Author Topic: What do you think of Ruger Super Redhawks? (Read 3053 times)

teddy12b · « **on:** April 30, 2008, 06:36:49 AM »

I just looked back 15 pages of topics and didn't find much on the ruger super redhawks. I was curious what owners think of them and what they use them for? Range work, hunting, or just showing your buddies. Anyone have on opinion on the barrel length?

I've been paying more attention to these handguns because I know I can get the exact same grip on them that I have on my gp100. My gp100 has the hogue tamer on it and it fits me like a glove.

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #1 on:** April 30, 2008, 07:42:02 AM »

i love mine , the super RH has a 7 1/2 bbl , the red hawks 7 1/2 and one blue RH 5 1/2
To tell ya the truth i like the 7 1/2 .
i like the 45 as much as the 44 or 454 .
hunt , target shoot and ever thing else !

GRIMJIM · « **Reply #2 on:** April 30, 2008, 07:50:09 AM »

I had magna port do a bunch of work on mine and it is truly a pleasure to shoot. I have a 44 mag with a 9" barrel. Great deer gun.

Stan in SC · « **Reply #3 on:** April 30, 2008, 10:33:18 AM »

I have a scoped SRH with 7-1/2" barrel.I love it.Best .44 magnum pistol made.

Stan

Rangr44 · « **Reply #4 on:** April 30, 2008, 02:22:41 PM »

I've found the .454 Casull SRH to be the best 150yd hunting pistol I've ever come across, in over 35 years.

(Including an 8 3/8" M29-3 w/issue scope rings, a .45-70 T/C Contender Super 14 Hunter w/issue T/C scope, and another T/C Contender in .375 Win.)

The .45 Colt loads make a nice mild/target sub-load, the Winchester 250gr JSP's make a nice mid-range deer/blackbear load, and the heavy loads for anything heavier.

My SRH is an early, 7 1/2" barreled one - completely as issued, with the addition of a small reddot sight.

I wouldn't waste the engineering, my money, or carry the weight, if the same gun were in a lesser caliber, like .357, .41 Mag, or .44 Mag.
IMHO, the Standard Redhawk is much better suited for those cartridges.

countryrebel · « **Reply #5 on:** May 01, 2008, 04:42:46 PM »

I had bad luck with them in the past but I finally went out and bought one today. I like it more than my 4" redhawk so its going down the road. It came stock with hogue grips and has a 7.5" barrel.

teddy12b · « **Reply #6 on:** May 01, 2008, 07:45:51 PM »

countryrebel,
Just out of curiosity what didn't you like about your 4" redhawk? I read good reviews about those.

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #7 on:** May 02, 2008, 04:19:51 AM »

RANGER44 , well said !

Varmint Hunter · « **Reply #8 on:** May 04, 2008, 01:44:16 PM »

I bought a pair of SRH's in 44mag and 454. I sent them both out to Mag-Na-Port to have the revolvers totally reworked and to have them ported. I was never impressed with the 454's accuracy. Eventually I sold it. The 44 mag shoots like a house afire. It digests very heavy loads without a whimper and shoots quite accurately. I threw a Nikon scope on it for load development but only hunt with open sights. A revolver should fit in a conventional holster and a scope just doesn't cut it, IMO.

If you don't mind the heft and God awful appearance of the SRH, it is a fine shooting revolver. If you want an easy to carry revolver that is light & sweet but not as heavily constructed, the S&W's are hard to beat.

striker525 · « **Reply #9 on:** May 08, 2008, 07:26:50 AM »

I have the SS .44 Mag 7 1/2" Barrel. While it is a very nice gun to hunt with (topped with a Bushnell Red dot) I'm thinking I should have bought the 357mag instead.

countryrebel · « **Reply #10 on:** May 11, 2008, 06:17:24 PM »

Quote from: teddy12b on May 01, 2008, 07:45:51 PM

countryrebel,
Just out of curiosity what didn't you like about your 4" redhawk? I read good reviews about those.

The super just feels better to me and I shoot it better, I also found out that I like to carry my glock 20 10mm when I am hiking rather than my 4" redhawk. Other than that it is a great gun.

