I'm looking at buying a 44 mag Ruger Blackhawk for deer hunting and wondering what barrel lenght would be give me accuracy and ease of handling.

7.5"

For hunting length I would go to 7 & 12" as well, although I prefer the 4 &5/8 inch barrel for handling and informal target.

Handling and barrel length are two different issues. Longer does not mean more accurate. The reason why most shooters are more accurate with a longer barrel is simple, You have a longer sight plane. Over 7 1/2 inches inlength and a pistol becomes more difficult to shoot accurately. Lengths between 5 1/2 and 7 1/2 are optimal for handling and shooting accuracy. Tom.

Lengths between 5 1/2 and 7 1/2 are optimal for handling and shooting accuracy. Tom.


10-4 on that.

I have a 7.5" BH in 44.I recently shot a SW .357 w/4.5 or 5" barrel.It was a dream to shoot compared to the heavy 7.5"