.454/.45 Ruger Super Redhawk Alaskan Review

[AK Inquire]

Well I went out and bought the .454 Alaskan and I love it! I spent some considerably time doing research before my purchase (not just asking the message boards). Every where I went I kept getting wildly conflicting stories about the recoil and how it feels. This ranged from “It’s not bad” to “Your wrist is going to be broken and your hand black and blue”.

I just came back from the range. I shot a wide range of grains and finished off with a box of Buffalo Bore 360 Grain. From my knowledge that’s the heaviest you can get for the .454. I am in the “Its not bad at all” category. There is a slight sting with the recoil but nothing I would complain about at all. It’s just not as bad as people make it out to be. Maybe I heard a lot about bad recoil from people who have shot something besides the Alaskan in a .454 and they didn’t like it?

With the 360 grain I could do in a quick (not rapid) succession with all 6 shots within 4” of the center at 20 yards. (And I’m new shooting)

I give the Alaskan 2 thumbs up!

 

[Shawn Michael]

I guess it is very subjective

I hear the same about the .500 and found it to be much less punishing than I was lead to believe.

Congrates one your new purchase. I think the Alaskan is the toughest looking and feeling gun I have handled

 

[dairycreek]

[/I give the Alaskan 2 thumbs up!QUOTE]

Same here! I found even the heavy load 454 stuff to be not all that bad as far as recoil is concerned. But, what tipped the scale for me was the added benefit of being able to shoot 45LC loads too. I am a handloader and can build 45LC loads from the very mild Cowboy Action stuff to loads that will outperform 44 magnum hands down. Further, because it is a Ruger platform one can always use the stuff produced by Buffalo Bore and Garrett.

Great choice

 

[rolltide]

It is good to hear some personal experience with these guns. They sound like real keepers. Just a slight clarification, Garrett does not make any handgun ammo except in 44mag. AK Inquire, congrats on the new purchase.

Roll Tide