"New" BNM-7 .357 Maximum

Well, looks like the 156 and 170gr ammo was not the greatest buy. This is good to know since I plan to shoot it.

To the best of my knowledge, the most severe damage was done by Bubba trying to drive 125-grain bullets at 4000FPS. The gun was intended to allow silhouette shooter to throw 180-grain (or heavier) bullets at respectable velocities to knock down those distant, heavy steel rams.

Properly loaded, it's a great shooter.

Believe it or not Ruger DID "scrap" almost 5000 completed Maximums. Hard to believe, but given the litigious society in which we live, it is easily believable.
Some Maximums did remain in inventory until as late as 2005, as is evident as one I have, serial #600-00222, that has inventory stickers, a round colored dot with the month and year on it, such as 06/05. It is also interesting that this Max was shipped with a "bar code" label on the shipping sleeve denoting the Maximum. The Max was last produced in 1984, at least that is what Ruger records will tell you, the bar code labels were not adopted by Ruger until the early to mid 1990's.
The last Maxi's out in public hands were produced in March of 1983. Highest serial number out there is 600-11588. If ya got it, please, please let me know!!! I'm close, I have #600-11577. A little more...................Coogs.

gtxmonte.... while waiting to find .357 Maximum brass, don't be afraid to load your Blackhawk Maximum with .357 Mag or .38 Special. Last year I got out my 10-1/2" Maximum, rested it on a rolled-up pair of old sweat pants, took a SWAG for sight dope, and made a first round hit (Federal .357 Mag 180 JHP) on a metal pot at 200 yards. Reloaded with Winchester .38 Spl. 125 JHP, held a smidgen more front sight, a hair more windage, and made a another first round hit at 200 yards. (The hit from a .38 Special especially gratifying.)

The .357 Maximum may be handloaded with 38 Spl/357 Mag dies. IMR 4227 and Hodgdon 4227 are comfortable all around powders. Win 296/H110 and Win 680 and Accurate 1680 yield top velocity with 180-200 grain bullets. Top velocity is not necessary to make this cartridge work on steel or game. Don't forget to use Small Rifle Primers.

We have a foot on snow and it's still falling, so we'll be dealing with that. Before day is done, I may take out the .357 Maximum and squeeze off a few rounds of the real stuff.
David Bradshaw

Coogs,
Can you explain what you said earlier- I sure would like to know more.

"Maximums that did not ship (yes, I do know where they are! )....4,792"

See my follow up post a couple later, I stated that "almost 5000 were scrapped" Thats the 4,792 I was talking about. I should have explained a little further as the "math problem" post that I made about the Max is a copy that I posted on the RCA forum a while ago, just after I confirmed that Ruger had scrapped those guns. Some of us had heard rumors for years that that is what happened but until I talked to Ruger records and it was confirmed. I guess I was just trying to keep a little more mystery about it, a week or two later I added to the thread about confirming they WERE scrapped. Just trying to keep everyone thinkin', I guess, God Bless, Coogs.

Really appreciate all the research you have done on the Maxis and your willingness to share. For the old models we have Chad and Dougan's work but finding historical info on the new models is a different story.

You wouldn't have a Manual and/or warranty card you would be willing to part with for a reasonable (or semi-reasonable) price would you?

I don't have the "whole story" either, but there's a point every SRM owner should know.
True collectibles will never be made again.

Consider that Ruger, when/if they ever mature manufacturing-wise to a single-piece workflow model, wherein very small lots or even single guns can be manufactured & sold with an acceptable margin - can literally re-make any gun they've ever produced. Just by "changing the tape", or programming, essentially.
Of course that concept drives collectors nuts, and separates the "original" runs from later production runs. As a matter of fact Ruger has done this already with several models, the 44 SBH Hunter to name one.

But due to engineering and lawyers and other factors, we sleep soundly knowing that the long-frame SRM and the Hawkeye will be at the very bottom of a potential re-make list, if ever to be re-considered at all. -Add to that list probably the 5-shot 480SRH, for other reasons (reputedly a gentleman's agreement between William Ruger and John Linebaugh, but that's for another story).

