I am back to page 29 of Handgun Hunting so far. Very good reading by the way. It would seem from my observations that more Ruger Super Blackhawks are in use by members of this site than Super Redhawks. Looking over "Buy Now" prices on Gun Broker the price for the Super Blackhawk HUNTER, and a Super Redhawk is about the same. Standard Super Blackhawks are much cheaper.
With a Super Blackhawk Standard or Hunter you are factory limited to 41 Magnum, 44 Magnum, and 45 Colt.
With a Super Redhawk you have 44 Magnum, 45 Colt/454, and 480 Ruger. More available Horsepower without Custom Cylinder and Barrel work.

From my observations reading posts 44 Magnum and 45 Colt Ruger Hunting Loads are considered about all that the AVERAGE Handgun Hunter would enjoy shooting from a recoil stand point. The more serious Revolver Hunters move to bigger Magnums, especially if they hunt bigger game, or plan to down the road.

From my observations as long as we are talking White Tail Deer, Black Bear, and Hogs, the added Horse Power from 454, 480, 475, and 500's are more than is really needed.

From my observations when the game is Big Bear, Moose, Elk, and Big Mule Deer the bigger Magnums start to shine, and the added power makes a difference.

Bullets: From my Observations this is a personal preference think. Most seem to think a factory 240 or 250 grain Hollow Point, or Soft Point that will expand is all that is really needed for White Tail. For bigger game the bullets seem to go more to cast lead, and heavier weight for deep penetration. Some just like to shoot lead at everything. One fellow made cast soft points by droping them in water to harden them, then anealed the front to soften it for expansion. I am not sure with Revolvers we have a clear cut choice as to what is really best. Shot placement is a bigger consideration than the bullets used.

Scopes or Iron Sights: From what I can tell most like scoped handguns when used as a primary hunting arm. With that said, I did see lots of open sight revolvers in the pictures. I could be wrong about this.

QUESTION: Between a Super Blackhawk HUNTER and a Super Redhawk with both being scoped identically, and both being chambered in 44 Magnum to even the playing field. Which would you choose and why?

Well, I hate the SBH grip, so unless you make it a Bisley I will take my SRH. If I can have a SBH 'Bisley' Hunter it is a tough choice but in a 44 I would go with the SA for the lighter weight.

Scope location is another matter, the SRH mounts are over the receiver which is better ballanced than the barrel mounts of the SBH Hunter. I have both and can attest to that, but you can buy an aftermarket mount for the SBH that will locate the scope over the receiver as well.

I do enjoy a DA for loading and unloading, but it isn't that big of a deal.

I agree with the above post with respect to my preference for the bisley grip over the standard blackhawk. That is personal preference. Likewise, I prefer the SA revolvers to the DA because of the difference in feel. I am personally not a fan of the SRH, although I know they are dependable and strong. If I were going to a DA revolver it would be a S&W. Again, just my personal preference.

Another preference of mine (in opposition to your above conclusions) is that I like bullets heavier for the caliber than the standard weight. Last year I have had 240 gr 44 mag handloaded Speer SP fail to exit on a broadside "behind the shoulder" shot on a Sika buck at about 100 yds. I want two holes in them. I will use the 250 gr partitions (until my supply is exhausted) or the 270 gr next time. JMHO

Welcome to the board.

I like pretty guns.............that makes the Super Redhawk the loser!!!

I don't care for the Blackhawk grip at all. Maybe I don't know how to shoot it? I do like the Bisley grip. The Double action grip especially the Super Redhawk fits my hand well. I have a 44 and 480 SRH and would not trade them for any Blackhawk. I like the faster laoding of the double actions.

As for the looks of a gun beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I for one think the SRH is a good looking gun. The Rehawk is a handsome gun. My S&W 29 is a fancy gun, and my DW's are works of art. But that is all strictly opnion.

I just think it's great we have so many choices available. It sure would be a boring world if we had one gun, one bullet and one animal to shoot. That would be plain vanilla.

Hey I like vanilla! I have shot both the SRH and the SBH and I prefer the feel of the SBH. Plus I think it looks better.

Go out and shoot both... then see which one you like better... and the more models the better. (Just like girls.) You are going to fall in love with one, take it marry it, and go shoot LOTS of things with it and never look back.

I prefer the looks of a SBH over any Ruger DA made. I like shooting the DA better unless the SBH is wearing Hogue grips. The Hogue are a larger finger groove grip and they cover up that knuckle busting square trigger guard! My only gripe about a SBH. Its been my personal experience based on about a dozen or so guns, that a SBH will outshoot the DA every time as far as accuracy goes.

What's not to love?!?!?!?

The beauty is in the brawn and functionality.......

How can anyone say this isn't beautiful? LOL!!

I prefer a single action over a double and the SBH grip doesn't bother me at all in 44 Magnum and lower. Over that then the bisley grip is more comfortable to shoot but I don't like the styling. A 44 is really all you need for the game you mentioned and plenty of the bigger critters have also been killed with 44's before the other guns were around.

The SRH is a very well built gun but I like the looks of the SBH better.

