New Redhawk in .41 Magnum

[ChiefTJS]

I'm truly at a loss for why there was no hype and fanfare for this new addition to the 4.2" Redhawk family but I guess it befits the neglect that the .41 Magnum has always received. I for one am quite pleased with mine and had the pleasure of putting a few rounds down range this morning with it. I've had both .44 Mag and .45 Colt versions of the short Redhawk and while both were very good guns I always thought the .41 Mag would be just right. My wife may not think it possible, but I think I'm right.

The unfortunate thing is that none of these are available at present but I imagine more will trickle in. Our own "acrylictnk" (Mike) was lucky enough to snag the entire first shipment from Davidson's and promptly sold them all. I had the dumb luck to get the first one. Pretty much looks and shoots exactly like the other two I've owned with the exception that this one has the warning label on the bottom of the barrel and has the quick change front sight like the GP-100. Both are welcome changes for me and may have been around a while since I haven't looked at them for a couple years. A little load development and trigger time should have this one shooting as good as all other .41's I've owned which is superb.

Sorry for the crap picture but at least it proves they exist.

 

[hittman]

I also really like the .41 Magnum caliber. Luckily I got the bug early and in particular only the 5.5 inch models.





Yeah, we're lucky to have a guy like Mike who always thinks of his forum buddies first and gets some pretty good stuff pretty quickly. There might be one of those "snubbies" in my future .... we'll see.

 

[Jimbo357mag]

I'm truly at a loss for why there was no hype and fanfare for this new addition to the 4.2" Redhawk family but I guess it befits the neglect that the .41 Magnum has always received. I for one am quite pleased with mine and had the pleasure of putting a few rounds down range this morning with it.

That gun looks so nice I bet you want to put it in a holster on your hip and walk around for a while. I know I would. :D

 

[Pistolero]

Very, very nice handgun in a great caliber.

 

[32magfan]

I do not really "need" to get one of these but need has nothing to do with it. :shock:
I have one on the way, also from our own Mike Reber, aka ACRYLICTNK. It is a good thing I don't live near Chandler, AZ. I would stay broke more than I do here in TN.

Mike is also selling me an LCR in 327. I have opined in several posts that Ruger needed to make this gun. 41 Mag is a similar deal. They don't sell by the millions but have a cult following. I like them all so I try to get the models that intrigue me.

As far as why it has not been announced more loudly, unless I am mistaken, it is a Davidson's exclusive. So it won't be a catalog item. If you want one, go to Galleryofguns.com and look it up on Gun Genie and find dealers near you that can sell it to you. It's a pretty easy process. The guns are not in stock the last time I looked so you will need to be patient.

I had a 7" 41 Mag as well as a 5" 357 Mag but I traded them both away a couple of years ago. The 357 with 8 shots, not 6 would be a no-brainer. Any of you distributors listening????

Thanks,

32Magfan

 

[ChiefTJS]

I had a 5.5" in .357 many years ago and have missed it on occasion, truly the most overbuilt gun I've ever owned. I don't "need" the one I bought either but it's nice having a Redhawk in the house again and since it's my fiftieth birthday gift to myself I intend to keep it.

 

[ko41]

I've had a little time to play with my new 4.2 inch .41 Magnum Redhawk. It is as accurate as you would expect any .41 Magnum to be. Despite the horrible out of the box 8lb 9oz trigger pull, I was able to keep 12 rounds in about 6 inches from 25 yards offhand. With a little use, smoothing, lube and a spring change the trigger pull is now a pretty consistent 5lb 3oz.

KO

 

[Jimbo357mag]

ko41 is that a 'Nill' grip on your new 4.2" Redhawk? Looks very nice. :D

 

[Laserbait]

Wow - Ruger really is on a roll with meeting customers demands - I love how they listen!


They must lurk here! :D

 

[ko41]

ko41 is that a 'Nill' grip on your new 4.2" Redhawk? Looks very nice. :D

Yes it is a Nill, the Redhawk came with Hogue Bantam grip.
The Nills grip is a more comfortable fit for me than the Hogue was, the way the gun recoiled with the Hogue grip really stung my trigger finger.

