.44s

[wilecoyote]

apples & oranges, I know, but my question arises from the fact that our laws allow me a limited number of handguns, so I have to weigh each purchase so as not to exceed the limit and/or preclude other purchases_
I have the possibility to buy now a .44 8,3/8" Super Redhawk.
I usually use with reasonable care 8,3/8" S&W 29-2 and 10'5 Silhouette_
I cast and hand load, not as hunter but only as enthusiast plinker.
I've never used/tried a Ruger.
I ask those who use or have used both 29s and SRH if the possible new purchase could make sense or could be a disappointment, or else_
thanks to all !

[Dom]

As one who has both , S&W 629 44mag, 4" Bbl , & a Ruger Redhawk 7 1/2" Bbl. Both are excellent & accurate revolvers. The Ruger is a heavier duty revolver if you are going to use heavy , max loads on a regular basis. If moderate loads are the main loads you will be shooting on a regular basis, either revolver will give excellent service & accuracy. Being that the Ruger is heavier , even light to moderate loads will be more pleasant to shoot ..

[HWooldridge]

A Super Redhawk is a BIG revolver. A friend of mine has one and I’ve shot it many times.

I currently have a model 29 with 6-1/2” barrel and once owned both 4” and 8-3/8” versions.

My opinion only but I believe the Smiths carry better and the Ruger is a little easier on the hands. Of course, full power 44 mag loads are tough to control in any gun, so it might be a tossup. Personally, I prefer the S&W but I would be happy with the Ruger if it came my way for a good price.

[rintinglen]

For me, the Super Redhawk is too much of a good thing. 54-58 ounces, depending on barrel length is just more than I care to try to manipulate. I prefer the trigger on the S&W, though I understand that the Ruger is capable of considerable improvement. I sold mine without regret, but still have a 7 1/2 Redhawk and a 6" 629. I sold my 8 3/8's Smith 29-2 simply because I shot the 629 a bit better and I could use the 1300 bucks.

[MT Gianni]

It depends on use. The Ruger will work well if you shoot it at the range and hunt from a stand. I didn't care for packing a 5 1/2" Redhawk which is much lighter than a Super RH.

[RichardB]

I find the lock time on the Ruger to be far longer than the S&W. Takes extra concentration on hold and follow thru for me. If I lose that a bit, the Ruger definitely throws the shots farther afield than the Smith

[Iwsbull]

I believe the Super Redhawk is one of the finest off the shelf hunting revolvers there is. It is optics ready and the trigger can be worked to a decent level and a stronger hammer spring cuts down lock time also they are very accurate in general. They are also probably the strongest double action out there so they are a bit more forgiving of enthusiast reloading endeavors. The Houge tamer grips are also a nice aid for said loads.

[wilecoyote]

...as a vintage S&W only aficionado, I am reading your comments with all my greatest interest...

[megasupermagnum]

I'm a big Ruger fan, but I'm not sure why you would add a third big 44 mag when you are so limited. Why not a 454 Casull Super Redhawk? Or if smaller, that GP100 5" blued in 327 Federal is the cats meow. My favorite handgun for sure.

[Sasquatch-1]

I have a Redhawk with 7.5" barrel, a S&W 629 6.5" barrel, a S&W 29 with 6.5" barrel and recently sold a Super Redhawk with a 9.5" barrel. The Rugers weigh a lot more than the S&W's. I personally think the Ruger will stand up to a lot more abuse than the S&W's and is just as accurate. If I were looking for another 44, I would not hesitate to get another Ruger.

[contender1]

I too have both a Model 29 S&W in 44 mag,, and a couple of Ruger Redhawks & a Super Redhawk in .44 mag. I also have discussed, at length with a few well known folks who used these guns for serious competition, and many who used them for hunting.

In short,, a lot of experience with both.

Many people will speak of the S&W & it's action feel, lock time, etc over a Ruger. Yes, they are different,, but they are (2) different designs. Lock time is often used as a point,, but VERY few people can tell an actual difference. A world champion revolver gentleman told me it's often the weight of the gun that affected the "difference" instead of the lock time. And lock time is more important to a serious speed shooter.
Then there is the long term use and heavy loads. Silhouette shooters often have their S&W revolvers "tuned & re-worked" after a lot of use.
Rugers do not exhibit the same issues.
They are a heavier gun. You mentioned an 8-3/8" Ruger. Unless it's a special European version, Ruger factory didn't offer barrels in that length. They have 7-1/2" barrels here.
But Rugers are built to outlast a few generations of shooters. Designed to be tougher, withstand more use, and fewer issues in the mechanics of them. Yes,, the lock time is a little slower,, but a properly polished action can make a Ruger SWEET! Fewer internal parts in a Ruger,, makes them less prone to wear & breakage issues.
And as noted above,, you can go from "mild to wild" in your selection of loads in a Ruger.
Shootability,, both shoot very well. But the best advice I can offer here is to "Get a set of grips that fit YOUR hand." If rubber works,, go for it. Custom wood is also very desirable. And accuracy is good in both guns.

