Redhawk Handloader

[BIgMuddy]

Arisin' Wind

Who made the grips on your Redhawk?

Thanks

Dan

 

[Arisin' Wind]

Arisin' Wind

Who made the grips on your Redhawk?

Thanks

Dan

Dan - I picked those up on the big auction site a couple months ago. They were originally no name finger grooved grips that just didn't fit my hand. I removed the finger grooves and refinished the grips in Tung oil. They work a lot better now.

 

[mohavesam]

As to recoil, I find that a good goat skin glove and just letting the gun rise during recoil, mitigates the Hell out of the problem. 8)

I totally agree. The glove really helps and not fighting the recoil as well.

With those loads, I'd dose-up with a couple excedrin before hand. And ask your doc about your potential for corticosteroid injections into the tendon sheath between the bones of your hand and wrist...
Magun-itis is so yesterday. If I want a bigger bang, I'll buy a bigger gun. Or shoot a rifle? YMMV.

 

[BIgMuddy]

Arisin' Wind

Who made the grips on your Redhawk?

Thanks

Dan

Dan - I picked those up on the big auction site a couple months ago. They were originally no name finger grooved grips that just didn't fit my hand. I removed the finger grooves and refinished the grips in Tung oil. They work a lot better now.

I think you did some fine work my friend. They look great!

Dan

 

[Jimbo357mag]

A 454 cylinder in a Redhawk will remove any doubts about strength over time but getting them is probably going to be a difficult task.

Nobody tried to answer my 44mag cylinder question. If the 45colt cylinder is supposedly good upwards of 50K psi would it be wrong to assume the 44mag cylinder should be good up to 60K with LRP primers?

 

[mohavesam]

Your question is useful only upon answers from Ruger engineers. We know Ruger uses at least three types of steel for RH and SRH cylinders, but the barrel forcing cone and other timing/lockup parts also come int play when pondering over-loading SAAMI-specific pressures (per chambering).
Years in heat-treat and mattlography, but it means nil if you cannot get the factory specs and ANSI/ASTM data for a particular steel w/HT specs.

 

[Jimbo357mag]

Your question is useful only upon answers from Ruger engineers. We know Ruger uses at least three types of steel for RH and SRH cylinders, but the barrel forcing cone and other timing/lockup parts also come int play when pondering over-loading SAAMI-specific pressures (per chambering).
Years in heat-treat and mattlography, but it means nil if you cannot get the factory specs and ANSI/ASTM data for a particular steel w/HT specs.

...and I doubt there was any information given from Ruger for the 50K loads referenced from the article for the 45colt in a Redhawk.

In case anyone didn't get it, I think it is just crazy to play the 'what is the max load this gun can handle' game. Like you said nobody knows the metallurgy or what the collateral damage might be when exceeding 'reasonable' loads. btw I consider 'Ruger only' loads to be reasonable as well as some heavy 44special and 38specials loads in some guns.

As a reloader I think it is irresponsible to load cartridges to levels like a hand grenade and then publish the results especially when there are guns designed from the ground up to handle cartridges in that range. i.e. the Super Redhawk in 454. :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:

 

[RalphS]

...and I doubt there was any information given from Ruger for the 50K loads referenced from the article for the 45colt in a Redhawk.

Ruger doesn't provide load info. AFAIK, they have never said what the maximum PSI or CUP loads for their guns are. So where did the "Ruger Only Load" max of 32K CUP come from? Ammo makers and reloading manuals, not Ruger.

Where did the ammo makers and reloading manuals get 32K CUP from? AFAIK, they derived it from the 44 Magnum max of 40K CUP. The 45LC cylinders are, supposedly, 80% as strong as the 44M cylinders based on just measuring the cylinder wall thickness with a caliper. So, basically it's just a Scientific Wild Ass Guess.

Just to be clear, Ruger Only Loads in 45LC are measured in CUP, not PSI.

AFAIK, the only authority we have who is willing to state what the limit is on a Redhawk is Brian Pearce, and he's been saying the same thing for years. I've personally loaded and tested my RH45 with 300 grain Cast Performance and 330 and 345 grain Beartooth Bullets in the ranges that Brian recommends and haven't had a single problem with it. I like shooting heavy magnum loads at 1250fps out of a 4 inch RH. It's the perfect bear gun.

To answer Jimbo's question about the 44M RH, I would assume that the 44M RH can easily handle the same pressures as the 45LC RH. I have both and the difference is that you can only stuff so much H110 into a 44M case. 45LC is a different case because the cartridge is bigger. I don't think you can get enough slow burning powder (H110, AA9 and 2400) into a 44M cartridge in a Redhawk to get into any trouble with pressure. I've loaded a 355 gr. Beartooth bullet to 1220 fps (my RH44 has a 5.5 inch barrel). Couldn't push it any faster because I couldn't get any more H110 into the cartridge and still seat the bullet to the crimp groove. No signs of pressure, no signs of damage to the gun, brass drops out of the cylinder. Hurts like hell to shoot, but I only want to shoot a couple of them at a time.

I am NOT recommending that anyone else try this. I don't shoot these loads very much. My "normal" load at the range is a 300 grain hardcast bullet at 1292 fps (I've tested it to 1390 fps) from a 5.5 inch RH44. That's pretty hot too, but it's not a "Brian Pearce Load".

I certainly would not try to achieve 60K PSI in a RH44. I don't think it's even possible with slow burning powders.

 

[Jimbo357mag]

Thanks for some good points and interesting info RalphS.