That is one fine looking SRH!! I have a 4" S&W 44 & a Contender in 30/30AI & hunt with both at times, depending on the situation. My next handgun will be either a SRH or Bisley hunter, the SA looks better to me but I think the SRH will be my choice. I also like the ability to load heavy bullets "long", not that I need the power, but nice to have the option.

SCOPE RINGS: I wondered about the Scope Ring positioning being different between the SBH Hunter and the SRH. I am not sure how big a deal this is, as long as you can get the scope where it needs to be.

BULLETS: AS I already have an RCBS 44-240-SWC Gas Check Mold, I think I would probably start out using it. I have been buying all my cast bullets the last few years for IDPA, however I have everything required to make them myself. I might need to get some different Bullet Lube. I still have some RCBS Green on hand that I have had around over 30 years.

RECOIL: I like the feel of the SRH rubber grip. It feels like it would soak up some recoil. The Super Blackhawk Bisley HUNTER grip feels ok, but I am not sure about recoil with the factory wood grip.

SA vs DA: No preference here. Loading and Unloading a single action is not a big deal. Hunting Deer you are going to cock either one. Both seem plenty robust in design and construction.

LOOKS: They both look OK to me. The Super Blackhawk Biesley Hunter might be a little sexier looking. Might just be the grips she was wearing.

I have never owned a Hunting Size Ruger pistol. I have owned several Smith & Wesson 29's, and 629's over the years. Most were 4" with a single 8-3/8 when the 629's first came out and you could not get one. My buddy at the Western Auto got a single one in because he had a friend in high places. I hauled it home the night it came in. Man did I ever pay too much for that one. I was always told that a steady diet of hunting ammo would Trash a 44 Smith. I like Smiths and own several, however I think a Ruger would last much longer if you planned to shoot it a lot with heavy loads. I did not deer hunt with the Smith 44's. I believe my old load was a 240 lead with 8 grains of unique under it.

The Super Redhawk I handled today left some to be desired on the Single Action trigger pull.
Which one is easier to tune up the Super Blackhawk or Super Redhawk?

Scope location makes a huge difference in the balance of the rig.



That's interesting, my 480 has a fantastic SA pull.



Advantage SA, but they are all pretty good to begin with.



That beauty is more than meets the eye, your hand and wrist will appreciate.

s4s4u
The Super Redhawk I tryed today was probably new, considering the price on it. That could have had something to do with the trigger pull.
Between my brother and I we have 7 Smith & Wesson Revolvers at the moment. Three are Power Custom Combat's and 1 Smith & Wesson Custom Shop. Three are Rock Stock. The Single Action Trigger on the worst Smith we have is considerably better than that particular Super Redhawk.

You mentioned your 480. I was on Starlines web site last night. The 480 Ruger Brass has a Note: When we get enough on order, we will run some. Very Sad
From my reading if I were to go bigger than 44 Magnum, the 480 would be the best choice for me. REASONING Larger Diameter Bullets at the same speed Hits Harder. Bigger Holes In and Out better for blood trail, and Tolerable Recoil.

Yes, big holes hurt more. Get your order in for a couple hundred pieces of brass. When you get it you might be ready, it will last a long time.

Yup, no doubt compared to the slick trigger of the Smith & Wesson, the Ruger's trigger is attrocious. That established, the Ruger can be slicked up really nicely. The action of my .500 SRH mocks those of my Smiths now. Out of the box they can be heavy, but that can be easily fixed. What you do get with the Ruger over the Smith is tank-like strength.

All that aside, DA or SA is a matter of preference. They will both serve you admirably. DA's transfer recoil more to the shooter than an equivalently loaded SA revolver. They both have advantages and disadvantages.

Whitworth
You hit the nail on the head the trigger can be fixed. The tank like strength is the real High Point.

My main complaint with Hi Powered Revolvers has always been being whacked by the trigger guard. This seems to never happen with Contenders. It happened a lot with a Model 29 with heavy loads. I normally have Hogue rubber grips on all my Smiths. The one that I remember really getting me was a factory wood stocked 4" Nickle 29 with some factory ammo I got with the pistol.

Well I better get off here and build some Simulators for the Sniper Range. We are working on a new design multi purpose simulator that will work as a:
Firing Port Simulator
Low Wall Simulator
Helicopter Door (Using the Strap) Simulator
Ceiling Hung 550 Cord Simulator

This should be a favorite with the next Sniper Class, as well as at the Sniper Match.

Yes to all of that. Concerning the recoil, I noticed that the SRH now has the tamer grips. I t would seem that those grips combined with the wt. would make it as pleasant as the Bisley, but I havn't tried the new SRH yet.

The Tamer grip makes a world of difference. My 454 SRH was more comparable to a stiff 45 Colt after the tamer was installed. It will also eliminate the knuckle crush from the trigger gaurd.

+1! The Tamers are the best 20 bucks you can spend on an SRH in .454 Casull!

I put those grips on my 480 and it shoots like my Bisley Huntr 41 Mag, recoil wise.

I put Tamers on my .500 SRH before I shot it. Can't imagine how unpleasant it would be with the factory grips it came with......

