Snyd
.375 Atomic
The Last Frontier
Posts: 2,392
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Post by Snyd on Mar 3, 2017 17:48:35 GMT -5
I bought this 4" 45 Colt Redhawk back in 2009. Here it is the way it was born....  The barrel also reads Newport NH  I removed the "Read Instruction Manual"  Here's a pic of a 4" Redhawk from a Gunblast review in 2007. Notice it's marked Southport Conn and says Sturm Ruger and Co. rather than -Ruger-  I remembered reading somewhere along the line that Ruger then at some point decided to make it a 4.2" barrel to satisfy the Canadians. I guess a 4" barreled gun is more dangerous that 4.2. My gun is definitely 4" not 4.2.  Here it is in it's "Born Again" state as a 454.  I wonder when/why/where the differences? Does/did Ruger make 45 Colt Redhawks in 2 different places? Did they start in CT then move to NH? When did they go for 4" to 4.2" barrels? Why -Ruger- and "Sturm Ruger and Co" rollmarks? Just a couple more Ruger mysteries to contemplate on a cold winter day |
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Post by bradshaw on Mar 3, 2017 19:43:59 GMT -5
Snyd.... Ruger commenced manufacture of the Redhawk in Newport, New Hampshire. Memory is hazy on actual release of the original Redhawk .44 Magnum with 7-1/2-inch barrel. Smith & Wesson released the Model 629 late in 1980. S&W presented me one for winning the International Revolver Championship that fall. Roy Jinks said that the serrated "Combat Trigger” was one-of-100, possibly 200, and that the revolver would hit the street with a smooth Combat trigger. Despite all sorts of reported release dates, the Redhawk hit the street after the M-629.
It took a lot of time and work to get the Redhawk up and running. We were testing the .357 Maximum during this time, and the Redhawk had yet to reach assembly. Among a growing collection of parts, there were boxes of drop-forged barrels for the Redhawk in the rough, waiting to be machined, gun-drilled, reamed, and broach rifled. The rib and underlug are easily formed in drop forging dies, which saves a lot of tool time----as opposed to starting from bar stock.
My Redhawk with 5-1/2” barrel dates to 1982, which puts it in or close to the first batch. Newport also, as were all Redhawks. My trigger job with factory springs continues fine to this very day, blasting some thrown jugs of ice at 8-degrees fahrenheit two hours before writing these words. (The Redhawk DA stroke resets well against insulated deerskin gloves treated with a warm mixture of mineral oil & beeswax.) The single action probably breaks at the 3-1/4-pounds I adjusted it for 35 years ago, testament to good hardware and heat treatment.
The Super Redhawk costs less to make than a Redhawk, since it eliminates finishing of the grip frame and simplifies barrel making via round stock & hammer forging.
My guess on the more recent 4.2-inch barrel: to slip under Canada’s Orwellian way to outlaw thousands of handguns with 4-inch barrels.
“Southport, Connecticut” continued as a roll mark and corporate address long after production moved to Newport, New Hampshire (auto pistols going to Prescott, Arizona). Redhawks and Super Redhawks were never made in Connecticut.
David Bradshaw
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Post by bigmuddy on Mar 4, 2017 0:28:31 GMT -5
The only thing I will add is Ruger decided to drop Alex Sturm's name from the brand. If you look at the logo the "S" no longer appears either. I forget the actual year but around '09 sounds about right. Not a decision that would've been made had Bill Ruger still been alive and running "his" company I'm sure.
The GP-100's went to 4.2" barrels also.
Dan
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Post by bulasteve on Mar 4, 2017 12:03:44 GMT -5
Synd, love the pics of that gun. Just screams..business ! A very satisfying 50oz's or so to have on your hip I bet. Now if they made THAT in 480..I'm having a hard time warming up to the snubbier SRH Alaskan. Expect the F/O Dawson front sight here any day now for my M69, my gun for that niche.
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Post by rjm52 on Mar 4, 2017 22:52:00 GMT -5
Could not remember what was on my 2016 .41 Magnums, 4.2 and 2.5"... No markings on the sides of the barrel at all. On the bottom of the ejector rod housing are very light rollmarks which reads READ INSTRUCTIONS NEWPORT, NH.
On the right side of the frame under the cylinder window is RUGER REDHAWK followed by the Ruger trademark with no "S"...
Bob
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Post by wvjoetc on Mar 5, 2017 8:44:39 GMT -5
The barrel looks much better without the top line, good job.
