Ruger Redhawk .41 mag or GP100 .357

Status
Not open for further replies.
S

sernv99

Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2008
Messages
749
I am looking to get my first revolver. I was set on a stainless Ruger GP100, 4" .357 but saw at my local gunshop a Ruger Redhawk in .41 magnum for around $650 IIRC. I think the barrel length was either 5.5 or 6" (I have emailed my local shop to confirm). I am leaning towards the .41 mag just because I have a Glock 10mm already so I don't think I'll be gaining anything with a .357.

my purpose would be a "walk in the woods" type of gun, kill any varmints or potential 4 or 2 legged threats crossing my path. It won't really be for hunting. I have other calibers for home defense so let's take that out of the equation.

.41 mag ammo seems readily available online and is comparable to some of the prices I am paying for my 10mm ammo. Is .41 mag ammo prices relatively flat-lined or do they fluctuated widely? I don't reload as that I live in a townhouse with no appropriate space to do reloading.

anyone on here that loves the .41 mag? Is the price on a mint condition Redhawk stated above a bit too much? There are not many on gunbroker or other auction sites to compare...

thanks.
 
Is the price on a mint condition Redhawk stated above a bit too much? There are not many on gunbroker or other auction sites to compare...
Click to expand...
That is because there are not a lot of them in that barrel length/caliber combination. While not rare, a .41 Magnum Redhawk is uncommon, the 5.5-inch barrel (the other option at the time was 7.5 inches) more so. It would bring a slight premium. As a more practical matter, it will be more cumbersome to carry around all day than the GP100, and .41 Magnum is needlessly powerful (in terms of recoil control for followup shots and overpenetration) for two-legged varmints, although it can be downloaded.
 
I had a 44mag RedHawk with a scope, It was too big and heavy. I now have a GP100 and SP101.
 
I would get a good .357 first, every shooter into handguns should have at least one. The .41 magnum is a good cartridge but really shines if your a reloader. Someone that does not reload would probably be better served with a .44 magnum. A lot more loads available and you can also shoot .44 specials out of it.
 
I was able to pick up two Redhawks in .41 Mag for under 500 each, but it has been two or three years ago. I sold the blue one after I got the SS. So, IMHO, I think $650 is a bit high, but not ridiculous. They do not come up for sale as often, so if you want one, I would think seriously about it. GP-100's are available every day. The .357 is much more versatile if you do not reload of course.

I am a Redhawk fan, so I am biased.
 
The 41 mag pickings are getting slim now days, If you ever think you'd want one the time is now. I wish that 41 was near me, I'd get it in a heart beat.

You can find a big variety of 357's most any time.

I miss my Model 57 !!

Jimmy K
 
My woods walking guns are either 357 mag, 41 mag, or 22LR. I carry a 22 far more than the other calibers in the woods. I'm not particularly worried about either 2 or 4 legged creatures in the my woods. But things can happen and either the 357 mag or 41 mag will do the job quite well. The biggest potential issue for me are black bears at just about dark or feral dogs.

The 41 mag Redhawk is not commonly available. I would choose the 41 mag myself and get a 357 mag later because you want a 41 mag and you may not have a good opportunity of finding a Redhawk in that caliber. Both are handy to have if you are an outdoors type.

Did I say that I have a 5.5" 41 mag Redhawk and the 41 mag is my favorite centerfire revolver caliber?

I think the price is in the correct ball park. I would prefer a $600 price tag, but I could live with $650 for a mint one.
 
Last edited:
I like the .41 Magnum, but N-frames and Redhawks are just a bit too big for my hands to shoot them well in DA mode. The GP100 is a superb fit in my hands, though right at the upper limit of what I can handle well. Moreover, the Redhawk is a truly heavy sixgun, and I mean h-e-a-v-y. I have owned a couple, one being a .41 Mag with a 5.5" barrel. I have toted all-steel 1911s, N-frames, and 4" GP100 sixguns all day, day after day, without issues. Redhawks cross a portability line with me, at least with normal gun belts and normal belt holsters.

