Ruger .44mag

pintailhomes · 03-22-2006, 06:41 AM

First one quick rant...Why is it so difficult for the major firearm manufacturers to make a straight ahead double action "blued" .44 mag revolver?

S&W came back with the model 29, but of course it has gold and collecter stuff on ityada yada. The Taurus Raging Bull leaves no doubt about what it is with huge letters down the barrell...takcy.

Ruger seems to have the only viable choice with the Redhawk 445.

It has a beefy feel to it and looks better than the rest, because looks are important, and of course that Ruger reliability and toughness. Does anyone have experience with this model and the 5 1/2" barrell. I primary just want to add a .44 mag to my collection and have for some time, it will be shot though and possibly used for some hunting.

DANTHEHUNTER · 03-22-2006, 09:41 AM

I have a Ruger super red hawk in a .44 mag with a eer leupold fix 4x
But it is a 7.5 in. barrel it is an awsome pistol. shoots well and good balance.

James B · 03-22-2006, 10:37 AM

The Ruger Blackhalw, Red Halk and the Dan Wessons are the best 44 Mags out there. If you use heavy loads and shoot them a lot, the S&W will shoot loose. I have seen it happen again and again. Many guys tried them for silhouette shooting but soon ended up shooting Dan Wessons and Rugers.

pintailhomes · 03-22-2006, 10:52 AM

I have a 686 S&W in .357, but I definately favor the Ruger in a .44 mag from my research.

The Super Redhawk with 7.5 barrel is a fine piece steel and is what I'm leaning toward.

Colonel · 03-22-2006, 11:54 AM

Ruger has introduced a 50th anniversary "old model" SA Super Blackhawk. I am on the list, and should be able to get it in May, or so.

Gerry

ChuckS · 03-22-2006, 02:48 PM

Quote:

ORIGINAL: pintailhomes

...The Super Redhawk with 7.5 barrel is a fine piece steel and is what I'm leaning toward.

My SRH is nothing but trouble...for the deer. LOL

Four bucks and one doe, in the last 10 years. The furtherest about 60yds and the closest about 15 feet.

Topped with a Burris 1.5x4 scope.

You won't regret it. But I always shoot mine SA. Maybe I should have opted for the Super Blackhawk. Colonel, how much $ for the anniversary edition?

ChuckS

DM · 03-22-2006, 04:23 PM

Quote:

If you use heavy loads and shoot them a lot, the S&W will shoot loose.

I shot sillhouettes for a number of years. I used S&W's, Rugers, and Dan Wessons. In the end i stayed with the Smiths.... Why? Because it was easiest to shoot, came out of the box closer to ready to shoot, and because i won more matches "by far" useing Smith M-29's.

What you said is true, but you have to shoot thousands and thousands of full power rounds through a Smith to get it shot loose, and it's doesn't take a rocket scientist to tighten it back up!

I had a Ruger fail on me once, and by the time i got the D.Wesson shootable, i could have "tightened" up a Smith several times! To this day, i haven't had a M-29 fail, and since 1975 i've tightened up two of them.

Make mine a S&W please!!!

Drilling Man

James B · 03-22-2006, 07:58 PM

I love them to shoot but many of the guys just wrecked them in one season of shooting. I have had several and use them for hunting but I am careful to keep hot loads away from them. I never could even create a problem with a Dan Wesson and they were ready to shoot from the box. I didn't use the Rugers much for silhouettes but have used them for hunting. My Favorite to carry and for short range shooting of medium game is the 5 inch S&W Classic but I only shoot Specials in it except for hunting. The Smiths are built better now than they were 15 years ago or so. I am not knocking them but they don't have the Strength of the Ruger or Dan Wessons.

biscuit jake · 03-22-2006, 07:59 PM

Now I am curious. What is this "tightening" thing that you do on the S&W Model 29. Some screws come loose after awhile?

DM · 03-22-2006, 08:22 PM

Quote:

Now I am curious. What is this "tightening" thing that you do on the S&W Model 29. Some screws come loose after awhile?

After many thousands of rounds of heavy loads they will start to go out of time. This means the cylinder won't quite come up to perfect alignment with the forceing cone of the bbl...

Trust me, they aren't "nearly" as fragile as james is implying. "If" they were, i'd have shot a dozen of them to junk long ago!! I have two M-29's that are dash 2 series,that i bought new. Do you know how many years old that makes them? Both are still tight and still shoot excelent!

Drilling Man