5.5" Redhawk in .45 Colt.....

[Tony Mig]

I've been wanting one of these .45 Colt Redhawks, and after hearing that Ruger dropped this model from their 2005 catalog, I figured I'd have a hard time finding one at a fair price. Last night I check Davidson's Gallery of Guns, and they list having 37 of this exact model in stock. This morning I plan to call my local gun dealer to see if he can get me one through them, and at what price.

Does anybody here at The High Road have one of these 5.5" Redhawks in .45 Colt......?
What's your honest take on this gun........?
How hot of a load have you safely pushed through it.....?
Do you shoot it with stock grips, or replacement grips......?

 

[halvey]

I've never seen on of these in person.

I had the .41 mag version and I can tell you this:
What's your honest take on this gun........? To me, better balance than the SRH.
How hot of a load have you safely pushed through it.....? You probably can't blow a Redhawk up. The load data you see for .45 Colt in the manuals is BS for the Redhawk. You can push it MUCH hotter.
Do you shoot it with stock grips, or replacement grips......? I used Hogue replacement grips and it was a big improvement over the stock grips.

I know it's not an answer for the .45 Colt, but I hope that helps.

And thanks for calling it .45 Colt, not LONG Colt.

 

[xring]

If you could handle one with the 7.5" barrel, CDNN has them for 399.99 in stainless.
Randy

 

[halvey]

If you could handle one with the 7.5" barrel, CDNN has them for 399.99 in stainless.

In .45 Colt?

 

[xring]

Actually it's .22 short.
Yes, the caliber is .45 Colt as he specified.
I need the same but in .44, so no go for me...

 

[Tom C.]

I have one. It was very accurate when new and it is more accurate as I shoot it in. The chamber throats were about .451". I opened them to .4525" and the gun is now at least as accurate, more tolerent of more loads and more consistent. I haven't shot really heavy loads, but the cylinder is a little thicker than the Blackhawk. It may not be a .454, but it is as close as you can get in a .45 Colt.

 

[Tony Mig]

If you could handle one with the 7.5" barrel, CDNN has them for 399.99 in stainless.

I don't mind a 7.5" pipe on my SA revolvers, but with DA I like to keep the tube between 4" & 6"...the 5.5" is a nice comprimise.
I already reload the .45 Colt.... (and you guys are right, it's not Long Colt, just Colt)....for my "old" model Vaquero, and I've pretty much max'ed out at 20.0 Grs. of 2400 under a 252 Gr. LSWC. I've seen this load listed in the lower end of the .454 Casull range, and it's a kicker to say the least. This should give me a nice starting load for this Redhawk.

I'm waiting to hear back from my gun dealer, should be calling me any minute...

 

[Ultima-Ratio]

.45 Longus Coltus Redhawk-

Hello, the Ruger redhawk is indeed stronger than the BH/Vaquero series. I had Dave Clay make me a 454 Casull chamber reamer and have done more than several conversions on the RH BUT don't recommend any loads hotter than current SAAMI level cartridges.