New to Me Ruger Super Redhawk

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Tallball

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It had been in the revolver case at the LGS for quite some time, several months. I went there this morning to pick up an inexpensive 22 pistol that I had won from a Gunbroker auction.

The owner and his assistant were busy with other customers, so I just browsed for a little while. The owner and I have gotten friendly over the years, so if I am in no hurry, I always let him help other customers first.

I made a rookie mistake: I asked the assistant to let me fondle the Ruger as he was walking by. He took it out of the case, made sure it was clear, handed it over, and went about his business.

Wow, the trigger was very nice: DA was extremely good, SA was ridiculous. The cylinder locked up very, very tight. The bore was immaculate. It had minor surface wear, which I don't care about, but it had obviously not been shot much at all.

When the other customers were taken care of and the owner started writing up my transfer ticket, I made some preliminary inquiries about the Ruger. It had been marked for $750, then was marked down to $650. I know that he hates to have stuff taking up space in his cases for a long time, and I was pretty sure that not a lot of people want a gigantic revolver with a 9.5" barrel.

We talked about it semi-seriously for a minute or so, and then I made a humorous speech about it being a boat anchor, taking up so much space in the gun case, not paying him rent, etc. and offered him $500 to "take it off his hands". As much as anything I just intended to get a chuckle from him and his assistant and the one other customer. I didn't feel that $500 was a "serious" offer.

But he looked at me seriously, went into the back room, came back less than a minute later, and told me he "was into it" (cash or trade I have no idea) for $550. He wasn't willing to lose money on it, but he was willing to give it to me for that. After I hesitated, he offered to do the transfer on the 22 for free if I bought the Ruger for $550.

So now I own a gigantic Super Redhawk in 44 magnum. I already have a 7.5" Super Blackhawk and 6" 629 in the same caliber, but sometimes I am easily led astray.

Any advice on holsters, ammo, maintenance, etc. would be appreciated. I've never owned any kind of Redhawk before.

Since there are no grizzly bears within a thousand miles of my house, apparently I have another range toy.

 
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Now I own three large 44 magnum revolvers: a 7.5" Super Blackhawk, a 6" S&W Model 629, and the 9.5" Ruger Super Redhawk.

The Blackhawk is a an "Old Model" (three-screw) that I totally lucked into. Its trigger is divine - the best SA trigger of any handgun I own.

The S&W seems to be some special version. It has a ported barrel and fancy target grips. Its trigger is very nice.

The Super Blackhawk is as described above.

It's kind of ridiculous that the S&W has the "worst" trigger of the bunch; it's practically a work of art.

These revolvers should be killing deer, or bears, or be wielded by Dirty Harry in some crazy movie. It's funny that (in my lifetime) they will only be used for poking holes in pieces of paper.


 
I had the exact same one a few years ago. Your trigger description mimics mine. Fantastic trigger.

It was a hoot to shoot.

First thing I did was dig out some of the hottest 44 ammo I had, which happened to be some 300 cast that an uncle loaded for me.

Recoil was very minimal with everything I ran through it.

Looking down the barrel reminded me of shooting a carbine rifle.

Great, fun and very accurate pistol.

Hope you enjoy it.
 
"Well TB, you could always use it as a unique substitute for a cane if need be."

Now THAT is funny! I laughed so loudly that I disturbed the dogs.

Thank you everyone for the nice comments. I'm pretty sure it will be one of my favorite range toys.

If wild hogs start invading my town I will be carrying it everywhere in a shoulder harness. :)

Armybrat, I'm glad you've enjoyed the pics! My wife's two enormous dogs normally like to lie right near the vault, so the guns are pretty well protected.
 
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A scoped 9.5” SRH was my first “hunting handgun” bought probably 30+ years ago. I’ve taken several deer with this handgun and would still use it, but I’ve been using T/C Contenders as of late.

For my scoped 14” T/C and the 9.5” SRH, I’ve been using and quite happy with the nylon Uncle Mike’s Bandolier Holster. Some people don’t like them, but I never found a reason not to like them, except they can be noisy when sneaking through brush. Branches and nylon don’t mix well.

I have a third .44 Magnum, a 7.5” Super Blackhawk. This is iron sights, but I added a red dot last year to help with aging eyes. This is my short range (thick cover) hunting handgun.

Maintenance for the SRH is easy. Get yourself a lead away cloth to clean the face of the cylinder. Regular gun cleaning skills for the rest of the handgun. I can completely disassemble my SRH.

As for loads, I’ve been reloading for about 28 years now. Hornady 240 or 300 grain XTP and heavy loads of H110 has always worked for me. Last year, I looked for a lighter, plinking loads for my SBH and settled on a plated 240 grain bullet and 10.0 grains of Unique.
 
That ain't no range toy that's a deer slaying machine.
And if I could get another for 550 I'd snap it up in a heartbeat.
That gun will never break and can kill with or without bullets.
I'm surprised you think the trigger is that great though it makes me wonder if you've tried some Smith & Wesson Dan Wesson's etc
All of which tend to have much better triggers than the ruger's but still there's something about those ruger's from the GP100 up to the Super Redhawk!
 
