Ruger Redhawk 45LC

[qwiksting]

I recently acquired a Ruger Redhawk 45 Colt, 4.28 inch barrel. (not the 45LC/45acp) I have been doing some research for reloading. I have a Lee 255gr 452-255rf. The cast hardness on the Saeco scale has been 10. I believe that translates into the neighborhood of around 22 in BNH. I also have a few Hornady 225FTXs to experiment with. My question is ....Can this Ruger handle "Ruger only loads"? Should I just stick with typical 45LC loads, i.e. cowboy loads.

[06ackley]

That Redhawk can handle any Ruger only load that you can handle.I have the 7.5in barrel and have shot some pretty stout loads but recoil is unpleasant.

[qwiksting]

Thanks for the reply06, I really wanted to get out in the shop and start up a load, chrony it/accuracy, and work from there.

[clintsfolly]

RedHawks are way tougher then most that shoot them.

[chuckbuster]

I'll go ahead and stir the pot
Are "Ruger Only" loads really needed?....

[44MAG#1]

"I'll go ahead and stir the pot
Are "Ruger Only" loads really needed?...."

Ill give you this answer. If we all only bought or used only "what we NEEDED" most of us would be better off financially.
It is based on what we want and not necessarily what we need as I am sure you well know.
So, with that being said, what is wrong with "Ruger Only" loads.

[DougGuy]

chuckbuster, I can more than promise you should you carry a .45 Colt for woods defense and you come upon one of the larger more fearful critters on our continent, depending on the size of the bear you may come across, you will IMMEDIATELY if not SOONER wish you had a cylinder or a lever gun or maybe one or two of each full of Ruger Only loads!

Yes there are certain things that need Ruger Only loads. Bear, wounded hog, come quickly to mind.

[clintsfolly]

99.9% of the time Chuckbuster is right! But it fun to shoot some blaster smasher loads now and the! The best of both world mild to wild. Besides more people die from worrying about bear attacks then die from bear attacks!

[bedbugbilly]

When speaking of "wanting" and "needing" . . . that particular pistol is one that I would in no way "need" . . . but it is one that I surely would like to have. I think they are "awesome"!

[DougGuy]

Well there must be need for Ruger Only loads, .45 Colt wasn't "Ruger Enough" so they made the .480! Now, like bedbugbilly, there is nothing in my whole scope of imagination that would need that much gun, but I think it would be fun to reload for, and I'd probably really like it about the first 10 rounds and never shoot it again.

[clintsfolly]

DougGuy get your Redhawk and shoot your 10-12 rds then pm me with a good deal on a good used 45colt 4" Redhawk!

[44MAG#1]

Garrett has some ammo for the Redhawk with a 405 gr bullet. From a 7.5 inch it is listed at 1250 FPS at less than 45,000 PSI. With a 4.2 inch velocity listed at 1170 FPS.
It is great to have a gun that can almost do it all isn't it?

[41mag]

There is a wealth of information on the following couple of links which will serve you well to study up on, especially the first one here, John Linebaugh's Custom Sixguns
(http://www.customsixguns.com/writings.htm)
Read the write up on Dissolving the Myth very slowly and thoroughly and you will find you might not really need those "Ruger Only" load for the majority of your ammo.

Also you might be able to work up some great loads with the data presented here in PDF by Brian Pearce in Rifle Magazine, RCBS 45 270 SAA (https://www.riflemagazine.com/magazine/PDF/HL%20246partial.pdf)

I started out with the standard type loads with the exact Lee mold your using. I found that around 8-10grs of Unique not only shot very accurate, but also penetrated far beyond what I ever thought it would. I also found that you do not have to use anything super hard for most of the loads you will find are the best shooting, even on the upper end of the spectrum I am still only using around a 10-12BHN alloy for 90% of the loads I shoot out of my 7.5" Redhawk.

I will also add that the 45 270 SAA bullet is an awesome performer and to be honest, between it and the Lee 452255 RF you have about as good as it gets if you want to stick with as few molds as possible, but even with just the Lee your still in great shape. I also think Mihec just finished up, or is finishing up, on a small GB run of the 45-270 molds if your interested in one.

I also have added in one of Mihec's 454640 design and simply love it as well. If you have the funds to apply to one of those molds or his version of the 45 270 SAA you should jump at the chance and get all of the pins offered. You will then, even if it is only one of the two, be able to cast up a variety of great boolits for different uses or purposes.

Your Redhawk will, as mentioned handle anything listed on the Tier III load table. Is it necessary, only you can be the judge of that. However if you pay close attention to the writings listed above by John Linebaugh, you will probably find, as I did, there really isn't a need other than if you are traveling around areas where you might encounter a bear.

[Mk42gunner]

I'll be honest, I shoot a heck of a lot more .32 H&R/.32S&W Longs than I do .45 Colt's these days, but I sure do miss my old 5½" .44 Mag Redhawk.

