Super Redhawk History

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target-hunter

Bearcat
Joined
Aug 20, 2008
Messages
10
Location
UK
I'm trying to find the history behind my Super Redhawk. I've checked on the website and it says it was made in 2000.

I've rung Ruger to get more info, but I just get an answer machine that says to leave a number and they'll get back to me. As I'm in the UK, I don't think they'll ring back if I do leave a message.

So... Is it always an answer machine, or have I just been unlucky so far?

Thanks.
 
I don't have the box, but it's a stainless Super Redhawk (as you can see!), serial number 551-57538. It's got a 12" barrel, but probably had a 22" one originally.

Would be interesting to know the ship date & how many were made with the long barrels.

Thanks,

Nick

RugerSRH2.jpg
 
I wish you could find the box it came with..Here is all the info I can find..In at least 1999,several 21" ("yes,"twenty-one inch') barreled Super RedHawks in .357 Magnum (Catalog number KSRH-21-357,Ruger Nodel number 5509) and .44 Magnum (catalog number KSRH-21,Ruger Model number 5506) were produved as a test (?) for the English market. S/N's unknownThese mave have been regular production for the English Market..
 
Thanks for the reply. It would make sense that they were a trial run for the UK. Pistols were banned here in 1997 (anything with <12" barrel and <24" overall length), so they could have been looking to find a new way to market. There can't be that many around, as you rarely see them available for sale - and most have been cut down to a 12" barrel length. (I've only ever seen a photo of one that still has the full length barrel.)

Would be interesting to find out how many actually left the factory.
 
A friend of mine had a .357 Super Redhawk (with the long barrel). I've e-mailed him to see if he had the box for his...
 
Awesome! We've known of those guns but to see images is really neat! Thanks so very much for sharing your Ruger's images!

I just cannot understand the logic of the United Kingdom laws. Hmm, didn't a few guys in New England have similar thoughts back in the mid '70's? 1770's, of course!

flatgate
 
target-hunter: PM sent. Hope you can find a little more out on these with the extra info I've provided to you.
Chet15
 
What a neat Ruger, I've never heard or seen such a beast, thanks for sharing the pic!
 
More information and pictures. The friend of mine that had the .357 Super Redhawk doesn't have the box any more. He threw the box away when he first got the revolver - but he didn't think it was a Ruger box, just a plain brown one. That would make sense, as it would have left Ruger with the 21" barrel, and no 'coat hanger' fixed to the grip. Someone in the UK then cut them down to a 12" barrel and added the extension to the grip to make up the overall length.

(Serial number of his .357 Magnum is 551-77004, which puts it in the 2001 number range on the Ruger website.)

I also e-mailed the Ruger importer in the UK to see if they commissioned the long versions. They replied with a rather vague 'several hundred were imported between the calibres'.

Nick


SRH357-1.jpg



SRH357-2.jpg



SRH357-3.jpg
 
Very interesting!!!!!!!!!
I just checked my catalogs to see if I had any "export" catalogs from 2000 to 2003 to see if by chance anything was mentioned in them. Unfortunately, I don't have any export catalogs from that era,,,,!
target-hunter, if you do some gun shop hunting, see if you can find some catalogs from Ruger dated in that era. That might help things a bit,,,,! (I'd love to buy some of those catalogs for my collection, even if they don't list these long barreled guns!)
 
Hi Contender,

I've had a few Ruger catalogues over the years, but I don't remember them being different from the US ones. If I recall correctly, the last one even had MRSPs in $ printed in it. It could be that as the UK is such a small Ruger market since 1997 that we just get the standard US catalogues now. I'll have a look round to see if I've still got any.
 
Hi Target Hunter,

I read your thread on the airgunbbs forum. Glad to see you've made some headway. I've a .44 SRH serial no 551 - 57466. I bought it a few months back with the 21" barrel. Terrible to shoot with that enormous weighty barrel pulling the gun out your hands. Just had mine cut down to 12 inches and straight bar fitted. Had some counterweights made in stainless steel and gun balances nicely. It is very accurate and just last night tried shooting it with a leupold 2x20 M8 scope. Still wearing the smile. It has been an expensive purchase but so glad I bought it over a new Taurus.

(Did come in a ruger box which I'll check but can't remember seeing any model details printed)
 
Yes - I imagine the balance with a 21" barrel is a bit extreme! I'll probably get the 'wrist brace' on mine chopped & replaced with a straight rod. The brace just feels too uncomfortable, especially for two handed shooting.
 
Definately worth getting a bar to replace th brace. You don't actually notice it. Mine made in 6mm stainless steel. I'm left handed so I'd have had to get a Taurus converted anyway to a straight bar. Might I also suggest if you haven't already is to buy a replacement set of hammer and trigger springs. I bought a Wilson Combat kit and they have made a huge improvement to the action.
 
Hi Fitzy- thanks for the e-mail.

It arrived at the perfect time - I was trying to work out how to remove the cylinder from the crane! The cylinder wasn't turning as freely as I thought it should, but now the 8 year accumulation of crud has gone, it's a whole different gun! The double action pull has been transformed now everything is clean - and the pdf helped immensely. Judging by the weight of the pull, it must already have an after market set of springs fitted.

Thanks again,

Nick

SRH-Clean.jpg
 
Too bad Ruger wouldn't offer a cut down version of this barrel in their custom shop, I would love to get a 12.5 to 14 inch Barrel installed on my Super Redhawk. I use my 44 mag for hunting and the extra barrel would not be a factor for carry, but the extra barrel would offer quite an increase in vel. and energy, putting the 44 mag with the right loads right up there close to the 454. It would be like shooting a 357mag as far as recoil goes . Sighted in for 125 yards it would be flat out to 150 and only drop about 12 inches at 200 with the right load. (1800 fps very easily obtained with a 240 grain bullet with the extra barrel, using slow burning pistol powder like H110)

240 gr., .205 B.C. www.hornady.com
Range (yards) Muzzle 25 50 75 100 150 200
Velocity (fps) 1800 1714 1632 1553 1478 1341 1223
Energy (ft.-lb.) 1727 1566 1420 1286 1165 958 798
Trajectory -0.8 1.0 2.1 2.3 1.7 -2.7 -12.0
(125 yd. zero)
Come Up in MOA -0.8 -3.8 -3.9 -2.9 -1.6 1.8 5.7

I can only dream, although there are barrel manufacturers that do make stainless barrels that long that would fit the Super Redhawk. I would just prefer to have it done by Ruger.
 
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