Out with the 357 Redhawks today again

[Peter M. Eick]

I was out blasting with my 2 357 Magnum Redhawks today showing a coworker different 357 Magnums and reloads. The Redhawk is really starting to grow on me as I am starting to really learn how to shoot it well. The trigger is still heavy and yes I still have a mild constriction in the bore that needs to be polished out. But the targets are getting better and with Pachmyer grips on both of them, it is a lot easier to shoot well. I really need to take new pictures with the grips, but since they are both cleaned and packed away maybe next time.

I was trying reloads in them and was playing with 296 and 158 grn Rem JHP's. My standard 2400 load of 14.5 grns is just like shooting 38's in my Diamondback. Not much recoil but enough of a bump that you are not worried about sticking a bullet in the barrel. That same load in a Pre-27 is enough that you have to deal with the recoil. So I worked my way up to a load of "cough, cough" grns of 296 (a few tenths of a grain over max load from Winchester's 1997 manual) and it was fun. The brass still just dropped out of the cylinder and most of the time I did not even touch the ejector rod. They would fall out on their own which I interpret to be a reasonably mild load. This load is a bit past current manual max but it was a fun one to shoot in the Redhawk. Out of my Pre-27 it was definitely toward the top end of what I would be comfortable shooting out of a collectible N Frame.

No chrono or target data as it was rainy wet and the paper targets were falling apart by the time I was done.


So bottom line. 357 magnum Redhawks are fun. I really should get another as a spare. I think another 7.5" makes a lot of sense.

 

[19-3Ben]

I admit to being totally envious. Just seeing the massive amount of metal between the chambers just has be drooling.
When I think "overkill." the .357 Redhawk is the thing that comes to mind. And I say that as a guy who is, admittedly, a huge fan of overkill.

 

[Manny]

I wish Ruger would revisit this clambering in a new 4" RedHawk with an 8 shot cylinder.

 

[Walkalong]

I are jealous.

 

[dickydalton]

Very nice revolvers and the primers tell the truth about the power of the loads.

 

[BullRunBear]

Love mine. It's a stainless model with the 7.5" barrel. Don't hate me but I got it in a trade for a typewriter, not even collectible. That was a looong time ago.

It handles any reload I've tried including some hard cast 180 grain stuff. Don't recall the powder charge. Accurate and felt like it could shoot through a tank. It also is great with 38 special WCs but feels like a popgun.

I once had a chance at a Redhawk in 41 magnum and missed it by 10 minutes. Always regretted that.

Jeff

 

[Peter M. Eick]

I am not sure I would buy other calibers in a Redhawk. I like the 357 Magnum in its original power level for reloads and tend to shoot a lot of them. My goal is to get 1500 FPS with a 158 out of my 8 3/8" pre-27 by reloading. That is the original velocity of the 357 Magnum in the 1930's advertising so why not match it?

This puts me above SAAMI pressure specs for today which led to getting the Redhawk as a pressure vessel basically to work out loads. My logic was to push it in the Redhawk or a Freedom Arms 353 Casull, find the lowest pressure powder that can meet the velocity requirement and then test in the 8 3/8" pre-27.

To me that was a fun experiment that could take 6 months to a year to complete so I bought the Redhawks when I saw them just for this purpose. I bought them as a tool, not to really to enjoy. Sort of a means to an end. When I bought them I kind of figured I would destroy them in the name of science but now I realize I like them too much to do that to them.

I was quite surprised how nice they are. I guess I was a snob and succumbed to advertising about Ruger revolvers that they would not be as nicely made or work as well as my S&W's or Colts. I was wrong and really like these two. They have good trigger pulls in double action. They are heavy but reasonably smooth triggers in single action. They are reliable and the cylinders are finished smooth. The overall fit and finish of the guns is good.

So far, my only complaint is that both of them seem to be slightly constricted in the bore right by where the barrel screws into the frame. I can feel it when I run a very tight fitting patch through the bore. I have read this is a common problem and can be removed with coated bullets like the Tubb bore polishing kit. I am in the process of educating myself on doing that to both guns.

So again, the bottom line is these two are really growing on me in a way I did not expect and now I will have to really get serious and chase up a spare 7.5". The 5.5" does not hang in my hands as nicely as the 7.5".

 

[bannockburn]

Seeing that cylinder and all that metal between the chambers makes me think of a bank vault whenever I see it.

 

[Walkalong]

I am not sure I would buy other calibers in a Redhawk.

You really need one in .41 & .44 Mag. Really you do.

If you polish all the parts that move against each other they can be silky smooth. Polish, not remove metal. My two are home to stay.

I had a .45 Colt, but traded it for a Garand. I decided I was no longer interested in hot rodding the .45 Colt, and now just choose one of the two mags when I want some power.

 

[Peter M. Eick]

Ok, they do look nice but then I have to gear up to load 41 and 44 mag. 357 Maximum is my "biggest and baddest". I guess I will have to think a bit harder about it since they are really nice guns.

I know I need to do a polish on the guns after I really got a feel for if I was going to shoot them a lot. Now that I have passed that hurdle, it is time to start thinking about a "buff and polish" run.

 

[Panzerschwein]

That redhawk looks GREAT with those Pachys on there!

I've heard the .357 Redhawks can go out of time due to the momentum of the heavy cylinder impacting the bolt?

 

[Zaydok Allen]

I'm jealous too. Nice guns man.

 

[Plastikosmd]

Nice guns.

As far as pushing the 357, I assume u have read mr taffin's article on the 353? Shouldn't be hard to get 1500 fps, he was a couple hundred fps above that, he was getting 1500 with 200 grainers. I use his loads in mine, good fun (9" bbl for mine)
http://www.sixguns.com/tests/tt353.htm

 

[horsemen61]

Awesome is all I can say

 

[Lucky Derby]

This. Maybe even a 9 shot.

 

[41 Mag]

This is the only one I am missing out of the four. I have the 41,44,and 45 Colt all in 7.5" and love them all.

The 357 would be nice, but I would have to really try hard to justify it against the two GP's. Who am I kidding, if I find one for the right price it's gonna be a done deal....

 

[Peter M. Eick]

I have read about the 353 Casull. I have not bought one "yet" since the wait is an issue. Maybe this year I will put my money down on one. I doubt it until the economy turns around but maybe.

The goal was to duplicate the original 1935 ballistics. A 158 @ 1515 out of an 8 3/4" barrel. That is the design goal. Now how do I do it with the minimum pressure and expansion. That is the game. Hence the Redhawks.

 

[joem1945]

I would have bought a Redhawk but couldn't get on in .41 mag, double action. Seems they stopped making them.

 

[Dr.Rob]

Wish they had made THAT in 357 Maximum.

 

[Peter M. Eick]

Yes the 357 Max (or Supermag) is fun and would be nice in a Redhawk. The cylinder is a bit short though so I went with the model 40 to go with my Ruger SRM.

 

[Sol]

I wish Ruger would revisit this clambering in a new 4" RedHawk with an 8 shot cylinder.

If ruger made an 8 shot cylinder with the same beefiness of a classic ruger it would have the circumference of a modern militiamens waistline.

ZING!!