Maximum Surprise!

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mohavesam

Hawkeye
Joined
Jan 4, 2004
Messages
5,847
Location
Rugerville, AZ
Last week was a 2 1/2 day show locally, so I expected "not much" when this weekend was another show at the same venue, combined with a craft fair, auto show, and "Lincoln's War" re-enactment.

Walked in the door and Bam! ran smack into a table with three SRM guns - all as-new or NIB. Two 10-inch guns and a "shortie". As some know, I regard the SRM as one of the two finest Rugers that will NEVER be made again; the other being the Hawkeye. All others are only a CNC changeover away, right?

And so the SRM shelf gains a NIB 7 1/2-incher! WOOhoo

Of course, I'm going back tomorrow to pick up some ammo a guy is holding. And I'm going to walk right past the table with two No. 3 beauties and a half-dozen 1894 Win Trappers... :oops:
 

Coogs

Maximum
Joined
Feb 26, 2008
Messages
1,173
Location
Northwestern Pa.
Mo, ya gotsta let me know the #'s !! Of at least the one ya got! Does it have a high or low front sight? Good price? What were they asking for the 10 1/2's? you can pm me if ya wish, Thanks again, Coogs. By the way, good snag!!!!!
 

Coogs

Maximum
Joined
Feb 26, 2008
Messages
1,173
Location
Northwestern Pa.
Close., but no cigar! Triplets and a couple of Consecutive pairs may be enough....................nah! Still need those #'s to try and establish % of 7 1/2's vs. 10 1/2's, when sight changes were made, etc., etc. Coogs.
 

mohavesam

Hawkeye
Joined
Jan 4, 2004
Messages
5,847
Location
Rugerville, AZ
Like I've said before, with LEAN techniques all of Ruger's past designs (ALL) are only a changeover away with short production runs being profitable (with true LEAN, that is).

But Ruger will never again sell the Hawkeye nor the SRM. Quite possibly the Gold Label may have taught them a lesson in the limitations of CNC interchangeable parts, and may be considered a third to the list.

That makes the Hawkeye and the SRM: THE MOST COLLECTIBLE Rugers, IMHO.
And tey make GREAT hunting handguns to boot!

:)
 

single action

Single-Sixer
Joined
Jan 14, 2001
Messages
412
Location
Utah
the other item that adds to its rarity is that everyday a custom gunsmith is taking more out of circulation for the big boomers that they build. IMHO...........single action
 

mohavesam

Hawkeye
Joined
Jan 4, 2004
Messages
5,847
Location
Rugerville, AZ
Is that really still happening? I know it was a popular thing back in the Reagan days...
Nowadays a Dan Wesson, BFR, or Encore does the job so much better (and cheaper)!

8)
 

Coogs

Maximum
Joined
Feb 26, 2008
Messages
1,173
Location
Northwestern Pa.
I talked to John Linebaugh last year...........he had cut up over 300 then! Look at all the other 'smiths that are doing it..............lots of Maxi's are going by the wayside.
 

mohavesam

Hawkeye
Joined
Jan 4, 2004
Messages
5,847
Location
Rugerville, AZ
Seems to me if there was such a demand for them, some soul would dial up a cnc program and cut a few hundred cylinders - It is not a particularly complex part. Even using good 17-4PH material I'd think cost would hover around$20-35 per copy, with NDT and finish adding a couple notes. Precision grinding the timing notches (theway Ruger does it) may boost another few dollars, but not much. I make much more complex parts for that and less everyday.
 

c.r.

Single-Sixer
Joined
Apr 23, 2008
Messages
436
Location
Texas
mohevesam, it's not necesarily the cylinders people are after, but the longer maxiumum frames that allows a longer cylinder window that allows longer cylinder to hold longer cartridges. The cylinders used for these customs (for example the 475/500 linebaugh longs and) are 5 shot cylinders which excludes the use of the factory maxi cylinder. So custom cylinders are made and the factory maxi cylinder used for other projects.

an example of "other projects"........ some people really like to come across those "discarded" 357 maximum cylinders, have them linebored to let's say 44 mag and fitted to a SBH/BH. the longer cylinder allows the use of longer/heavier 44 bullets and they fill the cylinder window nicely and look great. It's a less expensive alternative to having a custom cylinder made.

~c.r.
 

mohavesam

Hawkeye
Joined
Jan 4, 2004
Messages
5,847
Location
Rugerville, AZ
I see.
But the BFR guns are out there, and they have even longer frames, on a Blackhawk re-design. They are perfect platforms to save the collectible SRM guns as rareities.
 

c.r.

Single-Sixer
Joined
Apr 23, 2008
Messages
436
Location
Texas
mohavesam":upa3kwn9 said:
I see.
But the BFR guns are out there, and they have even longer frames, on a Blackhawk re-design. They are perfect platforms to save the collectible SRM guns as rareities.

yes Sir, I believe you are correct about the BFR being a suitable platform for such conversions. Some might even argue it is better platform...maybe tighter tolerances from the beginning? also, is that longer BFR frame really necessary? not really.

However, I think the reason you don't see BFRs curently being used for the conversions is cost. As limited in number as Maxi's are becoming, they can still be found for less than the cost of a BFR. until the "cost" of a maxi exceeds a BFR, I don't think we'll see a lot of people using the BFR platform for the projects. There is also the need to have a bisley grip frame fitted to the BFR to handle those powerful cartidges. how much work and cost is required for that?...I don't know.

And some folks just like blued.

So in my mind, the maxi's are going to have to dwindle to a number low enough to drive their costs up above BFRs in order to save them........or....... collectors are going to have to be willing to outbid/pay more than "customizers" for the maxi's ........in effect driving up the cost of maxi's so they exceed BFRs.

~c.r.
 

flatgate

Hawkeye
Joined
Jun 18, 2001
Messages
6,784
Location
Star Valley, WY
Anybody know what became of this "tray of .357 Maximum" cylinders?

maxcylindertray.jpg


It was posted on the web several years ago.....

flatgate
 
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