Author Topic: New vs old redhawk (Read 1825 times)

HouseofCash · « **on:** April 04, 2005, 04:47:14 AM »

Well, back in 1993-1995 my dads buddy had a long bll redhawk. It had a scope and was used for deer. It was in .44 MAG. To this day my dad loves that gun and still is wanting one pretty bad. I think he might be ready to buy soon.

I was wondering if the ones from 1993 are the same as the ones today? Do they look/shot diff. ? Are they a better gun now? Also, would it be worth the time to find a 1993, or just go new, seeing that a 1993 would be pretty used.

Any help would be awesome.
Thanks.
Dave.

Kodiak · « **Reply #1 on:** April 04, 2005, 05:08:41 AM »

HoC,

Back in the early '90s I also had a 7.5" Redhawk .44 Mag. with the rings, and a 5.5" .44 Mag. They were nice guns. The only thing I did was to change-out the front-sight insert to a brighter red one. They were real shooters.

Recently, I found a Redhawk, NIB .45 Colt, 7.5". No comparision quality-wise to my older guns. I had to ream-out the cyl. throats before it would accept a .452 dia. bullet. Then while firing heavy loads, I found I couldn't eject the empties, as there were manufacturing ridges in each cyl. hole causing each case to resist ejection. After two trips to my local g'smith, I "might" have it lined-out. It does group light and heavy loads very accurately, so the barrel appears to be fine. Good luck in your search,

Jim n Iowa · « **Reply #2 on:** April 04, 2005, 12:50:37 PM »

I have 2 Redhawks they are +3yro. A 7.5" Scope model, and a 5.5", both are ss and both in 44mag. I had to change out the front sights on both to a bright orange (brownells). I had a wolff spring kit installed on the 5.5" really helped the double action. The 7.5" trigger seems fine. The must have done is to replace the grips. All Rugers grips are to small for me. Pachmayr decelerator grips is what I use. I have never had any problems with these guns. They will handle stout loads more comfortably (to me) than my SBH 7.5" equipped the same.
Jim

jro45 · « **Reply #3 on:** November 30, 2005, 07:09:09 AM »

I have one Redhawk 5.5" barrel and that gun can shoot the heavy loads no problem. The FPS I get is 1430 using H110. My new model Blackhawk shoots the LC45. It has a 7.5" barrel. It can handle the heavy loads also.
Good luck in finding the Redhawk you want.

papajohn428 · « **Reply #4 on:** December 11, 2005, 08:53:08 AM »

I bought a 41 Redhawk 7.5" shortly after they were introduced in the early 80's, and with a 2X scope in Ruger rings, it would shoot one-holers all day, as long as I held it steady. The barrel looked like a mile of bad road early on, but smoothed up rather nicely, and it shot well from the start, even though it looked incredibly rough. I replaced the sights with the Gold Bead front/V-notch rear, and it shot almost as well. I still prefer those sights to the stock set. In fact, I picked up a 5.5" 44 Mag a year ago, that has the same sights on it. It's a newer gun, but I can't see any difference in quality in the two guns made about twenty years apart. Both shoot better than I do!

PJ

RicMic · « **Reply #5 on:** December 21, 2005, 02:58:46 PM »

Is there a website to find the year a Redhawk was made?

RicMic · « **Reply #6 on:** December 21, 2005, 03:01:07 PM »

oops!

LJ Barrero · « **Reply #7 on:** December 27, 2005, 02:47:47 PM »

I've just treated my wife with a nice diamond ring and earings for our 25th aniversary a couple of days before Christmas Eve. To my supprize, before she knew about her present, she ask me to accompany her to pick my present.

I am still shocked! :eek: She gave me a 20 GA Benelli Montefeltro and in addition to that (she saw me drulling about a Redhawk in 45 LC that the store had as a used gun) she got me the Ruger RH as well

. I feel that now I am trapped for at least another 25 years :-D

I love my wife.

LJB

gwindrider1 · « **Reply #8 on:** March 22, 2006, 02:57:50 AM »

LJ,

Does she have a sister?

Tom C. · « **Reply #9 on:** March 25, 2006, 10:36:03 AM »

I have a .44 Redhawk that dates from the early 80's. It was well made with smooth chambers, but typical of the forged barrel Rugers, the barrel was a little rough. It has smoothed up nicely and shoots well. I have played with springs and have a pretty good compromise for weight of trigger pull and reliablility of ignition.
I have a 5 1/2" .45 Colt Redhawk that is just a few years old. The barrel was also a little rough, but the chambers were smooth. I did open the throats to .4525". I also put in a new pawl to tighten things up a little. It is very accurate. I also played with springs to get it the way I wanted.
I think there may be characteristics of old and new Redhawks that are much the same: rough barrels that shoot well anyway, and smooth up with use; trigger pulls that are too heavy, but can be corrected; better workmanship than the typical Blackhawk; chambers that are usually smooth, but not always. Did I miss anything?