New Ruger Gun?

[fatherof4]

I think this has been discussed before, but does anyone have any idea if Ruger will ever produce a 500S&W Redhawk or other variation of a Ruger pistol? I would really like to have a 4" Redhawk in the 500S&W.

 

[mike7mm08]

I doubt they will go 500. They already dropped their own 480 which is more sensible than the 500. In general I think 500 sales are down as the 460 is much flatter shooting and can deliver similar power to the 500. You don't give up much with the 460. But you gain a lot. In addition to flatter shooting you can shoot both 45 long and 454. I have not measured but I don't think there is enough cylinder length in any Ruger revolver to accommodate the 500 or 460. I highly doubt Ruger would do a a total redesign to meet very small demand.

 

[BlkHawk73]

Yup, they'd need a whole new platform as no current Rugers will accommodate the .460 or .500 cartridges.

 

[Jimbo357mag]

Is there anything a 500 can do that a 454 can't? :shock:

Alaskan or...

...Jimbo

 

[mike7mm08]

Is there anything a 500 can do that a 454 can't? :shock:

Alaskan or...

...Jimbo

Cause even more pain in your wrist :lol:

 

[clayflingythingy]

I doubt they will go 500. They already dropped their own 480 which is more sensible than the 500. In general I think 500 sales are down as the 460 is much flatter shooting and can deliver similar power to the 500.

Interesting. My own impression, and that's all it is, is that the 460 never approached the popularity of the 500.

Be interesting if someone with actual sales knowledge could chime in.

 

[BlkHawk73]

I believe the .460 wasn't as popular simply because for most of the .500 sales, it was a testosterone driven purchase more than anything. The buyer, simply wanted that .50 caliber hole in the barrel and the .50 cal cartridge to show off with. It's magnum-itis and it's pretty prevalent. With a few exceptions, most don't look at the performance numbers per say, just the size of the bullet. :roll:
A benefit for some it that folks bought them, shot 'em and realized it was too much for them and/or the ammo was too pricey (or both) and they're ending up on he used shelves in NIB condition.

 

[Axehandle]

I think that Ruger's not putting the needed effort into turning out a 5 shot SRH 480 is a bad sign for the possibility of a 480 Blackhawk... With that skill set they could have easily turned out somthing with a 510 bore like my 500L SRH by Hamilton Bowen...

 

[azrugershooter]

Ruger has a platform sitting in mothballs. They just need a reason to dust off the Maximum frame and make a 460 or 500. But the past has shown Ruger (at least before the death of Bill Sr.) wasn't big on chambering guns for other makers cartridges. Take for instance the "40 auto" rather than 40 S&W and the lack of a 357 sig, 10 mm. Now I know the last 2 could be argued that it was due to sales. But Ruger never jumped on the 357 sig train when it came out like a lot of other makers.

 

[BlkHawk73]

Ruger has a platform sitting in mothballs. They just need a reason to dust off the Maximum frame and make a 460 or 500.

They also did make at least one 5 shot in .50AE that was initially intended to be released to coincide with the company's 50th anniversary. I recall seeing one picture of it and a brief caption. Nothing since.
I still believe part of them not doing 5 shots on the SA frame is because of the idiots that will think "Ruger= super loads" and blow one up.
As for the SRM frame...it's dead I believe and I seriously doubt it'll be marketed again. Simply not enough demand for these big handgun chamberings to warrant the resources that could be used on more profitable models.

 

[Axehandle]

The 50AE thought sounds reasonable... Those of us who play with 50AE revolvers realize that the 50AE taper crimp requirement will effectively eliminate the overload and heavy bullet crowd's antics...

 

[kk9z]

"Interesting. My own impression, and that's all it is, is that the 460 never approached the popularity of the 500.

Be interesting if someone with actual sales knowledge could chime in."

In the big S&W guns, we sell the .500 at a 2 to 1 ratio over the .460. Personally I like the .460 because I could shoot .45LC, .454, and .460. However, I don't personally own either a .500, or a .460-- They Hurt!

