Ruger SRH Alaskan .454 Casull Bowen conversion

[MCMXI]

After going back and forth with Mr. Bowen over the last year I've decided to commit to a GP100 on steroids! I still need to decide on a few things such as the sights (a bit overwhelming), finished barrel length and whether or not I want to trade in a virtually new GP100 4" stainless .357 Mag revolver for around $450 to offset the cost of the upgrade. The GP100 was a birthday present from an ex girlfriend about seven years ago, I don't shoot it and don't plan on carrying it out in the back country given my preference for 340gr to 360gr .45 caliber projectiles. I have a 3" GP100, 3" SP101, a pair of KLCRs and a 4" stainless Colt Python all in .357 Mag so maybe I wouldn't miss the 4" GP100. I'm excited though at the prospect of a much more usable .454 Casull revolver and will have to start looking at some better grips than the current Hogue monogrip.

Does anyone have any suggestions for upgrades that I might want to consider in addition to the barrel and sights installation? I don't think I want a lanyard ring but maybe there are other options worth thinking about even if Bowen doesn't list them on his website.

Here's how my SRH currently looks and it will be heading over to Mr. Bowen in a week or two. I'll post photos when it's back which could be many, many months. I'm currently carrying my Redhawk in .45 Colt with the 4.2" barrel when hiking/hunting/camping loaded with 360gr hardcast bullets running at around 1,125 fps. I hope that I can get a bit of a bump with the same bullet in a .454 Casull case out of a 4" version of the Alaskan, and then I'll have two revolvers to choose from when heading out.



Here are a couple of Bowen conversions of SRH Alaskan revolvers.

 

[farm23]

A 4" Alaskan in 454 is a great choice. I have not spent a lot of time on Mr. Bowen's site but an 4'" Alaskan with fast acquisition sights would be ideal. I have a 629 and a Freedom Arms mag-na-ported but I think I would not do so on this one.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

Hey that looks cool. I dig the first Bowen gun with the unflutted cylinder. For sights, I'd be tempted by a gold bead front sight, but you could inquire about a tritium night sight, and possibly adjustable tritium rear sight too. If this is a woods walking gun, it may be more practical than a gold bead front only.

As far as the grip goes, I'd want some custom walnut, or if you have the coin, some custom ram horn would be nice. Maybe dahl sheep horn.

As far as trading your GP100 towards it, if an ex girlfriend gave it to you, and you don't shoot it, and you have your 357 bases covered, I'd totally trade it. Or, I'd try to sell it locally and maybe get a better price than $450 if possible. I had a gun that was for all intents, great. Unfortunately a very unpleasant event in my life happened right when I bought it, and I found I couldn't shoot it without getting depressed, because it reminded me. So I traded it. An ex GF gun might go away if it was mine.

 

[MachIVshooter]

IMO, the Alaskan always should have been a 4" or 5" gun. .44 Mag suffers with a short barrel, let alone the .454. I did some chronographing with my 3" 629, and even the hottest loads were not terribly impressive from such a short tube. Lots of recoil and muzzle blast, but energy figures hovering in the 750-800 ft/lb range. I don't think the .454 would do much better from a 3" barrel.

As an aside, I personally feel that a 15+ round 10mm stoked with heavy 200 or 220 gr FMJ or hard cast loads is superior to short barreled magnum revolvers for dangerous critter defense. A little smaller bullet, similar penetration, but much better ability to get more rounds on target fast.

 

[CraigC]

IMHO, a 4" SRH is about the perfect dangerous game backup gun. Much preferable to the abbreviated Alaskan. I just wonder what the sight options are now that Weigand has stopped making their DX style bases.

High pressure loads still yield higher velocities out of the shortest barrels. The Buffalo Bore 340gr .44Mag load still gets over 1200fps out of the Alaskan.

There are no available 10mm bullets that will yield similar penetration to the heavy +300gr .44/.45 bullets. And FMJ's are a terrible choice as they usually have soft lead cores and thin jackets. Capacity becomes irrelevant when a big bear charges. You either get it done in the first one to three shots or you're lunch.