Safe to say the SRM 357 Maximum revolver and a couple others may be viewed as "true collectibles" in the Ruger world. I doubt the wittiest 30-something marketing manager could convince them to re-make those guns. Now it's a shame Ruger never considered IHC plating the frames to eliminate any chance in heck of cutting, but que sera...

I have a couple 8) and have taken whitetail with them and will attest it's a fine choice for making venison. Just wondering if I should chop up a 10-incher to make a Bisley hunting gun... what say ye?

Oh yes, the moral of the OP: Ya snooze, ya lose!!!

Can you just imagine how "interesting" it will be in Ruger collecting fifty years from now?

:mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

Coogs...was thinking that F.B., Jr. spoke about this saying that a lot of those scrapped maximum serial numbers were actually just cylinder frames with the machining, polishing and serial numbers on them.
Chet15

Chad, I would probably have to agree to that to a point. I have always assumed that they were completed Maximums. There are a couple of reasons why I have believed that. one, the highest produced Maximum was serial #600-16314 and Ruger records indicate that the Max WAS produced into 1984. Now we all know that Ruger will produce guns in "blocks", not necessarily lineally in sequence by serial #. Evidence of that is that David Bradshaws #600-00018 was the first one off the production line, Elgin Gates #600-00016 was second. So this being the case, through my research the highest # Max out there, #600-11588, was produced in March of 1983, as well as several "blocks" of numbers down to below #600-11300. Quite a few months between March 1983 and January of 1984. I am assuming that production may have still continued through that time period. Allows for the assembly of a lot of guns. There may very well have been some serialized frames as well as Guns in various stages of completion that ended up on the scrap pile, but I believe most were completed guns.Obviously I make some assumptions here, and unfortunately most of those that had first hand knowledge have now passed.
I would be interested to know a few thinks that may help confirm or deny the "completed gun" thing. There was a pic that I believe Dougan had that showed a tray of Maximum cylinders. Be interested to know the date on that one. Also the dates of when Walter Howe contacted Munnel about "borrowing" a .357 Max Seville , which by the way is one I own, I have a letter from Walter relating to it's return, but not to the date of the original inquiry. My point is, and once again lets assume something here, that at the time Walter contacted Jeff, Maximum production had ceased because of the Max "issues" I better call Jeff! :shock: :shock:
Stuff like this, especially for me, makes this whole collector/Maximum thing really interesting! Chad, by the way I'd be interested in hearing about the FB jrs conversations. I had the pleasure of discussing the Max with FB while he was Plant manager, on the phone one time. Vogel gave me his number and gave him a heads up that I would be calling, both great guys! God Bless, Coogs.

I have to ask, since this thread is going into history of the maxi, I have heard twice that 3 stainless maxi's were made and that number 3 went to a certain lady. The first time I figured, Huh, that was some years ago here in Florida. The second time was from an ammo dealer here south Florida that claims he met and sold the lady ammo for her maxi.

I know how stories go, and everyone wants to be the one, but I figureg since we hve the man researching the history, and the man that help developep it reading this.

Kanook said:

I have to ask, since this thread is going into history of the maxi, I have heard twice that 3 stainless maxi's were made and that number 3 went to a certain lady. The first time I figured, Huh, that was some years ago here in Florida. The second time was from an ammo dealer here south Florida that claims he met and sold the lady ammo for her maxi.

I know how stories go, and everyone wants to be the one, but I figureg since we hve the man researching the history, and the man that help developep it reading this.

Click to expand...

Kanook,
There were three produced, #'s 600-00123 -600-00124 & 600-125.
I'll let Coogs fill in the blanks on these, definitely "Holy Grail" guns!
Terry

There were actually 6 produced, three were destroyed. I know where two of them are, still searching for that third one, Coogs.

Old post......but I really think my "math problem" is relevant..........

Most of the 4,700+ Maximums that were scrapped were probably not complete guns.
Once the barrel is screwed into the frame the gun gets all rollmarks including a stamped serial number. Then the barreled frame gets an inspect, the serial number is noted in the computer record (this used to be the day book) in order to keep the feds happy and the barreled frame goes into a rack.
Chet15