Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Is a 7.5 inch Redhawk 44 too much barrel

Nah my brother had one and it felt great.

7.5 is where I am heading. Looking for a std Redhawk not the Super.

Context is important......

Yeah it is

I wouldn't tough another man's ANACONDA

I have had a 7 1/2" stainless Redhawk .44 magnum for 29 years. It sure isn't much of a belt gun, but it's fine in a shoulder holster. I put a Hogue grip on it years ago and that, and the gun's weight, makes it a real pussycat to shoot with heavy duty .44 magnum loads. My usual load with that revolver is a 300 grain XTP with a healthy dose of 2400. It's easy enough to hit stuff out at 100 yards plus a little bit that it makes a pretty handy substitute for a short-range rifle.

If I'm more concerned with carryability in a .44 magnum, my 629 Mountain Gun gets the nod.

My friend bought one of the first Redhawks Ruger sold in our part of NJ. I loved shooting that gun.

I don't see what "big hands" has to do with the barrel size. The rest of the gun is all exactly the same regardless of barrel size.

If 2 inches of barrel makes that big a difference to people may be THE GUN is not for you. If you NEED shooting sticks to shoot it, it is for sure not for you. It is a HAND GUN not an artillery emplacement.

No one "NEEDS" anything else to shoot.

Maybe you "need" a big bore to know what you are talking about.

Sorry to hear you missed out. It would've been a good one.

Yeah, this is the second time I have been misinformed by a counter clerk at this store where 44 mags do not last long. That said it is still my favorite store. I will buy one within a few days just may not be NIB.

The .44 Magnum has a relatively high expansion ratio so small decreases in barrel length aren't going to affect muzzle velocity as much as, say, a .357 Magnum which benefits more from longer barrels. So any velocity consideration between the 7.5" or 5.5" barrels is splitting a fine hair.

Both are over 3 pounds, the 5.5 just over and the 7.5 adds another five ounces so neither one is a "packin' gun" kind of gun. That extra 2" of barrel out front does reduce recoil but again, with full power loads in a .44 Magnum both fall into the "it's really gonna kick" category. The extra 2" also adds more sight radius but it sounds like you anticipate shooting at ranges and at targets that don't require that last nth degree of precision.

My personal choice would be a 5.5" just for the slightly reduced weight and the fact that for the purposes indicated you're not handicapping yourself ballistically. If'n it was a dedicated hunting handgun where 100 yard shots might be reasonably expected I'd get the 7.5". Also, this is purely aesthetic but I've had a couple examples of each barrel length over the years and to my mind that 5.5" Redhawk is one of the most balanced looking revolvers out there.

Basically, pay your money and take your pick since either one will fill the bill as well as the other for the purposes indicated.

I’ve had a 7.5” since right after they were introduced and have killed tin cans, rocks, and a couple of whitetail deer with mine. In the interim, I have had several 5.5” RedHawks and currently have the best of the lot, two 4” models in addition to the aforementioned 7.5”. If I’m gonna hunt exclusively with a handgun, it’ll be with the 7.5” due to the longer sight radius and my ability to hit my target at a little longer distance. I carry it in an old “Roy’s” Hidden Thunder shoulder holster with no problems. All other uses of a Redhawk are accomplished with one of the 4” models. All have had an action job and have very nice triggers. Despite what the Ruger haters say, a Redhawk is a great revolver to own and use. Get you one!

At 100 yards shooting 300 grain XTPs my 7.5" Redhawk is a tackdriver.

The first pic shows three shots, there are two on the left. It is simply an elongated hole.

I had a Biden moment what can I say.

Good information. Do you find the trigger better on the Redhawk vs the Super Redhawk?

Buy it. Great gun. I had a blued one with that length barrel and the Ruger ring setup ... wish I still did.

Tom

Believe me if I had the chance to get a 3rd Redhawk for a good deal I wouldn’t hesitate. Preferably in 45colt.
But a Kodiak 44mag would look good in my safe too. Looked at a couple in the past year but way out of my price range.