Thanks,
Kent

 

[Bucks Owin]

IMO, the .460 S&W is mostly a gimmick to reach 2000 fps in yet another stretched version of the everlasting .45 Colt. I like the .454 FA better than the 70+ oz X-frame Smith as a practical sidearm, but then I'm a SA fan. Ruger chamber the .500 S&W? Not likely, I think sales to those who are enamoured with owning "The World's Most Powerful Handgun" has reached the high water mark already. And even if Dirty Harry was to wave an X-frame around in a new movie, (picture that! lol) it'll never give a boost in sales like the M-29 got from "Magnum Force". Yep, IMO, the time is ripe for the Blackhawk to step into the spotlight in a 5 shot platform. Perhaps the "Goldenhawk" or some such moniker. Hell, just "reintroduce" a five shot version on the .357 Maximum frame chambered in 475 Linebaugh, (fine cartdidge itself, and may help the dying .480 as a ".475 Special") and in .500 WE which uses the same .500" bullet as the big Smith, not the odd .512" of the ".51 Linebaugh" which is limited in bullet selection if one doesn't cast. (And besides, maybe then I could afford one! :wink: ) Still waiting and daydreaming, Dennis........(PS: A 5 shot 10" barreled .45 cal "silhouette convertible" styled along the lines of the Bisley Hunter but with an additional .454 cyl (or better yet ".45 Linebaugh") might be an interesting use of the .460 S&W cartridge, but probably too "special interest".)

 

[Bucks Owin]

I would really like to have a 4" Redhawk in the 500S&W.

Man, not me! I doubt you would either after firing one round. Imagine the muzzleblast and recoil such a "lightweight" monster would produce! I shudder to think....Dennis :shock:

 

[CraigC]

Ruger has a platform sitting in mothballs. They just need a reason to dust off the Maximum frame and make a 460 or 500.

That'll never happen. The Maximum frame could not withstand the 60,000psi pressure of the .500S&W. It's at its limit with the Linebaugh Longs and those are bank vault-tight custom guns.

Screw the long S&W's, they're way too much of a good thing and all this talk of flat trajectories for what? How many folks need to be shooting at game at 200yds with a revolver??? No, produce a five-shot Bisley in .480 if anything. Market it right and it will sell. It's all the revolver most folks will ever need.

 

[JimMarch1]

Take the standard SBH-frame-size SA and put an 8-shot 357 cylinder in it . Or do the same with the Alaskan...

 

[Redhawk4]

Isn't the real reason on all these calibers going to be down to demand. How many people want, or need a 500 SW, 460 or any of the monster rounds. It seems of the relatively few who bought them, a lot had them for sale pretty quickly.

It would be interesting to know how much even S&W could claim to have made specificaly off these models. The pie is sliced pretty thin for anyone else to get into the game, especially if it's more than just "boring out" an existing design. In many industries, "flagship models" lose money but are made to raise interest in, and the image of, the company and it's other products. There is much less value in a gun company trying to do this with an existing cartridge bearing another manufacturer's name.

To some extent Ruger has already tried to do "the double" with the 480. That was a great round and gun combo. Unfortunately a lot of sales in this sector go to people who have to have the "biggest and baddest", any subtleties are lost on them, it's about bragging rights. Unfortunately, S&W had that market and the promotional dollars to spread their "gospel".

If I was running Ruger I would not be rushing in this direction, I think there still other much more lucrative areas to branch into like they did with the LCP and LCR. While it's each to his own, I don't believe many people would honestly want a 4" Redhawk in 500 SW. Recoil and ammo prices would see to that.

 

[Mark McWillis]

No, produce a five-shot Bisley in .480 if anything. Market it right and it will sell. It's all the revolver most folks will ever need.

+1 I'd buy one. That said, the marketing people at Ruger do sometimes miss the boat. Like not offering the .327 in the SS or new flat top.

 

[JimMarch1]

An eight-shot 327 in the mid-frame SA would be too awesome for words. As a 10-shot Alaskan, even cooler .

 

[tomiswho]

Re-brand the SP-101 .357 and call it the "Pennsylvanian" as an Eastern/ non-brown bear version companion to the Alaskan. :lol: Then maybe take these two, finish in flat back, and add them to the "Hard-R" line.... might have to add an accessory rail similar to the one S&W had on their 8 shot .357.

:lol: :lol: :lol:

In reality, I'll bet that Ruger will attempt to down-size the entire Blackhawk line to the smaller frame of the Vaquero...

Please don't copy anymore guns. Use the engineers to do unique things, like the LCR.