Redhawk 357 update pics in post 12

I found a Redhawk 357, 7.5, shooter grade no box at a LGS with a buy it immediately price, so put it on layaway. For those who shoot one of these, what do you find accuracy to be, and what power level do you usually use? Is yours a range gun, hunting gun, or a safe queen. I assume recoil is no problem with it's weight. I know they are somewhat scarce, supposedly this one has been in the case for about a month, no one wanted it as it did not have the scope cuts of the hunter model.
I am looking for opinions on usage of this, and do you have optics or iron sights. I would go with a no drill such as a wiegand if mounting a scope. Pictures when it gets out of jail, and I get it on my permit.

I bought one a couple of years ago with box and all the papers and a 7.5 barrel for 475.00 at a local Cabelas. 6 days later I sold it to a LGS for $800.00!

I have one and it is a very very accurate revolver. 7.5 stainless with no scope cut outs. Zero recoil and just a riot for target shooting. Although it probably would be fine for small game and even deer, I use a larger caliber for whitetails in Michigan.

When I got the 357 Redhawk, I had also picked up a brand new 4.2 inch sp101 in 357. After sighting both of them in, I shot the Redhawk with all my remaining 100 rounds (158 grain factory loads) as something about it made it a more fun gun to shoot. 50 yard targets were easily hit every time.

Glad I own one!!!! You will be too!

Ron

I purchased my RH 357 about 8 months ago. 7.5" tube. Remarkably tight and crisp lock-up. It was born in Nov. 1984.

I use H-110 and Win 296 (same powder actually) with 158 grain projectiles. My loads are right out of Hogdgon website, and are nothing creative.

The pistol shoots more accurately that I can shoot it. Metal plates at 100 yards are fodder. At 100 yards with this pistol, 357 trajectory is substantially flat with my handloads. Recoil is a non-issue with this frame.

The only things I did to the revolver is to change to larger Pachmayr Presentation grips and pop out the front sight in favor of a hi-viz FO front sight.

I love this shooter, and I'm grateful for having bought it.

You are going to be well pleased, for sure.

Bayou

I would never counsel going over published maximum loads, but I can say based on my experience of loading for a .357 Redhawk many years ago that I would have no concern about the top load found in any legitimate manual. They are a hoot to shoot, and if your eyes are up to it with the iron sights high-end loads will handily do for whitetails to 100 yards.

Hi,
Excellent purchase you made there. The 357 Redhawks are quite scarce. Mine is a 5.5" I bought 4 or 5 years ago.

No scope on mine and I don't re-load or keep track of which ammo is most accurate.

However, mine has a very smooth trigger ..... my Redhawks seem to have perfect triggers right out of the box.

You're right that recoil (what recoil??) is not a problem even with the most powerful 357 ammo available.

I have a pair of them in 7.5", one converted to .357/44, both are incredibly accurate, which I largely attribute to the utter shootability of such large revolvers in such a light cartridge, more than anything really functional or dimensional. I regulated the throats, corrected the forcing cones, worked over the actions... Added T-grip to one, working on custom laminate ortho grip for the other, with a scope on top.

one converted to .357/44

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Any issues with setback?

Don't see these too often----so what is the going rate when they do come up for sale??? Is there a significant price difference between 5.5 and 7.5???

AJGUNNER said:

Don't see these too often----so what is the going rate when they do come up for sale??? Is there a significant price difference between 5.5 and 7.5???

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I've been following these on GB. Recently, several were listed in the $1200 range. One sold for $1200 on Nov. 13 - 7.5" tube. Some others didn't sell. During this year, several were sold in the $800-$900 range.

I see more 7.5 inch guns for sale than 5.5 inch. Seems to me the 5.5 inch may command a little more money. Think I paid $650 for mine in 98% condition with no box a few years ago. At that time it was an okay price. Regardless of the price, at that moment I had the money and you just almost never see them for sale.

Thanks for the replies, I am really interested in the 357/44 conversion, how does it shoot? Here are the pictures, as I said shooter condition, locks up tight, was really dirty, looked like lead shot through this, the topstrap was covered. It shows marks on the frame in front of the cylinder on both sides horizontally, I think from a scope mount, and some marks on the rear of the grip frame, which I think will polish out. It did not come with the original box, but came in an interesting box, 10595 in 30 carbine, I think it is for a late blackhawk in 30 carbine.

That is one fine revolver and built like an anvil! Enjoy!!

What exactly is the 357/44 conversion?

The ultimate launch platform for those hot 357 magnums.

Mus408 said:

What exactly is the 357/44 conversion?

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http://ps-2.kev009.com/ohlandl/310/357-44_Bain_Davis/Accurate_357_Bain-Davis.pdf
A 44 mag case necked down to 357 mag. To convert a 357 mag revolver to 357-44 Bain & Davis all that is needed is to rechamber the cylinder.

That sounds like a king sized .357 Sig! Yes I see by the info that bullet is moving really fast!

Sorry fellas, haven't been on in a while.

.357/44 Bain & Davis Magnum is a .44rem mag necked down to .357" bullets.

Bain & Davis gun shop out of California does the reaming, just send them the cylinder and crane assembly.

Set back/case thrust/jamming is a severe issue until you get your brass and chambers figured out. No case lube, no lube in chambers, gotta find your proper shoulder position on your sizing die, a bit of roughing in the chamber, proper headspace, a bit of fitting here and there.

If your set up isn't matched, you'll get case thrust jams even with light loads, making it nearly impossible to open the action or rotate the cylinder. And don't even think about cycling by cocking the hammer! So it does take some finessing to get it to run. Just like any bottleneck cartridge in a revolver. I've been shooting bottleneck revolvers for almost 20yrs now, so the tricks are old hat, but a lot of folks get immediately turned off when they lock up the first time. The bad news, of course, if you can't figure it out, Ruger doesn't service .357mag Redhawk's any more, so you're stuck with a custom cylinder, at high expense.

With my 7.5" Redhawk's, I get 180grn Speer HotCors 1800fps with ease, and have pushed them up over 2000. It's not too far from a .30-30, but in a 7.5" revolver, instead of a 20" carbine. I do have to swage the bullets to be able to use them. Hornady 158 and 180 XTP's give pressure signs long before the HotCor. In resizing and cutting back the round lead tip of the discontinued Hornady 180 SSP-SP, I was also able to get incredibly high velocities. Banging 8-10" steel at 300yrds is a joke with this cartridge.

Those are impressive velocities with the .357/44. It is beyond my abilities to think about converting my redhawk, I am a starting reloader, and would probably quickly find myself in over my head. Noting the lack of service for this I will keep it .357 mag, and handload to the hotter side. While I won't reach anything near what you can do, I think I will be happy, for now.

Not trying to convince you - as it DOES take a little know-how to get the rig running, but the .357/44 B&D Mag is a "new reloader's dream."

First: .44mag brass is readily available, and cheap
Second: it's a single pass neck down using the standard sizing die to form .357/44 brass. Quality Cartridge also produces factory .357/44 brass
Third: the reloading is easy - just be sure to clean off any case lube before seating. The complicated part is largely about the revolver. Once you find your shoulder position to be tight to the hammer shoulder, everything else has to happen in the revolver.