Ruger RedHawk choices

W

wileyj

New member
CDNN has a RedHawk; 7.5 barrel, stainless, 45 Colt for $399
Gander Mountain has RedHawk; 7.5 barrel, blued, 44Mag for $509
CDNN will cost about $50 more for shipping and FFL transfer
So to me the 44M is probably a better thing to do.
What think you guys? :confused:

thanks
..wiley
Houston, TX
Racing Miatas; Good Cigars; Big Guns
 
Go for the .44 mag. I have one in 5 1/2" barrle that I find comfortable to shoot and there's a wide range of loads - plus a CCI Blazer 240gr jacketed HP that I shoot quit a bit of.

I admit to not being recoil sensitive but I like the Redhawk better than the S&W model 29.

YMMV.

:) :D
 
The blue 44 for 509 seems a little high from what I'm used to seeing but is the more versatile caliber choice in my mind.

399 for a SS 45C is a great deal though. You might have to just get em both! :D

Either one is almost guarenteed to be a top performer.
 
I have the 5.5 inch .44 mag. Redhawk and it is one of my keepers...It will last many lifetimes and hopefully get handed down after I am gone. :)
 
There is a reason these are on sale at CDNN and at Davidson's (even cheaper!).

I would get the .44 mag. version.

Owned both, been down the .45 Colt road before, wouldn't go down it again. I have owned 3 RH's - a 20-year-old .44 mag. that was a tack driver like I've never owned since ... and 2 2001-era .45 Colts that I can't say enough bad things about.

Redhawk .45 #1 had stellar accuracy but was replaced because the action would bind and it wouldn't "revolve".

Redhawk .45 #2 worked properly but craftsmanship was crude and its accuracy problems were insurmountable. I guess I'm unreasonable about this but I expect a $500 7.5" barrelled revolver to do better than 5" groups at 25 yds. from a bench. A closer inspection revealed wildly varying cylinder throat diameters, all under .451". In all fairness to Ruger, I did not feel like sending it back and then waiting 2 months for them to possibly fix it, so off it went in a trade which ended up netting me a .25-06 Ruger M77 that I couldn't be happier with.

As for the .45 Colt, I've had a bunch of them over the years (mostly Rugers) and I have 0 now. Here's why I don't fool with it anymore:

1. Ruger can't seem to bore out consistent cylinder throats in .45. You'll have to pay someone to ream out your cylinder at extra expense, a big waste of time and effort. Most people don't seem to have problems with their new .44's.
2. The .45 Colt is a handloader's cartridge, expecially if you want to magnum-ize it. Why limit yourself like this unless you don't want the convenience of local availability or you just want to keep UPS drivers in a job. Personally, I hate UPS, so I want to be able to pick up my components at Wal-Mart 4 miles down the road.
3. Resale value is poor thanks to 1 and 2.
4. The magnumized .45 Colt is dying. Ruger's discontinued all of its guns that can shoot it except for the Blackhawk, so with fewer choices in guns we are going to hear less and less about it with all the .454's floating around.

While I personally believe the magnumized .45 Colt6 is better, I don't think any animal you shoot with it is going to know the difference between that and a .44 mag.

iF YOU still want a .45 Colt Redhawk, Davidson's has them on sale right now for $350. If you want the rings verson, I think it's $379.
 
Thanks Guys

All very good replies, especially the last one.
i decided to change my search to a 44M. i still like the Redhawk but the 629 and a Taurus 444 are on my list to check out.
Before i get a new hand cannon, i have ordered a Ciener 22 top end for my 1911. That will be fun to shoot and it is on sale :p
..wiley
Houston,TX
 
Redhawk

I'm looking at the Ruger web page now and I see Redhawks still listed in 45 Colt.

I've got quite a few Smith 44's and a Ruger Super Redhawk in 45 Colt/454. I like them both but the Ruger is a more substantial weapon. Stronger.
 
Ironically, Ruger's website is often the last place to find up-to-date information. They are being discontinued, which is why CDNN got hold of them in the first place, since most of what they sell is used cop surplus or new but discontinued items, accounting for the low prices.
 
To find out what was dropped by Ruger you need the 2005 catalog.There are around 100 or so revolvers that have been discontinued.
 
Now if one of you Redhawk mavens would just point me toward a .41 Magnum model in 5.5" for less than $450, I would be happy! They have REALLY gone up in price in the last year and I still don't have one!

Gregg
 
Occasionally in double action 45LC revolvers, upon ejection the ejector star will pop over a rim, tying up the gun. Usually happens with Winchester brass, which rims are a tad less diameter than other mfg.s, Federal for example.

This can be inconvenient, or fatal, depending on your circumstances when it happens (shoot it enough, and it WILL happen).

That's why I prefer .44 Mag with its wide rim, in a DA revolver. It's 95% of a hot .45 LC load, so why bother? Reserve the 45LC for single actions.
 
I have found.....

......it pays to have a .451" Hornady XTP in your pocket when buying a 45 Colt revolver ('cause you can quick-n-dirty check the throats).

That said, I 'handload' for my 45 Redhawk, and I like it; much more horsepower than my 44 Redhawk I also 'handload' for (and no, my 41 and 357's are NOT for sale).

Used the 45 for IPSC, but I had some trouble with the M29 HKS speedloaders; no fault of the gun.
Oh, and R-P cases :D
 
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