 

[RalphS]

Jimbo, I don't know what part of So. Florida you live in but if you're ever at the Markham Park Target Range in Sunrise, look for the tall, mid 50s, guy with either a GP100 or a Redhawk on the bench (and pulling a 4 wheel garden wagon with way too much stuff).

I usually shoot every Thursday morning with the regulars but during the winter months I may go any day since the afternoons are usually nice.

 

[Snyd]

When you push these heavy 45 loads (350ish at 12-1400fps) in a 4" Redhawk, or 400gr at 1000ish the biggest problem is crimp jump. Whether it's 45 Colt or 454 brass doesn't matter. I did the 454 Cylinder swap in my Redhawk because I came across a deal where in the long run I came out about 50 bucks ahead. If it were gonna cost any money, it's really not worth it in the 45 Colt Redhawk. But, the chambers are tighter in the 454 cylinder and it's kinda cool to have a 454 Redhawk. I've shot mine a lot. I've settled on 355gr at 1300+ fps in 454 brass. I also have a load with the same boolit where I shortened the brass enough so I can crimp in the crimp groove and the OAL allows the load to cycle in the 454 lever gun. I call it the 454 Snyd. It's about 1275 in the 4 inch.

http://vid1079.photobucket.com/albums/w505/pbsnyd/Shooting%20Videos/454Snyd_zps70f7ec68.mp4

 

[Arisin' Wind]

Nice video. The recoil didn't look that bad. The ports on the barrel must really help.

 

[CraigC]

The loads are safe, they've been in print for years. I do believe Taffin has also published data in this pressure range for the Redhawk. We must bear in mind that these loads are not approached blindly. Just as Keith had his famous .44Spl load pressure tested by H.P. White Labs, Pearce has done the same. "Ruger only" loads offer a 100% safety margin and there's no reason to believe these do not as well. A 100% safety margin is better than you get with most chamberings in most guns. One's comfort zone and the sixgun's capability are mutually exclusive.

Where did the ammo makers and reloading manuals get 32K CUP from? AFAIK, they derived it from the 44 Magnum max of 40K CUP. The 45LC cylinders are, supposedly, 80% as strong as the 44M cylinders based on just measuring the cylinder wall thickness with a caliper. So, basically it's just a Scientific Wild Ass Guess.

The 80% figure is derived from testing the guns to destruction.

Just to be clear, Ruger Only Loads in 45LC are measured in CUP, not PSI.

Both, depending on the source.

To answer Jimbo's question about the 44M RH, I would assume that the 44M RH can easily handle the same pressures as the 45LC RH. I have both and the difference is that you can only stuff so much H110 into a 44M case.

Pearce has provided similar data for the .44Mag. As you state, the case runs out of powder capacity. However, there is 60,000psi data for the Freedom Arms 83.

I've loaded a 355 gr. Beartooth bullet to 1220 fps (my RH44 has a 5.5 inch barrel).

Standard pressure data from Hodgdon accomplishes this. I shoot this load in Ruger single actions.

 

[Snyd]

Nice video. The recoil didn't look that bad. The ports on the barrel must really help.

MagNaPort really tamed the muzzle flip and torque but the recoil is still there. It's a pretty sharp snap to the hand. It was tough to hang on to before the MagNaPort. It was pretty darn jumpy.

 

[RalphS]

I've read Taffins articles too but I don't recall him providing load data of 26.0 and 26.5 grains of H-110 under a 335 grain bullet. Brian Pearce's article in Handloader was the first time I've seen that published. He's talked about the fact that the RH can handle more pressure than other "Ruger Only Load" guns for a long time but never published any "Redhawk Only Loads" until now.

As for testing the guns until destruction, I'm assuming they tested a Blackhawk cylinder to destruction and determined the 32K CUP limit with that, otherwise, Pearce's 50K PSI Redhawk loads wouldn't make sense.

As for the 355gr. 44M Beartooth bullet load data from Hodgdon, I got 1132 fps with their max load of 18.8 grains of H-110. I had to add a couple more grains to get to 1221 fps with my 5.5 inch RH44. So, my load is not standard pressure. Hodgdon was using an 8.275 inch barrel for their load data.

 

[SweetWilliam]

Everyone is different. Some like to shoot light loads some medium & some full power. Me personally like then all. But theirs nothing like going out & shooting 50 full power loads once in awhile no matter what gun your shooting.
I just shot some 45colt 360gr cast loaded with 21grs. of H110. A little stout but felt good to have that power.

 

[SweetWilliam]

I started this post because I've never heard of someone pushing a Redhawk that far before. The loads he listed I would think barley has enough room for the bullet.

 

[Arisin' Wind]

Everyone is different. Some like to shoot light loads some medium & some full power. Me personally like then all. But theirs nothing like going out & shooting 50 full power loads once in awhile no matter what gun your shooting.
I just shot some 45colt 360gr cast loaded with 21grs. of H110. A little stout but felt good to have that power.

So, is time to go get a Redhawk 45 Colt?

 

[SweetWilliam]

Everyone is different. Some like to shoot light loads some medium & some full power. Me personally like then all. But theirs nothing like going out & shooting 50 full power loads once in awhile no matter what gun your shooting.
I just shot some 45colt 360gr cast loaded with 21grs. of H110. A little stout but felt good to have that power.

So, is time to go get a Redhawk 45 Colt?

It's not at the top of my list but you never know.

 

[Enigma]

Talk to member WESHOOT2; I believe he has done some work in this arena.