Hi, new to the forum My question is: I am looking to buy a new ruger revolver and I am wondering or maybe I should say that I am ignorant of the differences between the Super Redhawk/black hawk and the regular redhawk/Blackhawk. I want to be able to shoot full horsepower loads (occasionally) so are both models capable and safe to do so? I have my mind set on either the redhawk 4.2" or the bisley new model 5.5" (willims shooters exclusive) Any help would be appreciated thanks Gary

I was under the impression that the Super Blackhawk was for the 44mag. and that the 45LC was only available in the Blackhawk line. I have a SS Blackhawk in 45 LC (4 5/8" barrel) and I do shoot full house loads in it, but I did replace the base pin with a Belt Mountain base pin.
Peter.

They do make the Super Redhawk in 45LC. The Super Redhawk is Ruger's strongest Revolver made. It will handle any 45 Colt load you could stuff in it.

The Blackhawk will also handle pretty much any 45 Colt round you decide to load into it. I have three 45 Colt Blackhawks and have shot a steady diet of heavy recoiling loads through them. My Bisley is also a 5.5" stainless and with the grip angle and length it seems to absorb the recoil a little better for me. It's also a steel frame vs. the Aluminium of the two blued blackhawks. The extra weight helps.

Welcome to the forum Gary,

The 45 Colt is an excellent round for hunting and general shooting. You are getting a cartridge with bullet weight and diameter are working for you, and effective loads do not need to be fire walled.

I recommend you try each model to see which feels best in your hand. I prefer the Bisley grip while others do not like it. Additionally, my preference is towards the 5.5 to 6" barrel length for packing.

quote:

Originally posted by Peter:
I was under the impression that the Super Blackhawk was for the 44mag. and that the 45LC was only available in the Blackhawk line. I have a SS Blackhawk in 45 LC (4 5/8" barrel) and I do shoot full house loads in it, but I did replace the base pin with a Belt Mountain base pin.
Peter.

The new .480 and .454 are Super Blackhawks. I shoot hot .45 Colt almost exclusively out of my .454 SBH. The only differences between the Redhawk and Super Redhawk are the improved grip frame (from the GP100), and the frame extension that was added to accommodate an optic. There is no strength difference as far as their frames are concerned as they are otherwise the same. That said, the Redhawk and Super Redhawk can take a real beating -- but so can the Blackhawk/Super Blackhawk platforms. As MS Hitman pointed out, you should try the various platforms out in order to find out what works best for you. A .454 is a good caliber as you can throw warm .45 Colts at it day in and day out without any concerns. JMHO.

I have both the Redhawk in 45 Colt and the Ruger blued Bisley in the same. Both handle the same heavy loads with no problems but I don't try to make a 454 out of either one. The 300-325 grain bullets at around 1100-1200 fps suits me fine.

I've come to prefer the Bisley over the Redhawk so it will be going down the road to fund some work like shortening a couple of my 7.5" Bisleys to 5.5".

THANKS for the replies and help. Yes I hope to handle each soon before I decide to buy. Yes the new 454 with the 6.5" barrel is a thought, but I "think" I would rather carry a 5.5".Decisions,Decisions I am also thinking that I am probably going to end up with a red dot as my eyes are failing so are mounts available for the new model bisley Blackhawk? Yeah I don't like the looks of optics on single actions but I doubt I would be able to hunt with out it. Again thanks for your input
Gary

Another question : I notice that the twist rate is different between the 454 and the 45lc. I realize that every gun is an individual so in general how is the accuracy shooting 45's out of a 454. If I am over thinking this im sorry. I have yet to find the elusive "money tree" so I need to spend wisely and hopefully get it right the first time. I just looked at the ruger website and if I go the 454 route the two I chose are both dealer exclusives and they seem to be out of stock.(my luck) SRH/5"or SBH 6.5"

If you reload, there is no need to shoot 45 Colts from the 454 chamber. The few time I have done this, accuracy was fine.

Don't worry about asking questions, someone on this thread has figured out the answer to most of the questions.

