Help on how to grip a .44mag?

snellville-dave · #1 09-07-2009, 10:30 AM

I have a Ruger SBH Hunter in .44mag with a 7 1/2 barrel I'm learning how to shoot. After going to a in door range, I think I'll need to use somesort of stabilizer (tree,shooting stick, etc.) I was using my normal two handed grip and seemed to have a lot of wooble. Tried holding out some near the cylinder and luckly had my hand rapped with a rag. Lot of powder and fire coming from that .44mag cylinder. Thanks, Dave

deerslayer357 · #2 09-07-2009, 01:50 PM

I have found that if I bend my elbows ever so slightly (just enough to keep from locking your elbows) it will decrease the wobble greatly and decrease the felt recoil.

Nitro · #3 09-07-2009, 04:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by snellville-dave

I have a Ruger SBH Hunter in .44mag with a 7 1/2 barrel I'm learning how to shoot. After going to a in door range, I think I'll need to use somesort of stabilizer (tree,shooting stick, etc.) I was using my normal two handed grip and seemed to have a lot of wooble. Tried holding out some near the cylinder and luckly had my hand rapped with a rag. Lot of powder and fire coming from that .44mag cylinder. Thanks, Dave

Sir,

You are lucky you weren't injured. Holding a revolver at the end of the cylinder near the frontstrap is a no-no!!

Learn a solid two hand grip in a Weaver or Isosceles stance. Either will aid you in steadying your aim and absorbing recoil. Using shooting sticks in the field are an excellent aid to accuracy. Look at the Stoney Point products.

I also recommend shooting some 44 Specials through the pistol to learn the trigger on that pistol and then work your way up to Magnum loads.

Practice makes perfect, but please be careful. Shooting the way you describe and you are risking a serious hand injury. Good Luck!

bighole · #4 09-07-2009, 07:05 PM

be sure your primary hand ( the one you grab the gun with) is holding the grip precisely between the index finger and the thumb. grip the gun and ( empty) let your hand drop straight down from your shoulder so the muzzle is pointed at the ground.. you shud have a straight line from the muzzle to your hand to your elbow

snellville-dave · #5 09-07-2009, 07:13 PM

Thanks, Nitro - I did shoot some .44spl loads and didn't have any problem with them. I was aware that I might be getting to far up near the cylinder, so I had my hand covered. Only took one shot to confirm that I was to close to the cylinder. Practice is what usually helps with anything, but looks like a lot of practice will be needed for me to feel comfortable with this pistol in .44mag. Probably would help if my hands were closer to large than to medium sized. I'll probably only practice this year and wait till next year to use this for deer hunting. I guess I'll just have to go with the 45/70 Marlin again, Thanks, Dave

tv_racin_fan · #6 09-07-2009, 08:19 PM

Dave, I have the Ruger Old Army with a similar grip frame. I grip it with my strong hand somewhat high. This lands my pinky right at the bottom of the grip, not under the grip (my grip frame may be shorter than yours). If I run my index finger out straight it is right along the last chamber of the cylinder. If I hold the gun right out in front of me it tends to point upwards a bit but when I stretch my arm out it falls right into place. My strong hand fingers just about touch the pad at the base of my thumb. I put the heel of my off hand right in the gap between strong hand fingers and thumb pad with the off hand fingers wrapping under the trigger guard thumb overlapped. I push forward with the strong hand and pull back with the off hand and lean into the shot.

HotDog · #7 09-07-2009, 10:59 PM

I put the Hogue Mono grip on my Blackhawk Hunter.
http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.co...sku=0013884000
The rubber grip with finger grooves is more comfortable to grip and seems to tame the recoil some. One note if you decide to use this grip, I noticed when I installed mine. The screw in the bottom of the grip must be a little long. It left a mark on the stainless steel grip butt that shows when the original grips are on the handgun.

dertiedawg · #8 09-08-2009, 08:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by snellville-dave

Probably would help if my hands were closer to large than to medium sized.

The size of your hands have nothing to do with it. I wear medium sized gloves and never had a problem shooting my 44. Smaller hands just make your gun look bigger

. You just need to practice with it. I originally purchased the Ruger instead of the Smith because the grips were smaller and fit me better. I changed to the Hogue grips and didn't like em at first because they felt bigger than the stock grips. After shooting with the Hogue grips, I will never switch back, they are SWEET! I shoot the Super Redhawk though, not the Blackhawk.
Vin

Randy · #9 09-08-2009, 09:21 AM

A rest should always be used when available rifle or pistol.

blackbear · #10 09-08-2009, 10:54 AM

Dont kid yourself,the blackhawk in 44mag is not for everyone...I can shoot a s&w model 29 100 times better than a super blackhawk...Thats why i sold mine.....Try the smith ...you will be glad you did....The superblackhawk 44magnum is the most inaccurate ,hard to control gun i have ever shot....Good luck with it..

trckdrvr · #11 09-08-2009, 11:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Randy

A rest should always be used when available rifle or pistol.

