Scoping a 5.5" Redhawk

[Shorthair]

Looking for experience, suggestions, ideas.
I have a stainless Redhawk in .44 mag with a 5.5" barrel. It did not come with Ruger rings, nor with the Ruger cuts in the rib for which to mount them. I have had a couple thoughts, would appreciate suggestions.
1. Drill and tap the topstrap and/or barrel rib for a Weaver style base. I hesitate to put holes in the topstrap as I don't want to weaken that area, but would like to hear if others have done it or seen it. I would think the best approach if this were possible would be to have a base that is stepped for height difference between the rib and topstrap of the frame.
2. Have a smith cut the mounting pockets for Ruger style rings. Obviously one set on the topstrap and another on the rib. Are there rings made with the difference in height to accommodate such a mounting? I hesitate to cut both front and rear pockets in the rib, as this would necessitate hanging the objective out over the muzzle. Don't want to do that to the scope.
I don't want to remove the iron sights. I am pretty set on the idea of being able to remove the scope in the field and use irons if desired or necessary. I am looking at using a fixed 2 power scope from Nikon, Burris, Weaver, etc. Not gonna put a Tasco on this dragon.
I've looked at Brownell's and Midway and can't seem to find anything that would do the trick.
Thanks in advance for any thoughts on the idea.

 

[BusGunner007]

Honestly, the easiest thing to do is trade the gun for the 7 1/2" bbl. version with the ability to mount a scope.
Or, don't mount a scope on the 5 1/2" bbl. version you have.

Any work done to your present firearm would be cost-ineffective by the time you get a scope on it.
I hope you reconsider the idea.

Best idea? Get another gun!!!
Two Redhawks is a GREAT IDEA.

 

[LafeHubert]

I don't know what intentions were when you bought your Redhawk, but I bought my 5 1/2" .44 Magnum Redhawk as a powerful holster pistol to carry when I go fishing in Alaska. It's about as big and heavy as I would ever want a pistol on my gunbelt to be. The 5 1/2" barrel keeps it from getting caught up on brush, and I can draw and put six rounds of either Buffalo Bore factory loads, or my really hot handloads with huge charges of H-110 and LBT Heat-Treated 300 Gr. WFNGC bullets, into a tight group on a moving target at short range. When I practice with it at the range, firing 6 sub-nuclear rounds as fast as I can, people ask me what I am training to do. I tell them that I am preparing for close encounters with Alaskan Brown bears. Scoping it would be a contradiction in terms, as it would make the pistol more cumbersome and slow me down. If you were intending to use your Redhawk for handgun hunting, I suggest you do go and buy that 7 1/2" Redhawk, or even better, buy a Super Redhawk. When you put a scope on a 7 1/2" Redhawk the bell of the scope is directly over the hammer. With the Super Redhawk the scope is placed farther forward and the hammer is easier to cock. Also, if you go with the 10 1/2" barrel Super Redhawk you get the increased velocity benefit from the extra 3". Also, the Super Redhawk can be had in the .454 Casull, which is just more than one can get with a .44.

For a quick fire holster pistol, with about as much power as I can control, the 5 1/2" Redhawk is my pick.

Good Luck.

 

[tex45acp]

Shorthair,

One of these might interest you.

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=384303

http://linkmoney.org/edgecustom/ruger-scope-mount-by-edge-custom/

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduc...ource=bizrate&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=622

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduc...ource=bizrate&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=622

 

[Wleoff]

Never had any hammer trouble...

I've used the 45 Colt on deer and the 44 Magnum up close on hogs. We don't really worry much about bear in the South. 357 Magnum is sufficient for any Black Bear.

 

[22-rimfire]

I would just get another revolver that was set up for mounting a scope. Using a scope takes the quick and the handy out of handgun hunting and adds some precision to the activity at longer ranges. I have a 8 3/8" Model 57 that I shoot well considering the amount of practice I partake in. I wanted a scoped handgun for whitetail hunting even though I have taken the M57 before. I just could not bring myself to have the thing drilled and taped for a scope, so I bought a different handgun for this purpose. In my case, it was a Ruger Super Redhawk. I also have a Redhawk that is not scoped. I don't have that much affection for the Redhawk that I might not have it drilled if necessary, but right now it is not necessary for me.

 

[Shorthair]

Thanks for all the input. I bought the 5.5 exactly for portability and power, but I live in Michigan, so the notion that I'd have to whip it out and massacre a brown bear while steelheading is a bit over the top. It's great as it is, I take comfort in having on my hip in spring when the black bears wake up, but to be honest I am interested in doing this so I can take it out occasionally on a whitetail hunt. It is for this reason that I'm not interested in buying another firearm for this purpose, those I've collected fill the niche for which bought, and I enjoy the idea of expanding their use into other related areas. And cost is relative, if I want to do a thing the marginal cost is immaterial. I've customized a couple of Mausers that might have been cheaper to just buy new in a Remington but the fulfillment of doing this type of thing is worth the marginal cost to me. And I get it exactly the way I want it.
I looked at all the mounts, thanks tex, I hadn't seen those but I don't think that's where I want to go. I found a B-Square set up where it adapts to the Ruger style pockets cut in the barrel rib for Weaver style rings, but its aluminum and has a lot of bad reviews on screws stripping out.
I think I'm going to buy a high base Weaver universal base blank, and cut it to accommodate the frame. I'll drill and tap the rib, mount the base to the rib, and use Weaver rings to mount the scope. This should allow me to position the objective back enough from the muzzle without having to drill into the topstrap. And if I do it right I won't have to remove the base to use the irons, just unscrew the scope if necessary.
I've put too much time into the gun to sell or trade, I stoned the action and its about as smooth as I've seen a Ruger, and I have the grip rounded down to eliminate the flare at the rear bottom. Fits and points right for my hand now, and I hate the idea of getting rid of a gun once bought. In fact, I've only done that one time in my entire life, a Sterling .380 that I upgraded to a TZ-75.
Thanks again, and I'll continue to monitor here for more ideas.

Wleof: Do you like that Simmons? Clear enough?

 

[Wleoff]

The Simmons 2X was about 15 or 20 years old. Since the photo was made, I switched to a red dot and now to a Leupold 2X scope. The Simmons was okay. Field of view on the red dot wasn't too good, for me, to track deer. The Leupold has the best clarity in low light. I can't really use more magnification than 2X on a pistol scope. I tried a 4X on another pistol and it was too much for field use, again for me. I'm going to stick with the 2X Leupold.

Also, I've tried 45 Colt ammo up to 325 grain Buffalo Bore. I've settled on loading my own with 240 or 250 grain Hornady XTP. It'll stop anything in the Southeast. Good luck.

 

[Shorthair]

Thanks man, good stuff. I'm not surprised on your scope experience, its about what I had figured. I don't have any experience with a scoped pistol so its good to have my intuition confirmed.
I have a good load using the 240 grain xtp over 23.5 grains of H110. It goes about 1350 fps and I figure that's plenty for any whitetail. I'm a bowhunter so I have no problem being able to limit my range to one appropriate to the task and tools.