7887mm08...My eyes aren't very good either, and I put a ruger one hole peep sight on my Blackhawk...sure helped me.

here is the link if you want to check them out..easy to install and it works!

http://www.warrencustomoutdoor.com/ohs-ruger.html

Zee

I have seen those sights before and I was always going to try them on my single six. I did find both of my choices for sale on the web (nib) so I am going to hit the local gunshop this weekend and see what REAL WORLD PRICES are and go from there. Unfortunately I live in NY so it will probably take a couple weeks to receive.

The Warren link don't work for me.
George

Gary--I have a rancher friend that shot a full grown rank black Angus bull between the eyes at eight yards with a 1873 Peacemaker in 45LC. The meat processor found the bullet in the bull's neck just in front of the shoulders after about three feet of penetration. The load was a 250 grain Keith bullet at 850 fps.

The bull had crippled a horse and caved in the front fender of the rancher's F150. One well placed shot, and down and done--without a super hot, over the top load. I shoot the same load in my Vaquero, and while I nave never shot a charging bull, the penetration is definitely there and the load is not unpleasant to shoot.

Sharpsguy, yeah I guess im a slow learner to the fact of the diameter of the 45.I am pretty much set on getting a 454 but shooting the 45 lc exclusively. The new 6 1/2" bisley is my goal. Have to go to the local gunshop and see if they will get it for me Thankyou Gary

Years ago (Late 1980's), I worked with a guy who was a total .45LC fanatic. He started with a new 7 1/2" Redhawk, had the barrel rebored to .452" and the cylinder rechambered to .45. His goal at the time was to see just what the old Colt could be made to do, power wise. He was the sort of guy who never fired a shot unless it was through a chronograph and the velocity and group size logged. He let me try it one day- as far as I can remember, the load was a 320 grain Lyman cast, originally intended as a muzzle loader bullet, and a huge charge of Blue Dot. According to the chrono, it was running 1450 FPS and was more accurate than I could shoot at 50'. Supprisingly enough, it wasn't that unpleasant to shoot- no worse really than my 6" Model 29 with factory ammo. Cases were extracting easily, with no outward signs of high pressure.

Porosonik.

quote:

Gary--I have a rancher friend that shot a full grown rank black Angus bull between the eyes at eight yards with a 1873 Peacemaker in 45LC

I have shot large cattle with a 22LR and down an out they were. Fairly standard practice when slaughtering them.

quote:

Originally posted by 7887mm08:
Sharpsguy, yeah I guess im a slow learner to the fact of the diameter of the 45.I am pretty much set on getting a 454 but shooting the 45 lc exclusively. The new 6 1/2" bisley is my goal. Have to go to the local gunshop and see if they will get it for me Thankyou Gary

That is essentially what I do with my .454 Bisley nowadays. Minimizing the wear and tear on it.

p dog shooter --That shot to the head with a 22lr is NOT to kill the animal but only to stun it . The throat is then slit and as the heart is still beating blood is pumped out resulting in better quality meat !!

quote:

Originally posted by mete:
p dog shooter --That shot to the head with a 22lr is NOT to kill the animal but only to stun it . The throat is then slit and as the heart is still beating blood is pumped out resulting in better quality meat !!

Having been on the receiving end of a cantankerous and wounded bovine, I wouldn't have wanted to stake my life on a .22 revolver and in fact am very happy that I had my .500 Maximum in hand.

mete, The 22 rf. shot in the head on cattle IS an instant kill shot. I've done it many (I guess 15) times.
Imagine a line from each horn down to the opposite eye. Put the bullet where the lines intersect with the animal looking at you. Knees buckle and the animal is dead as a door nail.
Brian

Hell Brian:

IF the knee's buckle first and takes time to fall you didn't hit it in the brain! When we shoot 'em in the head with a .22 they drop before the noise of the shot is done. Bangcrash, all one sound. They're down at the shot.

Dad not being a handgun shooter hit one in the horn cavity. I walked around the barn to get where the steer was standing with a .30 carbine Blackhawk 110gr RN, 1215fps. Just as I rounded the corner he looked at me and bang. His feet hit his belly before he dropped like a big rock.