When available.....I agree.

GAR · #12 09-08-2009, 03:05 PM

Get a set of custom grips that will fit your hand properly. Store bought and factory grips leave a lot to be desired. Why take a beating when it should be fun?

http://www.herrett-stocks.com/

GAR

hawgrider1200 · #13 09-08-2009, 09:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blackbear

Dont kid yourself,the blackhawk in 44mag is not for everyone...I can shoot a s&w model 29 100 times better than a super blackhawk...Thats why i sold mine.....Try the smith ...you will be glad you did....The superblackhawk 44magnum is the most inaccurate ,hard to control gun i have ever shot....Good luck with it..

Accurate is relative along with everything else in life. My SBH are accurate enough to hit a playing card every shot at 20 paces. I am sure there are others out there that can best that boast.

#14 09-08-2009, 09:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blackbear

Dont kid yourself,the blackhawk in 44mag is not for everyone...I can shoot a s&w model 29 100 times better than a super blackhawk...Thats why i sold mine.....Try the smith ...you will be glad you did....The superblackhawk 44magnum is the most inaccurate ,hard to control gun i have ever shot....Good luck with it..

musta got a lemon .......because I have had several SBH 44mags and they were all quite accurate !!

Carp Fisherman · #15 09-08-2009, 09:15 PM

Always use a rest if possible or prop.

atljetmech · #16 09-08-2009, 10:55 PM

Get yourself a $15 collapsible shooting stick from Wally World if your gonna hunt with your SBH...it will make shots that count much easier.

Remember also that you don't HAVE to be standing up when hunting ALL the time. Sitting on your behind and using your bent up knee as a support is very accurate. Leaning on a tree or using a branch will work well too.

Blackhawks have a much different grip frame than double action pistols. Don't try to manhandle it...just a firm grip and let the pistol "roll" up in your hand as it recoils.

My 7.5" SBH was by far the most accurate and easiest shooting 44MAG revolver I've ever shot and I put over a thousand rounds thru it with everything from the weekest allowable 44MAG load to the most powerful 300 grain cannons. That was with factory wood grips too.

Those that say they're inaccurate can't shoot a pistol very well and those that say their uncomfortable to shoot compared to a 44MAG double action don't know how to shoot a single action pistol.

You've got one of the finest single actions made...enjoy it.

Rich Kaminski · #17 09-08-2009, 11:20 PM

yeah, my Blackhawk is very accurate too, but it is very loud

bighole · #18 09-09-2009, 05:54 PM

hopefully by now, you have practiced the correct grip.. assuming you are using this for hunting, and you are right handed--try this.. do not put your right shoulder to the target, and do not square off at the target.. put your left foot forward and have the target between your left shoulder and your breastbone. this will move your right arm slightly across your chest and rolls your right shoulder in to your body.. bury your chin into your right shoulder ( you will have to cock your head to do this) without a rest or a model 29 this is as steady as you can get

SOUTHERN WOODS · #19 09-09-2009, 07:09 PM

Nitro is spot on. Don't hold any revolver near the cylinder. There are a lot of gasses escaping and you are asking for an injury.

JustUs4All · #20 09-09-2009, 08:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tv_racin_fan

I put the heel of my off hand right in the gap between strong hand fingers and thumb pad with the off hand fingers wrapping under the trigger guard thumb overlapped. I push forward with the strong hand and pull back with the off hand and lean into the shot.

Yep. This is good. Try this push-pull technique and do not squeeze the grip too tightly. Your wobble and shake should disappear unless you try to hold too long without a rest.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Randy

A rest should always be used when available rifle or pistol.

Yep. Always.

44mags · #21 10-21-2009, 12:49 AM

dont try to hold th grip to tight ar it will bite ya let it roll in ya hand an support th griping hand with th off hand. at least it work w me ,i know have a double action ruger super rh an like it a lot better but both ar very good shooters ,keep practicing.I do the un heard of when making an long shot buy puttin th off hand index finger over th strong hand finger so not to pull off, works fr me, diff. strokes fr diff. folks

SASS249 · #22 10-21-2009, 08:11 AM

Different strokes for different folks. I started shooting pistols with single actions and like them better still than double actions. The grip is different and the recoil is different, not better or worse just different.

We all tend to forget that a 44 mag is a pretty hefty chunk of metal. There is no substitute for practice. I do not mean going to the range and firing a dozen rounds. Shooting any handgun well is frankly a hard skill for most people to master. Shooting a 44 mag is even harder.

I would start by making sure your gun has as smooth an action and as good a trigger as possible. Out of the box the SBH usually has an OK trigger, but a little work can make it a superb trigger.

After that I would make sure I have grips that fit my hand. I have medium sized hands and the stock grips on most single actions work for me, but the Hogue grips are very popular.

The practice. Practice at home dry-firing. Establish an aiming point and dry-fire a couple of hundred rounds per night until you have both developed the muscle memory (and frankly the muscle period) to hold the revolver on-target and fire without wobble.

