Whit,

Thanks. yes a great read. So, it is also the barrels that are upgraded. The name Carpenter steel steel is a little misleading in that it sounds at first blush like steel with a wooodworker moniker. Not the Carpenter company doing aerospace work. The article helps you also appreciate the work that went into designing the SRH, and that in the grand scheme of things Ruger works pretty hard to keep the revolver reasonable as to price.

I bet Ruger could sell a few Alaskan's with 4" barrels.......

Craig

Ok good. Thanks whit. I may look into the Anaconda first. My wife's cousin has a colt 1911 and says its the most accurate gun he owns. I know some of the colts are highly desireable, but didn't know if the anaconda was one of them, or if it was, as you say, a shooter.

Thanks for the advice!

Raptor,

Pop over to gunbroker or gunsamerica and look at the Anaconda prices (or any Colt double actions). When Colt dropped the double action revolvers years ago, things got silly. Well, perhaps not silly but the Colt name on anything no longer in production spells higher prices. Ya never know....

Craig

Yeah been looking at some of those. Looks like $1500 for unfired isn't bad. Wonder if its a first generation?? There are a couple of those going for north of $3000 on there!

I think it's a good price particularly if it is indeed NIB.

Not to change the subject, but on the redhawks with the SR 454 cylinders, was that basically a drop in fit?

I think that is a fair price on a NIB Anaconda. I sure would like $1200 better. They are great revolvers. I just wish Colt would have chambered the Anaconda in 41 mag.

It is a stainless gun, so it won't show wear as much as a blued gun if you decide to shoot it.

I have a 5.5" Redhawk in 41 mag. I honestly prefer shooting the S&W M57, but I am not shooting anything particularly hot.

It is on my list as well! I have only had BHs, I have seen them turned into amazing back-up guns - the double action and longer cylinder is its major beneift in this area. You can load longer, heavier projectiles(like 350gr. and up!) for bear country and be able to shoot it a little faster (although I have seen people shoot single-actions just as fast as a double, but they were using their off hand to thumb down the hammer- which may not be an option if you have a bear or other nasty critter on you or you are in some way using your other hand)