Joe
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Post by simple45 on Mar 6, 2017 19:44:09 GMT -5
I bought this 4" 45 Colt Redhawk back in 2009. Here it is the way it was born.... The barrel also reads Newport NH I removed the "Read Instruction Manual" Here's a pic of a 4" Redhawk from a Gunblast review in 2007. Notice it's marked Southport Conn and says Sturm Ruger and Co. rather than -Ruger- I remembered reading somewhere along the line that Ruger then at some point decided to make it a 4.2" barrel to satisfy the Canadians. I guess a 4" barreled gun is more dangerous that 4.2. My gun is definitely 4" not 4.2. Here it is in it's "Born Again" state as a 454. I wonder when/why/where the differences? Does/did Ruger make 45 Colt Redhawks in 2 different places? Did they start in CT then move to NH? When did they go for 4" to 4.2" barrels? Why -Ruger- and "Sturm Ruger and Co" rollmarks? Just a couple more Ruger mysteries to contemplate on a cold winter day where did you find the .454 cylinder for your RedHawk and who did you have fit it to your RedHawk? I've got a 4.2 inch RedHawk id like to convert to .454 but haven't came across a .454 cylinder |
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Snyd
.375 Atomic
The Last Frontier
Posts: 2,392
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Post by Snyd on Mar 6, 2017 19:53:24 GMT -5
where did you find the .454 cylinder for your RedHawk and who did you have fit it to your RedHawk? I've got a 4.2 inch RedHawk id like to convert to .454 but haven't came across a .454 cylinder I came across a stainless SRH 454 for sale that a guy traded into and sold to me cheap. Guns was literally new. I swapped the cylinder myself. Headspace, BC gap, endshake was all in spec. Sold the SRH with 45 Colt cylinder and the ammo he threw in on the deal and came out 50bucks ahead. If it were going to cost any money to do it I'd not do it again. No need really. A 45 Colt Redhawk is a beast and will handle higher pressure loads than a blackhawk. But, the cool factor is kind if neat. If I was gonna transform a Redhawk to something bigger I think I'd have Bowen do a 500L. hmmmmm...... |
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Post by simple45 on Mar 6, 2017 20:02:23 GMT -5
where did you find the .454 cylinder for your RedHawk and who did you have fit it to your RedHawk? I've got a 4.2 inch RedHawk id like to convert to .454 but haven't came across a .454 cylinder I came across a stainless SRH 454 for sale that a guy traded into and sold to me cheap. Guns was literally new. I swapped the cylinder myself. Headspace, BC gap, endshake was all in spec. Sold the SRH with 45 Colt cylinder and the ammo he threw in on the deal and came out 50bucks ahead. If it were going to cost any money to do it I'd not do it again. No need really. A 45 Colt Redhawk is a beast and will handle higher pressure loads than a blackhawk. But, the cool factor is kind if neat. If I was gonna transform a Redhawk to something bigger I think I'd have Bowen do a 500L. hmmmmm...... or a .500 Jrh is what I've had In mind. I agree about the swap I really just like the un fluted .454 cylinder but I've got some 405 grain .45 colts that are more than enough for .45 caliber. a .500 Jrh RedHawk with unfluted cylinder would be the top big bore double action in my book |
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Post by bulasteve on Mar 7, 2017 9:51:37 GMT -5
One of the gourmet ammo loaders has a 405gr 45 Colt loading pretty much made/meant for this gun, pre-cylinder swap ! Synd, whats the heavyiest bullet you've tried in that 454 ?
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Snyd
.375 Atomic
The Last Frontier
Posts: 2,392
|
Post by Snyd on Mar 9, 2017 14:32:12 GMT -5
One of the gourmet ammo loaders has a 405gr 45 Colt loading pretty much made/meant for this gun, pre-cylinder swap ! Synd, whats the heavyiest bullet you've tried in that 454 ? I did some experimenting with an RCBS 405 FN boolit mould. It's a .458 boolit and depending on my alloy was 425-435gr. I sized them down and worked up a load at 1072fps shot great in the RH and 454 levergun but the nose is long, very small crimp groove after resizing. I could not keep them from jumping crimp and tying up the gun after 4 shots. I casted and loaded a bunch for the levergun and sold the mold. My go to load is a 355gr wfn at 1300. Heavier lead is for the 500L    |
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Post by bulasteve on Mar 10, 2017 9:16:11 GMT -5
Thank you.
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