Redhawk .45

[Lucky Derby]

When the 4" Redhawk .44 magnum first was offered a few years back I thought, "That would be perfect, if it was only in .45 Colt."
As luck would have it Ruger listened to me. (well I never actually said anything to them, but they did it anyway.) Unfortunately, money has been tighter in the last few years than in prior years, so this purchase kept getting put on the back burner. I do have plenty of other guns to shoot.

Well back on Oct 13, I was hit, (sideswiped) while riding my motorcycle, by a woman in a minivan who was not paying attention. I did not go down. I was uninjured except for some "Dodge rash" on my elbow. My BMW suffered some damage, but after checking it out, was found to be in safe condition and with only a couple of small fixes was back on the road, although the cosmetics are not quite as perfect as they once were. But it is a 10 year old work vehicle with 118,000 miles and still runs great.

In any case, do to the insurance money from the Dodge driver's carrier, I was able to order my 4" Redhawk .45 Colt today. Now my dealer says none of the distributors have any. :banghead: Oh well, back to waiting, but a step closer and it is now paid for.

 

[dogngun]

I have been interested in one since they started making them...

I have yet to actually see one in the flesh.


mark

 

[kevinkinney]

I had similar trouble finding one locally, so I bought mine by transfer.

No regrets. An excellent piece. Hopefully this stretches across the whole of the model range, but the trigger is REALLY sweet for a Ruger.

 

[Funshooter45]

I see they have a couple brand new at Gunbroker exactly like you are looking for with the 4" barrel. If you want one NOW (that's the way I get to be), you can go that route. Shipping is $25 but you don't have to pay state sales tax, so it's usually a wash there. Unless you just don't want to hurt your local dealer's feelings, which I do understand completely.

I also would like to eventually acquire a DA .45 Colt. I have plenty of SA revolvers in all kinds of calibers but just a couple of DA revolvers. I think it would be kind of nice to have a S&W 625 to kind of match my 629. But the Redhawk and the Anaconda are very nice as well.

 

[Triggernosis]

Just curious, but why was the .45 Colt your holy grail vs. the .44 Mag? Not trying to start a war here, just curious as I have zero experience with either cartridge.

 

[John Wayne]

Just curious, but why was the .45 Colt your holy grail vs. the .44 Mag? Not trying to start a war here, just curious as I have zero experience with either cartridge.

Essentially, in Ruger revolvers the .45 Colt can be loaded to velocities that meet or exceed .44 Magnum velocities with comparable bullet weights, but at lower pressure. It is also a true 45 caliber bullet, if that matters for anything. IIRC the .45 also has the edge with heavier bullet weights.

Aside from simply wanting one though, there doesn't seem to be a lot of performance advantage to buying either if you already have the other. Generally speaking, they fill the same role (but you'd have to handload to get all the performance out of the .45).

 

[Triggernosis]

JW, that makes sense - thanks for the info.. I'm thinking that same gun but with a 5" barrel would be perfect for me....

 

[Funshooter45]

I agree, there's basically no difference in performance between .44 mag and .45 Colt if your gun is strong enough and you handload the .45 Colt. I have a couple .44 mags and a couple .45 Colts. In the Colt SAA clone, you don't want to get very hot at all. But in a Ruger you can make them equal a .44 mag if you want to. I have a BFR in .454 Casull also. It's a 5 shooter and incredibly strong. Just for fun I tried some of John Linebaugh's super hot .45 Colt loads that get up into the 50,000 psi range. Basically getting .454 Casull performance out of the .45 case. Kind of pointless really, but it does indeed work if you really want a .452" slug weighing 300 gr moving at 1750 fps. But you can do the same thing with the Casull brass and not have to worry about accidentally putting the hot rod ammo into the Colt clone and blowing it up.

But even shooting the 850 fps 250 gr bullets in old school .45 loadings is just cool. The recoil is minimal, they are accurate, but in this say of whiz bang 9 mms and .40 SWs and .44 mags, it just gives me pleasure to shoot a cartridge that goes back 140 years.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

From www.gunsamerica.com

Ruger Redhawk 45 LC New 995108874

Ruger Double Action Revolver > Redhawk Type
Ruger Redhawk 45 LC New Ser.#503 60432 This double action revolver is chambered for .45 Long Colt and has 4” barrel. This revolver is a stainless steel model with adjustable sig... (read more)
Seller: Boise Gun Company $599.95
GA Sales: 1051

They have another one at the same sight for a bit more.

 

[Chuck Perry]

Specifically in the long cylinder Redhawks and Super Redhawks, the performance between the two rounds is pretty close. You can safely load 300+ grain 44 Magnum loads in the 1500fps range without issue, making use of bullets that permit long loading the cartridge OAL.

 

[Hondo 60]

This past summer I was wavering between a Redhawk in 45 Colt & a Blackhawk.
I bought the Blackhawk, but am still itching for the Redhawk.

 

[Stainz]

My first-ever DA capable revolver was an early 7.5" .454 Casull SRH, bought because it could load and fire .45 Colts. My second DA revolver was my 625 Mountain Gun in .45 Colt - which started a trend. I eventually ordered a new SS 5.5" RH in .45 Colt - along with a friend. Mine went back to Ruger - on their dime - within days. My friend's went back days later. I got newer parts - my friend got another new RH. Ruger insisted that they 'tweaked' my trigger, too.

The SRH was clearly the better triggered revolver. My 4" 625MG outshot both it and the RH. The RH had odd ftf's - even with my Federal primed reloads - and seemingly trigger pull speed dependent, too. The ejector star would ride over the dimunitive rims - requiring three hands to clear. Ultimately, I found someone else who wanted it - a happy day for me. Finding a second 625MG in .45 Colt helped, too. I love the S&W trigger - far better in DA. It'll handle any .45 Colt round I'll ever need - and I have never had it's ejector star skip over a .45 Colt rim.

