357 Maximum: A short list of links to forums and articles discussing the gun.

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Here is a short list of links I've found which talk about the 357 Maximum. I've saved them as bookmarks on my computer. Back a few years ago, I bought a 10 1/2 inch Maximum and just wanted to read about the history of this revolver.

https://www.rugerforum.com/threads/david-bradshaw-photos-vol-lxiv-357-maximum-notes.221187/ Ruger Forum thread
https://www.rugerforum.com/threads/194-gr-bradshaw-martin-swc-gc.267666/ Ruger Forum thread
The 357 Maximum By: Glen E. Fryxell This link takes you to the LACS (Los Angeles Silhouette Club
https://www.danwessonforum.com/forum/revolvers/tell-me-about-the-357-super-mag/ Dan Wesson Forum thread
https://americanhandgunner.com/think-tank/the-bradshaw-martin-swc/ An American Handgunner article by Jeff "Tank" Hoover.

Lots of the information is repetitive, But it's all interesting. I'm sure there are a lot more places to find information about the gun and cartridge, but this is all I could find back when I first looked.
 

Coogs

Maximum
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There is a lot more out there........some good stuff, but a fair amount of mis information regarding production numbers and cartridge development .
 

contender

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There was a great article in a copy of Guns & Ammo in 1984,, written by David Bradshaw, who tested the .357 Maxi with Bill Ruger Jr. An EXCELLENT article filled with history on the Maxi.
And,, you can go to another Forum, the single action forum owned by Lee Martin, where David is a regular contributor,, has several threads on the Maxis as well.

Good stuff from the man who worked with Ruger in the development of the Maxi!
 

Coogs

Maximum
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Rick Jamison did a good article in the February 1983 of Shooting Times. There is a side bar article about my good friend Joe Callahan who was in charge of/worked on the Maximum project at Remington. He is shown shooting SRM-7 prototype Max and there is a pic of it showing the left side of the frame and it is only marked "357CAL" The November 1984 Shooting times has an article, again by Rick, on reloading the Max......loadings down to 110 grain bullets! If Rick only knew then, what we know now, you probably would not have seen a load under a 180 grain bullet even recommended and/or mentioned.
 

contender

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Another great resource. Both the older magazines mentioned by Coogs,, and Coogs himself,, one of the top collectors, (if not THE top collector) of .357 Maxi's out there.

Howdy Jack!
 

43north

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Mike Bellm did a lot to keep the .357 Max alive. (mostly T/C work - and a fair amount of writing).
His efforts resulted in a lot of subscribers lobbying Remington for a run of brass, which worked!
 

aciera

Bearcat
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There was a great article in a copy of Guns & Ammo in 1984,, written by David Bradshaw, who tested the .357 Maxi with Bill Ruger Jr. An EXCELLENT article filled with history on the Maxi.
And,, you can go to another Forum, the single action forum owned by Lee Martin, where David is a regular contributor,, has several threads on the Maxis as well.

Good stuff from the man who worked with Ruger in the development of the Maxi!
David knows.......see ya on SA
 

Durango Dave

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I understand they had an issue with the 357 Maximum flame cutting the frame.
dan-wesson-frame-3.JPG
 

contender

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The flame cutting of the topstrap and the complaints by some people was the reason given by Bill Ruger to drop the Maxi.
What was NOT shared was the more severe cases were where folks would load light bullets, with a hotter, faster burning powder. The gun was designed with heavier bullets using slower burning powders,, because the Silhouette shooters wanted the weight of the slugs heavy enough to knock over the rams at 200 meters.

And,, it was soon discovered that top strap flame cutting would cut just so far & stop. And apparently,, many other guns have done the same thing,, by other manufacturers. Top strap flame cutting wasn't solely a .357 Maxi issue. But Bill's temper & a FEW gun writers attitudes caused the whole model to be discontinued.

If you take a .357 Maximum,, load it with a heavy (180 grn or heavier) bullet with a matching powder,, it's a superb gun!
PERSONALLY,, I've settled upon the Bradshaw/Martin designed cast bullet,, and 4227 powder & it's the cat's meow. NO problems with mine.
 

Coogs

Maximum
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Thanks Ty.........yeah I MAY know a little about the Max.......may have one or two of 'em laying around......my knowlege comes from research, research and research.......I go right to the horses mouth.......so to speak. The Maximum collecting has created many new wonderful friendships for me, David Bradshaw, Joe Callahan, John Dougan, John Linebaugh, Dick Thompson, Jerry Moran, Rick Jamison just to name a few. Some of these people I may never meet in person, but our shared experiences and knowledge have allowed me to compile quite a bit of information on the Max.....
 

contender

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Right back at ya Jack! :D
You are also correct about the friendships. David, & Dick are treasured friends,, even though I haven't met David,, yet,,,! Rick,, only a few times but found him to be a nice guy with a wealth of knowledge. Dougan, we've met a few times,, and he too is a treasure to all of us who enjoy Rugers. His books are invaluable.

The .357 Maximum fascinated me when it came out. I was much younger,, broke,, and wanted one. Sadly,, before I could afford one,, they stopped production. And of course,, the prices just kept creeping upward.
And back in this days,, I always bugged my friends at El Dorado Guns, saying I'd like to have one of their guns in either .45 Colt or .357 Maxi.
Fast forward a few decades,, and I now own an El Dorado in .45 Colt, (thanks Ben,) and a few Ruger Maxi's myself. Davids recent work with the cast bullet has made me SMILE every time I pull the trigger on one of those as well.

And as so well put,,, research, research, research! Kudos for YOUR work as well Jack!
 

Coogs

Maximum
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Now if I can figure out how to post pics here Id be showing ya some Maxi's (ya have to remember I am Computer illiterate!)
 

Coogs

Maximum
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Just noticed I lost my class rating........I'm a buckeye now, Carl gave me "Maximum" and said I would be the only one.......bummer......
 

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