Marushin Ruger New Model Super Blackhawk X Cartridge

[renegadecow]

At first, I wanted to write this review until after I've actually used the gun in a skirmish hoping to have a broader perspective to draw criticism from. Now that I have, I regret having done so as it's left me biased toward praising this ultimately epic hand canon to no bounds. To give you a clearer explanation, whenever I look at the Ruger medallions on the grips, in my minds eye I no longer see this:

 

but rather THIS:

*Artwork property of Boris Vallejo.

 

Introduction:

*Inside: gun, box, manual, catalog, target paper, unjamming tool, loading tool (useless), hop adjustment wrench, complimentary BBs, spare shells (sold separately) in blue box.

 

Having been lately immersed in the Old West airsoft scene, I soon required a complementary weapon to my Marushin SAA to increase my standoff distance. While the Ruger Super Blackhawk (SBH) is by no means kosher being made a century late after the original Peacemaker (1873 v.s. 1973), its design hails from the very same gun only with ergonomic and mechanical improvements. The pistol is still a single-action sixgun but with a slightly larger grip, beefier frame, and non-fluted cylinder to better contain the forces of the much more powerful .44 magnum round. It also has a fully adjustable rear blade sight and high serrated front ramp. Particular also with the New Model is the change from a three pin design to a two pin design which incorporates a transfer bar mechanism acting as a safety device which the Colt never had. The hammer also need not be put into half cock in order to free the cylinder for reloading; simply opening the loading gate does the job. The Marushin replica, and I really do mean replica having faithfully mirrored the above changes, is available in 7 1/2” and 10 1/2” barrels finished in silver or black for both lengths. All models are chambered in 8mm.

 

Overview:

*Lean mean cow punching machine.

 

The Marushin Ruger SBH isn't new at all, but the X Cartridge version is. It features a new shell design that looks more realistic with the added slug at the tip. One could also say that it helps improve performance as having the BB chambered at the tip of the bullet instead of in the middle allows for a smoother path for the BB as it exits the shell when shot. It also makes for easier reloads not needing a tool to poke the BBs in. In fact you could reload the shells while they're still in the gun which is a lot faster than having to replace the whole shell one at a time. It also features a detachable cylinder, in case swapping out whole wheels is your thing.

*No swing-out cylinder on this model.

 

*Cylinder and cylinder rod removed.

 

I got the black 10 1/2” model which is finished in the usual Marushin heavyweight black. While still being made of ABS plastic, it has metal powder mixed in it to add weight and, as a bonus feels cool to the touch! The outer barrel, frame and cylinder are made out of the grayish-black plastic while the rest is in metal, a LOT of metal. It tips the scale at 910g unloaded with the six shells weighing in an extra 170g. The metal components are a mix of zinc die cast (pot metal) and aluminum with the latter mostly in the smaller internal components where higher durability is needed. Some pins and screws are made of steel as well as the all important valve stem. The grips are made of regular ABS plastic with a very dark simulated wood finish. It actually looks decent as far as Marushin's horrible fake wood is concerned, but I find it a little too shiny. They don't creak or flex even when tightly held however due to the lateral support struts on the inside surface. As a whole, the gun is built rock solid. Despite the weight and leverage from the long barrel, there is no considerable flex to the frame unlike my Tanaka S&W .500 magnum. The loading gate opens and closes with a resounding click as are the hammer and cylinder while you cycle through the action. Trigger pull out-of-the-box was medium, around 8lbs but turned to butter after applying a couple drops of silicone oil. It's one of those few weapons that, when held, screams “Man's gun!”.

*Looong arm of the law.

 

Performance:

I have to be honest in saying that the gun didn't work outright as I took it from the box, not with green gas anyways. 134A was fine, but it turns out that the higher pressure green gas, probably due to the smoldering temperature lately (30-35ºC in the day!) was pushing the valve out too much that the transfer bar safety couldn't reset. To go more into that transfer bar, like the real New Model Ruger, the hammer cannot be made to fire a round if it falls without the trigger being pulled. In Marushin's design, the transfer bar is lifted by the trigger bridging a gap between the hammer and valve stem. Because the valve stem is jutting out just a tad more in my case, the transfer bar can't go fully up. I had to file the surface of the valve stem some 0.35mm to make the clearance.

