Ruger's Redhawk 41 Rem Mag Part I

I like this Redhawk. In fact, I will fly fish from Alaskan shores and plan some wilderness hunting and hiking, just to have an excuse to buy one. I will nickname it “Stubby” and shoot it frequently, even recreationally, because it won’t beat the snot out of me like a 4″ 500 S&W X Frame or a Ruger 454 Casull Alaskan with routine use. It will also not behave like a small frame, snub nose, knuckle bumping 357 Mag or an anemic 38 Special. It will tuck away in a holster, and stay out of the way, until I need it. It will not disrespectfully intrude upon the mature part of my person that hangs over my belt.

The combination of round butt frame and short barrel create the illusion that Ruger started with a really big cylinder and stuck it in a really small frame. Not the case at all as the frame is as beefy as the big cylinder and, yes, the round but grip is small and the barrel is short which makes for a compact revolver. The 6 round cylinder measures 1.780″ in diameter and 1.750″ long, which is about the same as the cylinder in a 44 Rem Mag Ruger Super Redhawk. The outer cylinder wall measures 0.130″ compared the 44 Rem Mag at 0.112″. Unlike the Super Redhawk with its peg grip frame, the Redhawk has a full grip frame and traditionally grip mounting.

This 41 Mag Redhawk is hand filling, with a good deal of heft, which actually helps its shooting personality by making for a steady sight picture and by dampening recoil. As important, the weight in the frame is distributed to areas that add strength rather than just weight. The Redhawk has a reputation of being a stout firearm, more so than the S&W N frame or even Ruger’s Super Blackhawk.

The Redhawk utilizes a single spring to power the hammer and reset the trigger. The single action pull is just under 5 Lbs, double action 10.5.

The Redhawk’s rear sight is notched, white outlined and with click adjustable windage and elevation. The front sight is held in a dovetail and can be removed and replaced by pressing on the spring loaded plunger at the front of the sight. The sight radius is 4.5″ The barrel rib is striated to cut glare… and to look good.

The frame is 0.75″ wide at the thinnest point, the top strap is 0.25″ thick. The finger reach from the top of the grip frame to the face of the trigger is 2.75″

The Ruger Redhawk locks up at three points, and not just with a detent ball at the end of the ejector rod. The cylinder locks at the center pin lock, left, the cylinder lock, center, and cylinder latch hinged on the face of the crane. There was no perceptible cylinder end shake and barrel/cylinder gap measured 0.005″.

In production since 1979 with some very brief exceptions for tooling and process revision, the Redhawk is a popular revolver with lots of potential. How much potential? I’ll let you know in a couple of weeks after we’ve burned through sufficient factory and handloaded ammo.

Ruger’s Redhawk 41 Rem Mag Part I
Ruger’s Redhawk 41 Rem Mag Part II
Ruger’s Redhawk 41 Rem Mag Part III