Super Redhawk
Encyclopedia
The Super Redhawk is a line of double action magnum
revolver
s made by Sturm, Ruger
beginning in 1987, when Ruger started making weapons using larger, more powerful cartridges such as .44 Magnum
, .454 Casull
, and .480 Ruger
.
The Super Redhawk was only available in stainless steel with a number of finishes. The standard finish is brushed steel, with a semi-gloss look. Polished, high-gloss versions have also been offered, though this option is not currently available. Stainless steel one-inch scope rings are included, using the standard Ruger lockup common to all Ruger integral bases. The Super Redhawk uses different front and rear rings, with the rear ring being shorter than the front ring due to differences in frame height. Ruger Model 77 bolt action rifles also use a higher ring in the rear than in the front.
Despite plans to drop the Redhawk
revolver with the introduction of the Super Redhawk, the original Redhawk (with the barrel thread lubricant issue corrected) remains in production . Many shooters prefer the more classic lines of the Redhawk, especially those who do not plan to use a scope. The Redhawk is also available with different barrel lengths, 5.5 and 7.5 inches.
Versions of the Super Redhawk with 22 inch barrels were produced for the UK market with serial numbers in the 551-5xxxx and 551-7xxxx range. Model numbers were KSRH-21-357 (.357 Magnum) and KSRH-21 (.44 Magnum). Very little information about them is available.
was the first six-shot revolver in that caliber. The Freedom Arms
cylinder and numerous conversions only hold 5 rounds. To handle the extreme pressures of the .454 Casull without changing the design of the cylinder, Ruger used a different alloy and heat treatment process to increase its strength. The frame material is the same as standard Redhawks, but frame and cylinder are colored differently by use of a target grey finish produced by tumbling the parts in special polishing media.
The .454 Casull model is actually marked as ".454 Casull /.45 Colt", and is capable of shooting the slightly shorter .45 Colt
rounds. The .45 Colt is a less powerful round to shoot, lacking the severe muzzle blast and recoil of the .454 Casull. The option of using .45 Colt expands versatility, reduces the cost of shooting, and reduces wear.
, developed for the Super Redhawk. The .480 Ruger is built on the same frame as the .454 Casull, and was introduced as a six-shot model. While the .480 Ruger is not loaded to the rifle-like pressures of the .454 Casull, the bigger (.475 caliber, 12 mm) bore allows the use of heavier bullets than the .454 Casull, making it a good choice for handgun hunting. The .480 Ruger operates at far lower pressures than the .454 Casull, making it more comfortable to shoot.
The standard Hornady 325 gr JHP .480 Ruger cartridge can produce a muzzle velocity of 1350 ft/s (405 m/s) and generates one-third more muzzle energy than the standard .44 Magnum cartridge, with substantially less recoil than other big-bore hunting handgun cartridges. The large, heavy bullet still offers excellent penetration for big game hunting.
Although muzzle energy is below the .454 Casull, (energy figures are not the only, or the best method of comparing bullet effectiveness, as caliber and bullet construction are not taken into consideration), the .480 Ruger's larger caliber, and heavier bullet selection, offers Taylor Knock-out values (TKO) equal to, or better than, traditional .454 loads. This with less recoil, concussion, and muzzle blast, due to its lower operating pressures.
is Ruger's first short-barrelled, big-bore revolver, conceived by Ruger president Steve Sanetti and intended for defense against large, dangerous animals. The 2" barrel on the Alaskan ends at the end of the frame, and the scope bases are omitted. The interchangeable front sight is replaced with a pinned in ramp sight, but the adjustable rear sight is retained. The Alaskan is available in .44 Magnum, .454 Casull/.45 Colt, and .480 Ruger, with the .480 model originally a 6-shot, replaced in 2008 with a-5 shot model. All Alaskans feature a brushed stainless finish and a Hogue Tamer rubber finger groove grip, rather than the standard GP-100 style. The .454 and .480 versions have an unfluted cylinder while the .44 Magnum features a fluted cylinder.
