"New" BNM-7 .357 Maximum

Picked up a nice BNM-7 357 Maxi this morning. Nice package with box and shipper, 200 rds and Hunter holster, unfortunately no manual. Any idea how many are actually out here?

I have no idea. But that thing looks awesome! I've never put my hands on one. Only seen pictures.

The serial numbers suggest that around 16,000 maxis were built. However, due to research, I believe Coogs has stated that around 11,000 total made it out of the factory. Now, throw in the ones that got returned to Ruger & not back in the market, and the ones that the custom gun builders have transformed,, the numbers are dwindling.

I know these don't show up consistently. And even though I don't usually get overly excited about new models this package sounded good enough that I was out the door at 8:04 this morning to pick it up. The 200 rounds that came with it were the real clincher. Especially after going through the ordeal of tracking down .256 win mag to be able to shoot the Hawkeye. And that's not to mention the box and shipper. Any Ruger with box and shipper is worth careful consideration.

Nice find! Ruger actually did produce 16,314 Maxi's. But, the also "scrapped" almost 5000 of these beautiful firearms. :shock: :shock: :shock: Leaving approximately 11,500 of them out there. Somewhere here, a while ago, I posted a little paragraph or two titled something like "Maximum production numbers, well maybe" I'm no computer person, so if someone finds it and can copy and post it to this thread it gives a little more insight to the Maximum situation, Thanks, Coogs.

Coogs, were those scrapped before even being shipped, scrapped upon return, or some of each?

Well, I looked for that post my self and couldn't find it, I did post it on e the RCA forum a year or two ago so I thought I'd post it here.
Total Maximums produced.....................................................16,314
Factory production scrap (I;m just guessing @ this).002%.....................-32
Maximums available for shipping.............................................16,292
Maximums that DID ship(approx.)............................................11,500
Maximums that did not ship (yes, I do know where they are! :wink: )....4,792

Now, back to the Maxi's that shipped........................................11,500
How about a figure of lost, stolen, destroyed, etc., .05%?...................-575
Puts us at about this in circulation...........................................10,925

Now, given the huge interest in the ultimate big bore hand cannons as of late,
I'd easily say as high as 30% have, or are in the the process of being cut up, so

Maxi's in circulation............................................................10,925
Minus custom guns(30% may be a little high right now, but realistic)....-3,278
number of uncut Maxi's out there..............................................7,647

One more math problem, how about, out of the Maxi's that are uncut and in
circulation, how many are unfired, with all box and papers? Pure collector
grade?

Number of uncut Maxi's in circulation.........................................7,647
% of Maxi's shot, lost boxes, etc., how about 40%?.........................-3,059
Leaving an approximate # of "pure" collector grade Maxi's.................4,488

I think these figures are somewhat reasonable and probably very realistic.
The Max is a great handgun when used/loaded properly and it has obviously proven to be a great platform for custom guns.
If you do shoot a Max, as I do have a 10 1/2" that goes to the range quite often, say with heavy bullets, m180gr. and larger and Slow burning powders and the Max will give you a lifetime of pleasure, God Bless, Coogs.

Those guns were actually scrapped before ever being shipped. I imagine there were some others that were returned and then scrapped, which by the way is NOT a figure I included in my little math problem. And that answer may once again raise the question of what will happen if you return a Maximum to the factory today. THEY WILL NOT KEEP IT and by federal law they cannot! I spent a while on the phone with Ruger service over the last month or so. If you send a Max back for repair, they will evaluate it, they will either say we can not repair it or they will give you a cost to repair it. If you do not want the repair or if it can't be repaired in either instance they WILL send it back to you if you request them to. If it can not be repaired, they do have the option of offering you a firearm of similar caliber and cost, but unfortunately not @ current collector Value, probably at original MSRP. If you do not want the trade, they will send it back to you.
At one time back in 1984-1985 or so, Ruger did, for a very short period of time, offer to buy your Max back, by the way at full MSRP! Walter Howe, head of special projects, instigated this, and was actually fired by Bill Sr., just for a short period of time, I think just a couple of weeks or so, for doing this. I have also heard stories, 2nd hand though they may be, "my friends brother sent his Maximum in and got a new Super" Have not been able to document that yet, but.....................More to follow, Coogs.

Coogs,
Thanks for the numbers and the other info! I wondered how they could legally keep your Maxi? Thanks for setting that straight.
Terry

Man, Coogs, you know how to answer a question. Thanks

Your posts on the Maxi's over the years played a large part in my not letting this one slip by. If it weren't for those posts I would probably have no idea what they were or any interest in owning one.

Not sure exactly what you are looking for but here are some pics of the forcing cone

I have one that my dad bought new. It is perfect, but had 6 rounds fired through it the day it was bought. So the gun for all intents and purposes is "new".....BUT, it HAS been fired. So my dilemma is what to do with it. I know they have value, but this one is not NIB any longer, so probably just going to work up a nice load for it and enjoy it...........IF I can find some more brass. I only have 40 rounds

gtxmonte said:

I have one that my dad bought new. It is perfect, but had 6 rounds fired through it the day it was bought. So the gun for all intents and purposes is "new".....BUT, it HAS been fired. So my dilemma is what to do with it. I know they have value, but this one is not NIB any longer, so probably just going to work up a nice load for it and enjoy it...........IF I can find some more brass. I only have 40 rounds

Click to expand...

7-1/2" or 10-1/2" ?

With only six rounds thru it, it's "like new" if it has no cosmetic issues.

Do you have the original box & papers, and perhaps even the outer "shipper" sleeve? Even better, and very attractive to a collector even if not a "pure" absolutely "unfired" gun. They were all fired at The Factory, after all.

:mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

Nice going Larry. I called the guy at 0900 and he said it was sold. Since it was right in Sun City, I should have known. Was the ammo factory or reloads?

Ron

They are reloads Ron. I figured I better be fast on this one so I called him at 0800 (the official Sun City start of the day) 150 of the rounds are 158gr with H110 and the other 50 are 170gr with H110.

Figured I better get there before you "out of towners" jumped in. LOL. RENE provided the roadmap as I had no idea of the value of a Maxi. Throw in the box, shipper and ammo and it looked like a pretty good deal.

I know of one Chance :wink: May end up a safe queen :?

Daniel
Seems we have been following a similar path lately

Chance said:

Daniel
Seems we have been following a similar path lately

Click to expand...

So it would seem,,,I've had mine for little over a year now.
A guy I work with sold me a 20 round box of ammo for $20
dollars.
Got a 41 flattop on the way....how about you?

that is nice! i have heard the Maxi's are bad about flame cutting and i see the OP's has a touch of it. is this a bad problem?

With proper ammo it is not a problem at all.

Someone will shortly be along with the whole story.

Flame cutting of the top strap will go on for 1000-2000 rds. and then it seems to stop. Forcing cone erosion is another story. If you load light bullets, IMO, less than 180gr., and fast burning powders, and load it to hyper velocities, forcing cone erosion will continue. It is actually worse with the 6 degree forcing cone, Ruger did change it to 11 dergrees which did help. Load the Max with 180 gr. and heavier bullets, slowwww burning powders like 4227 and the Max will give you a lifetime of pleasure. Coogs.