Ahab · « **Reply #11 on:** May 18, 2008, 10:08:05 AM »

I have the .454 Casull bought last fall. Was amazed at the trigger being great right out of the box. It now takes the place of my Model 29-2.

Flash · « **Reply #12 on:** May 19, 2008, 12:59:16 AM »

It's the Hummer of handguns. I load some hot stuff for mine and it's as tight as a rat's behind.......still.

gstewart44 · « **Reply #13 on:** May 19, 2008, 09:43:45 AM »

I have had my SRH/.44 mag for 15 years now. It is very accurate off the rest at the range, (1 3/4" @100yds) with one load. My eyes started going several years back so I topped it with a scope and can shoot it a lot better now than I ever did when I first got it. I also carry it in Uncle Mike's bandolier holster across my chest.......seems to distribute the weight more evenly. I love the grip as well.

I have taken two does and a 6 point buck, more hogs than I can count and two coyotes with Hornady 300 gr XTP loads. I just wish there were more days of the week to get out in the woods with it.

ELMO · « **Reply #14 on:** May 24, 2008, 05:14:46 AM »

I bought a SRH 44 Mag 91/2" barrel back in 1995. This gun is a tank and I mounted a millet red dot scope on it a couple of years ago. The first few years I had it I took a nice fat 5 point with it using open sights at 30 yards. I shot SPEER golddot 270gr factory loads at that time and they shot pretty good. I'm now starting to reload and will be using the Hornady xtp 240gr bullet and hunt with this bullet come this fall. It is a great gun for hunting deer and that is what I do with it.....

nomosendero · « **Reply #15 on:** May 24, 2008, 05:23:12 AM »

Quote from: gstewart44 on May 19, 2008, 09:43:45 AM

I have had my SRH/.44 mag for 15 years now. It is very accurate off the rest at the range, (1 3/4" @100yds) with one load. My eyes started going several years back so I topped it with a scope and can shoot it a lot better now than I ever did when I first got it. I also carry it in Uncle Mike's bandolier holster across my chest.......seems to distribute the weight more evenly. I love the grip as well.

I have taken two does and a 6 point buck, more hogs than I can count and two coyotes with Hornady 300 gr XTP loads. I just wish there were more days of the week to get out in the woods with it.

The 300XTP seems like a logical choice. With the animals that you have shot, was the bullet ever lacking in any way?

BlkHawk73 · « **Reply #16 on:** May 24, 2008, 07:26:01 AM »

Quote from: Flash on May 19, 2008, 12:59:16 AM

It's the Hummer of handguns.

I take that as it being nothing more than a ego booster used by ppl to make it appear they have excess and disposable monies so they buy toys which will never be utilized in the manner of which they want to present.

gstewart44 · « **Reply #17 on:** May 24, 2008, 03:58:22 PM »

NOMOSENDERO - I have only recovered two of the 300gr XTP's, both from hogs. They held together and expanded well, about .60". All others were pass throughs with significant exit holes. the only other 44 mag bullet I have hunted with is the old Winchester Black Talon 250 gr. I bought a bunch the night they announced they were D/C ing them. I shot a smallish fork horn buck at 17 yds with this load when I first started hunting with the revolver. The first round hit high in the near shoulder and clipped the spine and dropped him. A second shot from 10 feet and the base of the skull finished him .....but no exit wound on either. I recovered both bullets and they had expanded to about .75 " . I stopped using them for hunting after that because I feel they expand too fast for reliable penetration.

nomosendero · « **Reply #18 on:** May 25, 2008, 04:30:52 AM »

Quote from: gstewart44 on May 24, 2008, 03:58:22 PM

NOMOSENDERO - I have only recovered two of the 300gr XTP's, both from hogs. They held together and expanded well, about .60". All others were pass throughs with significant exit holes. the only other 44 mag bullet I have hunted with is the old Winchester Black Talon 250 gr. I bought a bunch the night they announced they were D/C ing them. I shot a smallish fork horn buck at 17 yds with this load when I first started hunting with the revolver. The first round hit high in the near shoulder and clipped the spine and dropped him. A second shot from 10 feet and the base of the skull finished him .....but no exit wound on either. I recovered both bullets and they had expanded to about .75 " . I stopped using them for hunting after that because I feel they expand too fast for reliable penetration.

