Redhawk 4" .45 Colt Review on Gunblast

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usp_fan

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The review of the new production Ruger Redhawk in .45 colt with a 4" tube is up on Gunblast. HERE is the link.

I've always said I wanted this gun. I had plans to build one, but this will be a much more affordable path to a customized mountain gun now. The only improvements I can see this needing are a lanyard ring, Bowen rear sight, Moon Clip treatment to handle .45 acp, and possibly a tritium front sight.

Supposedly the gun reviewed in the article was a production sample. They are supposed to begin hitting sometime Q1 in '08. I've been saving Birthday and Christmas money and I think this may be a good enough reason to spend it.
 
What I found interesting is that the cylinder bores were coming up identical (and in a very good state).

This means either Ruger is doing a final reaming of cylinders by hand, or they're using the process developed for the New Vaquero (one drill per cylinder, each bore done in sequence with the same bit/reamer).

If that new process is migrating to the rest of Ruger's wheelguns, their average quality control and accuracy will in my opinion surpass S&W. I base that on the average quality control of the New Vaqs and it's cousin the 50th Ann. 357 Blackhawk built the same way. This is very, VERY good news if true.

I'm going to write to the Quinn brothers and see if they can confirm it.
 
I personally am very excited to see one. I've held the .44's but it wasn't in "my" caliber. I used to have a mountain gun--model 25. It was beautiful, but not stainless, and not upto handling my Bisley loads. It was traded for my SIG 220. This Redhawk will go into the never let go stack. Along with my 5.5" stainless Bisley, I hope to have two very good bases for some future custom work.
 
Officially saving my pennies. According to my wife's calulations, I'll have enough pennies in April. :D
 
yyyeee hhhaaahhh!!!!!!!!! I wants one for a bear defender gun...I'm not very 'magnum proofed' & my upper extent with any reasonable accuracy is .357 mag; I have tried several different .44 mag revolvers with poor results...flinching & poor accuracy; .45 Colt seems like a good large bore caliber with enough snot for bear defense...expecially if I learn to make myself 'magnum resistant' enough to handle smaller quanitites of the hotter stuff that is reserved for rugers & freedom arms products;

my only quam is this...a new 4" Redhawk (new grip model) in .45 Colt or a used (excellent condition) 5.5" Redhawk (old grip model) in .45 Colt w/ night sights & put a good set of Pachmayr grips on it
 
I've been considering buying a .45 Colt revolver lately, and now I'm thinking about which would be better: the new 4" Redhawk or a S&W 625 Mountain Gun. So far all the news I've seen about the new Redhawk is positive -- good quality, fit, finish and a smooth trigger. And of course it will handle heavy loads that the Smith will not. But it seems the Mountain Gun is also a quality revolver with some positive points of its own. It's lighter than the Redhawk, there are lots of holsters available for it, plus I've always liked the way 4" N frames balance and handle.

So, how about some discussion on pros and cons of each? A comparison of the two guns that goes beyond "the Redhawk can shoot ruger-only loads". Which would make a better general-purpose revolver? Just what type of loads can the Mountain Gun handle? Is a 255 gr SWC at 1000 fps or so good enough for about anything, or are the hotter rounds really a significant consideration?

OR, should this be a separate thread?
 
When you start reloading .45 Colt, do consider using HS6 Hodgdon powder if you've got a case of flinch ittice. It is capable of good velocity and punch at lower pressures than some other powders. It is also good at case filling the big .45 Colt brass.

Another powder might be Trail Boss, it really burns clean...but you'll have to work at how high it can perform safely.

Jim
 
Z,

The Smith is fully capable of pushing hot, but not Ruger Only loads. 255 grn bullet at 1000-1100 is easily doable out of the 25/625.

I liked the feel, the look, and overall package the Smith 25 gave me. I couldn't get passed the blued finish on a mountain gun. It was too nice. If I'd have had the 625, I think I'd still have it. However, I think I'd still be fighting the itch for the Redhawk.

The Redhawk is so over built that I would have total confidence in it regardless of what load and how poorly it had been maintained.

Seeing pictures of these in Taffin's Big Bore Handguns and on Linebaugh's site has always raised my heart rate. The Smiths are beautiful, the Rugers are tanks. Here is some interesting reading on the Model 25 and hot loads. Linebaugh thinks their great.
 
usp_fan, thanks for the info and link.

