Redhawk or Super Redhawk for a woods gun — which frame makes sense?

Question

I'm building a backup revolver for hunting trips on public land — something that rides in the truck but stays accessible if things go sideways. Mainly .357, occasionally .38 specials for practice.

Redhawk fits the belt carry I've got dialed. Super Redhawk gives me that extra shot and sits higher on the frame, which might help with retention.

What's the real tradeoff in the field? Does the smaller frame feel like a liability at distance, or is capacity not the bottleneck when you actually need one?

Marcus Carter · Answer

Dave's making solid points on the mechanics—I respect that. But I'm still hung up on the Super's ergonomics for truck gun work, so let me ask this differently.

I've got the belt carry dialed for a Redhawk, yeah. But if I'm running a Super instead, what're people actually using for field carry that doesn't add weight or bulk? IWB doesn't make sense for a truck gun—I want it accessible but not on my hip all day. Are folks going shoulder holster, or is there a decent chest rig setup that doesn't scream range day?

The reason I ask: I hunt public land where I'm in and out of the truck constantly, climbing around rough country. Retention matters less than "can I deploy it one-handed if my other arm's occupied." A Super's grip angle sits different, and I'm wondering if that changes what actually works for retention in that context.

Dave might be right that five rounds is the ceiling for "if you need more, you've lost it." But I'm less concerned about firefight math and more concerned with whether the platform works with my actual fieldcraft—gloves, pack straps, uneven ground. Does anyone here run a Super in a shoulder rig or chest setup and have thoughts on how it compares?

Dave Kowalski · Answer

Redhawk's your gun here. Tighter timing on the smaller frame, cleaner cylinder gap. Super gives you six, but you're carrying a revolver—if you need more than five rounds, you've already lost that fight.

Swing-out on the Redhawk cycles like butter. The Super's heavier, and that extra cylinder mass matters when you're working the double-action in less-than-ideal conditions. Cold hands, wet gloves, adrenaline—the Redhawk rewards you with faster, cleaner reloads if it comes to that.

Retention isn't about frame height. It's about your holster, your belt, and your draw technique. Fix those three things and a Redhawk sits just as secure as a Super.

If you're hunting where you might need backup, you're probably in rough country. Simpler gun, lighter carry, better trigger control at distance. Stick with the Redhawk.