Ruger Redhawk .44 Magnum 4.2"

So I'm curious where you got these "facts" CeeZer? Was not the Smith & Wesson Model 29 not the grandaddy of our .44 Magnums? Seems strange that the cylinder would be shorter than the design of the cartridge it was built for :confused: I've read that a Smith, fed a full time diet of thousands of exceedingly heavy loads can loosen up eventually but name a revolver that won't under those circumstances? And my 629's trigger is just fine, thank you.

The Redhawk cylinder is longer. My Hornady manual lists the max OAL for the .44 Mag as 1.610" and I load out to 1.700" with the Keith 245gr SWC in my Redhawk to hit the crimping groove correctly. I think the Super Blackhawk also has a shorter cylinder and must be loaded to the book OAL.

The S&W lockwork is more delicate than the Ruger and the timing will go off fairly quickly if shot double action a lot. The heavy cylinder and bullets overwhelm the lockwork and beat it up quickly. The Ruger is built like a tank and will not have that issue regardless of how you load it or shoot it.

That said, the Ruger will never have as sweet a trigger as the S&W. The Ruger is OK and can be improved with a spring kit and tuning, but the S&W is just in a different league.

Mark
 
I think CeeZer is referring to custom loads using oversize and overweight bullets that end up sticking out further than the factory standards. I've been looking at .44Mag reload info and there's some really crazy loads that some of the guys have come up with using big heavy bullets that stick out further than the cartridge spec.

That is correct, I'd be getting this for Wilderness ATC and thus would like to get all the (safe to me - shooter) punch I can pack into it for unwanted bear encounters.

Here is cartridge that will fit in RedHawk but S&W:
http://www.grizzlycartridge.com/-strse-11/44-MAG-(long)-300/Detail.bok

and here is 'short' one that will fit in S&W:
http://www.grizzlycartridge.com/-strse-12/44-MAG-(short)-300/Detail.bok
 
Good info CeeZer :) So when I eventually get a RH 4.2" I can load it even hotter than the 629. But seriously, I'd simply buy a .454 Casull if I required more pop than a .44Mag delivers. Going the hot load route to me seems like trying to make a .300WinMag out of a .30-06 ;)
 
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