Thanks!

Cottonwood · « **Reply #19 on:** June 15, 2008, 06:24:19 PM »

Had one once, and loved it really. But because of some things going on, I had to sell it off... wish I never did that of course. I like the longer cylinders for the heavier bullets in .44 Magnum as well.

If you get one, I don't think you will be sorry for it.

teddy12b · « **Reply #20 on:** June 16, 2008, 02:53:46 AM »

I ended up buying a used one over the internet with a 7 1/2 barrel. I think I was exceptionally lucky to have found it for $400. It shoots well and I really like it, but if I ever wanted a backpacking/hiking gun I'd trade it in for an alaskan 44. The super redhawk I have is a great gun for the range and field. I put the hogue tamer grips on it immediately and I just love it.

Cottonwood · « **Reply #21 on:** June 16, 2008, 03:25:57 AM »

Quote from: teddy12b on June 16, 2008, 02:53:46 AM

I ended up buying a used one over the internet with a 7 1/2 barrel. I think I was exceptionally lucky to have found it for $400. It shoots well and I really like it, but if I ever wanted a backpacking/hiking gun I'd trade it in for an alaskan 44. The super redhawk I have is a great gun for the range and field. I put the hogue tamer grips on it immediately and I just love it.

Teddy12b you done good, but don't get rid of your 7.5" barreled SRH, I regret doing that simply because there are applications that a much shorter .44 mag will not accomadate for. If it were me, I would just ad the .44 Magnum Super Redhawk Alaskan to my stable. I have another brand a "Taurus 44C 2" in 44 Magnum that carries very well and only serves as a CCW firearm, but it's not in SS, and it's not a Ruger either. Once I can, I will be replacing it with the Ruger Super Redhawk Alaskan 2.5" as I believe Ruger is just that last name in handguns that anyone needs.

Here is a great artical from John Taffin on the Ruger Redhawk and the Alaskan in .44 mag.

warrior1 · « **Reply #22 on:** June 18, 2008, 12:08:42 PM »

i love my srh ss 7 1/2" barrel topped with a 2x scope.with 23-24 grs of h110 and a 240 gr xtp great shooter and with 15-16 grs blue dot a 240 gr lswc also a very accurate load.

i lso have a redhawk 5.5" ss which i am happy with. in the very ne\ar future i want to experiment with some heavier cast bullets.
good shootin dan

Tom W. · « **Reply #23 on:** July 01, 2008, 10:08:20 AM »

I had two, a .480 and a .44 mag, and loved them both, but I traded the .480 after 6 years for a new rifle. Still have the .44...
Never did fire but one Factory load from the .480, and none from the .44

slabsides · « **Reply #24 on:** July 15, 2008, 05:26:26 AM »

Needs a tripod or at the very least a shoulder stock. I like tidy guns that carry easily in a hip holster. The SBH barely qualifies, the SRH not at all. Also, it's as ugly as a baboon's behind.

Tom W. · « **Reply #25 on:** July 15, 2008, 06:44:03 AM »

I never could tell how ugly it was looking through the scope or down the sights....

sasu · « **Reply #26 on:** July 15, 2008, 05:42:32 PM »

My 454 SRH has excessive 0.456" throats according to my measurements, and to support my measurements every bullet type I have drops right through the cylinder. I have read somewhere that Ruger might be doing this on purpose to keep down chamber pressures. This presents a challenge for archieving top accuracy since the bullet is not supported on its way to the forcing cone. A softish cast bullet in front of a stiff load of powder might obturate enough to fill the oversize throat, but my experiments are only just beginning. Accuracy so far has not been good enough for Silhouette competition, i.e. less than 1.5" groups at 25 yards, preferably 1.0". I get only 2"-3" groups at that distance, which is plenty enough for big game hunting. But I must repeat that I am just beginning to check out different loads, maybe I will find an accurate combination.