Ruger Redhawk in .45 ACP / .45LC and other questions ...

[drstrangelove]

I'm going to eat my words here... I met a nice fellow this afternooon off Armslist at the local FFL and bought a Ruger Security Six 357 4" stainless with custom wood grips and a beautiful Eubanks custom leather holster for $350. The trigger and finish was outstanding. So no more Ruger DA badmouthing from me... my mouth is full.

 

[orygun]

Nice lookin gun. Really like the grips.

 

[CountryGent]

Nice looking wheel gun @drstrangelove.

 

[DunRanull]

I handled a Redhawk 45LC/ACP at Fishermans today. The gun balanced OK with a 4-5" barrel but there where two things I really didn't like...
1. The topstrap over the barrel was scratched and dinged. Why would they not return it to the factory instead of putting an $870 price tag on it?
2. The DA trigger pull had a mid cycle increase in pressure with a decrease right before let-off that made target acquisition waiver. Even worse, when I had the salesman check the SA trigger pull because I thought it was broken somehow, it tested at 9.5lbs! Repeatedly, on a trigger scale. This reminded me of the now defunct Thunder-5 on how bad things can be.
Just reaffirmed my decision to stick with S&W until Colt starts making Pythons again and the prices come down. I own 3 Ruger SA's and love them for the ability to detach one hammer spring foot for an instant 2.5lb trigger job. But I won't be buying a Ruger DA revolver anytime soon if this is an indication of how lawyers have screwed up trigger liability.

Quote "Just reaffirmed my decision to stick with S&W until Colt starts making Pythons again and the prices come down." Unquote
You must have a dang long time yet to live if you are waiting for those improbable events to occur! Doubtful that Colt would be able to remake the Python family in the States at anywhere near a competitive price compared to S&W or Ruger.
The Smiths are, in the opinions of some, better built and better designed than the Colts and look and feel better than the Rugers.. My main mtn/woods revolver is a stainless Redhawk .44mag, what the bullet doesnt hit the muzzleblast flattens. One reason I prefer it to my Colts and Smith- it can get roughed up, scratched, wet- and with no damage to the finish or innard parts. Ive come to treasure a good stainless woods gun, be it rifle or side- arm. Some day I might even find a stainless Old Army!

 

[DunRanull]

I'm going to eat my words here... I met a nice fellow this afternooon off Armslist at the local FFL and bought a Ruger Security Six 357 4" stainless with custom wood grips and a beautiful Eubanks custom leather holster for $350. The trigger and finish was outstanding. So no more Ruger DA badmouthing from me... my mouth is full.

View attachment 416527

Nice lookin piece! Ruger should never have ceased production of the Security-Six and Speed-Six. I know that they were a great entry-level large caliber centerfire revolver for myself and other friends in the early '70's..

 

[jordanka16]

I like the durability of Rugers, I just bought a new .44 Redhawk the other day, the SA pull could use some touching up or some time, but the DA pull is very good.

My security six from the 70s has an excellent trigger, I think part of it is just time and the trigger breaking in.

 

[Argonaut]

A quality gun should not require "break in" the thing that you don't realize is if your gun needs break in, when is that wear (that it is code for) going to stop? It isn't.........it will continue until it is worn out. I Have Colts dating manufacture from 1877, they are far from worn out and I am sure required no break in when new. If a manufacture is so casual in the building process that it requires further work to function well or the parts are so soft to "Break in" while being fired a few hundred times........I want nothing to do with there products.

 

[Mister Bisley]

Every new gun has a break-in period. Now whether or not they do this at the factory is another story and will in end result, affect the price tag. There is a set range in guidelines for factory tolerances and it would be exorbitantly expensive to have every gun that comes off the production line to have the exact same specs. That is the purpose of these guidelines. Barrels especially need to be broken-in. At the very least, a new gun should be visually inspected, cleaned, function checked and shot a bunch.

You break in cars, machines, or any other equipment that has metal on metal,moving parts. Not sure why a firearm would be any different. I would rather my revolver be a little tight in the beginning and break into the sweet spot, than get sloppy later.

I think everyone owes it to themselves to do due diligence and put a new firearm through it's paces. Putting that much trust into a manufacturer isn't a great idea, considering how many recalls there have been historically.

 

[Argonaut]

That is the point.......if it "breaks in" it will wear out. That tells you that the metal is so soft as to move around without the use of tools designed to cut or polish it. My Colts are made from hardened metals polished at the factory with tools designed to cut the metal. After being fit, the places like sears where 2 parts intersect wear and change very little over the life of the gun. I might accept breaking in a barrel to some extent but the dynamics are different than the idea of breaking in a trigger or action. I have purchased several brand new Python's. They shoot as well from the first cylinder of ammo to the ones they shoot after 20 years. My 1910 1873 SAA shoots like a dream after 108 years. I used to have a lot of machine tools like lathes and mills. Many were made before WW2 and still held to incredible tolerances. That can't be done by machines built to standards that require breaking in.

 

[uberguy]

Python's are from a long gone age of high quality craftsmanship in revolvers. Nothing ever like the smoothness of a Python trigger. Will forever regret trading my 2.5" polished chrome model (for $600) back in the day. Heard some go for many thousands due to rarity.

 

[Argonaut]

Python's are from a long gone age of high quality craftsmanship in revolvers. Nothing ever like the smoothness of a Python trigger. Will forever regret trading my 2.5" polished chrome model (for $600) back in the day. Heard some go for many thousands due to rarity.

They are not the only quality revolver. Smith still does nice work on internals and a Korth (my next revolver) is finer than a Python. My Trooper MK III is quite good as is my M1955 25 Smith, M629, M63 and M60. No break in or after factory fitting required.

 

[Mister Bisley]

I own a few Smith's and Ruger's...the Smith triggers are superior to the Ruger triggers but I notice a difference in all of them (when new or barely used) after a few cleanings, with a bunch of dry firing/firings in between the cleanings. More so with the Ruger's

 

[Argonaut]

I own a few Smith's and Ruger's...the Smith triggers are superior to the Ruger triggers but I notice a difference in all of them (when new or barely used) after a few cleanings, with a bunch of dry firing/firings in between the cleanings. More so with the Ruger's

I will buy the lubrication part. That makes total sense. Even different lubs will give a changed feel.....better or worse. But I have problems if the metal is moving.........and with full disclosure, I am not a Ruger fan (with some exceptions) A product designed to be marketed as a cheeper alternative to a well made classic seldom measures up.

 

[uberguy]

They are not the only quality revolver. Smith still does nice work on internals and a Korth (my next revolver) is finer than a Python. My Trooper MK III is quite good as is my M1955 25 Smith, M629, M63 and M60. No break in or after factory fitting required.

I hadn't said they're the only quality revolver. I own a few Smiths, quite happy with them.
Mine have excellent triggers, none as nice as that Python I owned.