I'm not sure what I'll do with it, but man is it cool

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Shak3s1977

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My father gave me a early birthday gift. Another gun out of his collection. This one is a Ruger Alaskan in 44 mag. Not sure what I will do with it, but it's a blast to shoot.

I like the big bores, and have also started to take a liking to revolvers more and more. Don't get me wrong, I like the semis too, but lately revolvers just.....I don't know lol. They are just neat looking guns, I don't have to bend down to get my brass, and they work.

And snub nose? How can you not like the looks? I got my wife a Ruger GP100 7 shot snubbie for christmas last year. I don't think she'll be wanting to shoot this one though lol.
 

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Very nice B-Day gift from Dad! :) Thanks for the pics.

I have a 3" S&W 629-1 that I bought NIB a little over 30 years ago. It is a hoot with magnum loads and is a nice walkabout companion to my 1983 Marlin 1894S .44mag rifle.

These days I shoot mostly mild .44mag or .44spl loads in the pistol.

.44spl-level loads, especially, a real pleasure to shoot in my 629.
 
I would be proud to have that gun in my collection!!

Probably wouldn't see many 44 Mag with me. As a re-loader and with that short barrel I would have to find a 44 Special load that worked for me. Could also load a Special load the wife would be able to shoot,
 
My father gave me a early birthday gift. Another gun out of his collection. This one is a Ruger Alaskan in 44 mag. Not sure what I will do with it, but it's a blast to shoot.

I like the big bores, and have also started to take a liking to revolvers more and more. Don't get me wrong, I like the semis too, but lately revolvers just.....I don't know lol. They are just neat looking guns, I don't have to bend down to get my brass, and they work.

And snub nose? How can you not like the looks? I got my wife a Ruger GP100 7 shot snubbie for christmas last year. I don't think she'll be wanting to shoot this one though lol.
Download the 44mag shells to 44 spec. and enjoy much more shots with less wear and tear on the wrist.
 
I just came into a Ruger Redhawk Kodiak myself a few weeks ago. I replaced the wood grips with a hogue so it looks similar to yours, just a hair longer in the barrel. I really like it. .44 special loads feel like shooting a 45 acp. 200 grain cowboy .44 mags are fun to shoot, 240 grain cowboy loads aren't bad at all either. Haven't tried a full power load of .44 mag yet but so far I really like mine. I'm sure yours will perform just as well.
 
Whatever you do, don't sell it. Too many options with ammo from big time bear loads to 44 special rabbit fart that your wife would enjoy shooting. But the main reason not to sell is where it came from. One day you will go out and shoot it and the memories will flow. Sadly my father hated guns but I do have his tools that he used every day of his life after returning from WWll. Now when I work on something its just like he is right there with me. Anything that is important and is pass down should never be sold. Pass it down later in life.
 
That’s a really nice gift from your father, cherish all the past memories you have made together and know he cares enough to give you something that’ll be an heirloom for your kid someday. :thumbup:

Stay safe.
 
Yeah Eddie I won't ever sell any of them. They will get split between my kids when I'm gone. My Dad and I have spent alot of time shooting together the last few years. Now he's got my hooked on reloading too lol. So we talk loads, and powders. Try each others loads out. So we try to get out and shoot at least once a month. Usually it's every weekend.

I think every gun I own has some meaning to me. I can't think of one that I bought, just to have. Some were gifts from my dad, my first gun ever, gift from my wife, a father's day gift, a anniversary, always something attached to them. Take that back. I got a Sig M400 I traded for a 4 wheeler. I wanted to get a Henry lever action with the money, but decided to keep the AR. Unsurprisingly, it is the gun I probably shoot the least.
 
It's certainly not a magnum, but I do love wheelguns.
My avatar says it pretty well.
That's 48 rounds offhand at 10 yards on a 3 inch target.
Yes, I know, but I'm old, and I have OGEs. (Old Guys Eyes)
 
Yeah Eddie I won't ever sell any of them. They will get split between my kids when I'm gone. My Dad and I have spent alot of time shooting together the last few years. Now he's got my hooked on reloading too lol. So we talk loads, and powders. Try each others loads out. So we try to get out and shoot at least once a month. Usually it's every weekend.

Since you are a re-loader my favorite target load is 200 grain hard cast lead flat point and 9.8 grains 800X in 44 Special brass. I load this with a standard LP primer. Yes I know 800X doesn't meter well but sure seems to work for what I want. Just feels right in my Super Blackhawk with 5 1/2 inch barrel.
 
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Middletown I'll have to look into that load. I don't have 44 dies yet, but I can always use my dad's for now. Does that 800X meter worse than 700X? I pretty much only use 700x behind a 158gr LSWC for my wife's 357 magnum loads. Nice, light plinking rounds.
 
Super Birthday gift from your Dad! I would run mostly .44 Specials through it and take it to the range as often as I could!
 
Shak3s1977: I don't have any experience with 700X so I can't answer the metering question. I meter with the Lee plastic "Perfect Powder Measure" which may be more forgiving with some powders. In the Hornady 7th edition manual I use 700X is one of the recommended powders for 180 grain lead.

I only own 2 44's both Magnums with strong actions so hot rodding 44 Special loads up to mid Magnum performance was something I played with a fer years ago. Once my playing was done I tended to load and shoot either full power magnum with max loads of H110 and heavier copper jacket bullets or much lighter special loads with hard cast lead.

Above mentioned load was actually a fairly mild load in my guns, very accurate and again just felt right in the Super Blackhawk I mostly shoot them from.

Back during the component shortage starting in 2012 800X was a powder I was able to acquire and found it pretty good for several loads.
 
I have a couple of loads I've used with very good success with 44 special. Either 180 or 185 gr lead or coated lead with 6.0gr of Universal and 240 gr lead or coated lead with 5.0 gr of Universal. Both are in the 800-900fps range depending on the barrel length. Pretty mild and Universal shoots very clean. You can substitute Unique with same charge, but Unique does not meter nearly as well for me especially with my Dillon 650. While I prefer Coated Lead, I have used the 240gr lead cast from GT Bullets and they are great if you prefer to go the uncoated route.
 
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