Ruger RedHawk or Super RedHawk .44 mag or .454 Casull

Thanks for all the feedback. I am still unsure but I am tending more towards the .44 magnum. That could change, still lots to learn.
 
Factory ammo costs;

.44-Magnum about $1 per shot. ($49.99 for a box of 50)

.454-Casull about $3 per shot. ($59.99 for a box of 20)
 
Dexter Morgan said:
Factory ammo costs;

.44-Magnum about $1 per shot. ($49.99 for a box of 50)

.454-Casull about $3 per shot. ($59.99 for a box of 20)
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True that 454 is more expensive (though 454 is around $40/20), but I don't know many folks who shoot magnum rounds exclusively in either cal and good luck finding 44 special. 45 colt is everywhere and reman ammo is common at $35/50. Not that i care either way. I have a few 44s and looking for a 454. The cost of ammo is less of a factor than getting the gun I want.
 
I had a quick look for .44 Special and didn't find it readily available, lots of .44 mag. There was lots of .45 Colt. However, I couldn't find .454 Casull either. Maybe I am not looking in the right places.
 
I like the SRH because it is still carry capable as opposed to the +70 oz revolvers which to me seem impractical.

I do carry for work so the revolver has to be a practical size. Even the SRH loaded plus 2 speedloaders is a lot of extra weight to be carrying along with all my other gear.

YMMV.
 
If you're going to shoot at an indoor range you may want to think about the concussion of the big magnums. Before I shoot my 44 I check with all the lanes as a courtesy and one RO likes to slip out into the waiting room. The wave seems to be felt less behind the gun than it is in adjacent lanes. Depending on the load the flash can be quite disconcerting as well.

454 and 460 with a comp and you may be shooting alone ;-)

Fun to shoot though and learning not to flinch is a challenge - 44 gets my vote although the 45 Colt is so "historical" that it's a nice one to have as well. Those cowboys of old knew a good thing when they saw it.

If you shoot shorter cartridges like 44 Special in the 44RM revolver, clean it often otherwise some powders will build up a ring in the chamber and the longer rounds won't chamber. Could be ugly if you took the gun hunting and tried to load it in the hinterland.
 
I can't say I understand what people are talking about when they say the .454 is brutal or no fun to shoot. I'm only of slightly larger than average size and I usually give up only because the ammo isn't exactly cheap.

I have shot both Hornady loads as well as various handloads which are sitting on max charges of H-110. I've even gone as far to think maybe the data I have been using is watered down..?

After running everything over a chronograph that theory was out the window. 300 grain XTP at a little over 1500fps from a 5" bbl is no joke.

I suppose the point of my rant here is that recoil is subjective. I expected it to be something that was hard to handle but that hasn't been the case at all.
 
I guess everyone's perception of recoil is subjective but I hate shooting full house .454 Casull in my 7.5" SRH. I only do it for training for ATC.

The last time I qualified I had to shoot 100 rounds so I brought .45 colt :)
 
geologist said:
I guess everyone's perception of recoil is subjective but I hate shooting full house .454 Casull in my 7.5" SRH. I only do it for training for ATC.

The last time I qualified I had to shoot 100 rounds so I brought .45 colt :)
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That is certainly the more common opinion. I would agree that the blast from giant magnum cartridges can definitely be very distracting as well. Even outside in the daylight I usually see the flash. My 240 grain XTP loads were pretty hard to capture since the flash would trick the sensors most of the time.
 
My only revolver right now is a shortened to 4.25" Ruger Super Redhawk in 454 Casull the work was performed by Gunner @ Armco in Prince George, BC.

I load and shoot from 200gr light 45 Colt cowboy action cast loads to 405gr WLNGC's @ 1330fps 454 Casull loads in it.

It is amazingly accurate and reliable I also installed a crimson trace laser grip onto it.

Most versatile all round handgun a guy can get only issue is the metal used in the 6 shot cylinders it will stretch a bit under FA top pressure loads this allows the brass to also stretch but unlike the cylinder metal that returns to original shape the brass doesn't resulting in a case that is stuck in the cylinder.