 

[MachIVshooter]

Not to derail the thread, but

IMHO, a 4" SRH is about the perfect dangerous game backup gun. Much preferable to the abbreviated Alaskan. I just wonder what the sight options are now that Weigand has stopped making their DX style bases.

High pressure loads still yield higher velocities out of the shortest barrels. The Buffalo Bore 340gr .44Mag load still gets over 1200fps out of the Alaskan.

There are no available 10mm bullets that will yield similar penetration to the heavy +300gr .44/.45 bullets. And FMJ's are a terrible choice as they usually have soft lead cores and thin jackets. Capacity becomes irrelevant when a big bear charges. You either get it done in the first one to three shots or you're lunch.

Those kind of heavy loads have recoil to match.

I'd put a $100 bill on the table betting that I can get 16 rounds of heavy 10mm into a silhouette at 15 yards out of my Glock 20 or Witness Limited faster than you or anyone but maybe Jerry Miculek can put 6 rounds of that BB ammo in the same silhouette at the same distance from a 3"-4" revolver.

I've never been charged by an angry bear, but I'll still take more of a lighter round on target for defense in any situation.

If ones preference is a big bore revolver, that's their business. I know you have lots of experience hunting dangerous game with rifles and handguns, but I submit that defending against an angry dangerous animal is very different from trying to kill one cleanly with as few shots as possible, and that more holes that are deep enough may be superior to fewer deeper ones.

 

[MCMXI]

Not to derail the thread, but

No problem, but I have no interest in carrying a semi auto anything when I'm hiking/hunting but I do appreciate your input. With a good bullet the 10mm is an effective cartridge for a number of situations but if you read about bear attacks it's not unusual for a bear to end up on top of an unlucky individual. Fot that reason I want a short barreled revolver that if/when the muzzle is jammed into the animal it will still function properly. A 4" barrel is a good compromise for sight radius, muzzle velocity and handling in confined quarters. My EDC is a Ruger KLCR in .357 Mag so I don't obsess over round capacity.

Thanks for the comments thus far.

 

[CraigC]

Not to derail the thread, but



Those kind of heavy loads have recoil to match.

I'd put a $100 bill on the table betting that I can get 16 rounds of heavy 10mm into a silhouette at 15 yards out of my Glock 20 or Witness Limited faster than you or anyone but maybe Jerry Miculek can put 6 rounds of that BB ammo in the same silhouette at the same distance from a 3"-4" revolver.

I've never been charged by an angry bear, but I'll still take more of a lighter round on target for defense in any situation.

If ones preference is a big bore revolver, that's their business. I know you have lots of experience hunting dangerous game with rifles and handguns, but I submit that defending against an angry dangerous animal is very different from trying to kill one cleanly with as few shots as possible, and that more holes that are deep enough may be superior to fewer deeper ones.

Of course they do. You don't get all capability without paying for it. Yes, it is very different but 180° from what you suggest. You might get away with a lighter load on an unsuspecting bear that doesn't know where you are but when he charges, you want all the capability you can get with every shot. People successfully stop Cape buffalo and elephant charges with big bore double rifles, not AK47's. Fact is that the 10mm is woefully underpowered for the task. I wouldn't hunt brown bear with a 10mm, let alone depend on one to stop a charging bear. IMHO, it's absurd to even consider. The best of 10mm loads are roughly equivalent to a Keith .44Spl load and the semi-auto platform limits cast bullets to tiny meplats. To me, that's nowhere near enough horsepower.

I'll take that bet, make it $1000.

I'd add yet another zero and that's what I'll bet that you'll never get a chance to empty a G20 on a charging bear. It's equally absurd to place so much faith in capacity over capability.

 

[adcoch1]

Those kind of heavy loads have recoil to match.

I'd put a $100 bill on the table betting that I can get 16 rounds of heavy 10mm into a silhouette at 15 yards out of my Glock 20 or Witness Limited faster than you or anyone but maybe Jerry Miculek can put 6 rounds of that BB ammo in the same silhouette at the same distance from a 3"-4" revolver.
ding against an angry dangerous animal is very different from trying to kill one cleanly with as few shots as possible, and that more holes that are deep enough may be superior to fewer deeper ones.

