Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Alaska Does anybody actually use a RUGER ALASKAN in ALASKA?

I want the .44 version of the RUGER ALASKAN SuperRedhawk.
Are these really used by hunters for sidearms, or is it mostly an advertising gimmick?

They make great fire starters.

Not so much as primary hunting tools, but more as SHTF or heavy kit-guns for hiking, fishing and hunting.

Sure would have been nice if they would have made those with another inch and a half out front; what a good general purpose utility weapon that would have been -44, 454, and 480.

Too heavy for my taste. Like Klikitarik said. Need more barrel.

For me the 629 Mountain is better with 300gr Hard cast.

The Ruger sure is rugged though. Not a poor choice.

No, but my wife's classmate was named Michael Hunt...

I have the 44 and the 454 however I much prefer Ruger's Alaskan with 4 inches of barrel as done by Hamilton Bowen, in 500 Linebaugh. But that's just me.

A 6" SRH can be a little awkward to use from inside a sleeping bag.

I'm sure there are more than a few being toted around for bear protection. Note that most people that pack a "bear gun" rarely put in sufficient practice at the range to master those guns, and of those that do go to the range only a small percentage could shoot well enough to do much good.

That said, I'd much rather they offered the Toklat in 480 Ruger, that would be a bear gun!

Too true. My sidearm is a .357 Python. How much practice does it take to stick a stub-gun in a bear's mouth? About the only use I see for the thing...

Other than chit-people, of course.

Last time I fired it a few years ago I put 3 into a 7" group rapid fire at 20 feet.

Figured that was good enough for people- bears I might want closer..

On the other hand, in my other residence, I don't worry about bears. Got me a 10 shot clip loaded Hi-Standard pistoly with .22 hollowpoints there. If needed, I'm going until it "clicks"....

This x10. If you aren't a regular pistol shooter then expect to only use it to fire a warning shot when the bear is a good ways away and then use it again for a contact shot to the CNS when he's already on you.

Watched a chap at our gun club shoot his brannie new snub nosed Ruger (I believe it was chambered for the .480 cartridge.) in preparation for an Alaskan bear hunt. His bear rifle was a Weatherby in .375 Weatherby. I couldn't figure out what he was going to do with that stub gun if the .3745 Weatherby didn't do the deed but it didn't matter. He fired three rounds, one, the first I believe, hit the target at 30 feet, the others missed. The following weekend the revolver, with ammo, was for sale in the club gun shop. I believe it has been bought and sold three or four times since. The same box of ammo is right next to it in the case.

My "bear protection gun" is a 12 gauge, 18 inch barreled, Italian made and gorgeous side-by-side with rifle sights and always loaded with two Brennekes that stay inside a three inch circle at 40 yards. *I might be wrong but it feels as though it weighs about the same as the Ruger.


Terry

A friend from Alaska carried one everyday when we were Caribou hunting. 454 Casull.

There are no flies on the Redhawk. In that configuration would make for an ok tent gun or a carry piece when fishing. As stated above, would be more to my liking in a 4 or 5 inch piece.

If I'm walking in I do not carry a hog leg. If I fly in or boat in a pistol always goes with...but not to be carried as a suppliment to my rifle-it stays in camp.

Have put 50 or so rounds through one of these and it shot fine. It was not difficult to hit an 8" gong at 50 yards, though a 5 1/2" Redhawk could do that at 100 regularly.

I suspect more 4 1/2 " to 5 1/2" pistols are used by Alaskans than their shorter brethren are. As to gimicks, I suggest all advertising qualifies, does it not?

Give me a 329pd any day. I like the Ruger, but they are heavy and the 329 has. 4" barrel.

I have both the 44 and 454 though I load that one with 45 Colt Buffalo Bore ammo. Both hold Hard casts. Good tent gun, hiking gun etc. Forget the name of the guy in Soldotna that killed the bear with his while walking his dog. Friend of mine used his while bear baiting. They shoot if you can. I've carried several guns over the years. The one I carried the most and longest was a 5-1/2" Super Blackhawk. It's not the gun it's the shooter and the bullet. I favor any gun you are actually going to carry. Wish I still had my 480 Alaskan. Sold it to buy a 475 Linbaugh/480 Ruger BFR.

I remember that one. I wish I had known. I have the big BFR as well as the SRH in a shortened, 5" form. Neither is exactly how I want the 480, a cartridge I do think had more merit that it ever got credit for.

my cousin got one in 454 Casull.... I suspect he is a big Dwayne Johnson fan. haha

those things were a hot ticket when that movie came out, some idiot fans were throwing down over $2k for an $800 gun

Greg Brush... a single shot and the bear skidded past him, very dead...

I thought Greg was using a 4" 500S&W

I prefer the Redhawk to the Super Redhawk. I have the Redhawk 4 inch 45 Colt. I keep it loaded with 300 grain cast bullets at 1100-1200 fps. Shootable and still hard hitting. I rarely carry it though when I have a rifle with me.

Mart