Lee Martin
Hunter
A snowshoe walk of about 1800 yards as warmup for shooting. The Ruger .357 Maximum was developed without thought given to accuracy from its parent .357 Magnum. As lark and to satisfy curiosity, we shot prototype Maximums loaded with .38 Special and .357 Mag at 100 yards. Bill Ruger, Jr., retrofit a Hawkeye single shot with specially made transfer bar and rebarreled same to .357 Maximum. Which showed somewhat better accuracy. Shooting the shorter rounds brought no surprises. Bullets obliged to jump unsupported case to throat in Maximum chambers shot well enough for practice, especially the .357 Mag.
Ruger Maximum about try Winchester Silvertip .357 Mag 147 JHP, and .357 Remington Maximum 180 Semi-Jacket HP
Snowshoed 106 paces to set first target. Winter-packed snow. Easily 100 yards, as snowshoes glide atop winter-packed snow. (Snow much softer in the woods. Cardboard target set against puckerbrush at woodline. Photo: lens on zoom.
Closer to what it looks like from the gun.
.357 Maximum posed on limb. To shoot a Maximum with glove projecting past cylinder would quickly ruin the leather. In practice, two hands hold revolver, with a touch of leather between trigger guard and limb.
357 Mag: Winchester Silvertip 147 JHP. First three shots a at upper left: 3x3=2.8" @ 106 paces. Followed by sight adjustment and six shots: 6x6=6.3"; with 5x6=4.4". Thjesewere the first Winchester Silvertip .357's put through the Ruger maximum.
Graphic look at .357 Mag Winchester Silvertip 147 JHP from .357 Maximum at 106 paces. Excellent accuracy from the longer chamber.
Blackhawk Maximum with first-run Remington .357 Maximum 180 Semi-Jacket HP. Revolver rested on tree limb from 109 paces: 5x5 shots=5.0", with 4x5=4.2".
.357 Remington Maximum 180 Semi-Jacketed Hollow Point with target from 109 paces.
Maximum ejector always welcome for complete extraction without having to pluck shells.
Cylinder gap, revolver just fired. A .001-inch barrel/cylinder gap without drag. Good for velocity. Nevertheless, tight gap contributes nothing to accuracy. Bill Ruger, Jr., developed the means to hold to .003" gap in production, although some are looser.
Ruger Maximum about try Winchester Silvertip .357 Mag 147 JHP, and .357 Remington Maximum 180 Semi-Jacket HP
Snowshoed 106 paces to set first target. Winter-packed snow. Easily 100 yards, as snowshoes glide atop winter-packed snow. (Snow much softer in the woods. Cardboard target set against puckerbrush at woodline. Photo: lens on zoom.
Closer to what it looks like from the gun.
.357 Maximum posed on limb. To shoot a Maximum with glove projecting past cylinder would quickly ruin the leather. In practice, two hands hold revolver, with a touch of leather between trigger guard and limb.
357 Mag: Winchester Silvertip 147 JHP. First three shots a at upper left: 3x3=2.8" @ 106 paces. Followed by sight adjustment and six shots: 6x6=6.3"; with 5x6=4.4". Thjesewere the first Winchester Silvertip .357's put through the Ruger maximum.
Graphic look at .357 Mag Winchester Silvertip 147 JHP from .357 Maximum at 106 paces. Excellent accuracy from the longer chamber.
Blackhawk Maximum with first-run Remington .357 Maximum 180 Semi-Jacket HP. Revolver rested on tree limb from 109 paces: 5x5 shots=5.0", with 4x5=4.2".
.357 Remington Maximum 180 Semi-Jacketed Hollow Point with target from 109 paces.
Maximum ejector always welcome for complete extraction without having to pluck shells.
Cylinder gap, revolver just fired. A .001-inch barrel/cylinder gap without drag. Good for velocity. Nevertheless, tight gap contributes nothing to accuracy. Bill Ruger, Jr., developed the means to hold to .003" gap in production, although some are looser.