Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns A Ruger RedHawk question

I have been a RedHawk fan ever since they were introduced in 1980, although it was 1981 before I actually saw one in my LGS. I have owned several over the years, some have come and gone for various reasons. Over those years, I have had RedHawks with the 7.5" barrel, the 5.5" barrel, and the 4.2" barrel. Ok, now my question...... What year was the blued model introduced? Also, what year were the models with 5.5" and 4.2" barrels introduced? I have not been able to find this information on Ruger's website. Maybe I just don't know where to look, but I'd appreciate any help from the guys here.

I do not know the answer, but I bet if you emailed that question to John Taffin, who writes for American Handgunner, he could answer it for you.

He is an encyclopedia of knowledge and a very nice guy in person.

MS

Thanks MS, I'll see if I can find that contact information.

I believe the blue and stainless were introduced about the same time. They were available in 5.5", 7.5" and 7.5" cut for Ruger rings. They were available in .44 Magnum and later .41 Magnum and .357 Magnum. Not sure when .45 Colt was first offered.

The 4.2" barrels were introduced I want to say about 6 years ago...just in .44 and later .45 Colt and .41 Magnum. Then there are the 2.5" guns...

I've had a 7.5 .44 Mag. with rings, 5.5" stainless .41 and now own a 4.2" and 2.5" .41s... The last deer I killed with a handgun was with the long barreled .44...

My favorite is the 4.2" .41...action is almost as good as my GP100...

Bob

There's a good chance I'll see John at the range tomorrow morning, I'll try to remember to ask him.


Not that he knows me from Adam, but he tests guns at Black's Creek range generally on Friday and Monday mornings at their "small silhouette range". He and his assistant are at one end of the line and I set up at the other end.

Jim, I would appreciate the information if you get to talk to Mr. Taffin. I have been unable to find a way to email him as Mackay suggested. I know that 1980 was the first year of manufacture and they were only available with 7.5" barrels. I bought the first 5.5" I saw in a gun shop in 1984, so that model was probably started in either 1983 or 1984, but not sure. No clue on the 4" model. All of mine have been and are stainless steel

Or you could go on the rugerforum.com and ask over there. I don't know that anyone will know all the answers at one time except a guy named Chet but there are some sharp people over there, that know a lot. Between a few I'll bet you get all the questions answered.

Or he could just give Ruger a call.... I've always been able to get good info from the CS people...

Yep just call Ruger, they'll be glad to help.

I wrote down your questions to ask but unfortunately Mr. Taffin wasn't at the range this morning.

I recall that the stainless version came out in '79 with the blued ones starting about 1983. I got my first one (blued) around '85. The 5 1/2 and 7 1/2 were the original barrel lengths with the 4.2 showing up sometime after 2000.

I have owned a number of Redhawks over the years and in my opinion nothing beats the early models in SS with 5.5 inch barrels

I agree wholeheartedly. That is the reason for my questions. I have a 7.5" which according to Ruger's serial number list, was made in 1984; a 5.5" shows to be made in 1995; and a 4.2" made in 2008. All three are stainless steel. I have interest in a collection of first year models if I can find out what year to look for, and if I can find them. Problem is that Ruger's list doesn't break down by barrel length or whether stainless or blued.

I sent an email to Ruger customer service regarding these questions. It'll be interesting to see if they answer.

That was quick! Too quick! I just got an email from Ruger Customer Service so here goes:

The stainless 7.5" Redhawk began shipping in 1980, the stainless and blued 5.5" began shipping along with blued 7.5" in 1997 and the stainless 4.2" model first shipped in 2006. Sorry, I didn't break my question down by caliber. I know that 5.5" RedHawks were made prior to 1997, cause I own one which according to the serial number, was made in 1995. I know that I am getting old, but I "know" that I owned my first 5.5" in the early eighties, '83 or '84. Can any of you confirm that I haven't totally lost my mind.

i am pretty sure the blued 41mag redhawk i have was made prior to 97, i will have to dig it out and check the serial number. it's a 5.5inch
i dug it out
box says catalog no RH-415-5 1/2"bbl-adjustible sights
it is a blued 41 magnum
501-30534 serial on net shows 1985
mine is 501-73xxx
501-78855 is 1986
so mine was built somewhere between 1985 and 1986.
Without checking i got it a long time ago off a guy in tennessee or kentucky.
has three different colors for the front sight inserts.
and probably some trigger spring change outs action work.
I know this, i have a bunch of smiths and it is a lot smoother than any of them
dug around in the box, i bought it in 2009, paid 600bucks for it at the time, came out of someplace called macon county tennessee,
town of lafayette.
I have only fired it a couple of times, too purty.
the bluing, action and so on, much different that the current runs of pistolas. Tighter than a drum

Last night I sent another email to Ruger CS, asking if someone there could have possibly looked at the numbers wrong since I was sure that I had owned a stainless 5.5" Redhawk in the eighties and currently have one that dates to 1995. I received their answer today:

"As stated on our website, the serial number chart shows the approximate first serial number shipped for the indicated year. This number should be used as a point of reference only. It is not necessarily the very first serial number shipped, but it can be used to determine the approximate year your Ruger firearm was shipped."

Duh....I can understand how a product might get packaged for shipment, but delayed for som reason hence showing a later shipping date, but an earlier shipping date? And by twelve to fifteen years? Or even two years? This all started as a simple search for information that is of small importance in the grand scheme of things. I have been a big Ruger fan since about 1969 and still am, but they are pizzing me off.

I also purchased a 5 1/2" blued Redhawk about the same time period as you.

Hi JWP. Thanks for your response. I don't understand that Ruger's records show a 1997 first ship date. I had my own FFL for several years, but gave it up about 15 or so years ago. I have found some of my old records that show that I purchased a 5.5" Redhawk in 1987, and I KNOW that I owned one prior to that. I have just been trying to pin down the years of introduction.

I have also posted this on the Ruger Forum at Cariboujack's suggestion, and surprisingly have gotten less information there than I have gotten here. I then called Ruger CS and was told to put my questions in the form of an email, which I did. I may try the Ruger Collectors Association if I can find a contact point. Thanks to everybody who has responded.

I have a SS 5.5" Redhawk in 44 Mag that I just acquired and the serial # dates it to 1983.

Hope this helps.