My Favorite Ruger Double Action Big Bore Revolver

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Pistolero

Pistolero

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Chama, NM-Our little piece of Heaven.
Ruger GP-100 .44Special Revolver, 3-inch barrel. Smooth, light double and single action trigger pull and very accurate for a short barre and rock solid. I carry it loaded with hard cast semi-wadcutter Skeeter loads. I use it when I re-qualify for my CCW license, revolver endorsement. I shoot 5,7 & 10 yards double action with all shoots going into center mass and carry it crossdraw in a Simply Rugged Cattleman holster.

I bought one of the first models that came out and I was happy to have a large bore double action that is easy to carry and conceal using the compact grip with would insert. With the Skeeter loads I feel well protected.

I bought a second one a year with the idea of having it bored out to .45 Colt, but gave up that idea and it sold to a retired deputy sheriff who wanted one pretty bad. My first is a keeper.

Regards,
Mike, aka Pistolero
 

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Thank you Mike and I too think you are spot on,,sad that I got talked out of my first one, and now just do not see them around and my Ruger dealer Bill E 'appleman' "has left the building" so get little help these days ........ ;)
 
I've waffled back and fourth on getting one of the gp100's in 44 special, I just love the idea of them and they look very nice too. If I ever run into one im pretty sure it will follow me home. Have never seen one in the wild yet, just pictures on the interweb. I've got a handful of GP100's now and love every one of them.
 
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KurtC said:
Ruger doesn't make a proper revolver in .45acp. Until they do, I'll have to stick with my S&W 625...
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I only have one Ruger DA so I'd HAVE to say it's my fave Ruger :-) but I hate to say on a Ruger site it's not in the league of the Smiths I own.

Now if Ruger ever made a Security Six in a big bore...
 
I just came into a 5 1/2", 44 Mag RedHawk and a 7" , 44 Mag Super Redhawk. Both are really fun to shoot. To compliment them I bought a Rossi 44 Mag SS 16" lever carbine, mainly so I didn't have to get a different cartridge size ammo.
 
I like the stubby 44 using specials or preferably 44mag loads down loaded to around 1000fps. I do not hunt anything that is not hunting me and stopping a two legged varmint is the only thing that concerns me.

I have been shooting pistols since 1960, starting small bore and working my way up. When I discovered the inherent accuracy of the 44 i was duly impressed. That was after being in combat in Vietnam and seeing what it really takes to spot a human the 44 is about right since the loads are roughly the same as the 45acp that was specifically designed to stop people by J.M. Browning and the U.S. Ordinance Dept.

I bought these in the last few years and was surprised with the Ruger Super Redhawk in a 2-1/2” 44mag. It is more accurate than the 2 other S&W 629, a 2-5/8” Performance Center and a 629 Deluxe 3”. The 3” has great balance and the shorter Ruger has the same balance but it is heavier. The weight makes it better for followup shots. An interesting observation, the Ruger has tighter tolerances than the S&W Performance Center model.
 

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Was the .45 acp specifically designed to stop humans? Well, it was designed to mimic the .45 colt but for a semiautomatic. Looking back, the .45 colt was not designed to stop humans. It was designed to stop horses.

The idea was simple. A man on horseback isn't an easy target. The horse on the other hand is much larger. Kill or disable the horse and a Calvary soldier is no a much less mobile and lightly armed foot soldier.
 
Jeepnik said:
Was the .45 acp specifically designed to stop humans? Well, it was designed to mimic the .45 colt but for a semiautomatic. Looking back, the .45 colt was not designed to stop humans. It was designed to stop horses.

The idea was simple. A man on horseback isn't an easy target. The horse on the other hand is much larger. Kill or disable the horse and a Calvary soldier is no a much less mobile and lightly armed foot soldier.
Click to expand...
The 45 Colt was indeed designed to stop horses but the U.S. Infantry was not carrying them and a handheld firearm was needed that was more powerful than the 38. The Moros were getting all high on drugs and wrapping themselves in wire to improvise body armor and the 38 was not doing the job.
 
Jeepnik said:
Was the .45 acp specifically designed to stop humans? Well, it was designed to mimic the .45 colt but for a semiautomatic. Looking back, the .45 colt was not designed to stop humans. It was designed to stop horses.

The idea was simple. A man on horseback isn't an easy target. The horse on the other hand is much larger. Kill or disable the horse and a Calvary soldier is no a much less mobile and lightly armed foot soldier.
Click to expand...

I suppose you could also say that the early smokeless military rifle cartridges (.303 British, 7mm/7.65mm/7.92mm Mauser, etc.) were designed to stop horses, because horse cavalry was still in use through World War 1, and a potential threat to infantry. Smaller cartridges (7.62x39, 5.56x45, etc.) were adopted after the cav guys traded in their horses for motor vehicles...

1000002237.jpg


(And on the subject of big bore double-action wheel guns, I used to own an antique .476 Webley RIC revolver - not a Ruger, but pretty neat!)

:)
 
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Track14 said:
I like the stubby 44 using specials or preferably 44mag loads down loaded to around 1000fps. I do not hunt anything that is not hunting me and stopping a two legged varmint is the only thing that concerns me.

I have been shooting pistols since 1960, starting small bore and working my way up. When I discovered the inherent accuracy of the 44 i was duly impressed. That was after being in combat in Vietnam and seeing what it really takes to spot a human the 44 is about right since the loads are roughly the same as the 45acp that was specifically designed to stop people by J.M. Browning and the U.S. Ordinance Dept.

I bought these in the last few years and was surprised with the Ruger Super Redhawk in a 2-1/2” 44mag. It is more accurate than the 2 other S&W 629, a 2-5/8” Performance Center and a 629 Deluxe 3”. The 3” has great balance and the shorter Ruger has the same balance but it is heavier. The weight makes it better for followup shots. An interesting observation, the Ruger has tighter tolerances than the S&W Performance Center model.
Click to expand...
I like the Ruger Redhawk, 6” barreled stiainless.. To me, it is the superb .44 mag revolver. When I go the range I shoot a cylinder two handed, then I shoot the rest one handed (box of fifty). It is a fun gun for me, as I do not hunt. However, I am forever greatful to those who hunt deer, as I have taken out three with my cars, and not fun.
 
Track14 said:
I like the stubby 44 using specials or preferably 44mag loads down loaded to around 1000fps. I do not hunt anything that is not hunting me and stopping a two legged varmint is the only thing that concerns me.

I have been shooting pistols since 1960, starting small bore and working my way up. When I discovered the inherent accuracy of the 44 i was duly impressed. That was after being in combat in Vietnam and seeing what it really takes to spot a human the 44 is about right
Click to expand...
I would love for Ruger to make a snubby or 3" 44 special or the 10mm.
 
Years ago I visited one of my favorite country shops. I was looking for a second 41 Magnum after having run across a good OM BH 4.625” a few years earlier. The salesman was very congenial and said “I have two used .41s in stock; you’re welcome to take them out back to the range, try them and see which one you like”..

One was a very clean short barrel NM BH. The other a 5.5” SS RH. It turned out the Redhawk was exceptionally accurate and so I purchased it.

To this day, it remains my favorite Ruger double action.
 
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