KO

 

[ko41]

Trigger pull is getting better with use, it is now a little under 5lbs.

KO

 

[tinman]

At one time the .41 was determined to be the best caliber for police work. But, since the public never really got onboard, it languished while the much touted .357 thrived. The .41 (like the 10mm) found little interest from the general population so pretty much just faded away. Sad really as it is a solid performer. :cry:

 

[Laserbait]

At one time the .41 was determined to be the best caliber for police work. But, since the public never really got onboard, it languished while the much touted .357 thrived. The .41 (like the 10mm) found little interest from the general population so pretty much just faded away. Sad really as it is a solid performer. :cry:

I think the thing that may have contributed to its never really catching on is that there was never an official 41 Special ammo produced (that I'm aware of) that afforded cheaper practice ammo. Sure handloaders can easily do it. But I'm sure when the average Jimmy comes into a store, and sees a revolver in a Magnum only caliber, and the price of ammo is more than the 44 Mag and 357 Mag, it's a hard to justify getting a 41 Mag.

 

[Groo]

I'm truly at a loss for why there was no hype and fanfare for this new addition to the 4.2" Redhawk family but I guess it befits the neglect that the .41 Magnum has always received. I for one am quite pleased with mine and had the pleasure of putting a few rounds down range this morning with it. I've had both .44 Mag and .45 Colt versions of the short Redhawk and while both were very good guns I always thought the .41 Mag would be just right. My wife may not think it possible, but I think I'm right.

The unfortunate thing is that none of these are available at present but I imagine more will trickle in. Our own "acrylictnk" (Mike) was lucky enough to snag the entire first shipment from Davidson's and promptly sold them all. I had the dumb luck to get the first one. Pretty much looks and shoots exactly like the other two I've owned with the exception that this one has the warning label on the bottom of the barrel and has the quick change front sight like the GP-100. Both are welcome changes for me and may have been around a while since I haven't looked at them for a couple years. A little load development and trigger time should have this one shooting as good as all other .41's I've owned which is superb.

Sorry for the crap picture but at least it proves they exist.

Groo here
As this is a Davison special Is it a round but frame???
If so ---- GROO WANT BADDDDDDDDDDD...

 

[ko41]

Sorry Groo, it's a big square butt. See my photo above.

KO

 

[ko41]

A cylinder full off sandbag rest from 25 yards.

KO

 

[steve8261948]

I love the .41 maggies(so much so, I just bought a 265 gr mold for mine) but, if I buy one more, I'll need a place to live? I see you've been to the East. Stay on the square, brother.

Steve

 

[Chuck 100 yd]

Thanks to you guys and this post Davidson's just received some more of my money.
They still have 40 of them according to the web site.

 

[Chuck 100 yd]

ko41 , that is some fine shooting there friend! That same load shoots great in my three .41's also and will be the first loads shot through my new RedHawk 4" pretty soon. I love the way SWC bullets cut clean holes .

 

[Chuck 100 yd]

I picked mine up this morning and am pleased to find a very nicely fitted and finished revolver I have not slugged the throats but three different bullets,Berry's plated 210 gr. , Lyman 215 gr Kieth cast and a 210 gr. Hunter cast bullet ,none will push into the throats from the front but all three bullets in loaded rounds chamber easily. We will see how the shooting goes next week.

 

[chet15]

What is the earliest serial number anybody can report on this one?
I need to document that so it can go in the Ruger Reference.
Chet15

 

[JCW64]

You may want to check forum member Acrylictnk. I think he sold the very first handful from Davidson's.

 

[steve8261948]

I'm truly at a loss for why there was no hype and fanfare for this new addition to the 4.2" Redhawk family but I guess it befits the neglect that the .41 Magnum has always received. I for one am quite pleased with mine and had the pleasure of putting a few rounds down range this morning with it. I've had both .44 Mag and .45 Colt versions of the short Redhawk and while both were very good guns I always thought the .41 Mag would be just right. My wife may not think it possible, but I think I'm right.

