Ruger Alaskan Super Redhawk - Problems?

[JNewell]

i have searched the archives on this but (happily) didn't find much. I'm wondering if anyone has had problems with the Super Redhawk Alaskans? I'm also wondering if the cylinder throats seem to be bored right (consistent diameters and not oversized)? Everything I have found seems to indicate that these revolvers are very well made, but would be interested in any confirmation or correction on that.

 

[Cosmoline]

They were sold up here first, and I haven't heard any reports of problems with the revolvers. The SRH's are extremely well made.

Of course your wrist and fingers may have their own trouble with the thing.

 

[JNewell]

Thanks, I was hoping you'd be one of those to chime in. As far as the wrist and fingers, etc., it won't be a problem...I view this thing as a short barrelled .45 Colt.

 

[Cosmoline]

That's wise

But OTOH as intense as .454's are out of the short SRH, it's still within the bounds of human endurance. Plus, I find the SRH's a lot more practical than the X-Frames. They're still revolver-size, for one thing, as opposed to weighing nearly as much as a carbine and handling like a lead brick.

Here's Quinn's writeup on the Alaskan with photos showing the recoil

http://www.gunblast.com/Ruger-SRHAlaskan454.htm

As he notes, though, that chopped barrel does take a big bite out of the Casull's power without lessening its recoil. It's really begging for a light .454 casull handload using a faster powder than is typically employed for that cartridge. This would lessen blast and recoil while avoiding that #!$!! ring that forms from shooting too much long colt out of it.

 

[JNewell]

Plus, I find the SRH's a lot more practical than the X-Frames. They're still revolver-size, for one thing, as opposed to weighing nearly as much as a carbine and handling like a lead brick.

Yeah, I have handled the X frames a few times. I'm gonna buy one, some day, right after S&W introduces the wheels kit for that thing.

It's really begging for a light .454 casull handload using a faster powder than is typically employed for that cartridge. This would lessen blast and recoil while avoiding that #!$!! ring that forms from shooting too much long colt out of it.

I have an old M83 that I enjoy shooting, even full-bore, but the dynamics are different. Truth is, though, mostly I down-load .454C cases to very hot .45LC levels and that's fine for me. I figure the same will work well in this one. Just wondering if the QC is above the typical BH/SBH level, which it sounds like is the case.

 

[dairycreek]

i have searched the archives on this but (happily) didn't find much. I'm wondering if anyone has had problems with the Super Redhawk Alaskans? I'm also wondering if the cylinder throats seem to be bored right (consistent diameters and not oversized)? Everything I have found seems to indicate that these revolvers are very well made, but would be interested in any confirmation or correction on that.

I have been waiting to buy an Alaskan for what seems like forever. When I called my gun shop (where I have had my deposit down for forever too) and asked to find out what was going on with the Alaskan I was told that there are, indeed, problems with manufacturing the cylinders and, until that gets worked out, no more new Alaskans. My gunshop owner said that he was told by his distributor and Ruger factory rep. that the problem has to do with the material from which the cylinders are made and was unable to elaborate further.

 

[Cosmoline]

I have a very hard time believing that there are still engineering problems. THe SRH Alaskan is a cut down SRH, and the bugs were worked out of that design years ago. Maybe your shopkeep or his distributor are making up stories. Delays are likely for new production SRH Alaskans just as when the SRH .454 first came out back in the late 90's. But unavailable material for the cylinders? That doesn't make any sense.

There's half a dozen for sale on Gunsamerica alone. I suggest you get your deposit back and buy one directly.

 

[JohnKSa]

Concur.

The Alaskan is nothing but a short barrel .454 SRH and there have been no materials problems reported with the .454 SRH cylinders.

 

[cookekdjr]

Thanks, I was hoping you'd be one of those to chime in. As far as the wrist and fingers, etc., it won't be a problem...I view this thing as a short barrelled .45 Colt.

I think this thing begs for heavy .45 Colt loads. I don't think there's a thin-skinned animal that a hard-cast 300gr bullet going 900fps can't kill (and kill quickly, at that).
-David

 

[Merkin.Muffley]

I've got one in .454, along with various other Ruger revolvers. It's a very well made gun, much better than what I've seen from Ruger in my other ones.

The only problem I've read about on these guns is a couple of people had problems with cylinder/frame gap not being consistent. From what I've read, Ruger fixed the problem by sending new guns. Mine is a very early gun and is so tight it looks like it came out of a custom shop.

Regarding the Quinn article - I've got 700 rounds or so thru mine, it recoils straight back. I don't know how he got it to jump up like that. I read that article before mine arrived last June and the photo's worried me. Mine is very accurate, able to ring a steel plate at 50 yards with it 5 out of 6 times double action. Here's a link to another article on this gun

http://www.shootingtimes.com/handgun_reviews/rgrRH/

You can get more info here on them - under the revolver section. They have a search function. I'd suggest looking around there.

http://www.rugerforum.com/

 

[Jim March]

We've been told that the New Vaquero (and 50th anniversary Blackhawk 357 on the same frame) uses a new method of boring the cylinders. The jig holds the cylinder blank on a central axis and then bores each cylinder bore one at a time, all done with the same drill bit.

The old system drilled all six at once with six bits.

The new is said to produce better consistency and my gun's performance (a New Vaq in 357) thus far backs that up. No flyers, tight groups.

Has Ruger changed to the new system across the wheelgun product line?

 

[JohnKSa]

Jim,

I'd be inclined to think that the new boring method is not going to be immediately adapted to existing production. It makes sense that as the old drilling equipment wears out they may change over if the benefits are significant and the additional cost isn't.