WANTED: MAXIMUM SERIAL NUMBERS!

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Timbo22

Single-Sixer
Joined
May 22, 2012
Messages
124
Location
Northern Virginia
Saw a Maximum for sale today (6/11/16) at the Nation's Gun Show, Chantilly, VA. 10 1/2" barrel with a serial number of 600-09423. Original box but had been drilled and tapped with a scope attached.
 

Buckeyehunter10

Bearcat
Joined
May 29, 2008
Messages
18
Location
Telford, Tennessee
Mine is a 7 1/2 inch. I got the letter from Ruger back when letters were free. I've moved several times since my "gun room" was in full effect so can't say when Ruger said it was shipped. I put some pretty...pretty pricey Hogues on it. Serial # 610-01003.
 

Coogs

Maximum
Joined
Feb 26, 2008
Messages
1,173
Location
Northwestern Pa.
Buckeye I hope you just did a typo there..................Maximum prefixes are all 600, not 610............wanna take another look? Thanks for the number. Jack
 

unspellable

Bearcat
Joined
Jan 3, 2017
Messages
4
600-00849 7.5 inch

Measures 1.205 in from underside of barrel to top of front sight. Measures 0.210 from top of sight base to rear corner on sight blade.
 

k2nd

Single-Sixer
Joined
Jun 13, 2007
Messages
213
Location
Niagara, ND
Coogs, I found 600-05322 at the Sioux Falls SD gun show. It's a 10.5 inch. Asking price is $925.00, it's been fired but has no box.
k2nd
 

ksorange

Bearcat
Joined
Jan 13, 2017
Messages
1
Coogs I acquired a maximum yesterday. 71/2 inch 600-00604 Anything that you can me about her would be great!
It came in the box, near new condition, probably fired.
Thanks and good luck on your quest!!
Dennis
 

Coogs

Maximum
Joined
Feb 26, 2008
Messages
1,173
Location
Northwestern Pa.
Dennis, thanks for the number. Your Max was probably produced in 1982. It should have the 5* forcing cone unless it MAY have been sent back to the factory and rebarreled, but from your description I would say not, If you intend on shooting it stay with slow burning powders such as 4227 and heavy bullets, 180 gr, and heavier, I'm using a 200 gr. cast w/check on top of about 19 grs. of 4227. David Bradshaw has posted some great load combinations here and as well as over at Singleactions,com, You WILL notice top strap cutting upon shooting it, it will progress to about a 1000 rds. or so and then abate. Great gun, great round, hope you enjoy it. Coogs.
 

Buckeyehunter10

Bearcat
Joined
May 29, 2008
Messages
18
Location
Telford, Tennessee
Coogs, I have noticed a very little bit of cutting on my top strap. I'm not sure if I did it or the previous owner. I didn't know I should not use H110 to load for this gun. Did I understand you correctly in the last post that even if you use slower powders and heavier bullets you will still get some top strap cutting but it will stop after 1000 rounds or so? Also, I still have 100 to 200 rounds loaded with H110 and lighter bullets, 125 or 158 grain. How badly would shooting those erode my top strap? Can I shoot them or pull them? I've probably only shot 100 or so rounds of the H100 loads through it. Thanks, Dave
 

Coogs

Maximum
Joined
Feb 26, 2008
Messages
1,173
Location
Northwestern Pa.
Personally I wouldn't do the 125gr. I believe H110 is a pretty fast powder? Not sure there. As far as the top strap cutting, you will get it with any powder. Severity depends upon powder charge, hot vs. mild. But it will abate. I had a Smith 19 that showed more top strap cutting then any of my Maxi's. With the fast burning powders and light bullets forcing cone erosion is your biggest problem. Has to do with the peak of powder ignition and the travel of the bullet to the barrel. David Bradshaw explains that issue much better than I do, as has so in some other posts around here. Hope this helps ya, Coogs.
 

Scrappy

Bearcat
Joined
Jul 8, 2017
Messages
2
600-03340 10 1/2 " barrel great condition barely shot if ever box an owners manual for sale for the right price
 

Coogs

Maximum
Joined
Feb 26, 2008
Messages
1,173
Location
Northwestern Pa.
There were 16,314 completed guns and/or serialized frames produced. Ruger "scrapped" over 5000 completed guns and/or serialized frames. Highest surviving number out there is 600-11588. There were "blocks" of numbers below that that were also scrapped. I'd estimate that there were between 11,000 and 11,500 shipped as complete Maximums. As far as today, well.........they way the Max is being cut up into these big bore hand cannons.......my conservative estimation is there is about 6-7000 Maximums, that are still Maximums and only about 2-4000, at best are true, unfired, collectors pieces.......JMHO. I have yet to find a Max produced in 1984......All the Maximums from serial # 600-11300 through 600-11588 were shipped March 1983. Ruger does not necessarily manufacture guns in numerical order, Serial #600-00018, which is David Bradshaw's came off the line first, #600-00016, which went to Elgin Gates, was next, so it is hard to tell, with out a factory letter, when a Ruger was produced.
 
Joined
Oct 24, 2007
Messages
11,653
Location
Kentucky
Every time I see that "scrapped" record I just cringe. I realize it ups the value of the survivors, but what a cryin' shame.

:shock: :cry: :cry: :roll:

Any updated idea yet on the breakdown between the barrel lengths?
 

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