Does anyone make custom.357 maximum/super max revolvers?

[Redhorse]

Hey all. Does anyone know if it’s possible to order a custom made .357 maximum revolver? I doubt I can get a Ruger, my preferred brand, but that’s not a big deal. Rather, I’d like a revolver in .357 maximum specifically. I have reloading materials and would stick with 158 grain or heavier bullets.

 

[openwell]

no
you can DYI with a chamber reamer on any S&W 357 or Ruger except the S&W 19

and Lee sells dies 357 mag & maximum for $19 & Ship from Titanreloading.com

I have a set.

 

[Route 45]

Ruger Blackhawk 357 Maximums for sale. There are 4 of them on GunBroker right now. Three are auctions and one has a "buy it now" price of $1499.

Other than these Rugers, I don't know of anyone who makes a 357 Maximum.

https://www.gunbroker.com/Guns-Firearms/search?Keywords=ruger 357 maximum

 

[Trapper Jim]

No. Caliber has law of diminished returns In revolvers. Adaptable to contender or rifle actions but erosion is costly factor.

 

[openwell]

Brownells prob. has clymer reamer & tech guy named Steve has youtube video about S&W model 586-8
where he talks about cylinder being longer & seating long keith type casts.
look it & him up sounds like it'll save you a dime or so

 

[openwell]

I have a S&W 586-8 4" that shoots great
did need a wilson combat trigger spring & JM youtube video to install it.
can shoot 158gr.+
I have some speer 180gr fmj sil. that shoot great too.

 

[Redhorse]

no
you can DYI with a chamber reamer on any S&W 357 or Ruger except the S&W 19

and Lee sells dies 357 mag & maximum for $19 & Ship from Titanreloading.com

I have a set.

Do you mean to re-chamber an existing .357 magnum cylinder? I know the new RedHawks have linger cylinders but are they long enough to accommodate the added case length of a .357 maximum? IÂ’m sure the frame can hold up to the added pressure since they make RedHawks in .454 casull.

 

[openwell]

checkout this 6min video. on my 586-8

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=oW1PKusWl8I


Steve who did vid. is tech. at Brownells & you could prob. call & speak about chamber reaming to 357 max with Ruger or S&W.

He mentions in the video that the cylinder of 586-8 is longer & can handle long keith style casts. He also talks about 9mm clips too.

I have Ruger redhawk hunter in 44 mag. & have had one in 41 mag. Don't know if you can do 357 redhawk. but probably.

my question is why 357 max?

I have three S&W revolvers 41mag, 357 mag & 500 S&W. So I can reload various power levels to get almost any result. I would not bother to go 357 max.

if you do.... With some research & a little money you could rechamber to 357 max cause guys use chamber reamers to true out all six cylinders all the time.

 

[openwell]

so yes look at rechambering 357 mag.
If Ruger blackhawks were factory @ 357 max you could do that more easily since easy to remove cylinder. Redhawks have an awkward way to remove the cylinders. blackhawks just pull a pin.

If your heart is set in 357 max Ruger made 'em but they ain't cheap.
so, make your own....unless tools and such are not your bag..

but rechambering is a common revolver thing just watch a few youtube vids.

 

[Redhorse]

checkout this 6min video. on my 586-8

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=oW1PKusWl8I


Steve who did vid. is tech. at Brownells & you could prob. call & speak about chamber reaming to 357 max with Ruger or S&W.

He mentions in the video that the cylinder of 586-8 is longer & can handle long keith style casts. He also talks about 9mm clips too.

I have Ruger redhawk hunter in 44 mag. & have had one in 41 mag. Don't know if you can do 357 redhawk. but probably.

my question is why 357 max?

I have three S&W revolvers 41mag, 357 mag & 500 S&W. So I can reload various power levels to get almost any result. I would not bother to go 357 max.

if you do.... With some research & a little money you could rechamber to 357 max cause guys use chamber reamers to true out all six cylinders all the time.