My big bore sixguns are single actions, though none are presently .41 Magnums. The one exception is a now-retired S&W Model 58, which is of course a DA sixgun. It was my duty sixgun before I admitted to myself it was just too big for me to shoot it well DA, and went with smaller weapons.

The wildlife in Texas is of reasonable size for the .357 Mag to handle, and I work for a chief who does not like me poking holes in people with single action sixguns, on or off the clock, so my present rural walkabout sixguns are GP100s.

From a collectability and availability standpoint, though, grab that .41 Redhawk!
 
I'd buy the GP100 4" 357. I like guns that fire ammo that is readily available. I've never had a 41 and don't want one. Why would anyone buy a 41 over a 44 mag?
 
Why a .41 over a .44? Well, when I still used N-frames, the .44 Mag assaulted my hearing and wrist bones with each shot, whereas I could run the .41 at fighting speed. I wonder how much of my present right wrist's chronic issues* stem from trying to man-up to the .44 Mag, in the early-mid-1980's?

As for ammo availability, I don't notice .44 anything being all that greatly available. The big bore sixgun rounds are really best for handloaders.

*For those who pay attention to such things, yes, I am a lefty, but have always tended to shoot large DA handguns in right-hand mode.
 
.357 if you do NOT reload.

Tons of ammo choices. Outstanding choices in target and defense. Reasonably priced (I've yet to see comparable .41 magnum even close to .357 magnum price in stores).



That said, if you reload a .41 magnum is a great choice.
 
I have found ammo prices on the 41 vs 44 debate to be essentially the same. The difference is that Walmart sells the Winchester white box 44 mag ammo. Few beat Walmart in price on anything on a day to day basis.

Of late, it has been a bit difficult to find 41 mag ammo. If you buy the 41 mag, I would put in an order for about 500 rounds at GA Arms almost immediately. I believe they are still having component availability issues with the 41, but their ammo is very good. Give some of their 800 fps 41 mag ammo a try also. Pretty tame; perhaps too tame.

I have plenty of 41 mag ammo (factory) on hand. When the shortage hit two years ago, I started buying what I could find then and shooting a bit less with that caliber. My crystal ball suggested that prices were going up. The shortage only made me want to keep more on hand of most calibers.

If you ever find any of the old PMC 41 mag ammo (50ct boxes), buy all you can if the price is right.

I'd buy the Redhawk. There are many here who would buy it without a second thought at that price (and grumble a little afterwards). You get over the price thing, but the availability thing trumps price on this revolver. Don't expect to make a bunch of money due to the scaracity of the 41 mag Redhawk. They do tend to be priced a bit above the 44 mag version, but not significantly.

Added: I don't think you have to "gain" in power if you buy a firearm, revolver in this case. It is probably easier to learn to shoot a 357 mag revolver (assume steel framed such as GP-100) versus a 41 mag larger framed revolver. That said, I bought a Python years ago as my "home defense and deer hunting revolver". It is arguably the best revolver made. I was young. I couldn't shoot that 357 worth a flip. I parked it and shot 22's mostly. Years passed and a friend sold me a 41 mag revolver. I barely knew what a 41 mag was then. I just knew it had to be less powerful than a 44 mag revolver and I hoped I could shoot it. It was a Smith M57 8 3/8" and after shooting it a little, I could shoot it better than I ever shot my Python. It certainly kicked. I also believed it was a better choice for deer hunting than the 357 mag and I still believe that today.

Sold that Python. (No regrets.) Bought a Colt Trooper Mark III in 357 mag. After shooting the 41 mag, the recoil was not significant anymore. I'm still not partial to that high pitched crack of the 357 mag, but with ear protection, it is not a problem. The Trooper MKIII shot better for me than that Python. I still shoot it today as my most favored 6" 357 mag. It has the best trigger I have ever experienced on a revolver. The GP100 trigger improves with shooting. They aren't bad revolvers.

The point of all this is that shooting the larger bore revolvers take some experience and effort. You just have to keep shooting and you improve measureably. I'm not saying you are in this camp since you shoot a 10mm pistol, but for others craving that 41 or 44 or larger, you need to consider what you are going to use it for and you need to learn to shoot it.
 
