Thoughts on Redhawk in .45 Colt?

grobin, are you aware everyone on this thread is referring to revolvers while you seem to be referring to 1911 pistols.
Might be the source of the pointy questions.

rangerbob said:

I'm not aware of a 5.5" Redhawk in 45 caliber, although my owners manual list a 5.5 "barrel in the parts list. Bob!! 8)

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I have two 5.5" Redhawk 45's. Fantastic revolvers that can "do it all". Might not be cataloged anymore.

Dan

needsmostuff
I don't own any Ruger pistols or m1911s.

I do own 4 single action Rugers, one double action and a bunch of pistols. You can take a modern design revolver, place the hammer down on a loaded chamber and whack it with a hammer and nothing will happen- you didn't pull the trigger! Now you can shoot yourself, just like Glock owners do. Just get something in the trigger when you put the gun in the holster, lots of Glock owners have done this as the Glock has no safety except the trigger safety! It is equivalent carrying a revolver cocked with a round under the hammer-whether it's a DA or SA. Nothing dangerous here just don't pull the trigger!

It's not the same. You're conflating the drop safety of the transfer bar with trigger safeties.

The sears on striker fired pistols are not truly single action; they are slightly biased so that pulling the trigger must overcome some of the force of the striker spring before the striker is released. This is not the case with revolvers, were single action is just removing the trigger sear from blocking the hammer.

If you drop a modern revolver that is cocked, there is a good chance it will discharge. Try it a couple times with a primed case if you like.

Once again, we've seen that the most important safety is the one between your ears.

True the mechanism is different. With the Glock there is a block that keeps the striker from contacting the fireingpin. With the Ruigers the trigger moves a transfer bar into position so the hammer strikes it and it strikes the firing pin. The results are the same-the gun will not fire unless the trigger is pulled. You can test this yourself. Striker fired pistols may be SA, DA only or DA/SA.
I don't know what you mean by biased. If I have my SIG 938 with a load in the chamber it's cocked and ready to fire. Some pistols have a (IMHO) dangerous decocker that would require additional fiddling about.

A striker fired handgun is one that does not have a hammer, and instead uses a spring-loaded firing pin to pop the primer. They occupy a space somewhat between SA and DA: the firing pin is not quite fully cocked, and requires some force from the trigger to bring it to full cock and release it. This is what I'm calling bias: the system has a mechanical tendency resisting the release of the trigger.

True SA guns have very little if any tendency resisting the sear release; usually, it's all in the geometry of the contact and gunsmiths work very hard to have as little precise, positive contact as possible. It is not considered safe or wise to carry a gun in this way without some sort of external safety, as it takes very little error to have a serious accident.

I don't know if you carry your 938 with the safety off. I don't think it's good practice, and I believe many other here would agree with me. I mostly object to you giving this sort of advice in a public forum, where it could be read and followed by people apparently less expert than yourself. It certainly wouldn't be safe to carry this way if anything could end up near manipulating the trigger, as may happen out in the real world. Feel free to do whatever works for you; please avoid teaching others your interpretation of safe gun handling that flies in the face of hundreds of years of conventional wisdom and design.

We will just have to disagree! Your assertions counter Ruger, Sig, Glock, Colt, S&W, ... Published information. You don't seem to know how modern firearms function not the reason for transfer bars nor interrupters.

grobin said:

We will just have to disagree! Your assertions counter Ruger, Sig, Glock, Colt, S&W, ... Published information. You don't seem to know how modern firearms function not the reason for transfer bars nor interrupters.

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Grobin,
Regarding modern revolvers you are 100% correct in your assertions, strictly technically and mechanically.
In the context of safety and the human variable, (The practicum) "carrying" a revolver cocked in single action is ill-advised.

Well I pretty much have to agree. But there are 10s or 100s of thousands who do the equivalent with pistols. Certainly not perfect. With a proper holster and due diligence not horrid though. You must evaluate your situation-speed of access vice safety.

I hope I'm misinterpreting this but just in case I am misreading something I'll check.
Are you in fact saying it is perfectly safe to holster and carry a loaded and cocked single or double action revolver ?
As long as we get the right to disagree, if that is what you have been saying I WILL disagree ,,,strongly.
Personally I can't think of a more unsafe gun handling practice for you and every one else around you. On the same level as Russian roulette ,because it's just a matter of time until something goes wrong.
Seriously, you need to call Ruger and run that transfer bar theory by them.
The transfer bar was developed to keep the firing pin off the primer so 6 rounds could chambered ,,,,,, with the hammer down. Period.
It has not and never will be viewed a cocked gun safety but it might save you if a cocked gun is dropped.

needsmostuff said:

Bravo to you.
Having a set of dies is as good of reason as any to get a new handgun ,,,, and then a rifle to match of course.
But then again I have bought a revolver to fit some grips I had and having some orphan mags. has had me lookin at pistols I probably don't need.

Carry on Sir.

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Why thank you. It has certainly happened to me before, I had a small pile of .30 carbine magazines acquired at the beginning of the late great 1994 assault weapons ban, that years later turned into an Inland carbine, boxes of ammo that turned into pistols, the .45 auto-rim project to get my Dad's .455 Webley revolver running again that turned into an obsession, the list goes on. I'm glad it happens to others.

The suggestion of carrying a cocked single-action revolver (or ANY functional revolver) in a holster fully loaded is a prime example of an absolute fool absolutely begging for an accident to happen.

This is one of the most braindead ideas I've ever heard in decades of gun ownership.
Denis

I agree with DPris.
I have been shooting Ruger single actions x 25 years, 20 of those years in SASS competitions, and carrying a cocked loaded Ruger SA in a holster was not allowed at any shooting event I have EVER been to. Please keep this style of carry to yourself (and away from me!)

As for Ruger Redhawks in 45 colt, you might want to contact the dealer mentioned above to see if he has any 7 1/2 inch barreled ones left.

If grobin is walking around with a cocked Redhawk in a holster, I don't want to be within 2 miles of him.

That is the most insane thing I've ever heard on a revolver gun forum.

I'm going to agree with those here who suggest that carrying a cocked revolver, single OR double action, is a very bad idea. I have never heard anyone other than Grobin suggest that as a safe practice. And it's entirely unnecessary.
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I have a 7 1/2" RH .45 Colt. After Cylindersmith adjusted the throats it's a very accurate shooter with cast or jacketed.

I'm thinking that carrying a revolver cocked is an excellent way to turn yourself into a gelding.

I have to chime in here. Carrying a revolver cocked is a case where the safety between your ears has failed.

Fondled a 4" Red Hawk in .45 Colt just yesterday. I liked the feel of the Red Hawk but would prefer one in .357 Mag caliber.