My preferred caliber is .357 and it’d be nice to own a .357 maximum. If, for example, magnum research would make a custom .357 super mag that would be awesome just for the possession factor. I may look into the used market for a Blackhawk in .357 maximum though.

 

[Bigtanker]

You can always email this guy. He does some fine custom work. The worst he could say is no.

+ Bowen Classic Arms + About B C A

 

[two70]

It's not a standard custom shop option but I'm sure Magnum Research could build you a .357 max BFR... for a price. I know there's been at least one chambered in .350 Legend and that is not a standard custom option either.

 

[Redhorse]

It's not a standard custom shop option but I'm sure Magnum Research could build you a .357 max BFR... for a price. I know there's been at least one chambered in .350 Legend and that is not a standard custom option either.

It’s funny you mention the BFR! So I had reached out to them on a whim right after posting this thread and they replied with how they could do it and how much it’d cost (though for that part a price wasn’t given due to having so many different possible combinations of features). I’ll post A picture of what they sent so if someone else ever gets the hankering they want one, or want a revolver on an odd caliber, they have a possible option. Essentially, they use the same frame as they use for the .300 Blackout, one just has to tell them they want .357 maximum instead.

I did learn that the .357 super magnum was .005” longer so if I were to go through Magnum Research then I’d request that just to be safe.

 

[4651feeder]

Older Dan Wessons in .357 Maximum still show up from time to time if you're a man of patience. I passed on one at the Nappanee show some 30 yrs ago and still regret it to this day.

 

[Bigtanker]

A .300 blackout revolver??? I wonder if the barrel is threaded.

 

[Whip_McCord]

No. Caliber has law of diminished returns In revolvers. Adaptable to contender or rifle actions but erosion is costly factor.

I have shot handgun silhouette for decades and shot several .357 Max revolvers (not my guns) at the range. I remember reading, many years ago, that the erosion issues in revolvers were attributed to gun writers trying to push light weight bullets (125gr) over 2000fps in the guns. That is not what the cartridge was made for. They thought that would make a better story than shooting rams at 200 meters and having the power and accuracy to knock them down. I believe they stated the heavier bullets (180+ that the Max was designed for) seemed to show some slight erosion at first, but pretty much stopped in a short period of time. Dan Wesson used to ship a second barrel with their 357 Max revolvers to make the issue moot. I do not know of a case of bad erosion in Rugers or DWs that my shooting buddies had. That does not mean that never happened, though.

The 1st Max I shot (Dan Wesson) was at 50 meters at 10 steel chickens. I shot standing, offhand, and hit 8 out of 10. I thought it was a great shooting gun with the power and accuracy for the silhouette game. I wanted one bad for a while, but never did get one.

 

[Redhorse]

A .300 blackout revolver??? I wonder if the barrel is threaded.

Maybe! They seem open in their custom shop. I wonder how the cylinder gap would interfere.

 

[PatriotX]

I had a Dan Wesson Supermag in 357 maximum, should never have let it go.

It was the loudest handgun I’ve ever shot indoors, louder than the BFR in .30 carbine...

 

[Whip_McCord]

I had a Dan Wesson Supermag in 357 maximum, should never have let it go.

It was the loudest handgun I’ve ever shot indoors, louder than the BFR in .30 carbine...

Years ago there was a guy that shot silhouettes at our range with a 445 Super Mag (it was to the 44 mag what the 357 Maximum was to the 357 mag). I looked into buying that gun, but did not. It was not only loud, but the concussion was crazy. We were shooting outside, but under a covered firing line. I believe he said he loaded 30 grains of 296 behind whatever bullet he was using.

 

[two70]

Maybe! They seem open in their custom shop. I wonder how the cylinder gap would interfere.

Quite a lot I'd imagine, likely to the point of rendering the suppressor ineffective. As far as I know the Soviet Nagant, with it's cylinder that moves forward to eliminate the cylinder gap, is the only revolver that can be effectively suppressed.