Most of my varmints around here are possums raiding the cat food, very occasionally a coyote comes by in daylight; so I really don't need any of the Ruger level loads. They are fun once in a while though.

Robert

[qwiksting]

To be honest with you, I have only loaded the Hornady 255gr FTX to Ruger only, about a dozen. To me, and it just may be me, but being that this ruger has a 4 inch barrel, I wasn't getting the velocity listed. Because why?? It is a 4 inch barrel and it had some unburnt powder in Barrel. Which brings me to my next question. The loads I used were listed for a 7.25 inch barrel, of course by the time the bullet leaves the barrel, all the powder should be burned, and max pressure realized. I am short changing my loads with a 4 inch barrel. Is there a mathmetical equation to reduce this load or any load that is listed for a longer barrel to realize the potential fully?

Actually most are correct, its fun to shoot some once in a while, but I prefer lead (my lastes batch was around 14 bnh) and if I can achieve 900 to 1000 fps with no powder left unburnt and a half way clean load...im good and satisfied. Thank you all for your input.

[warf73]

I'll go ahead and stir the pot
Are "Ruger Only" loads really needed?....

I would say NO 99% of the time, but that being said my largest badest meanest hand gun was a 44mag. The 44mag has killed everything that walks on 4 legs in North America and a few 2 legged critters. But I wanted didn't need a 480 Ruger but the want got the nod and I've not shot the 44mag since. I don't shoot top end load in the 480 but do shoot a 385gr .477" dai. boolit with a smile on my face.
Will a deer or bear for that matter know the difference being shot with a 44mag over the 480 probly not. No matter if you use Ruger Only loads or a standard load if you miss or make a bad shot it's not a good thing. If you or I can't practice with what we are going to us afield, then that load is useless in my eyes.

[DougGuy]

qwiksting, through all of this posting and postulating, keep one thing in mind. DO NOT download H110/W296 for your midrange loads.

This slow burning powder likes a high case density, and heavy boolits are where it shines. I used 2400 and LilGun to get into the 1000 ~ 1200fps pocket with a short barrel. I also use the Lee C452-300-RF which run right at 320gr lubed and checked.

There is also the fact that you need spin to stabilize the .45 Colt, you can use it for midrange loads but groups will open considerably without enough spin on the boolit.

Lighter boolits can use faster powder. Light for .45 Colt would be 225gr. Standard is of course 255gr, heavy for caliber is 300gr to 350gr. Heavier than about 340gr especially in a short barrel you fall beyond the point of diminishing return.

H110 and W296 are the SAME powder, made in the same plant, sold to two different vendors hence the different labeling.

[rintinglen]

The main reason that I am opposed to "over-loads", whether 38-44's, "major" 38 supers, Ruger only loads, or what have you, is the possibility of the hot load getting into a gun that can't handle it after I am not here to supervise it. I load my magnum loads in Magnum brass, my special loads in special brass, and strive to keep them separate, so that some poor sole doesn't buy a box of my junk after I am deceased and end up missing a finger or worse.

[qwiksting]

Very good point rintin. Also thank you doug for the heavy/light boolit versus slow fast powder. I will more than likely stick with either 255 pb or 230 pb. I will load 225 hornady ftx (about 100). But mostly lead using power pistol,hp38 or lil gun. Trying to see where me and my 45lc can meet in the middle. Do you guys roll crimp lead?

[chuckbuster]

I guess I was successful in stirring the pot, good discussion here. And anyone that knows me realizes the question was "tongue in cheek". The guys in morning Chat know me as .41&.480Addict...
Had .45 Colt Blackhawks, burned a lot more 4227 and H110 than Unique. Would still have them except decided to simplify by reducing number of cartridges in inventory. Pretty Hardcore on the .41 Mag, just about as bad with the .480 so the .45 "lost out". Just don't want anyone accusing me of being a heretic :)
Life begins at .41
Kevin

[Gunnut 45/454]

Started my big bore revolver life with 45LC BH 5.5" moved up to 454 Casull SRH 7.5" and shot a lot of wrist breaker, ear splitters. Came full circle back to 45LC RH 4.2". My go too load now is my cast Lee 300gr WFN over 15.8 gr of 2400. Stout but pleasant to shoot all day long and will stomp just about anything I need to shoot.

OP
A RH will take any load you want to punish yourself with. Put that Lee 255gr over 23.5 gr of H110 for about 1400 fps and I guarantee you'll have all the fun you'd want from that RH. And nice stinging palms!:bigsmyl2: Been there done that with my 45 LC BH!

[Markbo]

Heavy for caliber loads at moderate velocities (less than 1100fps) are capable of going clean through almost any animal in NA. Ruger only loads are not needed for deer, hogs, black bears, etc. They are fun to shoot, but not needed.