357 Maximum.......

[Hooch]

Hello, about a week or so ago there was a post on here about 10 1/2" barreled Blackhawk and some folks posted pics of their Blackhawks in 357 maximum. What I know is very little but I know its a super hot round and accurate at long ranges and hard hitting. Other than that I dont know much. I heard the old wives tales of undercutting the top strap etc but have learned its bogus etc..... Would really like to hear and learn more about the round. I know originals are pricey when they can be found. Were these built on special frames? I remember seeing a custom job built on a super redhawk that had a 12" barrel. I would eventually like to have a revolver built specifically for long range shooting and leave the rifles at home Thanks

 

[contender]

Do a bit of searching around our archives & you'll find a wealth of info.
The Maxi mainframe is bigger than the other Rugers, so it is a platform for many custom gun makers to create serious big bore guns.
As for long range shooting,, what do you consider "long range" for a handgun?
I've been leaving the rifle at home a lot for many years now,,, and you'd be surprised at what a good handgun can do.
The Maxi is a sweet caliber in it's own right. They were made in 7-1/2" & 10-1/2" barrels. With the right bullet/powder combo,, quite deadly "out there!"

 

[Hooch]

200 to 300 yards is what Im looking for "accurately" I know what ive read so far they are very accurate and hear some folks so concerned with the cutting on the top strap and others say its not such a big deal. I love to stretch out and shoot what I can see as Elmer put it and dont know if I should be looking for a 357 max or just a good ole long barreled blackhawk in 44 mag? I dont shoot competitions or anything I just like to shoot Thank you

 

[hittman]

http://www.rugerforum.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=178205

 

[Hooch]

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks

 

[Hondo44]

CMH,

More power to you, no pun intended. Go for the gusto and get that custom gun made. Maximums show up about one every two weeks either here, Gunbroker, GunsAmerica, etc.

The flame cutting of the frame concern is not completely w/o merit but has a great deal to do with the loads used and volume of shooting. A simple remedy for those that like a belt and suspenders too, is to snap in the little SS flash deflector Smith uses in their lightwieght frames chambered for high pressure rounds.

 

[s4s4u]

200 to 300 yards

200? Maybe, but 300 would be pushing it, at least for hunting. I shoot the Max in a single shot Contender, which outshines revolver performance, and would not attempt a 200 yard shot on deer. There is just not enough left in the tank to "work" reliably, IMHO.

 

[Peter M. Eick]

Does it flame cut? Yes, but slowly if you are sane about it. This is the result of me experimenting. If you stay with say 4227 and keep above 158 grn bullets you can go for a long time. Go for say lilgun and a 140 JHP you can flame cut pretty quickly. The issue is the small ball powders basically sandblasting the frame.

I tend to load 180 grn LSWC's or JHP's now. I also exclusively use RL7 or 4227 for my loads. No problems otherwise. Compared to the big DW 40's the Ruger SRM seems a bit dainty but it is a good shooter.

 

[bogus bill]

Years ago I had a ruger hawkeye in .256 win mag. That would have been a good gun to have also in .357 maximum. I suppose someone makes a barrel somewhere for the TC in it. I have a barrel for .256 for my TC and havent shot it in 35 years! I need to get it out. There would be no frame cutting in that. Whats a hawkeye go for now days? I sold mine when I went through a divorice 30 years ago.

 

[fcosby]

Years ago I had a ruger hawkeye in .256 win mag. That would have been a good gun to have also in .357 maximum. I suppose someone makes a barrel somewhere for the TC in it. I have a barrel for .256 for my TC and havent shot it in 35 years! I need to get it out. There would be no frame cutting in that. Whats a hawkeye go for now days? I sold mine when I went through a divorice 30 years ago.

Sorry to hear that.

 

[flatgate]

What's a Hawkeye go for now days?

Oh, $1,500/$2,000 plus $350/$400 for a decent box........

flatgate

 

[Hooch]

Nice

 

[gatling]

Does it flame cut? Yes, but slowly if you are sane about it. This is the result of me experimenting. If you stay with say 4227 and keep above 158 grn bullets you can go for a long time. Go for say lilgun and a 140 JHP you can flame cut pretty quickly. The issue is the small ball powders basically sandblasting the frame.

I tend to load 180 grn LSWC's or JHP's now. I also exclusively use RL7 or 4227 for my loads. No problems otherwise. Compared to the big DW 40's the Ruger SRM seems a bit dainty but it is a good shooter.

I had a Model 27 S&W that looked exactly like that after a steady diet of 200 gr cast bullets over 12.4 grains of 296.

 

[mindustrial]

Throat erosion was negligible, but I had top strap cutting just like that on my 657 after about 300rnds of max W296 loads with 215gr JHP's.. it was a brand new gun prior to that afternoon.

I know it's a wonderful & accurate powder, but I've sworn off hot loads of 296/110 (especially with light for caliber bullets). My first few loads of cast bullets & 296/110 made a smeary lead mess of my bbl. +1 for 4227 (for 357max or any supermag) and 2400 for my mid range target loads in magnum calibers.

 

[Hondo44]

It always just take a little ingenuity to make improvements. The assurance is that the one I did works well according to the owner.

 

[David Bradshaw]

CMH.... Erosion of barrel face (often referred to erroneously by myself and others as "forcing cone"----although an industry term), is in the long haul much more a concern than top strap erosion. Top strap erosion in the .357 Maximum is a non-issue, leastwise on Ruger, Dan Wesson, and the Sig Himmelman Seville.

You might consider the BFR 5-shot single action on .30-30 Winchester if you're intent on stretching out the revolver. 300 yards hangs much greater flight time, trajectory and wind drift on a revolver slug than 200 yards. For a lesson in analogy, take your .22 LR in a rifle and try it at 50 yds, 100 yds, then 200 yds. The muscle of a breeze will shock you.

Against that, a properly balanced heavy-for-caliber revolver slug fired from a top quality revolver exhibits astounding consistency against wind and gravity. And while a .22 is incapable of such consistency, it provides, nevertheless, a learning tree for developing long range marksmanship skills.

Too slow of a powder in the Maximum case increases barrel time, rendering FOLLOW THROUGH absolutely critical to to holding a small cone of dispersion.

The .357 Maximum is a great cartridge. Don't be afraid to shoot it with .38 Special and .357 Magnums; utterly negligible recoil and more trajectory and wind drift to play with.
David Bradshaw

 

[David Bradshaw]

While the .357 Maximum produces about 150 to 200 fps more velocity for the same load in a single shot than revolver of similar barrel length, if you really want to shoot long range with a single shot pistol, start with a rifle or rifle-type cartridge.

I enjoy shooting long range with a revolver not for hunting but for the marksmanship. The revolver is a strap-it-on, go-for-it instrument, alone among handguns in its worth on the mountain.
David Bradshaw

 

[Hooch]

Thanks Mr Bradshaw appreciate it