Ruger needs to Growaset and step up to the Big Leagues. 460&500 S&W or if they don't want to be copycats 350 and 400 Moleman(Legend) and 450 Bushmaste

[Armybrat]

Between S&W, BFR, I think the fairly small market for obnoxiously loud hand artillery is pretty well covered.

Yeah, Federal AE 100 grain in my .327 SP101 has already achieved that goal.

 

[eveled]

I think the .454 is the largest handgun caliber that makes sense. Its has the history behind it, it is the .45 Colt on steroids. But it's still in a normal sized gun.

No interest in any of the others.

 

[Sam Summey]

Why not? Take those big .45/.410 revolvers as an example: I've never really been sure what they're designed for, but enough folks seem to be buying them that they've been produced by at least two major gun manufacturers. Ruger currently has Challenger/Charger-style handguns available in at least three different calibers/designs, and they seem to be selling - guessing folks use them for plinking, or maybe self defense?

My question has always been, "What will a 410 slug or 000 buck do that a 45 Colt won't do?" A 410 slug will carry farther than 000 buck but the 45 Colt doesn't disperse and certainly has a better ballistic coefficient than either.

 

[ProfessorWes]

I'm sure Ruger is selling more than a few of them, to folks that want them (everybody has their own priorities). If they weren't selling, we probably wouldn't have Ruger's newest Charger:

View attachment 24091

It's chambered for the 5.7x28mm (picture a centerfire .22 WMR), weighs 67 ounces, and has a list price right at a thousand bucks. I'm not sure where you can find 5.7 ammo, but from what I've heard here on the forum, at least it's not a buck a round anymore.

As always FWIW, IMHO, YMMV, etc., etc.

I'm sure they were selling a lot more of them before ATF went on their pistol-brace jihad.

 

[Hvymax]

I think the .454 is the largest handgun caliber that makes sense. Its has the history behind it, it is the .45 Colt on steroids. But it's still in a normal sized gun.

No interest in any of the others.

I bet you've never done IHMSA have you???

 

[Stantheman1986]

Because Bill and Bill Jr are gone , and Ruger is slowly becoming another gunmaker that churns out $350 plastic pistols and other guns Bill Ruger said would never bear the Ruger name while he's alive

Ruger seems to slowly be getting away from steel revolvers and makes just enough to keep older, loyal customers happy.

My local gun shop has a used S&W .460 and .500, I don't think they'll be flying out of there

My .44 Super Blackhawk Hunter is enough for me, along with my .44 Alaskan and Kodiak Backpacker

When I went to pick up my 9mm SP101 today, I saw a 21 year old guy looking for a .44 Magnum revolver and he put a deposit down on an Anaconda, so younger people are still buying wheelguns. The gun shop employee tried to upsell him to the .460 S&W and he's like nah I'm good with a .44

 

[GasGuzzler]

S&W is not Ruger so if they want to (and can) build it, then go for it. They have different customers with a different mindset all together.

That PC-thing is truly very ugly as is that HiPount looking Ruger pistol-rifle thing but people buy them in large numbers. The items suggested in the OP will not.

BTW, Ruger failed miserably with the 5.7 hand gun and likely that robot gun too because the ammo was SUPER cheap (the only point in having a rifle for it either) until the import ban ... which happened right as the gun was released.

 

[the_leper_colony]

As the title notes, 350 Legend and 400 Legend are options - probably better options than .460 or .500, IMHO. Why? Because you can find reasonably priced ammo for the 350 at local stores (and even the new 400 online), and Ruger has already done a lot of work required for an extended Blackhawk frame, back when they produced the .357 Maximum.

Ammo availability drives firearms sales - I've seen customers walk out of gun stores, because the shop didn't stock ammo for the gun they wanted (or the price was too steep). That's a major issue for cartridges like the .460 & .500, and even oldies like the .30 Carbine & .41 Magnum. It is a complete non-issue for AR cartridges like the 350 Legend (and likely the .450 Bushmaster & new 400 Legend) - in fact, a lot of AR owners would already have ammo at home, if they were looking at a handgun chambered for one of those cartridges.

And offering a long-frame Blackhawk would be a plus, not only because Ruger has a lot of the engineering & design work sitting on the shelf, but because they can offer convertible models. A convertible Blackhawk in .350 Legend could have an extra .357 Maximum/Magnum cylinder; a 400 Legend could come with a 10mm Auto cylinder; and a .450 Bushmaster might have a spare cylinder for .45 ACP.

Do I expect Ruger to do any of the above? Not really - because there's more profit margin in plastic-framed auto pistols than steel-framed revolvers, no matter what they're chambered for. If one of the big distributors pushed for it you might see it happen, but some of our .41 mag fans have been hoping for that for years and it hasn't happened yet.

As always IMHO, FWIW, YMMV, etc., etc.

