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45 Colt packin' pistol.... which one?


Makicjf

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I'm a bit stumped and have reasoned myself to an impasse in my mind.  I need ( ok, want)  a packable double action  45 colt capable of ruger level loads to pair with my Rossi 92 in 45 colt ( awesome truck, all purpose rifle, btw).  I'm not a huge fan of the Ruger DA trigger, but finding a stainless Smith in 45 colt might be challenging.  Though John Linebaugh states a Smith will tolerate Ruger loads, he says to use them sparingly.  I know myself well enough to know that no revolver or load or I like will be shot "sparingly"... so I think  I've nixed the Smith... Maybe...

A Redhawk in 45 colt with the Bowen extra length pin, a dressed hammer to allow for full impact seems like the ticket... but the last one (I'll call it the learning curve "Hawk) took me so long to get working I came to hate it.  Once it worked I sold it at a substantial loss.  This was a foolish act, but it was a 2 year trek to get it to pop primers...  It will also take a Ruger night sight and a pair of presentation grips without much trouble.  I'll assume the throats will need reamed to .4525 while at TK for moonclipping.  The moonclips are for 45 colt, as I learned the hard way 45 acp accuracy is questionable at best in a long cylinder.  My 625 can eat all the 45 acp I want or need to send down range. 

    ( I actually thought about a Ranger conversion of a marlin to a 45 acp lever gun paired with the 625, instead of finding a 45 colt DA, but I simply could not use a 2K lever gun as a field/packing rifle)

My 454 7 1/2 inch is great as a dedicated hand held rifle, but is far to long to pack daily.  It also has the worst DA trigger of all time.  The cylinder binds at the outset, then breaks fee into a decent, but long pull.   My 100 year old 1917 has a better trigger.  I am sending the big SRH off to have the trigger fixed, but I'm concerned a Toklat model would have the same unshootable DA trigger.  I have the same concern with a 454 Alaskan.  I'm also not sure I would want a snubby.  Elmer carried a 4 inch for good reason, it strikes the right balance of speed, power and accuracy for a packin pistol.

All of the above non sequitur rambling are to ask a simple question:

What would be the best 45 Colt Ruger level capable DA revolver ( all will need work, I know) A 45 Colt 4 inch Smith, A 45 Colt 4.2 inch Redhawk ( I think this is my Huckleberry), a 454 SRH Toklat, or a 454 Alaskan?

Jason

Edited by Makicjf
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I have a 4.2" Redhawk for this very purpose.  It will eat 50k psi loads and you can tune them to reasonable DA triggers.  I will say I prefer the Alaskan models though and recently sold my 454 only to fund a 480 version.  Some don't like the feel of a snubby but I love them.  Also, the SRH action is easier to fine tune in my experience.

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On paper, the Redhawk seems ideal, but I was so disappointed with the last one (sheared the hammer hook 3 times, had to run with the Bowen Red spring, weld length to the transfer bar, dress the hammer and wait for the new extra length pin) that I'm honestly fearful of buying another one.  I sunk the price of the revolver into making it work.  I'd have been better off to save my lunch money and just send it to Bowen...  I've also really come to appreciate the big Hogue Tamers on my rugers and the X frame grips on my Smiths.  The extra pull length really helps, plus the recoil absorption.  I don't know of a Tamer type for the square butt Redhawk, though a Presentation grip worked well on the last one.  I, also, like the continuity of grip feel between platforms, so that's a consideration.

    I've never actually shot an Alaskan,  but a guy is bringing his 5 inch Toklat to our USPSA match this Sunday, and that should help inform me on that platform.  I should lay hands on an Alaskan before I make a decision.

    I've come to realize my current daily carry/packing pistol is pretty close to lower 48 ( specifically Texas) perfect.  A 4 inch 625 JM, .4525 throats, X frame grips, smooth but not lightened DA, nice single action pull, night sight on the front, mernickle PS6DA holster that fits and retains well, good moonclip holders that protect the clips and does not allow them to bounce out, even from horseback, and a lee 255 RF (260 from ww) with a big .360 meplat doing 900 fps from the muzzle.Some people don't like the moonclips in the field, but I love them.  Over the years I've collected atleast 500 of the Revolver Supply 45 acp clips, I think I bent 1 when I stepped on it.Accuracy is good,  2 inches =/- depending on the day from 25 yards and at SD ranges lights out double taps ( or thumps with a 260 flat nose).   The only "issue" is I don't have a 45 acp carbine I can pair it with...  So I have to load 45 colt for the 92 and 45 acp for the Smith... it would be nice to just load one.... That way I could use the 45 colt brass for Hammer of Thor loads in my 454 SRH and Rossi 92 and use the essentially free 45 acp brass for every day shooting, packing and varmint/predator control...

Way off track, but does anyone know if any of the Thompson replica's are reliable and rugged?  I could go the plastic route for a 45 ACP carbine, but the idea of a Thompson makes me happy!

I apologize for the stream of consciousness epistle!

Jason

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Consider the Redhawk 45ACP/Colt 4.2 inch revolver. Has curved grip to facilitate carry. Uses moon clips for ACP. I’ve had mine since it came out, 17 months? Great fun, accurate and I like the looks. I shoot mostly 45ACP; the colt rounds make it an over the top hand cannon. If that’s what you want, killing Dinosaurs with one shot, this is it; nice to know you can practice with (softer?) ACP.


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15 hours ago, Brian B said:

Consider the Redhawk 45ACP/Colt 4.2 inch revolver. Has curved grip to facilitate carry. Uses moon clips for ACP. I’ve had mine since it came out, 17 months? Great fun, accurate and I like the looks....

 

I've heard mixed reports about accuracy with 45ACP. Apparently some ammunition doesn't like the jump in the cylinder. What is your experience?

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Yes there was trouble with early production guns. Ruger client service here in Canada was excellent. (Snap Shot Guns in Quebec) My first revolver was seriously inaccurate. I returned it and the Ruger service people agreed with me, returned it to head office and gave me a new gun. The new gun had a serial number that was a few hundred higher than the first gun and it also was terribly inaccurate. The service department again agreed and sent me a third brand new revolver. This one is a charm. It shoots double Alfa’s all day long and easily knocks down steel. What was wrong with the first production? I suspect the cylinder throats were too narrow for the forcing cone and bore. That would send a bullet rattling down a barrel with little or no grasp of the bore grooves. Nothing to do with ammo type nor jumping a gap. At 4.2 inches it is perfectly weighted for USPSA/IPSC./ICORE/IDPA My 610, 586 seem front heavy at 6 inches. My new 929 may be more competitive, time wise, but it is nowhere near as fun as the the big bullets from the Ruger Redhawk .

 

 

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Man,,,,,,

Hate to hear about your Ruger problems.

For a packin revolver, with some favoritism, the S&W 625 PC 45 ACP is a really cool platform. 

It ain't no 1911 but a big bore powerhouse for sure.

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