Last edited:
There are many here who would buy it without a second thought at that price (and grumble a little afterwards). You get over the price thing,
Click to expand...
Yep. I've done that with a couple of guns I really wanted.
 
just found out it's the 5.5" model.....what would be the most realistic range a 5.5" barrel would produce for solid hits in .41 mag? Based on some digging around I did online, people were posting 100 yds. for the 7.5" barrel.
 
For practicality, I would suggest the GP-100 for woods carry.

The Redhawk, of which I own two, is too big and heavy for being a great woods guns. Don't get me wrong, I love the Redhawk, it's a great hunting revolver and is suited terrificly for hunting from a stand, so to speak, with the 7 1/2" bbl being my personal preference. The 4" GP-100, for your described purposes, would be the better option.

Good luck to you!
 
Thanks.

if I wanted to get into handgun hunting deer, would the 5.5" barrel length on the .41 mag not be sufficent enough?
 
It would be plenty. Some just like the longer barrel for more velocity. It really isn't needed though.

If you had both to choose from, would only use it to hunt, and wasn't carrying it around, then maybe the longer barrel would be a better choice, but since you don't, the question is will the 5.5 do the job. It will.
 
Walkalong's right. My 5.5 Redhawk is a .44 rather than a .41, but I really like the 5.5 barrel. Had a scoped SRH with a 7.5 and it was longer than I liked. For a walkaround gun, though, I much prefer my 4-inch GP100.

What I really want is for Ruger to offer a 5-shot .41 mag built on the GP100 frame ... sigh.
 
I'd go with the Redhawk in a heartbeat based on the fact that you can buy a GP100 anytime you want one - that's just not going to be so with a 5.5" Redhawk in .41 mag. I think it's a great cartridge too - unfortunately factory loadings are pretty limited (and expensive) so that could be a factor if you don't reload.

I also like the uniqueness of it - many casual shooters don't even realize there IS a .41 magnum.
 
Thanks.

if I wanted to get into handgun hunting deer, would the 5.5" barrel length on the .41 mag not be sufficent enough?
Click to expand...

Yes it would. I just prefer the 7 1/2" because of velocity, my personal accuracy and balance when scoped. But the 5 1/2" is absolutely suitable. (My Redhawks are both .44 Mag)

Another thing, when you're actually sitting in the woods, all of the sudden the barrel on your handgun, the one that seems so long at 7 1/2" sitting on the kitchen table, no longer seems long at all when you see that big buck meandering through the timber heading for an open shot. ;)

Hunting revolver and cool/rare'ish factor = The 5 1/2" .41 Mag Redhawk

Best revolver for your original need = The 4" .357 Mag GP-100
(There are also some damn fine hunting loads on the market in .357 Mag that your GP-100 will have no trouble handling)

Enjoy whichever you buy, I'm sure you'll like either!
 
If you are considering deer hunting, then the 41 would be best. The 357 will work but the 41 has more power. Since you have other guns, Id get the Ruger. I have had a number of 41 mags and consider the cartridge equal to the 44 mag. The 41 has a little less recoil. You will have to start handloading to get the full benefit of a big bore unless you are rich.
 
many casual shooters don't even realize there IS a .41 magnum.
Click to expand...
Yep. They look at you all funny and say, .41 mag? Never heard of it.

attachment.php
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

Zaydok Allen
  • Locked
Do you think Ruger will chamber the GP100 in 41 Remington Magnum?
2
Replies
34
Views
4K
jdh
jdh
4
  • Locked
Ruger Redhawk .41 Magnum
2
Replies
26
Views
6K
Ben Shepherd
B
N
  • Locked
Revolvers you wish they'd make?
2 3
Replies
58
Views
3K
PawDaddy
P
O
  • Locked
41 Mag revolvers
Replies
9
Views
1K
mes227
M
WrongHanded
  • Locked
A different Ruger DA frame size
Replies
22
Views
1K
rbernie
rbernie
Back
Top