Ruger 454 Alaskan - Talk about love at first sight. When I first saw this beauty, I knew I had to have it. I love big revolvers and what Ruger did with the Super Redhawk design, actually cutting off the barrel, fascinated me. Although the Super Redhawk is very strong and reliable, I hate the way it looks, especially the end of the barrel sticking out of such a large frame. The Alaskan cured all the cosmetic issues that kept me from buying a Super Redhawk. Most people think of a muzzleloader revolver as a concealment gun, at 41 ounces it's not nearly the weight of a 642. Although I understand the folks at Ruger came up with this design at the request of the company president. During a trip to Alaska, he made several requests to find a short-barreled, large-caliber magnum pistol to carry in the field, so the Alaskan was born in 2005.
The Alaskan is produced in three calibers 480, 454 and 44 magnum. The 480 was the first new Ruger cartridge developed by Sturm, Ruger and Hornady. In 2003, when this cartridge was introduced, it was the largest bore revolver cartridge. Around 2007, Ruger discontinued the 480 Alaskan due to issues with the sticky exhaust. Then in 2008, Ruger re-introduced the 480 Alaskan with a 5-shot cylinder, this version of the Alaskan also didn't stay on the market very long before it met its launch and discontinuation. Ruger was very particular about why the 480 was retired from their line. The Alaskan 454 and 44 are still going strong, and it's the 454 I'm reviewing today. I tested my Alaska with 3 different loads at 15 yards two handed unassisted. The first was the Hornady 454 Casull 240gr XTP/MAG, the box says they are rated at 1900 fps muzzleloader. With only a 2 1/2" barrel, I'm sure the Alaskan will produce about 15% less velocity, which is still about 35% more than standard 44 Magnum cartridges. The second box of ammo tested was Winchester Super X 250 gr Jacketed HP Reduced Recoil load, which is rated at 1300 fps. One thing is for sure, in a 454 jacketed body, recoil reduced or not, it will equal a LOT of power and RECOGNITION. The recoil and muzzle blast of Hornady shells is what I expected from this powerful machine, but this was beyond anything I had experienced before. Although the Hogue Tamer Grips do a great job keeping me from describing this recoil as brutal and uncomfortable. My experience includes Smith and Wesson 460 and 500 magnum, but both of course in the longer 8″ X Frame barrels.The third load test was my own 45 Colt reloads using Alliant 2400 powder at 890 fps. This was the ammo we used for our accuracy tests, although all ammo was accurate, my reloads were an absolute dream to shoot in this platform, the experience was on par with shooting a 38 special.
Ruger 454 Alaskan
The fit and finish is what many would expect from a Sturm Ruger, at 41 oz with a 2 1/2” barrel it is very strong and the tightest revolver I own. Stainless steel is one of the strongest coatings and is suitable for use as a field weapon. Cylinder lockup is very tight and cylinder clearance was 0.004 when pushing and holding the cylinder back. Hogue Tamer grips, which are very similar to Smith and Wesson X Frame revolver grips, do a great job of taming recoil. The Alaskan shares the same grip as the GP100, some to make this platform more stealthy as they ditched the short grips for the smaller wooden grips the GP100s were once known for. Couldn't imagine the recoil of a 454 with smaller grips, great job with Tamer's Hogue!
Ruger Super Redhawk Impact Alaskan, .454 Casull, Black Cerakote, 2.5\
The trigger on the Alaska, like most Ruger double actions, has a lot of pull. The pull was smooth, crisp and consistent with every pull. The double action pull on this revolver was a little heavy, but that is subjective, this pull weighed 12 pounds with the RCBS trigger gauge. The single action pull was very good with little travel and a 4 pound trigger pull. A friend and I were talking about the heavy trigger pull and possible causes. In his opinion, it may be necessary to consistently shoot magnum cartridges for small rifles chambered in 454. Although it is heavy compared to other revolvers I have reviewed on this site, I suspect and believe that Ruger has reasons and will not try to change it something. Again, the trigger feels consistent every time and with more trigger time I'm sure I'll get used to it. It can also be very bad for your health when a gunsmith doing the work to make the draw easier, finds himself in the backwoods of Alaska and runs into a grizzly, forcing himself to pull the trigger only to find that the shot won't cut off. According to Allstate Insurance, you're in good hands with Alaskan because it's ready. It seems fitting, given that Alaskan was designed to be an insurance policy you'll hopefully never need to use.
The Ruger Alaskan comes from the factory with a ramp-mounted black front sight and a traditional adjustable rear sight with a white border. With this combination of sights, it was very easy to get a sight picture and quickly align the sight both indoors and outdoors.
The 2 1/2 inch barrel and balance of this gun keeps it centered in the palm of your hand and provides a short sight distance, which most people think leads to poor accuracy, but I found that not to be true. This is also very subjective as I spend a decent amount of time training with snub revolvers. Shooting the SAAMI 255 grain 45 Colt provides me with 6 very accurate lethal shots and a lot of fun.
Here are my first 6 shots with the 45 Colt. I might have done a little better if I had taken those shots first before firing the 454 Casull rounds. I believe my body was still shaking from the impact of the high yield Hornady ammo.
Ruger Super Redhawk Alaskan 44 Mag
DM, my shooting partner wanted to try his hand at an accuracy test with Colt 45 loads.
The Ruger Alaskan .454 would be my go to pack gun in bear or big cat country. There are many large caliber weapons capable of hitting large four-legged creatures while hunting. However, everything changes when the bear becomes a hunter and surprises you when you are gathering wood for a fire or fishing for salmon, but you are far from a gun. Ruger has created a platform that's easy to carry, especially when deployed with a simple, durable holster that ensures you'll always have adequate protection while out in the backcountry. Ruger released the Super Redhawk Alaskan in the mid-2000s as a more compact alternative to the longer-barreled Super Redhawk.
While the Super Redhawk is available in 5-, 7.5- and 9-inch barrels, the Alaskan model features a short 2.5-inch barrel optimized for easy and quick draws. These qualities make it a good choice for places like Alaska, where bears are a constant presence in everyday life.
True to its role as a defensive bear revolver, the Super Redhawk Alaskan is chambered in three powerful cartridges: the iconic .44 Remington Magnum, Ruger's own .480 Ruger, and the all-powerful .454 Casull.
Ruger Super Redhawk Alaskan 454 Casull New / Ols Stock !
Regardless of the cartridge the Alaskan is chambered for, each revolver comes with a 6-round cylinder, giving the shooter plenty of firepower in an extremely small, lightweight platform. In addition, the Alaskans feature a rubber grip with finger grooves to allow the shooter a firm grip while firing the high-powered revolver.
Ruger advertises the pistol as the best defense against bears and other large animals, and that's not an empty claim. Here's why.
In 2009, salmon fishing guide and Alaska native Greg Brush took his dogs for a walk on a nearby dirt road with a powerful .454 Casull strapped to his hip. Soldotna, Brush's hometown on the Kenai Peninsula, has a constant presence of bears, so even if you're just going to walk the dogs, be prepared.
During the walk, he heard the crack of a branch. Although it wasn't very strong, it made Brush turn around. At the roadside: a brown bear, raising its head, rushes straight at him. The
Revolver Ruger Mod. Super Redhawk Alaskan Cal. 454 Casull
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