Finally! Ruger has a 357 mag bolt rifle!

[wow6599]

I'm a huge fan of the lever action .357 Mags; with the right load you are almost on par with a 30-30. But, when I look at my BA rifles, (.30-'06, .270 and 3 shotguns) I just feel the action makes sense (wish they made more BA shotguns). There isn't a reason for it, but I don't get Ruger's thinking on this. Kind of like a 1911 chambered in 40 S&W..........

 

[ColtPythonElite]

From what I keep reading, it seems that the gun will be adequate at lots of things, but not really be outstanding at anything other than maybe burning up of .357 ammo for a guy that has a stockpile of it laying around/

 

[Dobe]

But a turnbolt .357 magnum? Really? I mean...Really?

What's it for? What can it do that a lever-action can't do better?

If it's any consolation, I said the same thing about the 77/44.

Simply, I prefer a bolt gun to a lever action.
I don't like tubular magazines on a centerfire rifle. I've had and do have several.
Accuracy is almost always better on a bolt gun.
I can switch different types of loads easily in the field by simply switching mags. I actually have found this useful.


And foremost, it will make a great trainer for my grandson.

From what I keep reading, it seems that the gun will be adequate at lots of things, but not really be outstanding at anything other than maybe burning up of .357 ammo for a guy that has a stockpile of it laying around/

I'm sorry, but is there something wrong with that? I look at it as a center fire "22", but more versatile. It will still take a few whitetail.

 

[wow6599]

For those who want to know what a lever-action can do that the Ruger 77/357 can't do, here may be an answer -

The 77/357 will usually function well when loaded with .38 Special. However, the left over space in the magazine allows .38 Special cartridges room to migrate, occasionally to where the rim of the top round gets caught behind the rim of the round below, causing a “rim lock” jam. The incidence rate of this malfunction is fairly low, and varies by ammunition type. If you want to shoot .38 Special in your 77/357 you are welcome to do so, but you can’t blame your gun if it does not function perfectly! The gun was designed to shoot, and will shoot best, with 357 Magnum ammunition.

I plink with .38's all the time in my 1894.

 

[Jason_W]

That's not much of an issue for a handloader. It's pretty easy to load a .357 case down to a .38 level.

The real advantage I see to the 1894 over the 77 is greater mag capacity and a faster rate of fire.

 

[Dobe]

The real advantage I see to the 1894 over the 77 is greater mag capacity and a faster rate of fire.

Which means nothing to me for this type of gun. This is not going to be my zombie gun.

 

[Jason_W]

Which means nothing to me for this type of gun. This is not going to be my zombie gun.

I get that. If I suddenly come into $600-$700, I just might put one on order.

 

[Dobe]

I'm really considering it.

 

[Jeeping]

ok.....so when are they going to be available?

 

[Dobe]

I'm sure they'll trickle in like the SR1911s have.

 

[wow6599]

That's not much of an issue for a handloader. It's pretty easy to load a .357 case down to a .38 level

True. I haven't bought .357 Mag from the store since I started reloading years ago, but I don't stock .38 brass. I can buy WM "value packs" of .38 Special pretty cheap for squirrels, soda cans, paper, etc. Plus, not everyone rolls their own - so I do see it as an issue.

 

[goon]

I have always thought a Spanish Destroyer carbine would have been a lot of fun, but I wasn't big on screwing around with one more obscure caliber.
I don't know if I'd consider one of the new Ruger carbines or not, but I can see why someone might want one. If not, those who want them will buy them and they'll fade into the realm of collector's items.
Personally, I still kind of wish I had bought a 96/22 when I had the chance.

 

[elano]

WAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!

This is awesome!!!!!!!!

Edit: oh.. It's expensive, plastic stock, and only 5 rounds

 

[vellocet]

As I recall. Rossi? did or does make a lever .357.