I'll take that bet, make it $1000.

Not sound snarky, or with anything other than good humor in mind, but..... Can we sell tickets? This would be fun to watch for lovers of all things firearms.

 

[Alaskan Ironworker]

Theres a good reason its called the ruger alaskan. Purpose built for bear defense.
As far as i know glock does not make an “alaskan”. That being said, i know someone who killed a griz with a 10mm glock. Possibility of a bad primer is one reason I prefer revolvers in that situation. Its a one in thousands chance of that ever happening, but something to think about. As far as custom work, why not just buy a toklat?

 

[Armored farmer]

I personally like the short SRH.

I would use my longer barrel gun for hunting and shooting, keep the short barrel strictly defensive, and put my money on a couple of different holsters for each.

 

[SDGlock23]

From a price perspective, it would be a lot easier and cheaper to sell the Alaskan and just buy the 5" SRH Toklat 454.

 

[CraigC]

Of course it would but the Toklat is 1.5" longer than desired.

 

[MaxP]

This is my favorite SRH to date -- a .500 Linebaugh with a 5-inch barrel (by Huntington). Brutally effective and accurate.

 

[MaxP]

IMO, the Alaskan always should have been a 4" or 5" gun. .44 Mag suffers with a short barrel, let alone the .454. I did some chronographing with my 3" 629, and even the hottest loads were not terribly impressive from such a short tube. Lots of recoil and muzzle blast, but energy figures hovering in the 750-800 ft/lb range. I don't think the .454 would do much better from a 3" barrel.

As an aside, I personally feel that a 15+ round 10mm stoked with heavy 200 or 220 gr FMJ or hard cast loads is superior to short barreled magnum revolvers for dangerous critter defense. A little smaller bullet, similar penetration, but much better ability to get more rounds on target fast.

Actually, due to the high pressure levels of the .454 and the speed with which it pressures up, the .454 is much less prone to velocity degradation with a short barrel compared to the .44 or any other big-bore cartridge for that matter. Yes, muzzle blast increases, but there is no free lunch.

The 10mm loaded properly is an effective round. Razor Dobbs killed two Cape buffalo with good shot placement with a 10mm. All in all, it boils down to shot placement and ultimately the bullet. With the proper bullet, nearly anything can be effective but that doesn't make it ideal. That said, in a bear charge situation, it is doubtful one will get off more than one shot, so it better count.

 

[DPris]

The fluted four-inch version with the wood/rubber grip from Bowen's website above is my gun.
As in literally my gun.

The first barrel conversion Bowen did on an Alaskan, in .44 Mag, and it came out fine.

I wanted better sights & a longer barrel.
In my case, I sent him a .454 Alaskan & got a .44 Mag back.

I had him install his Rough Country rear sights, with a white dot DX front sight, among other things.
He did send it back with his lanyard ring, but I don't use 'em & it's not on the gun.

Had mine beadblasted to reduce glare.

I now have his Rough Country rear sight on four Rugers & one Smith.
I HIGHLY recommend them.
Very rugged, but more importantly very visible for quick acquisition.
The white outline paint on Bowen's sight is easily twice as big & bright as what Ruger uses as their standard unit, and the sight regulation can't wander in the holster, like the Ruger can in some leather designs.

For the Alaskan conversion, the big white dot mates extremely well with the Bowen rear.
My gun was set up for quick-reaction field use.
It's not a range toy, it goes out with me in large critter country.

The sights & barrel would be minimum on your gun.
If it has a machined trigger, you might want the sharp edges de-horned, and possibly same on the hammer spur.

Action job recommended.

The most important thing above all else is GET THAT EXTENDED FIRING PIN INSTALLED!
You want absolute reliable ignition with ANYTHING you stick in that gun.
Denis

Edited to add: My gun got the Hogue Tamer grip right after it got home. That's another recommendation, especially in .454. The rubber is great on recoil. I wouldn't want wood.