Stainz

 

[MCMXI]

I've had mine for almost two years now and really like it. I also have a Super Redhawk in .45 Colt/.454 Casull and a pair of Blackhawks in .45 Colt. The problem with Ruger revolvers (for me anyway), is that my favorite one is the one I'm shooting at the time. Here's mine to give you something to look at while you wait for yours.

 

[dnovo]

The Redhawk with the 4.2" bbl seems to have a nigh-on perfect balance in my hand. I went with the 44 Mag version for two reasons: I have several other 45LC or ACP revolvers. Second, I can pick up 'cowboy loads' in 44Special to shoot out of it at the range fairly cheap with less recoil and just as accurate as a 45LC. Either way, it seems an ideal DA. Dave

 

[Lucky Derby]

Well, thanks for the support, pics and info. Still waiting but have forwarded some info from here and another forum to my FFL. I ordered a set of Pau Fero grips from Hogue for the Redhawk when it arrives.
As to the question of "why .45 instead of .44?" I already own and shoot guns in both calibers. In .44 revolvers I normally shoot .44 Special, saving .44 Mags for carbines and "special purpose." They are for all intents and purposes the same. I just like the .45. I am also considering sending this gun off to have the cylinder machined so that it will also fire .45ACP in moonclips. Be nice to have that option. I have heard of this being done successfully in S&W 25/625s. I believe the Ruger would work as well.

 

[IkenI]

mine's a favorite

Perfect balance for me and a (surprise!) great trigger out of the box!

 

[Quoheleth]

Look like a GP100 on 'roids.

How's the frame size compared to a Smith N-frame? Specifically, reach to the trigger for DA shooting?

Q

 

[David E]

in SOME Ruger revolvers the .45 Colt can be loaded to velocities that meet or exceed .44 Magnum velocities

Fixed it for you.

The Redhawk IS one of the .45 Colt guns you can load up hot, so no worries there, but in the smaller framed New Vaquero it would be a bad idea.

 

[Deaf Smith]

Yea Buffalo Bore is the way to go:

Heavy .45 Colt +P Ammo - 300 gr. JFN (1,200fps/M.E.959 ft.lbs.) - 50 Round Box

Heavy .45 Colt +P Ammo - 260 gr. J.H.P. (1,450 fps/M.E. 1,214 ft. lbs.) - 50 Round Box - (Big Game up to 350 lbs.)

Heavy .45 Colt +P Ammo - 300 gr. J.F.N. (1,325 fps/M.E. 1,170 ft. lbs.) - 20 Round Box - (Big Game up to 1000 lbs

Heavy .45 Colt +P - 325 gr. L.B.T.-L.F.N.(1,325fps/M.E.1,267 ft.lbs.) - 20 Round Box

These Heavy .45 Colt +P loads are safe in all LARGE FRAME Ruger revolvers.
(includes Blackhawk, Super Blackhawk, all pre-2005 Vaquero, Bisley, Redhawk)

These Heavy .45 Colt +P loads are NOT intended for the New Model Vaquero (small frame).

And if that is to much '.45' for your taste:

Standard Pressure Heavy .45 Colt - 255gr. Gas checked soft cast bullet (1000 fps M.E.566 ft. lbs.) - 20 Round Box

Item 3E - 255 gr.
S&W Mt. Gun (4 inch) 949 fps
Colt SAA 2nd generation (4 3/4 inch) 983 fps
Colt NF SAA 2nd generation (5.5 inch) 984 fps
Custom Ruger Bisley (5.5 inch Pac-Nor bbl) 1047 fps
Colt NF SAA 3rd generation ( 7.5 inch) 1053 fps

And you can easly make handloads that give 255gr slugs 1100 fps from a Redhawk any day!

Deaf

 

[dan3]

Lucky derby - Welcome to the .45 colt Lovers Assoc. - and the wait will be worth it!! I have the .45colt Redhawks in both 5 1/2" and 7 1/2"(with rings) barrels and love them. Your choice of the 4" sounds good - the moon clip/.45acp modification is also very interesting - would give you an extremely versatile carry gun....45acp/.45colt(mild)/.45colt (heavy) capability. Great choice and Good luck.

 

[Lucky Derby]

Well I dredged this old thread up, because my .45 Redhawk finally arrived at my FFL! It arrived today. When I walked in he said "Your .45 just got here!" He hadn't even gotten it on the books yet.
She is a beauty. I can't wait to try her out. Now I have to wait for the 10 day waiting period mandated by the state.:banghead:
Oh well. This means that in the last few weeks I have increased my big bore revolver stash by 3 guns! None of which are in my possesion at the moment.
First a 4" M624 that went back to S&W for inspection on the M624 recall. Gun is still at S&W.
Second a .44 Hand Ejector second model from 1921, still on it's 10 day wait.
Third, my Redhawk.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

Cool. Get us some pics up when you get it. Love the big bores.

 

[Lucky Derby]

Will do Paul.

 

[Lucky Derby]

It is finally in my posession. Will try and get some pics this weekend. Can't wait to shoot it.

 

[DTesch357]

The older version 45 Redhawk with a 5.5" barrel is on my "HOLY CRAP MUST HAVE BUY NOW" list if I ever see it on gunbroker.

I've held the 4.2" version, which is all well and good, but I have a 5.5" Redhawk and I just love how it balances in my hand with some wood Hogue monogrips on it that I sanded down to fit my hand better.

The REAL fun is with the 454 Alaskan, though