ruger blackhawk

I've been a LC fan for decades.  I currently own two Blackhawks in it.  One is 4 5/8" that I use as a carry gun and for fun shooting.  It's a welcome break from the 9mm that I have for social work when I need something that hides better than the SA.  My second is detailed in the My New Deer Gun thread on this board. 

For loads in the fun gun, I'm using 9.0 gr of Unique underneath a Lyman 238 gr. Keith (Lyman 452423)  The mold is out of production so you have to find someone who casts them (M&P Cast Bullets, Brattleboro, VT) or make your own, which I'll have to do when I run out of the last batch I made.  I also have the ACP cylinder for this one and use 6.9 of Unique underneath a 200 gr. Hornady HP.  The two loads shoot the same POI at 25 yds.

I prefer the shorter barrels, 4 5/8" or 5 1/2" rather than the 7 1/2".  I find the long one just too hard to handle.

The Ruger gives you a lot of flexibility in loading due to it's strength.  I find that the heavy loads, Ruger/TC only, tend to shoot erratically for me,  6 - 8" benched and bagged at 25 yds.  This was true, again for me, with the 255 lead Keith, the 240 Sierra HP and the 200 Hornady FTX.  In the hunting gun, I would up with 16.2 of 2400 under the 255 Keith.

I wouldn't waste time with the FTX.  They're too long without shortening cases to the Schofield length which is to much work for a bullet.  They'll function, but the plastic tip hangs up on the barrel for half a second as you rotate the cylinder into place.

I have a Hornady 45 seating die with the FTX punch if anyone is interested.  Used for 100 rounds.

The LC in this frame is a lot of fun.  Good luck!  788