stainless, short barreled with a birdshead grip. I slicked it up a little, replaced the basepin and reamed the cylinder mouths. Raj at Eagle had one of his guys fit a nice set of thinner walnut grip panels while I waited. I’ve slowly been polishing it up by hand with Mother’s mag polish.

It’s a great little gun that shoots well. It was a good choice for me.

https://ruger.com/products/vaqueroSt...eets/5152.html

HeavyDuty,sir,if you would,please elaborate on why you made this particular choice for your Northwoods carry gun?What are you doing for a holster?Thank you.

[RJ]

I never found the 9mm cylinder to be useful because in my revolvers this round was not accurate. Nominal diameter for 9mm jacketed bullets is .355. The Ruger barrel will likely be .358 or 359 which is ok for the .38 or .357 offering.

Thanks Willie. This was not obvious to me about my convertible; I have not shot the 9mm cylinder yet, but when I did I was planning to see how accurate it was. Maybe I'll skip that and just keep shooting the WCs out of the .38 special barrel.

[HeavyDuty]

HeavyDuty,sir,if you would,please elaborate on why you made this particular choice for your Northwoods carry gun?What are you doing for a holster?Thank you.

I wanted something that was as foolproof as possible in a controllable caliber that I trust. I’m kinda clumsy, and if I go ass over teakettle into the crick as usual I don’t want to worry about an AD on the way down. I think 45 ACP is ideal in these short SAs, ejection is very positive.

I have two holsters - a slightly fancy Barranti crossdraw that I don’t wear in the field, and a full coverage pancake that I do (maybe a Sourdough, I can’t remember.)