 

[Hvymax]

As the title notes, 350 Legend and 400 Legend are options - probably better options than .460 or .500, IMHO. Why? Because you can find reasonably priced ammo for the 350 at local stores (and even the new 400 online), and Ruger has already done a lot of work required for an extended Blackhawk frame, back when they produced the .357 Maximum.

Ammo availability drives firearms sales - I've seen customers walk out of gun stores, because the shop didn't stock ammo for the gun they wanted (or the price was too steep). That's a major issue for cartridges like the .460 & .500, and even oldies like the .30 Carbine & .41 Magnum. It is a complete non-issue for AR cartridges like the 350 Legend (and likely the .450 Bushmaster & new 400 Legend) - in fact, a lot of AR owners would already have ammo at home, if they were looking at a handgun chambered for one of those cartridges.

And offering a long-frame Blackhawk would be a plus, not only because Ruger has a lot of the engineering & design work sitting on the shelf, but because they can offer convertible models. A convertible Blackhawk in .350 Legend could have an extra .357 Maximum/Magnum cylinder; a 400 Legend could come with a 10mm Auto cylinder; and a .450 Bushmaster might have a spare cylinder for .45 ACP.

Do I expect Ruger to do any of the above? Not really - because there's more profit margin in plastic-framed auto pistols than steel-framed revolvers, no matter what they're chambered for. If one of the big distributors pushed for it you might see it happen, but some of our .41 mag fans have been hoping for that for years and it hasn't happened yet.

As always IMHO, FWIW, YMMV, etc., etc.

If they went with a Dan Wesson switch barrel platform it could even be multi caliber!!! All with minimal effort and cost. Imagine full length rails top and bottom. Optics, Bipods, IR illuminators for night time hog hunting etc!!! This would be an awesome Flagship. The modularity would also mitigate costs! Any model can be assembled in minutes. Custom shop orders can be accomplished with a few X-Y changes on the CNC!!!

 

[peachhead]

They can't produce enough of what they already have in their lineup. Why would they want to add more to it?

 

[the_leper_colony]

They can't produce enough of what they already have in their lineup. Why would they want to add more to it?

I guess you could ask Ruger - they seem to periodically add new models (like the LC Carbine & Charger), and modify existing models (Security-380). I'm guessing the .380 might sell fairly well, but wonder about the 5.7x28 models. They obviously have their own priorities, just like any other company (and they're not paying me to make decisions or offer advice)!

As always FWIW, IMHO, YMMV, etc., etc.

 

[hittman]

I'd guess that regardless of what many of us want …. Ruger focuses on what sells best and largest profit margin.

Single actions and my beloved Redhawks aren't likely on the list; as we can see by inventory in local stores.

 

[WV460hunter]

I think the .454 is the largest handgun caliber that makes sense. Its has the history behind it, it is the .45 Colt on steroids. But it's still in a normal sized gun.

No interest in any of the others.

The .454 which o er the years I have shot thousands of . It is mild out of larger framed revolvers, it is very effective out to about 60-75 yards and in some cases 100 yards. But it lacked distance. Now welcome the .460 able to reach out to 200 yards. Is a 200 yard shot the norm absolutely not. My last deer harvest in November was about 60 yards. But I practice 100 yards and 50 yards with my .460 and with a rest I aint scared to try 150yards. To pull off a shot at that distance with a .454 took quite the gunhand.

 

[hittman]

I once shot a friends Super Redhawk in .480 ( I think ). He worked up his own batch.
I squeezed off two. That was enough to last me a lifetime.

 

[WV460hunter]

My dumb brother even after being warned not to decided to shoot my .454 with a .340 grain cast load..one handed and it flipped up and cracked him in the forehead. The blood flew .. well to say the least I cut him no slack and said I told you not to do that.

 

[Hvymax]

I was shooting 500gr Minnie's out of my Kentucky Pistol and I think the Rangemaster thought I was performing or something and asked to try one. The trigger guard broke his middle finger impressively and fortunately the gun landed on grass instead of concrete. That's the beauty of muzzleloaders almost anything you can seat on the powder will fire. I can't believe I survived my teenage!!!

 

[WV460hunter]

Oh my Lordy , was he POed .. I know my Mom wasn't to happy when he came back up to the house he was about 30 or 32 at the time. Arrogant as ever.

 

[Hvymax]

I was known to push 330's at around 1,600 out of my Dan Wesson.

 

[Stantheman1986]

People will buy anything in 9mm for less than $400......

The market for $1000+ thumb busters is small

 

[Hvymax]

I think a switch barrel/cylinder Mega Redhawk would dominate IHMSA and take hunting to new levels. I did 8"@1,000yds with my Dan Wesson as an exercise in how far I could push the envelope. The bullets were dropping 134'6". Mad Scientists need a new bigger platform!!!