Then range practice. Start with very mild loads, 44special range loads are great for this. Shoot often and shoot a lot. However, know your limits. There is no point in continuing to practice when you are getting tired. Pushing yourself when tired usually results in poor trigger control and often developing a flinch. When you start to get tired stop and do something else.

Too many people seem to think that handgun hunting should be easy to pick up. For some it is, but for many of us it is a challenge. When I first started shooting large bore single actions I went through the steps above. That first year I kept track of the number of rounds through my pistol (partly because I was running a test to determine how well that pistol would stand up to a lot of shooting, it was not a ruger). I fired just over 10,000 rounds. Of course the only way I could afford to do that was to reload, but that is another topic.

What I am really tryingto get across is NOTHING substitutes for practice.

Big7 · #23 10-23-2009, 12:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by redneckcamo

musta got a lemon .......because I have had several SBH 44mags and they were all quite accurate !!

I had a .41 SBH and it was great too...

ejs1980 · #24 10-23-2009, 08:26 PM

I've had 44 and 41 SBHs. Allways wanted to try the hunter but the SBHs I've shot with scopes had poor balance. I agree with whats stated above about practicing often. Make sure you wear earplugs. Not only will your ears suffer without them so will your shooting. I think practicing often is more important than shooting boxes and boxes of ammo. After shooting a box or so put one in the cylinder turn it a few rounds without looking and take another shot at the target if the gun doesn't fire but you flinch put it up and go home. Take a few days and try again. If your new to magnums it can take some time to work up to them.

SASS249 · #25 10-24-2009, 09:27 AM

Amen to the earplugs!! Anyone who shoots any handgun for practice without them is not hitting on all eight cylinders.

dertiedawg · #26 10-25-2009, 11:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ejs1980

I've had 44 and 41 SBHs. Allways wanted to try the hunter but the SBHs I've shot with scopes had poor balance. I agree with whats stated above about practicing often. Make sure you wear earplugs. Not only will your ears suffer without them so will your shooting. I think practicing often is more important than shooting boxes and boxes of ammo. After shooting a box or so put one in the cylinder turn it a few rounds without looking and take another shot at the target if the gun doesn't fire but you flinch put it up and go home. Take a few days and try again. If your new to magnums it can take some time to work up to them.

I think practicing while your flinching is the best way to learn not to flinch. You just have to be aware of it. This is where a revolver is great for learning to shoot without flinching. Load one in the cylinder like you said "Russian Roulette style" (but at a target NOT YOUR HEAD) and keep firing it until it goes off. You will be aware of your flinching and can make a conscious effort to control it until you end up firing without it. Dryfiring and livefiring together and not being aware of when the gun will go off will do wonders on helping you control your flinching. Then, if you can't consciously control your flinch... it's time to take a break.

psycosoninlaw1 · #27 10-25-2009, 11:55 AM

bend your strong arm slightly at the elbow and push it to your week hand, this should strengthen your grip. I was a cop for 16 years and had trouble with weak wrist from a motorcycle wreck. This help me alot.

seaweaver · #28 10-29-2009, 04:59 PM

I hold it like i hold myself ...on a cold winter morning!
THAT LIGHT.
This allows the gun to rotate in my hand to about a 30-40 degree angle after the shot. I loosen the grip and it comes back down for the second shot.

There's over 100 years of development in the curves they put in those handles.
There's a reason that they are shaped that way. It's to allow the recoil to roll off. Put a rubber grip on and no more roll. The cushion of New age synthetics only dampens a minor portion of what the curve does IMO.
cw

ironhead7544 · #29 11-04-2009, 08:04 PM

The SBH is accurate enough. Most will shoot into 3 inches at 50 yards. Triggers are generally pretty horrible. I recommend sending the revolver to Mag-na-port for porting and a trigger job. This will make a big difference. Using light loads for practice is the best way to learn the single action. You will need to start handloading unless you are very rich. Just my .02.

Handgunner · #30 11-16-2009, 01:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nitro

Sir,

You are lucky you weren't injured. Holding a revolver at the end of the cylinder near the frontstrap is a no-no!!

Learn a solid two hand grip in a Weaver or Isosceles stance. Either will aid you in steadying your aim and absorbing recoil. Using shooting sticks in the field are an excellent aid to accuracy. Look at the Stoney Point products.

I also recommend shooting some 44 Specials through the pistol to learn the trigger on that pistol and then work your way up to Magnum loads.

Practice makes perfect, but please be careful. Shooting the way you describe and you are risking a serious hand injury. Good Luck!

To elaborate further on this.

Here are some pictures of what Andy is talking about.

Weaver stance.

Isosceles Stance

Also, when shooting from a shooting stick, be sure you are holding the grips with both hands... Or at least have the hand you are holding the stick with well under the cylinder. Like you said, plenty of fire comes out of that cylinder when the hammer falls.

Good luck with the gun and enjoy the new passion!