I load my top SRH loads until I get slightly sticky extraction I then back off 1/2gr results in powerful accurate loads every time.
 
Same as him /\

Gunner built Camp Cooks and Joe Dlask and Gunner built mine in a 4.5" barrel and created a buttery smooth trigger. The .454 Casull is the ultimate standard frame pistol cartridge in my opinion. Put it in a RSRH you have a well made decent sized revolver that you can practice with .45 Colt. The 45 Colt is no slouch loaded up as already mentioned. Last i checked I could buy cowboy action .45 loads for less then .38 special...not sure if that's the case for sure as I didn't spend alot of time looking into it but worth looking into for your decision...might make up your mind.

Also if you go .44 look into a S&W 629 Classic with 5" underlug barrel. There a very nice shooter.


If in doubt still....buy both.
 
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Runt said:
Same as him /\

Gunner built Camp Cooks and Joe Dlask and Gunner built mine in a 4.5" barrel and created a buttery smooth trigger. The .454 Casull is the ultimate standard frame pistol cartridge in my opinion. Put it in a RSRH you have a well made decent sized revolver that you can practice with .45 Colt. The 45 Colt is no slouch loaded up as already mentioned. Last i checked I could buy cowboy action .45 loads for less then .38 special...not sure if that's the case for sure as I didn't spend alot of time looking into it but worth looking into for your decision...might make up your mind.

Also if you go .44 look into a S&W 629 Classic with 5" underlug barrel. There a very nice shooter.


If in doubt still....buy both.
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I have shot many .44's and nothing is more accurate than my 629 Classic 5" that includes my SBH Bisley Hunter 7.5".
 
BCRider said:
VERY few folks I know of are OK with shooting much in the way of .454Casull. Unlike the X frame guns that take the big bore stuff the Super Redhawk is not all that heavy. So the kick really comes through.

On the other hand the .44Mag even at full pressure is not that bad out of a Super Redhawk. You KNOW you're shooting something but it's not a "wrist wrecker" like the Casull is.

On the third hand the others are correct and you can easily enough load down to a power level a bit under full and tune the recoil to your personal level of enjoyment. You can even tune them down to cowboy action pop gun loads if you want to introduce someone to the gun that you know will be recoil sensitive. So there's much to be said for whichever version you go for.

Now if you think that at some point you will want to get some other big bore revolver that shoots the same rounds then you might want to consider the .44Mag. Because the only other handgun around that can shoot full pop .454C rounds is the big X frame S&W 460.... which thanks to the weight would aid with taming the recoil.

Big bore dino, is it the Lil Gun that give you the good fireballs? My own favorite for big wings of flame is 2400. Followed by H110. It would be nice to know of another good powder for making a good flame show.
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I use Lil Gun more often than H110 to make 45 colt +P loads and stick a magnum primer in them. Those are stout loads on their own and have quite the flash. Get the 454c... lots of options for 45 colt along with 454 cas that you can play around with when you load (and you will start loading once you pay full price at a store for a few boxes of ammo)
 
There is one revolver that you might want to consider. I have a 4.2" Ruger Redhawk in 45 ACP/Colt. It is very economical and a soft shooter in 45ACP. But for sh#t and giggles, the Ruger can be loaded up very HOT.
 
454 Freedom arm premier 83. Great wood.. a pistol I wait a while to purchase , should have bought a nice hunting rig!!!
Anyhow...
No retreats, 454. With 300 gr. Boolits , is a great caliber at longer ranges..
Surprised rossi didnt make more lever guns in that caliber, would have been a great seller,
mines rough around the edges but gets the job done...

If everyone reloads.. bet they would have sold more
ammo is pricey, pushes people away from the more exotic rounds..
44 mag is no slouch, probably match anything the 454Casull will do
taking north American game within reason..
Both great fur punchers, one makes a bigger hole in the dirt.
Like them both..
Lil gun is the best.. fast..clean..
 
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