Funny thing, cut the neck to the bone and barely got half gallon of blood, the other one with the .22 bled about 3 gallons it looked like. After we'd finished quartering him I asked about the lack of blood. Butcher said: "you killed him TOO dead with that GD cannon pistol!!" Sounded like he was p'd about it. "stopped the heart, blood is in the meat". "make sure my half comes from him then".
"Count on it!" he said. Both steers were about 1200lbs. Tom found my bullet in the back half the Atlas joint 11" penetration.

We couldn't tell the difference between the two when eating, I even cooked a steak from both at the same time to taste test. Sure didn't taste any different to us and we ate steak nearly everyday then. I feel that's just one of those bullshit tales that won't die and gets repeated far too often by those that don't know much about it.

George

Brian, what type of cows do you have there ??
I used to help a friend slaughter calfs , running 500-600 lbs. One of those times I put one down with my 9mm in the proper location. Went down instantly .Put the pistol away , pulled out my knife and stepped forward . Suddenly the dead/unconscious calf jumped up and charged ! I backed up but was saved when the calf reached the end of his chain !!
The only injuries were to the two guys -- from laughing too hard !

as to cattle killing-
initially we used 22 shorts on the cattle- had a few misadventures
later we switched to a compress air bolt gun--
Hammer -dead is an appropriate term--

as to the 45 Long Colt-
One of my favorites-
have a couple of Freedom Arm 97's, S&W Triple locks , a New Service Fitz-- etc

The SBH, SRH, RH are all good guns-
recently parted with my Ham Bowen 45 RH Alpine
Sad day, but it went to a young friend who will carry it on his Montana spread with some CEB soilds we cooked up--
with that a baby 454 in his pocket he should be fine

Hard to go wrong with the old Colt

quote:

we switched to a compress air bolt gun--
Hammer -dead is an appropriate term--

Ah! just like the movie!
Peter

quote:

Originally posted by 7887mm08:
Another question : I notice that the twist rate is different between the 454 and the 45lc. I realize that every gun is an individual so in general how is the accuracy shooting 45's out of a 454. If I am over thinking this im sorry. I have yet to find the elusive "money tree" so I need to spend wisely and hopefully get it right the first time. I just looked at the ruger website and if I go the 454 route the two I chose are both dealer exclusives and they seem to be out of stock.(my luck) SRH/5"or SBH 6.5"

I have Ruger 45 colt revolvers in 45 colt and FA revolvers in 454 also have a RedHawk fitted with Dan Wesson barrel system, used factory barrel turned down. I shoot mostly 300+ grain flat point hard cast in 45 colt through all of them and accuracy is not a problem.

FA-83 in 454 shooting 45 colt factory load.

quote:

Originally posted by 7887mm08:
Another question : I notice that the twist rate is different between the 454 and the 45lc. I realize that every gun is an individual so in general how is the accuracy shooting 45's out of a 454. If I am over thinking this im sorry. I have yet to find the elusive "money tree" so I need to spend wisely and hopefully get it right the first time. I just looked at the ruger website and if I go the 454 route the two I chose are both dealer exclusives and they seem to be out of stock.(my luck) SRH/5"or SBH 6.5"

I have Ruger 45 colt revolvers in 45 colt and FA revolvers in 454 also have a RedHawk fitted with Dan Wesson barrel system, used factory barrel turned down. I shoot mostly 300+ grain flat point hard cast in 45 colt through all of them and accuracy is not a problem.

quote:

Originally posted by mete:
Brian, what type of cows do you have there ??
I used to help a friend slaughter calfs , running 500-600 lbs. One of those times I put one down with my 9mm in the proper location. Went down instantly .Put the pistol away , pulled out my knife and stepped forward . Suddenly the dead/unconscious calf jumped up and charged ! I backed up but was saved when the calf reached the end of his chain !!
The only injuries were to the two guys -- from laughing too hard !

There is little that is more disconcerting than when a "dead" bovine reanimates!

Mete, That is a funny story. Thanks for sharing it.

It has been a long time since I have been in a slaughter house. At that time, 1980's, they were using a 22 blank to drive a captive bolt into the head to stun the animal so they could be bled out with the heart still beating.

Times change, I have no idea if that technology is still in use or not.

Tom

You think I'm making it up ?Check out Kathi's post ...
http://forums.accuratereloadin...1411043/m/9231011222

There is no sure thing !