Cartridge (firearms)
A cartridge, also called a round, packages the bullet, gunpowder and primer into a single metallic case precisely made to fit the firing chamber of a firearm. The primer is a small charge of impact-sensitive chemical that may be located at the center of the case head or at its rim . Electrically...
revolver
Revolver
A revolver is a repeating firearm that has a cylinder containing multiple chambers and at least one barrel for firing. The first revolver ever made was built by Elisha Collier in 1818. The percussion cap revolver was invented by Samuel Colt in 1836. This weapon became known as the Colt Paterson...
s made by Sturm, Ruger
Sturm, Ruger
Sturm, Ruger & Company, Incorporated is a Southport, Connecticut-based firearm manufacturing company, better known by the shortened name Ruger. Sturm, Ruger produces bolt-action, semi-automatic, full-automatic, and single-shot rifles, shotguns, semi-automatic pistols, and single- and double-action...
beginning in 1987, when Ruger started making weapons using larger, more powerful cartridges such as .44 Magnum
.44 Magnum
The .44 Remington Magnum, or simply .44 Magnum, is a large-bore cartridge originally designed for revolvers. After introduction, it was quickly adopted for carbines and rifles...
, .454 Casull
.454 Casull
The .454 Casull is a firearm cartridge, developed in 1957 by Dick Casull and Jack Fulmer. It was first announced in November 1959 by Guns & Ammo magazine. The basic design was a lengthened and structurally improved .45 Colt case...
, and .480 Ruger
.480 Ruger
The .480 Ruger is a revolver cartridge, introduced in 2003 by Sturm, Ruger and Hornady. This was the first new cartridge introduced by Ruger, and was at time of introduction the largest diameter production revolver cartridge, at .-Design:...
.
The introduction
The Super Redhawk was introduced late in 1987, in .44 Magnum with 7.5 and 9.5 inch barrel lengths. The final product used the same trigger design and same grip panels as the .357 Magnum GP-100, but had a larger, stronger frame with integrated scope bases. The Super Redhawk received positive reviews, edging out similar offerings from Smith and Wesson in accuracy and price. To date, the Super Redhawk is still considered one of the strongest, if not the strongest revolver in production.The Super Redhawk was only available in stainless steel with a number of finishes. The standard finish is brushed steel, with a semi-gloss look. Polished, high-gloss versions have also been offered, though this option is not currently available. Stainless steel one-inch scope rings are included, using the standard Ruger lockup common to all Ruger integral bases. The Super Redhawk uses different front and rear rings, with the rear ring being shorter than the front ring due to differences in frame height. Ruger Model 77 bolt action rifles also use a higher ring in the rear than in the front.
Despite plans to drop the Redhawk
Ruger Redhawk
The Ruger Redhawk is a double/single action large frame revolver that was first introduced in 1979 by Sturm, Ruger & Company. Made from high grade steel, it is available with either a blued or stainless steel finish. The Redhawk is reinforced to handle extra stress, making it very popular for use...
revolver with the introduction of the Super Redhawk, the original Redhawk (with the barrel thread lubricant issue corrected) remains in production . Many shooters prefer the more classic lines of the Redhawk, especially those who do not plan to use a scope. The Redhawk is also available with different barrel lengths, 5.5 and 7.5 inches.
Versions of the Super Redhawk with 22 inch barrels were produced for the UK market with serial numbers in the 551-5xxxx and 551-7xxxx range. Model numbers were KSRH-21-357 (.357 Magnum) and KSRH-21 (.44 Magnum). Very little information about them is available.
The .454 Casull
Introduced in 1997, the Super Redhawk chambered in .454 Casull.454 Casull
The .454 Casull is a firearm cartridge, developed in 1957 by Dick Casull and Jack Fulmer. It was first announced in November 1959 by Guns & Ammo magazine. The basic design was a lengthened and structurally improved .45 Colt case...
was the first six-shot revolver in that caliber. The Freedom Arms
Freedom Arms
Freedom Arms is a Freedom, Wyoming-based firearm manufacturing company, known for producing powerful single-action revolvers. The company was founded in 1978 by Wayne Baker and Dick Casull to produce the Mini revolver then later a revolver chambered in Casull's powerful .454 Casull chambering. ...
cylinder and numerous conversions only hold 5 rounds. To handle the extreme pressures of the .454 Casull without changing the design of the cylinder, Ruger used a different alloy and heat treatment process to increase its strength. The frame material is the same as standard Redhawks, but frame and cylinder are colored differently by use of a target grey finish produced by tumbling the parts in special polishing media.