 

[BCRider]

As I recall. Rossi? did or does make a lever .357

Yes they do. And in a number of models with round and octagonal barrels and also in both 20 inch and 16inch trapper lengths.

And they are about a half pound lighter than the Ruger.

Now Fisherman777 does have a point in that lever guns have more bits. But they just don't go bad all that often so having more bits isn't necessarily a bad thing. And it does allow for a faster follow up shot.

RWDale, you're also right that the Rossi is a bit rough out of the box. In my case that's been changed and following one more visit inside it should be a real slick gun to shoot. But given that most folks would want to have a gunsmith do the work instead of doing it themselves that would up the cost considerably and make the final price easily on par with the 77 or a Marlin 94.

 

[smithman 10]

This gun will sell!

There are probably more folks around with .38/357 revolvers than any other handgun except 9 mm. A whole bunch of them, including myself, will probably want to get one of these.

 

[Bush Pilot]

I'm going to buy one as soon as they become available. I'll wait for the recall and put it away as a collector gun for one year until Ruger discontinues making them and then find a Ruger collector that wants one of everything.

 

[MachIVshooter]

Wow, I struck a few nerves. Ssome people are really sensitive about their pet gunmaker.

I never said Ruger wasn't doing well, and I never said that other manufacturers don't blunder in the marketing research department. What I said is that Ruger, out of their extensive line-up, has only a few guns that consistently sell well. I also said that Ruger really doesn't make anything that someone else doesn't do better (for a similar price). Ruger makes OK guns, but they're all pretty ho-hum. Nothing really innovative, decent overall quality, average pricing. Ruger strives for, and consistently achieves, mediocrity.

Let's look:

Single action revolvers, Blackhawk and Vaquero are decent. Compared to a Colt or Uberti? Suck. And yes, Uberti has a heavy framed .44 mag now.

Double action revolvers are OK. Compared to S&W? Suck

P-series autos are alright guns. Compared to any number of other similarly priced combat autos? Suck

10/22 is a good gun. Compared to a Marlin 60? Sucks.

Mk I/II/III are pretty good. Compared to a Buckmark or Woodsman? Suck

Mini-14 is decent. Compared to AR's? Sucks

PC carbines? They were alright. Compared to Marlin camp carbines? Suck.

Red label and Gold label are nice. Compared to a Beretta? Suck

SR9? Well, basically, it just sucks. I'm not even going to bother mentioning the other polymer auto's that outclass it easily for similar money.

SR1911, decently executed. Compared to Colt and many others? Suck

LCP? What can we say, they finally got something right, but had to steal someone elses design and screw it up a few times first. Same for the LC9.

M77 is OK. Compared to a Remington 700? Suck

96/44 is functional (ugly as sin). Compared to a Marlin 1894? Sucks

96/22? See above, and reference Marlin 39. For .22 WMR comparison, see Henry.

No.1? Finally, we have a Ruger product that stands out above all others. Wait, that's because there really are no others........

Similar story for the Single Six and Deerfield. They're good, but they also have no competition.

Ruger doesn't have a pump or auto shotgun, but if they did, rest assured, it would be sub-par compared to a Remington, Benelli or Beretta.

I currently own 8 Rugers (Mini-14, M77 6mm, M77 Mk II Varmint .220, Super Redhawk .454, SP101 .32 mag, Single Six .32 Mag, Security Six .357, 10/22) I have had many, many others, and have shot just about everything they've ever made, so my opinion is solidly based on personal experience. As I said, they're all decent guns, but they all are outclassed by other guns that are fairly close in price, save for the SRH and Single-six, because they have no direct competition (other than the Taurus Raging Bull .454, and yes, the SRH is better). If S&W had a .454 between the N and X frames, the SRH would be traded in a heartbeat.

Of course, none of this changes the fact that I still feel (and am not alone in this assessment), that a .357 bolt gun, especially with a 5 round pain in the rear rotary magazine, is basically worthless. I'd bet money that sales will indicate that the majority of shooters feel the same, and that this thing will have a production run of 5 years or less.