The Super Redhawk came about due to a very few Redhawks that had the barrel separate from the frame long ago. I know,, because my first Redhawk in .44 Mag was also the first one Ruger received with the barrel broken off of it. It was a very confusing issue,, and the Ruger engineers THOUGHT the problem was a "weak point" where the barrel screwed to the frame, combined with the pressures. So, they developed the Super Redhawk. It turned out that was NOT the problem, and it was a combination of barrel lube, left to dry for an extended period of time, combined with hard torquing during assy. But by the time they discovered the "why" they had already introduced the Super with the extended frame portion.

It comes down to what YOU want out of it. But in MY very HUMBLE opinion,, if I got down to having to choose one over the other to keep,, I'd keep my Ruger. Even though my S&W is a nice one. (Model 29-2.)

[murf205]

Attachment 313742Attachment 313743Attachment 313744

I have to give the Super Red Hawk a vote and this is coming from a dedicated Smith&Wesson addict. My 9 1/2" SRH has a scope as you can see but never the less, it is the most accurate hand gun I've ever owned and I can attribute part of that because of the weight. It is one big dude! But it can handle the heavy loads that us 44 guys sometimes want to put through our guns just for fun. As a target shooter, the weight should not bother you but if you ever decide to hunt with it there are a number of carry options that will not break your back. I have owned 2 Red Hawks and this SRH and they all have been tack drivers. Apologies to members here who, I'm sure, are tired of looking at my ugly duckling SRH but it just keeps delivering superb accuracy time after time with any boolit.
My Smith and Wesson experience includes a 4" 629, 2-6 1/2" 29-2's, 8 3/8" 29-2, 4" 29-2 and a ported 6" 629. All but the last one are good guns and accurate to boot but I don't stress the older guns with top loads. My favorite load is 16.6 grs of 2400 and a 429421 Lyman boolit that every 44 I've ever owned showed a preference for. As a plus, you can load 2400 down without fear and also can use std primers. Good luck and keep us posted on what you decide. Murf

[Frank V]

wilecoyote, let me suggest another option, have you looked at the Ruger Super Blackhawk? They are a single action .44 mag. with an unfluted cylinder & 7-1/2” bbl. They are more the size of the Redhawk, & are very durable and accurate. A single action might be unique enough to warrant a purchase with your restrictions.
Let us know what you decide.

[wilecoyote]

They are a heavier gun. You mentioned an 8-3/8" Ruger. Unless it's a special European version, Ruger factory didn't offer barrels in that length. They have 7-1/2" barrels here.

thanks for remark:
here you see the barrel length I'm referring to.
the measurements of the barrel are those communicated by the seller, and may be inaccurate.Attachment 313756

[murf205]

That's the one. Buy it if they don't want an arm and a leg. Mine chrono's 1400 fps with 300 gr Lee GC boolits and it is scary accurate with that combo. Another advantage of that long barrel is that velocities are higher without straining. My 4" 629 does around 1050 fps with the above 16.6gr load and the SRH does 1225 fps with the same load.

[wilecoyote]

I'm a big Ruger fan, but I'm not sure why you would add a third big 44 mag when you are so limited. Why not a 454 Casull Super Redhawk? Or if smaller, that GP100 5" blued in 327 Federal is the cats meow. My favorite handgun for sure.

...I have tried and found calibers such as .454, .460 and .500 unnecessarily annoying and concussive for my amateur use.
in reality I simply believe that I have an inexplicable predilection for .44 magnums from 6.1/2" up, and the flexibility of the .44 in reloading has led me to accumulate dies, molds, etc. not even remotely comparable to what I have for other handgun calibers.
about the SRH, my interest arises from the possibility of having a strong platform for .44 without punishing other not-so-heavy-duty handguns_
(goin' smaller, my .357s allow me a reasonable playground, without exceeding the known limits of my vintage S&Ws).

[wilecoyote]

That's the one. Buy it if they don't want an arm and a leg. Mine chrono's 1400 fps with 300 gr Lee GC boolits and it is scary accurate with that combo.

...not rare/unusual as your never-seen-here Black Beauty, but I will heed the advice

[wilecoyote]

wilecoyote, let me suggest another option, have you looked at the Ruger Super Blackhawk? They are a single action .44 mag. with an unfluted cylinder & 7-1/2” bbl. They are more the size of the Redhawk, & are very durable and accurate. A single action might be unique enough to warrant a purchase with your restrictions.
Let us know what you decide.

Sure it's an option, although I've never owned a single action.
makes me think that the handle becomes problematic with heavy loads, due to the rotation of the gun under recoil, but I admit that I have never tried it...

[murf205]

Mine is stainless and I sprayed it with Lauer brand coating and baked it in the oven at the recommended temp. I hunt in the southeast and the forest is very thick and the ranges are close, as in 20-30 yds at most. Bright finished guns are a handicap.

[contender1]

Ok, thanks for the picture wilecoyote. Looks to be the 9-1/2" version.
And, as noted,, they do seem to be a very accurate gun to many.

The fact you have limited choices in Italy,, I doubt you could "try before you buy" a Super Blackhawk. And,, unless you get someone to properly teach you HOW to handle a single-action handgun, you might very well dislike the grip frame under recoil with a Super Blackhawk. (Many over here complain about them too!)

So,, if the price is fair to you, and you want one of the toughest, most rugged, yet accurate .44 Mag double-action handgun built,, buy it.