The .454 Casull model is actually marked as ".454 Casull /.45 Colt", and is capable of shooting the slightly shorter .45 Colt
.45 Colt
The .45 Colt cartridge is a handgun cartridge dating to 1872. It began as a black powder revolver round developed for the Colt Single Action Army revolver, but is offered as a magnum level handgun hunting round in modern usage. This cartridge was adopted by the U.S. Army in 1873 and served as the...
rounds. The .45 Colt is a less powerful round to shoot, lacking the severe muzzle blast and recoil of the .454 Casull. The option of using .45 Colt expands versatility, reduces the cost of shooting, and reduces wear.
The .480 Ruger
The year 2003 saw the release of Ruger's first cartridge, the .480 Ruger.480 Ruger
The .480 Ruger is a revolver cartridge, introduced in 2003 by Sturm, Ruger and Hornady. This was the first new cartridge introduced by Ruger, and was at time of introduction the largest diameter production revolver cartridge, at .-Design:...
, developed for the Super Redhawk. The .480 Ruger is built on the same frame as the .454 Casull, and was introduced as a six-shot model. While the .480 Ruger is not loaded to the rifle-like pressures of the .454 Casull, the bigger (.475 caliber, 12 mm) bore allows the use of heavier bullets than the .454 Casull, making it a good choice for handgun hunting. The .480 Ruger operates at far lower pressures than the .454 Casull, making it more comfortable to shoot.
The standard Hornady 325 gr JHP .480 Ruger cartridge can produce a muzzle velocity of 1350 ft/s (405 m/s) and generates one-third more muzzle energy than the standard .44 Magnum cartridge, with substantially less recoil than other big-bore hunting handgun cartridges. The large, heavy bullet still offers excellent penetration for big game hunting.
Although muzzle energy is below the .454 Casull, (energy figures are not the only, or the best method of comparing bullet effectiveness, as caliber and bullet construction are not taken into consideration), the .480 Ruger's larger caliber, and heavier bullet selection, offers Taylor Knock-out values (TKO) equal to, or better than, traditional .454 loads. This with less recoil, concussion, and muzzle blast, due to its lower operating pressures.
.480 Ruger model redesign
In 2007 Ruger temporarily ceased production of the .480 Ruger models due to fired case extraction issues and popular demand. The fired case extraction issues resulted from individuals loading cartridges to pressures that were not meant to be for the 480 Ruger cartridge. After analyzing the problem, Ruger decided to start fitting the .480 Ruger models with 5-shot, rather than the original 6-shot, cylinders. With this release Ruger also changed to Hogue Monogrip grips.The Super Redhawk Alaskan
Introduced in 2005, the Ruger AlaskanRuger Alaskan
Introduced in 2005, the Ruger Super Redhawk: Alaskan is a short barrelled, big bore revolver. The firearm is distinguished by its 2" barrel, brushed stainless finish, and oversize Hogue Tamer grip designed to help reduce recoil. The Alaskan is offered in .454 Casull/.45 Colt, .480 Ruger, and most...
is Ruger's first short-barrelled, big-bore revolver, conceived by Ruger president Steve Sanetti and intended for defense against large, dangerous animals. The 2" barrel on the Alaskan ends at the end of the frame, and the scope bases are omitted. The interchangeable front sight is replaced with a pinned in ramp sight, but the adjustable rear sight is retained. The Alaskan is available in .44 Magnum, .454 Casull/.45 Colt, and .480 Ruger, with the .480 model originally a 6-shot, replaced in 2008 with a-5 shot model. All Alaskans feature a brushed stainless finish and a Hogue Tamer rubber finger groove grip, rather than the standard GP-100 style. The .454 and .480 versions have an unfluted cylinder while the .44 Magnum features a fluted cylinder.