 

[BCRider]

Not sure why you found so many Ruger offerings suck in comparison.

The New Vaquero? A fine gun by anyone's standards for what it does.

Mark II and III? Superb guns by any standards. If not for the Luger like single hand target shooter style grip angle I'd already own one. The action is reliable as all get out and they just keep on ticking. No other .22, Buckmark included, has survived the "gentle graces" of my local Rent-A-Gun range with the reliability and "on line" time as the Rugers they have.

The Super Redhawk and Super Blackhawk I bought recently again are great guns for the money. Do they compare to semi custom stuff like US Firearms? Maybe not. But at the price point which makes them accessable to more folks they are great guns that shoot pretty darn well.

 

[MachIVshooter]

The New Vaquero? A fine gun by anyone's standards for what it does

They're alright. But now that they aren't able to handle the hot loads, they really have no good selling points over the much more svelte (and slightly less expensive) Uberti's. At least the old Vaq could have it's so-so ergonomics and icky action excused for it's ability to handle magnum loads.

Mark II and III? Superb guns by any standards. If not for the Luger like single hand target shooter style grip angle I'd already own one. The action is reliable as all get out and they just keep on ticking. No other .22, Buckmark included, has survived the "gentle graces" of my local Rent-A-Gun range with the reliability and "on line" time as the Rugers they have.

Like I said, they're pretty good. I would ask, though, is it your range, or a range you frequent? Because most of the time, the counter monkeys really have no idea what has or hasn't been done to range guns (abuse and repairs).

Regardless, they're a pain to take down comparatively, and the Mk III has that hideous LCI sticking out of it's driver side. My Mk II was quite accurate, decently reliable. But I prefer my NEOS for plinking, and it is far, far easier to clean.

The Super Redhawk and Super Blackhawk I bought recently again are great guns for the money. Do they compare to semi custom stuff like US Firearms? Maybe not.

Again, the SRH has only one competitor, and it really isn't. The SBH has always been a good gun, but put your hands on the Uberti Callahan Target before you proclaim the SBH to be the best .44 mag single action short of semi-customs.

 

[Maple_City_Woodsman]

I don't know why people are dismissing factory 38 rounds out of hand.

"but the 38 is shorter"

Not really. The brass is a TINY bit shorter, but the OAL of the cartridges is negligible - close enough that a minor variation in bullet seating would cause them to overlap.

If you do a Google search, you will see a fair bit of discussion using the 44spl in the 44mag version (similar case length difference to 38/357). People are even re-barreling them to 44spl for suppressor rigs... no mention of any magazine problems.

Why don't we wait till the gun is actually OUT before we start making claims of what it can and cant do.

 

[peyton]

WAIT WAIT WAIT A MINUTE, now I have your attention, the rotary magazine holds 4 or 5 rounds and does anyone think they will make an extended magazine?


Second when are they gonna make it in 327 Federal???

 

[Leaky Waders]

I could see it as a rifle for a young teenager to develop skills on...but so can a 22. But with the ruger 357, the rifle could also be used on larger game.

Later, after moving up to a rifle cartridge, the 357 would be a knockabout gun...plinking cans and stuff for cheaper than factory purchased rifle cartridges.

I'm not really sure if we'll get none, one or three...we'll see. The 5 round magazine takes some of the plinking fun out of it and my sons already shoot featherweight 7mm-08's out to 200 meters very well.

 

[lizziedog1]

I purchased a New England Handi Rifle in 357 Magnum and had it rechambered to 357 Max. I can now shoot a variety of ammo at different power levels.

I wonder if this Ruger could be rechambered to the Maximum round?

 

[Sam1911]

I wonder if this Ruger could be rechambered to the Maximum round?

With a rotary magazine, I doubt it. They've cautioned against using .38 Specials for spotty feeding. I doubt a 0.40" longer cartridge is going to fit.