357 max vs. 1911

Status
Not open for further replies.
J

jakk280rem

Member
Joined
Feb 12, 2007
Messages
1,334
Location
Umatilla, OR
i'm having a dilema. come friday i will have some extra folding mony and planned on a new gun. ok. so i check out my favorite shop and they have a sa loaded 1911 on consignment for 550 decision made. great. so today on a whim i go to a pawn shop up the road and find a .357 maximum 7 1/2" blackhawk in 95-99% condition for 629. i can afford one or the other, not both. what do i do. i'm leaning toward the max cause you dont find those lying about in that condition all the time, but the 1911 is at a great price is more usable for me right now. any advise?
 
Yep if the Old .357 Ruger is very clean and all there (grips and such) not monkeyed with , it is a great investment item. Prolly worth $800 + now.
 
Search THR for full discussion of the gas cutting controversy. Check out reedsammo.com for reasonably priced loaded ammo, or midway for 357 max brass.
 
thax judge. i noticed that loaded ammo for the max was scarce ill check it out. before i buy ill take a detailed look at that blackhawk. other than the standard revolver checkout items and the topstrap throat cutting issues is there anything particular to be on the lookout for on a ruger blackhawk. im not familiar with them and have never owned nor shot one.
 
Get the Ruger. Gas cutting on the max is only a problem if you try to shoot 125gr bullets at 2000fps. A small amount of cutting is normal, look for forcing cone erosion.
 
You should not shoot full power .357 Maximum out of the Ruger as gas cutting will become a problem
Click to expand...

Nonsense. So long as you stick to 158 gr. and heavier bullets, it'll take full power loads just fine. It was the lighteweight, super-fast stuff that caused serious flame cutting issues.
 
The ruger blackhawk! It's a rare caliber that will probably go up in value as a collectible. They don't make it anymore.

If you want it as a shooter, it's more versatile than the .357 magnum.

You can buy a Springfield 1911 anytime, off the shelf.

Get the Blackhawk, it's a no brainer:)
 
Get the Blackhawk and don't shoot it. I bought one in the 80's when they first came out and never shot it. I figure it's only going to get more valuable as time goes on.
 
Ruger only made the Max. for two years in the early 80's. They did have a bore and backstrap burn problem. So go to Mag. loads if you want to shoot with no issues. Thats what I do with mine. Go with the Ruger they are alot harder to find than a 1911. I got some Max. loads from Old Western Scrounger and just went to his site and they are 24.95. ows-ammo.com. Get the Max. so you wont do this:banghead::cuss:
 
Last edited:
Conley precision cartridge has 158 and 180 grain 357 max for a decent price. I also called a shop in Melbourne FL that has had one in the case and it turns out its still there and they are only asking 525 for it. If this is a decent price I'll grab it next week with my tax return, I looked at it and it hardly looks fired but I dont know about a box or papers.
 
take Ruger. I like to have it too. Now have only Dan Wesson and T/C G2 with .357 Rem.Max. :cool:
 
Boy, the gunwriters really scared everyone with the gascutting on the Max! What a shame they didnt know what they were doing. I have a DW with about 1600 rounds of full power 215 grn (Lyman's 358627) LSWC loads through it. It has zero cutting. Hint: Use heavy bullets and stay away from ball powders. It will last you the rest of your life, and a great IHMSA revolver!
 
ive been trying to talk myself out of the ruger unsuccesfuly. if its still there fiday i'll probly get it. this may sound like a silly question, and i asume you can, but can u shoot 357 mag and 38spcl out of it? also what powder would be the best for reloading? i was thinking 2400 as my speer rm #14 lists it as the smallest powder charge of all the recomended powders.
 
You can shoot 357 mag and 38 spl out of a max.

Some of the best powders for use in a single shot are ball powders (H110, Win 296, Lil Gun). Unique might work though in a revolver, hopefully somebody else will have more info on revolver loads.
 
Check the Max over very well. It should be in fine shape. Most people, well the 7 guys that bought them, showed it off to all their friend, fired a box through it, and but it away.

Personally, I felt it was a stupid idea. I fell there are three basic refolver rounds,.22, 357 Magnum, 44 magnum.

Now, if you just think it cool and want it, then it does make sense. DOn't shoot it. Just keep it as a collectable. Nothing wrong with that. But if you want a heavy revolver, get a 44.

But it sound to me like you wanted the 45. You are still going to want that 45. THe 357 max just cauget your ever.

I have that problem with 30 carbine revolvers. THe are neat but usless.

Joe
 
Go for the Max.

I have one and it is just fun to shoot. It is what the 357 magnum used to be before it was neutered.

My standard load tosses a 158 out at 1550 with a 8" barrel out of my Ruger. A nice plinker load for the max and what the original 357 Magnum did back in 1935 when it came out with an 8 3/4" N frame.

Great round, great gun, just use it for what it was made for.
 
My favorite powder for the 357 Supermag/Maximum is IMR 4227. I have all of the Supermags except 414 and 4227 works great in all of them.
 
Agreed. 4227 seems to work great for mild to wild loads in the max.

Had more folks stayed with 4227, 180 grn slugs or heavier and recognized the max for what it was, it would still be made today.

But no, they needed to make Express rounds of 2200 FPS 125 grn slugs with ball powders and sand blast the frame. Then they complained about it and ruined the Max for the rest of us.

Oh well, I have mine and I use it for nothing less then 158 plinkers at 1550 and heavier rounds.

It is great for exactly what it is.
 
A couple posts got close, but what I feel nails it is whether you want a shooter or a safe queen.

Obviously, if you want a shooter, go with the 1911. It's gonna be a lot easier to find, but hey, you can shoot the crap out of it!

If you want a gun to put away, get the Ruger. You don't really want a gun just to shoot something like 357 max out of, do you? I'd buy the Ruger for sure, but then I like Rugers and I like odd chamberings. I certainly don't like paying for the ammo.
 
Go for the Ruger. I am on constant watch for a Ruger in .357max and if I would have found what you found it would be in my hands before the ink on the form 4473 dried.
 
I don't understand the advice to buy the Ruger and then stash it away in the closet. We aren't talking about an original mint STG-44 or anything. It's a Ruger revolver for goodness sake. If you like the .357 Max Ruger, buy it, get a reloading setup for it and shoot the hell out of it. Life is too short for toys that sit in a safe and never get shot.

I recently bought a mint, 1977 unfired S&W 29-2 .44 Magnum. The first thing I did when I got it was take it to the range and run 50 rounds through it. :D
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

captain awesome
  • Locked
scope mount options for 357 max ruger?
Replies
6
Views
800
captain awesome
captain awesome
S
  • Locked
Ruger Blackhawk vs. Dan Wesson Model 15
Replies
20
Views
2K
NMGonzo
N
bluetopper
  • Locked
AA1680 in 357 Max, 500 Mag?
Replies
7
Views
2K
Gik-tal
G
dredd
  • Locked
Ruger .357 Blackhawk Find
Replies
17
Views
1K
Rexster
Rexster
W
  • Locked
357 Maximum vs 357 Magnum
Replies
22
Views
12K
bluetopper
bluetopper
Back
Top