Really starting to love the 357 Redhawks!

[Peter M. Eick]

I was out shooting my two 357 Redhawks again today and I am really starting to love these guns. Easy to shoot double action, accurate in double and single action and easy to clean.

I am leading the bore up but then again, the bulk of what I shot today was 15.0 grns of 2400 with a 158 Lasercast. This is below there book max of 15.3 grns but it was a lot of fun to shoot. Good recoil but very smooth.

In the last week I have now shot about 1600 full power 357 magnum loads in these guns. 900 today and 700 last week.

I really need to get on the press and make some more since I only have another 1000 odd left. Yikes!

Boy do I love these guns!

 

[firesky101]

Sir when you fall in love with a model, I really worry if I will ever be able to find one. Your previous love was 38/44's right? I have seen your collection of those beauties.

 

[Peter M. Eick]

I still collect and love the 38/44's. The key though is to have something you can abuse on and not care about. Unfortunately I am starting to care about the Redhawks. Just a lot of fun to shoot!

 

[444]

I also have two of those.
I really wanted one for years. I finally came across one and bought it and then another one turned up shortly there after, so I bought it too. One is the long barrel (7.5" ?) the other is the shorter barrel length.

I shot them once, back when I first got them and decided it was too much of a good thing. they were really big and very heavy. I didn't really see the point in having a pistol so much larger and heavier when I had plenty of other .357 revolvers that were terrific while being much smaller and lighter.

All that being said, I started going through my safe and shooting then cleaning a lot of stuff that I hadn't messed with for years. When it came to the larger Ruger Redhawk in .357, I took it out to the club and did some shooting off the bench. I was really impressed with it's accuracy and how easy it was to get hits at longish ranges. I started off by sighting it in at 50 yards off of sandbags and a bench rest. Then I had a steel spinner target at 100 yards and was really pleased with how often I could hit the smaller top spinner that is probably 3-4" in diameter. After that shooting session, I have started shooting it a lot more and am slowly warming up to it.

And FWIW: I was shooting my .38/44 on Friday. That's something else I hadn't messed with for years.

 

[Peter M. Eick]

To me this is the 38/44 Outdoorsman of the 357 magnums. It is big, beefy, easy to shoot well and can handle full power loads without worry of abuse or problems. It is exactly what appeals to me about my 38/44's. I can shove as many 38 special or 38/44 reloads down them without a worry and it is a fun gun to shoot.

My only complaint is I got to the party so late.

I do agree about the long range shooting. I was chasing around a water bottle (I think) downrange with the 5". It was fun to make it jump at 50 to 70 yards. I was getting it to move in double action by pulling the trigger far enough to lock the cylinder than carefully squeezing through the shot. Not every time a hit, but often enough to be fun.

 

[Cosmoline]

I didn't really see the point in having a pistol so much larger and heavier when I had plenty of other .357 revolvers that were terrific while being much smaller and lighter.

I think that was the initial reaction of a lot of folks, and may be why the line was discontinued. But that extra weight really makes them a pleasure to shoot and gives them excellent stability off hand. These days when the ammo is running low for just about everything, it's still pretty easy to find .357 or at least components.

 

[Peter M. Eick]

The ability to find .358 and .357 bullets today is part of the reason I like the 357 magnum so much. It simplifies my logistics. Currently I load for:

357 Maximum
357 Magnum
38/44 S&W High Speed
38 Special
38 Super
357 Sig
9mm Auto
380 auto

These are my favorites to load so I can basically buy 180 LSWC's for the Max and Mags, 158's for the Mag and 38 Special which also can be fired in the Super. 130 grn for the Super, Sig and 9mm. 115 grn for the 9mm and in a pinch the 380 auto and 90 grn JHP's for the Sig and 380 Auto.

Pretty much if I see a .35x caliber bullet I can buy it and use it in something. Times like today there is alot to be said for ease of logistics.

So I banged away again with my Python and the 5" Redhawk. Yes the 357 Redhawk is big and beefy but it was sure fun on the range. It was wet today so I was blasting at pieces of wood floating in the water (rained 4" yesterday evening) about 60 yards out. Once you got your eye tuned in, I could hit that chunk of 2x4 4 to 5 times out of 6 or at least splash it out of the water a bit.

They are truly a pleasure to shoot and lots of fun in double action. I think I shot 300 rounds an all but one or two were DA over single action.

 

[BullRunBear]

Absolutely agree about the 357 Redhawk. It's accurate, can handle any semi-sane load and the recoil doesn't wipe you out. Plus there is a certain satisfaction knowing, if you miss the target, you can beat the target to pieces without harming the gun.

I have the 7.5" stainless version. It gets noticed by the other shooters every time I have it at the range. Most have never seen or heard of a 357 Redhawk and they always want to handle it. I've had a lot of nice conversations about unusual firearms as a result.

Jeff

 

[Peter M. Eick]

"beat the target to pieces without harming the gun".

That made me laugh because it is so true.