The gun only holds a seemingly small amount of gas as I took a peek at the reservoir under the grip panels, maybe just about as much as your average double stacked auto-pistol magazine. But when I was doing a shot count test, my jaw was about to drop as I proceeded to go past the 60 mark. It actually kept on going well after that, but I cut it off at 60 having full powered shots. Output started to decrease gradually after around 66 and then trailed off another 15-20 really weak shots until completely empty. Chronoed, using .34g Vanaras BBs and green gas, the first shot read 387fps! That's equal to a 6mm .20g BB zipping at 500fps! The site marshals who are also my friends just stared back wide-eyed at me either in disbelief or desire. I figured it was probably just a fluke being the first shot on a freshly filled gun so I took more time with the chrono. It was just that first shot that went so high as the rest of the shots I made didn't go past 350fps (equal to 450fps on 6mm .20g). It was mostly around 340fps then a single shot went a scant 150fps and this was when I raised my eyebrows. Tens of fps variance is acceptable for a gas gun, but not in hundreds so I took my time looking for the source of inconsistency. The gun itself was sound having no air leaks or cylinder timing issues. It was when I looked at the shells that I got answers. These take Marushin .44mag X Cartridge shells shared by the Anaconda series and Raging Bull. One notable difference between the aftermarket shells and the ones that came in the gun is the shape of the slug, but was not an issue. It was when loading the shells that I found out that some BBs seated harder than others. The BBs are retained by an o-ring and were bone in some so I smeared a little silicone oil on all of them and all was fixed.

*Left to right Marushins: SAA .45LC, Ruger SBH .44mag, aftermarket .44mag.

 

Accuracy was acceptable, easily putting shots in a 3” circle at 5m, A4 paper at 15m, man-sized targets up to 30m. I could blame the lackluster precision from the SSB (Super Sonic Barrel) hop system that Marushin uses. Simply put, it's a hole on top of the inner barrel where a rubber flap goes through and is adjustable in tension by a grub screw. The problem with this is that the screw has no give and makes hop adjustment difficult. You could go from no-hop to reach-for-the-sky in a single turn. I cut a little ring from the insulation of some silicone wire I have and put it in between the hop rubber and adjustment screw to dampen the adjustment like a hop bucking. It helped, but not dramatically as I couldn't put in much of the improvised bucking from lack of space. I couldn't get the hop to go accurately straight either as doing so somehow imparts too much turbulence even for the heavyweight 8mm BBs. If I set it so the flight path is relatively flat, the veer randomly left or right past 20m so I settled for a more manageable slight parabolic arc but with good vertical alignment. For curiosity I also tested what few .45g Marushin BBs I have and accuracy was a lot better being more stable with the hop-up. But since my house loads consisted of affordable .34s, I didn't bother doing a formal test with the heavier ammo. Will be buying a bag of .45g Vanaras BBs in the future though.

*Long sight plane with clear adjustable irons, it's notably common for users to paint the front sight serrations a bright orange for better low light gain.

 

*2 1/4” group at 5m, benched, 6 shots. Target simulates an adult buck at 25m, aiming for the heart.

 

Conclusion:

“Twelve shots... this time, I've got twelve shots.”

-Major Ocelot

*Gas can in wineskin, extra ammo on belt and in pouch, couple of holstered guns. Jack for confidence.

 

But it seems all I really needed was that six. During the day that I fielded the Blackhawk I never once shot with my SAA. A couple times I pulled it out while reloading the big gun, but was just for safe measure from getting caught with my pants down. Bagged four trophies that day, all opponents armed with AEGs with hi-cap magazines with one notable kill when I had to punch through a bush and it did it in a single shot. I dare say I'm a pretty good crack shot when it comes to handguns, but having a great gun to begin with really compounds the situation. Many folks who might purchase this same gun might do so intending to put it up for display; a common sentiment that handguns, moreover revolvers are antiquated and are better served behind glass cases. But the truth is that it delivers and it delivers big. 8mm big! It just so happens that it looks real damn good while doing it.