Ruger Redhawk any good?

[351 WINCHESTER]

I'm thinking of getting a .44mag 5 1/2" stainless redhawk. I have an older s & w model 29, but it's just too pretty to take to the woods.

I know the action of the ruger isn't nearly as smooth as the smith's, but is there anything that I could do myself to smooth up the ruger?

What would be a fair price for a new one?

 

[Walkalong]

I love the Redhawks myself. Without work, no, the actions are not quite as nice as a Smith. Redhawks are brute strong and shoot real well. The front sights are interchangable with several options from Ruger and others. The rear sight has some options as well, all requiring no gunsmithing. I like that.

I like the contour of Redhawk grips and the way they feel in my hand. The recoil in .44 Mag seems less to me than a Mod. 29 Smith as the Redhawk rolls in my hand more where the Smiths recoil is more straight back and sharper. To me anyway. I prefer the cylinder release on the Rugers as well.

If you are mechanically inclined you can smooth up the internals and improve the feel of the pull a good bit to a quite a bit.

$400 to $500, but you can pay more. Shop around, they are abundant, no need to overpay. I just got a blue .41 mag for $400 & a SS .41 for $431, but see them go for much more. I paid $475 for my .44 in like new condition with everything it came with.

I wish I had bought one years ago instead of just admired them while thinking "their not as good as a Smith" .... BS... Just not as pretty as a nice old blued Smith

 

[Hunter0924]

I have a Redhawk about 14 years now and she has been a good one. The Redhawk is built like a bank vault with a barrel.

 

[Rexster]

I handled one of the new 4" .44 Redhawks, and its trigger action was as good as anything S&W makes these days. Ruger seems to have figured out how to tune a trigger at the factory. My most recent SP101 and GP100 were pretty darn good, too, if a little heavy. (Heavy is OK, if it's smooth.) I don't really care for the .44 mag, so I hope Ruger will make a 4" Redhawk in .45 Colt.

 

[ArmedBear]

Shot one with an aftermarket Hogue grip on it.

LOVED IT! Really easy to shoot. .44 Magnum? No big deal with the right gun, and it was the right gun.

Want to buy one, now. (It was 20+ years old and worked/looked like new.)

 

[mec]

For me, the wood factory grips are painful with moderate loads and draw blood with heavy ones. Some people get along fine with them. The rubber Pachmeyrs are better. The Redhawk is accurate. The gun became smoother with shooting and the weight of it kept the 5.5 pound single action pull from being much of an issue shooting off-hand. I can't shoot a lighter gun very well with the trigger that heavy but the R'hawk did fine.
Mine would set off Corbon and other factory loads from double action but not reloads with CCI primers. The firing pins in redhawks are somewhat short and Hamilton Bowen sells longer ones to correct any double action iginition problems

300 grain CorBon hunting loads

8.5unique/240grain swc

50 yards over chronograph. One of E. Keith's favorite positions

 

[neauone]

Had one years ago

I had a super redhawk, killer gun, but not a gun to go about with, will shoot some distance, quite a kick, heavy as an anvil.
If its for self protection to carry with you, there are quite a few STOPPERS out there less conspicuous. Mine was a 91/2 inch barrel, and sounded like a cannon, when I went to the range and started to shoot, folks stopped and came to where I was shooting to see what type of gun I was shooting. My wrist was sore for about 45 days after 50 rounds. It's the type of gun where if someone were hiding behind a wall and shooting at you, all you would have to do is shoot at the wall your adversary would be toast.

 

[azredhawk44]

I've got two Redhawks... a blued 5.5" and a stainless 4".

Gotta admit, the trigger on the 4" is fantastic with no modification. Don't know if the same guys are working triggers on the 5.5 or 7.5" line though.

 

[Walkalong]

Gotta admit, the trigger on the 4" is fantastic with no modification

Sounds like Ruger is doing better trigger work these days. That's a good thing.

These targets were shot up close (7 yds), but it shows they can shoot. Well, if I could keep all six in the group, but that's me, not the gun.

 

[tbtrout]

Mine is from the early 80's and shoots very well. It is the 7 1/2" barrel. The trigger is surprisingly nice compared to others I have shot. I picked it up 8yrs ago for $250.

 

[Striker]

I have 3 currently.

A blue .44 Mag, that Bowen cut back to 4", tuned, and installed his sights on, A 7.5 stainless .44 with a red dot that is bone stock, and a 5.5 .45 that will be a project gun.

I like 'em all

 

[Master Blaster]

I bought my 7.5" .44 mag redhawk 4 years ago.
It came with the heaviest single action pull I have ever seen on any handgun, about 10 lbs. The Double action pull was 16 lbs or so. Not conducive to accuracy at all. I ordered a set of wolf reduced power springs well spring really since the gun has only one spring that can be changed.
They were 13,14, and 15 lbs, stock is 17 lbs IIRC. I tried the 14 and it improved the single action pull to about 6 lbs, but now the gun will misfire, light primer strikes on every chamber, change to the 15 and it only misfires once or twice on every cylinder full in double action.

My Redhawk is a big ugly paper weight, and was a complete waste of money, I have two Smith & Wesson 629's they are great guns and 100% reliable with normal trigger pulls.

Ruger makes excellent single action guns, I love my Blackhawks and vaquero.
My experience with their DA revolvers (I also have an sp101) leave alot to be desired.

 

[tallpaul]

I bought one of the first 5 inchers back in the 80's... my dad had bought one of the first 7.5 stainless to come to the dealer I was workin at in the day I shot the livin heck outta mine and still do. I bought a 7.5 blue with the scope rings when I got it for 289 NIB... I want to get a shot at a deer with it someday I still have all three and like em enough. They are heavy but good guns- for me. My 5 inch has a bullseye spring and is SMOOTH... but I do have thousands of rounds through it. It was my college plinking gun-well one of em where a few hundred rounds every sunday were being sent down the barrel I miss those days sometimes

 

[PO2Hammer]

Ruger Redhawk any good?

I hope so, I have a 5-1/2" stainless model on layaway. It has a very smooth trigger in DA, SA is good too. I have a set of Pachmayr Signature grips waiting to go on it, and 100 softball loads ready to go.