 

[MCMXI]

From a price perspective, it would be a lot easier and cheaper to sell the Alaskan and just buy the 5" SRH Toklat 454.

As @CraigC pointed out, the barrel is longer than I want, but more importantly, I don't like the look of the Toklat.

The fluted four-inch version with the wood/rubber grip from Bowen's website above is my gun.
As in literally mygun.

Ha! Ha! That's awesome. Thanks @DPris for such a detailed post, I really appreciate it. My SRH will be heading to Bowen on Monday and I'll be requesting a bead blast finish for sure.

 

[DPris]

FIRING PIN!!!!!!!!!
That's where you START!!!!!
Seriously, man, firing pin!!!!!!!
Denis

 

[MCMXI]

The extended firing pin is part of the RD01(2) package so it'll get done along with a 4" barrel and bead blast.

 

[Alaskan Ironworker]

I hate how the toklat looks also, and then i shot one. I got over the looks very quickly. That 500 with the fluted barrel however, will have me dreaming. Maxp, how much does something like that cost if you dont mind me asking? As far as longer firing pins go, dont you worry about pierced primers in such a high pressure round? Isnt the ruger stock pin adequate? Ruger designed the whole pistol purposely for dangerous game defense, i would think the factory firing pin is fine? Just thinking out loud, not trying to stir the pot....

 

[MCMXI]

@Alaskan Ironworker, I really like the look of the SRH Alaskan as is or with the 4" barrel so for me it's worth the cost to have a revolver that shoots great and looks great. Function is really important but if I can have function and form in a single package I'd prefer that option. I had some light strikes when I changed the springs but using different primers helped. Maybe a longer firing pin allows for lighter springs while still providing reliable ignition.

 

[Alaskan Ironworker]

Ok, thats a valid point, hadnt thought of that. So you can have a little bit lighter d.a. Trigger pull and still have the reliability? Still seems to me that is asking for pierced primers. From what ive read, firing pins should protrude between 5 and 6 one hundredths, regardless of how hard it hits? How much longer are the aftermarket pins?

 

[DPris]

Just have Hamilton do the pin & don't worry about it.
If you get an action job as part of what you have him do, there'll be no need for you to fiddle with changing springs.

He knows exactly what he's doing, just get the work done & leave it alone.
Denis

 

[Alaskan Ironworker]

Did you measure protrusion before and after?
Just curious.......

 

[MCMXI]

Just have Hamilton do the pin & don't worry about it.
If you get an action job as part of what you have him do, there'll be no need for you to fiddle with changing springs.

He knows exactly what he's doing, just get the work done & leave it alone.

I hear ya!

I've spent some time today digesting Mr. Bowen's very detailed and excellent email and this is what I've come up with (see below). He only has one 4" Redhawk .45 cal barrel available which uses the newer detachable front sight so wouldn't allow for the DX base. He has some longer barrels out for rebore which can accept the DX base but will add cost since I'll need the R300 package listed below. I'll have the option to go with a barrel longer than 4", maybe 4-1/2", but don't see myself opting for anything over 5". I'm surprised to discover that the Redhawk barrel isn't even 4" so not sure why Ruger makes a point of it being 4.2".

This is kind of a pinch me moment... I'm really excited about this upgrade and can't wait to be carrying the SRH/GP Alaskan out and about in bear country. The SRH will go out Monday and I've decided to keep the GP100. $400 to $450 isn't significant given the cost of the upgrades and I don't want to regret selling it so I'm playing it safe.

RD04GP - $995
Receiver modifications
Remove barrel
Shorten nose
Re-contour top strap
De-letter
Install new barrel
Trigger/action tune
Extra length firing pin
Add Rough Country rear site and suitable front sight (probably opt for XS tritium dot)

MISC - $150
Provide new barrel

R300 - $325
Shorten factory barrel
Provide/install DX base

1060 - $175
Matte finish

R250 - $95
Shoot for regulation

Here are my RH and SRH in their current forms.