I did the 9.5" SRH thing with a 480 Ruger model in 2003 for hunting. I scoped it. I was looking for something that could take me to the 100 yd mark for woods hunting. The 480 Ruger seemed to check all the boxes in terms of what I was looking for in a whitetail and possibly other big game revolver. In hindsight, I would have been better off with the 7.5" version.

I had a holster, but it was only used when I was dragging a deer out of the woods or walking in or out to my hunting spot. The rest of the time, the SRH was cradled on my arm like a short rifle.

This is about the time when I decided I was no longer going to use a rifle to hunt deer in the woods. I was more interested in the challenge than I was simply success. I still tried real hard to "get my buck" regardless. I was just limiting my effective range and practical options.

I have owned a number of 44's, but I stuck to 41 mag as my big bore choice.. The 480 Ruger was a logical step up in power and I didn't want a 454 C. (Still don't.)

Holster for your 9.5".... go chest rig. Too big and heavy for belt carry for me.

Yes, the SRH was a deer killing machine! I later went to a 6.5" BFR in 480/475 as my preferred hunting revolver and it is much more comfortable to shoot. Then I developed the tick induced Alpha Gal red meat allergy and I stopped hunting about a year later. Wasn't going to waste the meat and I am not going to spend my "cash" to just to give away all the meat.

Added: I would hunt for the fun of it, but few people want a deer carcass to butcher themselves. I would have to butcher it or pay to have someone butcher and so forth. Folks will take the meat if it is all cut up, packaged, and frozen.... I am not a grocery store.
 
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That ain't no range toy that's a deer slaying machine.
And if I could get another for 550 I'd snap it up in a heartbeat.
That gun will never break and can kill with or without bullets.
I'm surprised you think the trigger is that great though it makes me wonder if you've tried some Smith & Wesson Dan Wesson's etc
All of which tend to have much better triggers than the ruger's but still there's something about those ruger's from the GP100 up to the Super Redhawk!

I have a 629-2 Classic and the Super's trigger was very comparable to that. I also had others compliment on the trigger. It flat out had a great trigger.

That being said, I fully understand what you are saying.
 
Good score. A very fine tank of a gun, and one good hole puncher, in paper or a deer.
 
"I'm surprised you think the trigger is that great though it makes me wonder if you've tried some Smith & Wesson Dan Wesson's etc."


Maybe I just got lucky and got a SRH with an unusually good trigger (not every handgun of the same model has an identical trigger). Or maybe it had some work done on it.

Its trigger isn't as good as my K22 or my Model 28, but it's in the next tier below them.
 
The trigger only matters if you shoot it double action. If it is a hunting revolver, it is pretty much single action only.
 
Really nice find, Tall Ball. The long barrel just seems so appropriate for the cartridge. I do not own a .44 Magnum but if I ever considered one I am pretty sure a revolver like your would be the ticket. But, what am I saying. My wrist would not be up to the task.

That is a very nice revolver. I hope it shoots as good as you hope for.
 
That sure is a loooong barrel!

Can't beat that price.

Question is can you fit it in your gun safe? I'd need to clear out a rifle to fit that one in mine.
 
I will try to make room. The coach gun might have to go to the auxiliary safe soon.

Maybe I will go out to the country to my BiL's place and shoot some hogs with it. The feral ones have become a real nuisance out where he lives.
 
I miss my 7.5" stainless Redhawk. Even though I traded a 4" Python for it, I feel I got the better deal. Kids and bills came, the gun went.

If asking the counter guy to let me look at handguns from the case is a 'rookie' mistake, I haven't learned in 37 years of doing it! :rofl:
 
I was wandering through the Wanenmacher Gunshow in Tulsa a few years ago, and ran across a table upon which was a 9.5" SRH, complete with scope. I briefly looked at it, chatted with the fellow that was selling. He seemed eager to be shed of it. I wasn't really interested, and walked on.
By the time I was a few tables down, I turned back.
P1010043 (Custom).jpeg
Traded straight up for a 4" S&W 65-3.

Took it to a smith, had him clean up the forcing cone to 11°.

First shots at 50yds -
24Nov18 #1 resized.jpeg

I still think I got the better of that deal.

Of course, concealed carry is tricky....
 
Hooda - Yeah, you got the better end of that deal! Similar to my experience, the dealer may have been eager to get a great deal on a SRH, only to eventually discover that no one really wants a 9.5" version. It seems like anyone who wants a SRH and can trim the barrel shorter themselves or have it done cheaply might want to keep their eyes open for a 9.5" model.
 
Tallball and the above poster
I really admire you guys, because shooting those serious magnum calibers on a revolver outta have strong hands for sure.
I have shot very few rounds of 44 magnum and after feeling my denture lose, I said son pass me a .22 please.
Congrats Tallball the whole family of magnums is reunite.
 
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