The unfortunate thing is that none of these are available at present but I imagine more will trickle in. Our own "acrylictnk" (Mike) was lucky enough to snag the entire first shipment from Davidson's and promptly sold them all. I had the dumb luck to get the first one. Pretty much looks and shoots exactly like the other two I've owned with the exception that this one has the warning label on the bottom of the barrel and has the quick change front sight like the GP-100. Both are welcome changes for me and may have been around a while since I haven't looked at them for a couple years. A little load development and trigger time should have this one shooting as good as all other .41's I've owned which is superb.

Sorry for the crap picture but at least it proves they exist.

Groo here
As this is a Davison special Is it a round but frame???
If so ---- GROO WANT BADDDDDDDDDDD...

Biggest mistake S&W ever made was going to round butt N frame revolvers. My only hangup with Rugers new .41 is it comes with those ugly rubber grips and not the original walnut stocks.
Steve

 

[steve8261948]

Despite the horrible out of the box 8lb 9oz trigger pull, I was able to keep 12 rounds in about 6 inches from 25 yards offhand. With a little use, smoothing, lube and a spring change the trigger pull is now a pretty consistent 5lb 3oz.

KO

How and where did you find or get a NRA official trigger weighing device to weigh in ounces? I've been a range officer in many local matches and never seen such a device. Always in pounds(with half and quarter pounds also) not ounces. Are these legal in matches?
Steve

 

[ko41]

Despite the horrible out of the box 8lb 9oz trigger pull, I was able to keep 12 rounds in about 6 inches from 25 yards offhand. With a little use, smoothing, lube and a spring change the trigger pull is now a pretty consistent 5lb 3oz.

KO

How and where did you find or get a NRA official trigger weighing device to weigh in ounces? I've been a range officer in many locale matches and never seen such a device. Always in pounds not ounces.
Steve

Trigger pull was measured with a Lyman Electronic Digital Trigger Pull Gauge.

KO

 

[cmonti77]

I'm giving serious consideration to getting one of these. I had a couple questions though, for anyone with experience with the .41 mag caliber --

1.) Is flame-cutting and forcing cone erosion a problem in the .41 mag with 210 grain bullets, the way light bullets in .357 magnums are?

2.) How would you rate recoil in the 4 inch 41 mag Redhawk? Would you say it is equal to, or lesser than, a 44 mag of similar make and configuration? (I shoot my 6-inch barrel Super Redhawk .480 pretty regularly, so I'm not particularly recoil-sensitive)

3.) Would you consider W296 to be too hot a powder to reload 210 grain rounds with?

 

[rangerbob]

If one wants full power loads with jacketed 210 bullets, H110 and WW296 have been the go to powders for the .41 since their introduction. Since they are ball powders, magnum primers are usually recommended. Of late, I've been loading Alliant MP 300, which according to the available date, gives a slight velocity advantage. BTW, 296 and H110 are the same powder, according to Hodgdon, the manufacturer. Bob!! :D

 

[bigbill]

Is flame cutting in the chambers on the front side of the cylinder chambers normal on the early 5 1/2" redhawks in 41mag?

I know with the s&w N Frames the hotter loads using 296 powder has the potential of flame cutting.

I switched to using 2400 powder decades ago for jacketed bullets and unique for lead cast.

 

[Jimbo357mag]

Is flame cutting in the chambers on the front side of the cylinder chambers normal on the early 5 1/2" redhawks in 41mag?

I know with the s&w N Frames the hotter loads using 296 powder has the potential of flame cutting.

I switched to using 2400 powder decades ago for jacketed bullets and unique for lead cast.

I don't think 'flame cutting' or what would properly be called 'erosion' on the front of the chambers, the barrel face and forcing cone and the top strap has happened seriously with any Redhawk except those that are well used in like 'silhouette' competition. Slow powders like H-110 and Li'll Gun with light bullets at max loads will contribute to normal erosion. :D

 

[Don Lovel]

Anyone shot 175gr Winchester Silvertips out of one yet?