I own them both in 44 Mag and like them equally well. I have a 9.5ish inch SBH and a 7.5" SRH. I really like the scope mounting system on the SRH, and though I would use a scope but went back to a pair of Williams Firesights for now. If you consider the SBH hunter there is no difference in scope mounting. A variety of sight options are available for the SRH if you are like my and have bad eyes; SBH open sight options are pretty scant unless you are handy or know a gunsmith. I carry the SRH in camp, in the truck, and when there is a chance to get gored by something as the double action may have some added benefit in a "oh crap" situation. I think the single action handles better though, is better looking, and my version has a much better trigger than the SRH even after a spring kit and some minor work. Try them both though and see which one you prefer, and don't forget the standard redhawk, it may be an option in 44 Mag depending on your needs.

The in stock selection in my area seems to be a little limited. I have a Super Black Hawk Bisley HUNTER in 44 Magnum located at one gunshop, and a 44 Magnum Super Red Hawk located at another.

My plan is to work a trade on a couple guns I picked up for Cowboy Action shooting about 14 years ago that I never did get into. I have not shot either in about 14 years, they are just taking up space in the safe. I have a Winchester 94 that has been converted to 44-40 with a new Winchester barrel and lifter, and a Uberti Cattleman 4-5/8 also in 44-40, RCBS Dies, and 500 Rounds of Starline Brass.
I figure I should be able to trade even for either gun once I decide which is the best choice in a 44 Magnum. If the Super Red Hawk was in 480 Ruger I probably would not be pondering the choice. I like everything I have read about the 480.

Getting the revolver is not a must do thing, needing done right now. The wife and I have had Contenders since around 1993. I have a 35 Bullberry barrel(Mine) and a 6.5 X 30 JDJ (Hers). I have 2.5 - 7 Burris scopes on both, so I am set up for Revolver range shooting by just turning the scope down. I have a location found to hunt that is perfect for a Revolver from a Tree Stand. Infact I am planning on cleaning out some shooting lanes, and getting a ladder stand up in the next couple weeks.
at that location. I also need to build an A-Frame set of steps over a woven wire fence to access the stand from the gravel road. I like the location. I saw one good buck about 100 yards from where I plan to put the stand this last season, but I had already tagged out when I saw him. He never did turn up on our game cameras at all. Only 8 more months to prepair for deer season 2010.

Dido... I find they both have there place in my collection!!!

Someone mentioned the Redhawk and the Super Redhawk, I have both in 44 Mag and like them each.



7.5" Redhawk
9.5" Super Redhawk

Nice revolvers, TCMan and Tigger!

As has been said... Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Don’t let the function part get in the way!!!!

Well after all the good advice, it looked to me like one could live pretty well with either the Super Red Hawk or the Super Black Hawk Bisley HUNTER. I started out at the gun shop that had the Super Red Hawk 44 Magnum. Brought in my trading material listed above, and yes we did an even trade.

I am now the owner of a Shiney Stainless 7.5" Super Red Hawk.

Did a quick inventory. I have 2 sets of 44 Magnum dies. My RCBS carbide's that I have had forever, and Dillon carbides that I have never used. I need to check out the Dillions first and see what they will do on my Dillion 550 reloader.

Next I need to make a run to the reloading shop and check on some 44 Magnum brass.

After that I guess I will fire up the Lead Pot and make some bullets. My inventory came up with about 3200 gas checks for the 44. I should be in good shape for quite a while before I need to restock on them.

Thanks for the input.

Congratulations, Bob! Your SRH will serve you well!

I have both also, and I lean on the SRH's to hunt with. I like my SA Rugers, but I like the feel of the SRH's in 44 & 480 in my hand. Especially my 480 SRH, had a trigger job done on it and it is my favorite hunter. Its got as good of a trigger as any S&W and a great shooter.

I am undecided between a Red Dot and a 2x scope. I guess I will get this figured out shortly. I have mostly used a scope on hunting handguns. I have an E0-Tech on my AR15 carbine. I think both would work fine.

Bob, I have been using an Ultradot 30 for more than three years now on my custom .475 Linebaugh SRH and I am exceedingly happy with it. It works way better in low-light than a scope in my experience, it's light-weight (a hair over 4-oz), and it has put up with a tremendous beating from recoil to being dropped out of a couple of tree stands (and it never lost its zero). Plus, it has a lifetime waranty and is only $155.00 shipped. Just can't go wrong in my opinion.

Here's a picture of the gun and a hog I shot last year with it. I love my Ultradot!

I was wondering about light. I have normally hunted where I could watch a field in the evening. Switching to a revolver I am planning on hunting in the woods almost exclusively. It gets dark much faster in the trees. Thank you for bringing that up.

The 30mm Super Redhawk rings for the Ultra Dot 30. Where did you get them?

I vote double action all the way. I have never had a Redhawk or M29/629 loosen or break. My Performance Center guns are top of teh line with triggers and accuracy. I would never trade them for a single-action. I do have 2 single actions but they don't get used much-for probably on other reason than ease of loading and unloading.