'm a bit stumped and have reasoned myself to an impasse in my mind. I need ( ok, want) a packable double action 45 colt capable of ruger level loads to pair with my Rossi 92 in 45 colt ( awesome truck, all purpose rifle, btw). I'm not a huge fan of the Ruger DA trigger, but finding a stainless Smith in 45 colt might be challenging. Though John Linebaugh states a Smith will tolerate Ruger loads, he says to use them sparingly. I know myself well enough to know that no revolver or load or I like will be shot "sparingly"... so I think I've nixed the Smith... Maybe...
A Redhawk in 45 colt with the Bowen extra length pin, a dressed hammer to allow for full impact seems like the ticket... but the last one (I'll call it the learning curve "Hawk) took me so long to get working I came to hate it. Once it worked I sold it at a substantial loss. This was a foolish act, but it was a 2 year trek to get it to pop primers... It will also take a Ruger night sight and a pair of presentation grips without much trouble. I'll assume the throats will need reamed to .4525 while at TK for moonclipping. The moonclips are for 45 colt, as I learned the hard way 45 acp accuracy is questionable at best in a long cylinder. My 625 can eat all the 45 acp I want or need to send down range.
( I actually thought about a Ranger conversion of a marlin to a 45 acp lever gun paired with the 625, instead of finding a 45 colt DA, but I simply could not use a 2K lever gun as a field/packing rifle)
My 454 7 1/2 inch is great as a dedicated hand held rifle, but is far to long to pack daily. It also has the worst DA trigger of all time. The cylinder binds at the outset, then breaks fee into a decent, but long pull. My 100 year old 1917 has a better trigger. I am sending the big SRH off to have the trigger fixed, but I'm concerned a Toklat model would have the same unshootable DA trigger. I have the same concern with a 454 Alaskan. I'm also not sure I would want a snubby. Elmer carried a 4 inch for good reason, it strikes the right balance of speed, power and accuracy for a packin pistol.
All of the above non sequitur rambling are to ask a simple question:
What would be the best 45 Colt Ruger level capable DA revolver ( all will need work, I know) A 45 Colt 4 inch Smith, A 45 Colt 4.2 inch Redhawk ( I think this is my Huckleberry), a 454 SRH Toklat, or a 454 Alaskan?
Jason