Requesting Info on Redhawk .45 5.5"

[longship]

I've seen a 5.5" barreled Ruger Redhawk in .45 colt that interests me, but I have no experience with the cartridge. I once had a super redhawk in .44 mag but sold it years ago as I found the gun generally too big and unwieldy. This redhawk however, seems a good deal sleeker. It's a used gun and it's apparent that the trigger was worked as it's probably the sweetest ruger trigger I've ever pulled. I normally don't go in for really big guns but the pachmeyers on this pistol feel real good in my medium sized hands.

I've read about the .45 colt and seems interesting. I'd have to reload the beast to make it economical to shoot. Does the brass last awhile in a .45 colt relative to other calibers with which I'm familiar (.44mag, .357mag, etc.)? Anybody know the actual weight of this 5.5" model? Lastly, how does the .45 colt feel, recoil wise, compared to the super redhawk in .44 mag?

I've also heard you can have the cylinder refitted for moonclips and also shoot .45 acp but I don't know if that's true or not.

What's a fair price for a used redhawk like this?

Opinions are welcome. Thanks!

 

[Webleymkv]

The .45 Colt is a great caliber because of its versatility. It can be loaded from a mild .45ACP level plinker up to that of a full house .44 magnum. A Ruger would allow you to load the round to its full potential without problems. As far as the brass goes, I'm not a reloader (yet..) but my uncle who is informs me that almost any straight walled case will last a looooooong time. Considering that the .45 Colt is a realatively low pressure round will only reinforce this. I really can't help you with the price too much but I wouldn't think it should go too far over $300. That's only a guess though so don't take it as gospel. A .45ACP cylinder is available for a Blackhawk but would most likely be a lot more complicated to install on a Redhawk without timing issues. If you're gonna reload I really don't think a different cylinder is worth the time or effort.