I find Mr. Linebaugh's comment "velocity gives us trajectory and range, not power" somewhat interesting. I'm not disputing it, but by that reasoning a .30-30 should have equal killing power to a .308 within 150 yards or so. And a .38 Special+P should be pretty equal to a .357 Magnum at typical handgun range, assuming equal bullet performance. Yet Elmer Kieth discounted the .38Spl as a defensive round while holding up the .357Mag as a good "man-stopper". I'm thinking the lousy .38Spl ammo choices of Elmer's day were mostly to blame for this, since the 158 gr LSWCHP+P load is generally considered a good defensive round. The linked article makes some good sense but makes ya wonder about some things...
 
I've never seriously considered the 45LC as a man stopper, but looking at the bullet weights and velocities in the chart on this review really surprised me. I will have to rethink my views on this.

jw
 
In the history of the old west the hombres using the .45 Colt and .44-40 were considered pretty well armed.

Even when these cartridges first came out and were loaded with black powder they still performed similar velocities as you read about store bought ammo today with smokeless powder.

My two favorite calibers are 44and45.

Jim
 
I have an old model Vaqeuro in 45 colt. But after seeing this I may have to add another colt to my collection. The double action and shorter barrel would be nice for carrying in the woods.
 
Just another plug for the recent quality as per the 50th Anniversary .357 Flattop and New Vaquero--I sprung for one of each because I was so impressed the the fitting and finish.

After fooling around getting the chambers reamed, etc., on my older NM .45 Convertible I made it a point to mike the ones on the NV. Right on the money at .4525. They shoot the same, which is to say very well.

Don't think I need a honker like the RH but if it's worth doing, it's worth doing well.
 
I've never seriously considered the 45LC as a man stopper, but looking at the bullet weights and velocities in the chart on this review really surprised me. I will have to rethink my views on this.
Click to expand...
Have you considered how many men have been stopped by the Colt .45? (Hint, it's more than a few.) The .45 ACP is merely the .45 Colt lite -- it duplicates the version developed to fit the S&W Schofield .45, which became the Army standard load.

During our struggle with the Moros in the Philippines, Moro Juramentados were nearly unstoppable. They would take an oath to kill a Christian, wrap their bodies with bandages (to retard bleeding), take drugs -- then don their regular clothes over the bandages and saunter into a group of Americans with a Bolo or Barang concealed under their clothes -- and suddenly go berserk, slashing and hacking away.

The .38 Long Colt that was issue for the period proved inadequate at discouraging this form of recreation, and troops who had used the .45 Colt earlier demanded the .45s be re-issued. It worked.
 
Vern beat me to it. Great explanation.

Saying the 45 long colt isn't a manstopper is like saying the 1911 wasn't a military weapon.

I must buy one of these. I've been griping for years that there wasn't one available over the counter. Now, it's here.

I'm on it.:D
 
Have you considered how many men have been stopped by the Colt .45? (Hint, it's more than a few.)
Click to expand...

More people are shot and killed by .22's than any other round, but you won't see me defending myself with one.

In any case, my point was that I considered the 45LC little more than a blackpowder round, and this review has caused me to review my thinking. :)

jw
 
Yeah, 45 colt is one of those odd rounds that people seem to overlook. It's a zen-like forest for the trees thing where people just never see or consider it. But, a glance back into history shows the colt all over the place.

I'm happy to be moving back to this round from the 357.
 
If the .45 Colt version is anything like my .44 then it'll be a winner.
 
Speer has this freakin' NEAT 45LC factory round. It's a 250gr JHP doing a bit over 900fps from a 4" tube. It's got a giant hollowpoint cavity. It's basically the Gold Dot 135gr 38+P "supersized to hell and gone" and should be an absolutely amazing personal defense round.

Other good 45LC JHPs work well - Speer has previously been pushing fat-mouth 200gr slugs to about 1,100ish for this role, and the Winchester Silvertip 225 works. Cor-Bon loads a 200gr @ 1,100 JHP. The thing I like most about the Speer 250 is that it should print to about the same place as the various hardcast 255/260gr slugs that are also common in this caliber as a "woods and hunting" load of excellent repute at around 1,000fps. It should be possible to dial in a fixed-sight gun for those or the 250 JHP.
 
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