A Tucson, Arizona man was having coffee outside his newly built cabin in June 2023 when a black bear attacked. The bear dragged the man down an embankment and killed him. An armed neighbor later killed the bear. Had the victim also been carrying a handgun for self-defense outdoors, this tragedy could have been prevented. The Ruger Redhawk double-action revolver chambered in .44 Magnum/.44 Special is one such gun that could handle the job.

About the Redhawk

The Ruger Redhawk model 5044 is an extra-large frame double-action/single-action revolver chambered in .357 Magnum, .41 Magnum, .44 Magnum and .45 ACP calibers available in a number of different configurations. I chose the more packable 4-inch Model 5044 that comes equipped with recoil-compensating Hogue Monogrips already in place for evaluation.

Ruger Redhawk Specifications

Capacity: 6 rounds .44 Magnum or .44 Special
Overall Length: 9.50 inches
Weight: 47 ounces
Construction: Satin-finished stainless steel/side plate free with Ruger revolver takedown/disassembly system
Sights: Replaceable red ramp front sight with white outline rear sight adjustable for windage and elevation
Barrel: Cold-hammer forged steel barrel and shroud
Trigger: Single spring mechanism for light pull
Mechanism: Triple-locking cylinder with transfer bar safety mechanism
MSRP: $1,379

Redhawk at the Range

It has been a while since I’ve fired a .44 Magnum handgun. The Ruger’s instruction manual appropriately warns that the recoil generated by the .44 Magnum and equivalent cartridges can be dangerous if the user “lacks sufficient strength.” I took the Redhawk to a local indoor range with two boxes of Doubletap ammunition I had on hand:

  • .44 Magnum loaded with a 200-grain Barnes XPB bullet driven to 1,550 feet per second from a 5.5-inch barrel, delivering 1,067 foot-pounds of energy on target
  • .44 Special loaded with a 180-grain Controlled Expansion bullet driven to 1,150 feet per second from a 5-inch barrel, delivering 529 foot-pounds of energy on target

I purchased a Law Enforcement Targets INC. VB-52 target at the range. The VB-52 consists of 10 numbered black circles which progress from smallest to largest on the left, and largest to smallest on the right. I sent the target down to 25 feet and sighted on the large #5 circle on the bottom of the left side to allow for “bullet rise” recoil. I took (what I thought was) a firm two-hand hold and touched off the first Doubletap .44 Magnum, firing double-action.

“Boom!” I didn’t see where the round hit at first … but it wasn’t in the #5 circle. Thinking I had flinched and jerked the round low, I looked down. But upon looking up, I saw it perched above the #3 circle, 1 ½ inches outside at the 11 o’clock position. Recoil had carried it upward 10 inches above my point of aim. The next double-action shot was better, 8 ½ inches above my point of aim, landing in the #4 circle.

I fired my next shots single-action. The single-action trigger pull measured a crisp 5 pounds, 1.6 ounces. The Redhawk’s hammer is easy to cock. Cocking with my left thumb and concentrating on a tighter grip, the next six rounds landed in the intended target which again was the #5 left circle. Four rounds were in a single cluster just below the center of the circle, and two rounds landed 2 ½ inches directly to the right of center, still within the circle.

I loaded up with just five rounds of the Doubletap .44 Special ammo to focus on the group size, again at 25 feet. Although the Doubletap .44 Special is a very hot load, it was downright pleasant to fire out of the Redhawk. This time, all five rounds were in the center of the #8 circle in a 2 ¾ inch group.

Who Should Buy the Ruger Redhawk?

With the right holster, the 4-inch barreled 5044 Ruger Redhawk offers significant defensive power in an easier-to-carry package than longer-barreled Redhawks. It is also a handgun that requires a good amount of practice in both single- and double-action modes using one and two hands. In black bear country, I would likely carry hot .44 Special loads like the Doubletap round I tested. Grizzly country requires deep-penetrating full-power .44 Magnums like Doubletap’s 240-grain Hardcast Solid Semi-Wadcutter load.

Sources

Ruger: Ruger.com
Doubletap Ammunition: DoubleTapAmmo.com