revolver barrel length

For me, that's getting awfully long. I like 4"-6" for .357 mag and 6"-8" for big boomers. I do like my 3" 629, but .44 gives up quite a bit of performance in such a short barrel. My SRH .454 is a 7.5", and it looks/feels well balanced on the large frame.

9.5" is gonna give a tad more sight radius and a very slight bump in performance over a 7.5", but at the cost of becoming somewhat awkward, especially for carry in a holster.

My opinion shouldn't really have any bearing on your decision, though. And you can always shorten it; if you like something even a little shorter than 7.5" for a DA gun when you already have a 7.5" Blackhawk, the starting length matters not. Since the Redhawk doesn't sport a full underlug, cutting it back is a pretty straight forward proposition, although you'll have to go to a screw-on type sight like the SRH. A Redhawk with a 5-6" barrel would make a fantastic woods carry gun.

As for values, that sounds like a pretty even trade dollar-wise.

Too long for me. That length makes them unweildy.

Make mine 5.5", thank you.

All depends on what you intend to use the gun for.

I have a few 44 Magnum revolvers:

S&W 629 Deluxe 3”
S&W Performance Center 7.5”
Ruger SRH 9.5”

The 9.5” is long and heavy but I enjoy shooting it. You are only getting about 80-90 FPS more velocity going from 7.5” to 9.5”.

7½" is plenty and very often, a little more than desired. I own a bunch of 7½" to 8" revolvers but they are replicas of historic models like the Colt SAA, 1860, 1851, Dragoon, Remington 1858, etc.. For a serious hunting sixgun, 5½" to 6" is preferred. For packing pistols, gimme a 4" to 4¾". The amount of velocity to be gained in longer barrels is insignificant relative to the loss of portability. It's also a myth that longer barrels are softer shooting. Longer barrels produce more velocity and have more leverage against your wrists. I've always found shorter barrels to be more pleasant to shoot.

If possible I think you ought to go to the range to handle and shoot a 9” revolver. Then make an informed decision.
Good luck

I have a 9 or 10 inch blackhawk a friend dropped off a few months ago at the house because it's inaccurate. I haven't got to fool with it but it's definitely got accuracy issues I need to look into. But as others have stated that barrel length is pretty awkward. I have 8 7/8 x frames and 7.5 inch Redhawks that are much better feeling although it doesn't sound like such a huge difference. I'd definitely find one to play around with before I bought one. Personally I wouldn't love to own one and if I got one really cheap id likely cut it down to 5-6 inches in a blackhawk. Maybe 5.5-7.5 in the redhawk in question. Definitely feel of it first though.

I bought a .41 with a 7.5" barrel and I really would like it 5.5".

I do have a 6.5" 629 and a 7.5" .454 SRH and those are plenty long enough.

Personally I would pass, but as the others said try it (or something similar) and see if it fits you and what you're intending to do with it and then decide.

Stay safe!

JO JO said:

I am looking at a redhawk 44mag offered in a trade question is it has a 9.5 in barrel , what do you all think of a longer
barrel this long ?

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I think it all has to do with what you're figuring on using it for. My wife had two, 10.5" Ruger "Super Silhouette" 44 Mags when she was shooting IHMSA, and she done quite well with them. When we quit the silhouette game, my wife sold one of her 10.5" revolvers to another silhouette shooter, and sent the other back to Ruger to have a 6" barrel installed. That Super Silhouette (Super Blackhawk) is now her general, pack around in the backcountry, gun. She does quite well with it too, and it's a lot easier for her to pack around than a 10.5" barreled 44 Mag.

I would say it depends on what you want to do with it.
If you plan to carry it hunting or hiking that is a pretty long barrel.
If you just want it for bench shooting or plinking it may be fun.

I can see it now. You are at the range and you are shooting your 7.5” Redhawk and someone says “Wow, that’s a big revolver!” And then you say “Nah...this is a big revolver” and whip out that big bad boy with the 9.5” barrel.

I would definitely find out why he wants to sell it after only 100 rounds. Also, finding a holster for it might be interesting, if you plan to carry it.

Found one: https://www.triplek.com/product/474-big-thunder-scoped-torso-rig/

I think it's great. I have a 14" bbl on one of my 44's. (EAA Thor). It's a lot of fun. Range gun only though.

CraigC said:

7½" is plenty and very often, a little more than desired. I own a bunch of 7½" to 8" revolvers but they are replicas of historic models like the Colt SAA, 1860, 1851, Dragoon, Remington 1858, etc.. For a serious hunting sixgun, 5½" to 6" is preferred. For packing pistols, gimme a 4" to 4¾". The amount of velocity to be gained in longer barrels is insignificant relative to the loss of portability. It's also a myth that longer barrels are softer shooting. Longer barrels produce more velocity and have more leverage against your wrists. I've always found shorter barrels to be more pleasant to shoot.

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Exactly. If you have two of the same platforms but with differing barrel lengths, shooting the same load, the longer barrel will typically kick harder due to the velocity increase- assuming the same load. The increase in blast moving to the shorter barrel I suspect gives the illusion of harder recoil.

I would be okay with s 9.5in barrel on a dedicated hunting gun. In fact, a scoped 9.5 inch .44 Redhawk would make an awesome Illinois deer gun!

More than 6" and I'd just as soon carry my Marlin 44 lever gun.

I am a bad one to ask. My favorite revolvers are snubbies! Even the big bores.

BOARHUNTER

That long tube would be fun to throw a scope on, sit up on a bench, and shoot tiny little groups. Carrying and managing something that big, I’d pass. YMMV.

I love the long barrel guns. I have 5-6 S&W .38 and .357 with 8 3/8" and waiting on a Model 14 to get a 8 3/8" fitted. Also on the hunt for a couple of .22's with 8". I shoot a lot of a bench at 75-100 yards and the long sight radius does help quite a bit. They are not guns to carry in the field. I have a bunch of 2-3" guns for that. It all depends on what your purpose is. I don't think the accuracy increase from 6-8 is that big of a deal. I saw a .460 S&W today on Gunbroker that had a 14" barrel if I remember correctly. Now that would be cool! Of course I would hate to lug it around from the truck to the bench!!!

JO JO said:

I decided to pass on the trade not sure I would gain much with the 9.5 in due to I already have 2 super blackhawks with 7.5in barrels and as lots of posts above 9.5 is one long barrel
thanks for the input as always good info

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I think you made a good choice.

Way too long of a barrel for any type of shooting I would be doing. My preferred barrel length range is from 4" to 6", though I do allow for longer barrels on my replica black powder guns.

Just my opinion but I feel that once you go beyond about 6.5" or so you might as well go to something with a stock.

I have a 9.5 inch SRH 44mag. I have taken several deer with it (6-8?) some at considerable range. I have a 41 mag Blackhawk when I need something easier to carry.

My opinion on revolvers has lots to do with performance & accuracy but after that comes appearance which in this situation
the Ruger already has a rather large half western half modern look, now you add a barrel that is very obviously too long
it gets away from reality or common sense. It would probably do good at long range steel. But again it would have the
appearance of one of those Elephant Guns in a nonsense caliber.
CZ is a good proven gun.
Just my opinion, probably not a popular one.