Redhawk vs GP100

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Why are RedHawks more expensive than GP100's? Is the action different? Are they that different? I have only one GP100, but have always wanted a Redhawk, and now that the 357 caliber is more common....hmmm....
 

hittman

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Don't know for certain but there's lots more materials needed to make a Redhawk!
 

charlesappel

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The actions are totally different. The Redhawk has an action similar to the old Security Six series of revolvers and it has a conventional grip frame. The GP100 is more like the Super Redhawk.
Why is the Redhawk more expensive? The GP100 could be less work to assemble. But that is just a guess.
 
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Thanks. I've not handled a Security Six revolver. Actually, I've never seen one in person. I don't go to gun shows.... But I didn't realize there is a difference, beyond the barrel, between a Redhawk and SuperRedhawk.

I can see how more material would increase the cost. I know stainless does cost more.
 

David Bradshaw

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Kevin said:
Thanks. I've not handled a Security Six revolver. Actually, I've never seen one in person. I don't go to gun shows.... But I didn't realize there is a difference, beyond the barrel, between a Redhawk and SuperRedhawk.

I can see how more material would increase the cost. I know stainless does cost more.

*****

Sturm, Ruger installed hammer forging machinery in the Newport, New Hampshire factory about the time the Redhawk entered production. The Redhawk barrel is a drop forging, outsourced as a raw forging, which Ruger then machined, gun drilled, reamed, and rifled via a broach pulled through the hole. The hammer forge forms a rifled barrel by beating a steel tube over a carbide mandrel. The hammer forge is fast and----providing the hole in the round stock is perfectly drilled & reamed to exacting dimensions----a fine barrel results. Hammer forging barrel machines are a major industrial expense, economical only for high production.

By using separate springs for hammer & trigger, the Super Redhawk addresses limitations of the Redhawk trigger pull. At the same time, the SRH uses a GRIP SPIKE arrangement to increase grip options, and at the same time eliminate polishing of the conventional grip frame. By extending the frame to include an ejector shroud in the investment casting, with dovetails for Ruger rings in the topstrap, the SRH is ready for a ROUND BARREL, made on Ruger's own hammer forge.

By my reckoning, the Super Redhawk costs less to make than a Redhawk.

Bill Ruger set out to hang his name on the strongest double actions ever made. Bulky as they are, they remain the most compact instruments for their strength. For a sideplate revolver to equal the strength of a Ruger DA, it must be larger.
David Bradshaw
 

Thel

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On cost. First, there is the engineering cost which must be spread out over the # of units made. GP's are far more plentiful than Redhawks so on a per unit basis the cost is less for the GP. Second, there is as noted material content which is higher in the Redhawk. Third, also as noted, there is the cost of the materials based upon method of manufacture. Fourth, there is assembly content. I suspect more assembly time is required on the Redhawk compared to the GP. Also, there is setup cost to run a batch which is relatively constant so the larger the batch the less cost per unit. Obviously, one could reduce per unit cost by creating a bigger batch but then this is offset with holding cost (investment in inventory) until sold. GP's sell far more units.
 
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charlesappel said:
The actions are totally different. The Redhawk has an action similar to the old Security Six series of revolvers and it has a conventional grip frame. The GP100 is more like the Super Redhawk.
Why is the Redhawk more expensive? The GP100 could be less work to assemble. But that is just a guess.

The Redhawk is totally different than the Security Six action, the grip frame is similar but the internal actions have nothing in common. The Security Six is closer to the GP-100 and Super Redhawk action, even though slightly different, these three use a hammer mainspring and a separate trigger return spring, while the standard Redhawk uses one spring for both jobs.

The Security Six and the Redhawk both use the older t piece grip panels with a full grip frame cast into the mainframe. While the GP-100 and Super Redhawk use a grip post for one piece grips.
 

charlesappel

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wildcatter said:
The Redhawk is totally different than the Security Six action, the action is actually closer to the Security Six, and is the same action the Super Redhawk uses. It even uses the same grip spike as the Super Redhawk and grips are totally interchangeable.
I find the above confusing.
Are you saying the Redhawk and Super Redhawk use the same grips.
 
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