7.5" Redhawk to 4" round butt project

[mavracer]

This story starts with the purchase of a 9.5" SRH in .480 Ruger. I hate CDNN they had them on clearance for $480. Then I find one of my holy grails a pre lock Smith 3" 696 (yes 696 5 shot L frame 44 special) with this new aqusition I decided to sell my Taurus 431 and then got this great idea I'll sell my 3" Smith 29 too as the 696 does almost everything I had the 29 for and I'll trade my 7.5" Redhawk for a 4"er. Don't know if you all have priced Redhawks but 4" sell for a good 2 to $300 more than a used 7.5" will sell for.Of course while looking for a 4" I find that that was a common conversion before they were factory avaliable.Shoot I figgure I got $300 bucks to spend and thata way I keep my old gun that does have some sentimental value (mom bought it as a "gift" before I was 21 ).

So here it was when I started

first I removed the warning

Then I started with a bench grinder and finshed with a dremil rounded off the butt and fit the original grips to the frame.

Then out came the hacksaw

 

[mavracer]

Don't worry I took a couple hours with a Brownells hand facing tool and squared the muzzle then cut a nice smooth 11 degree crown.

Then I employed a local smith to machine the slot for a Weigand ramp for a S&W (about the only thing I'm not real happy with. He had trouble indexing it and it's probably .010 off center. not a problem and it's only noticible if you look close)

Thought I was getting close, here it is ready for the range.

shoots great but the Safariland speed loaders (left over from the 29) won't clear the factory grips.
So out comes the hacksaw and dremil and I witteled the laminate grips down to size (Sorry I don't know who made them originally either)

 

[mavracer]

all I have left now is to bead blast the whole thing and Wax/polish the grips

Thanks for looking. What do you think?

 

[WC145]

Nice work on a very neat project. You're a braver man than me, I could never cut on one of my guns, I'd be too afraid of ruining it.

 

[Sarge]

That's good stuff.... I have contemplated committing similar sacrileges on a blue RH and having it rebored to a tight .45 Colt. I am one of the few people on the planet who actually gets along well with the factory grip on these guns, at least until the bullet/velocity ratio goes above 325/1300.

 

[mavracer]

yes I like the factory grip too.I did shoot a group with the 340gr Buffalo bore bad boys it wasn't fun but it would be doable in a crunch lol.I don't think the laminates will be any better on recoil as they have the exact same rear conture.they do straighten my wrist a little though and that may help. I'd have prolly left the originals on it except the speed loaders hit right where the emblem is.

 

[HighValleyRanch]

How did you crown the barrel?

 

[mavracer]

How did you crown the barrel?

by hand with one of these
http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=628/Product/79_deg__MUZZLE_CROWNING_CUTTER

 

[bigghoss]

very nice

 

[smee78]

Looks good to me.

 

[Magnum Wheel Man]

very nice work...

sorry, but I couldn't follow through for sure on your 1st post... so is this a 44 mag, or a 480 ruger ??? ( looks like 44 from the hole at the muzzle )

 

[Rifleman1776]

OK job. I really don't understand why or what was gained. I'm not very big and (until a shoulder injury) never had trouble holding my 7 1/2" Redhawk. Oh, well. Whatever floats yer stick.

 

[mavracer]

sorry, but I couldn't follow through for sure on your 1st post... so is this a 44 mag, or a 480 ruger ??? ( looks like 44 from the hole at the muzzle )

Sorry, it's a 44 mag. The .480 took over the duty as BIG THUMP.
here it is.

I really don't understand why or what was gained.

It makes a much better packin gun and now it joins my CCW rotation when I'm out in the wilderness.

 

[Magnum Wheel Man]

thanks for clairifying... been itching for a .480 myself, but more in the way of a package similar to what you did to the 44... or maybe an Alaskan

 

[Carlo]

Wow, that's a good idea! I think Ruger should copy it, really (I like yours better than their 4.2").

 

[Sam06]

You did a nice job. I got a 629 that was a little beat up and put a 4 mountain gun barrel on it. It is now my favorite woods gun. You might want to check the chamber mouths and even them up and re-cut the forcing cone for accuracy.

The good thing about the Redhawk is you can load it hot and with long bullets. i have one with a 5.5" barrel.

 

[Jim March]

I think you have one sweet little beast there . Nothing wrong with a 4" 44Mag.

 

[57sw]

Very nice! I had thought about doing the same to my Redhawk some time back. What method did you use to remove the warning from the barrel?

 

[mavracer]

You might want to check the chamber mouths and even them up and re-cut the forcing cone for accuracy.

CK (.4305) and CK(11 degree) both done long before this.

What method did you use to remove the warning from the barrel?

Ground it off and smooth it up.the key is to make yourself as little of the smoothing when grinding.go slow stay smooth.