Register
Log In
Home
April 18, 2016
Offline
The Dan Wesson 357 SuperMag was chambered for the 357 SuperMag through out its entire life. Early ones were marked 357 SuperMag on one side of the barrel shroud and 357 Maximum on the other sided. Then Maximum chambers just as a 38 Special will work in a 357 Magnum. The SuperMag being longer is only a problem when trying to use it in a Ruger Maximum. (I think the Ruger could digest the 50,000 pressure.) Nominal chamber length in the Ruger is 1.610. Thus a SuperMag case may be an interference fit.
As for brass,,the first box of empty Winchester Maximum brass I had measured 1.610. I had some PMC brass head stamped "Gates" but it would stick badly in the chamber no matter how light the load. I have good results with Star Line brass.
Supporter
Moderators
January 24, 2009
Offline
unspellable said
Early ones were marked 357 SuperMag on one side of the barrel shroud and 357 Maximum on the other sided.
I'd sure like to see one of those shrouds. Not saying it's impossible, but so far I have yet to see one that has "357 SuperMag" marked on it as opposed to just "SuperMag" that the rest of the Monson guns had. Monson guns, being the early ones, of course.
April 18, 2016
Offline
Charger Fan said
unspellable said
Early ones were marked 357 SuperMag on one side of the barrel shroud and 357 Maximum on the other sided.
I'd sure like to see one of those shrouds. Not saying it's impossible, but so far I have yet to see one that has "357 SuperMag" marked on it as opposed to just "SuperMag" that the rest of the Monson guns had. Monson guns, being the early ones, of course.
You raise a question in my mind. I have not seen a shroud marked 357 SuperMag myself, although I've ran across mention of it.
I do know the Dan Wesson and the Seville were specifically chambered for the SuperMag while the Ruger was chambered for the Maximum. The DW has a spiffy main spring to deal with rifle primers.
March 10, 2019
Offline
unspellable said
What seems to have been forgotten over time is that the 357 Maximum and the 357 SuperMag were two different cartridges. The DW was chambered for the SuperMag as was the Seville. Early DW 357 SuperMags were marked as chambered for 357 SuperMag and 357 Maximum both.The Maximum case has a MAXIMUM length of 1.605 while the SuperMag was a trim to length of 1.610. This looks trivial at first glance, but the Maximum chamber is 1.610 so a SuperMag case may bind up the cylinder.
The Maximum was rated for 40,000 while the SuperMag was rated for 50,000 pressure. As a result the SuperMag specified a rifle primer and the DW has a spiffy hammer strike accordingly. The Maximum does not specify a primer, best evidence is Remington used pistol primers.
The SuperMag has an OAL length 1/8 inch longer than the Maximum. A good heavy Bullet load in the SuperMag will not chamber in a Ruger. Bullet sticks out the front of the cylinder.
I bought my 740 new directly out of the IHMSA publication that Elgin put out. I have followed this round ever since.
The Supermag series of rounds was all Elgin. The 357 Max round was "close enough" to what Elgin wanted. The shroud on these guns is labelled as a "Supermag" on one side, but is shown with ".357 Maximum ctg." on the other side. I always took this to mean the DW 40/740's were "Supermag" guns, but the cartridge was 357 Max.
I never recalled seeing any published info on an official 357 Supermag cartridge and the above pressure rating is interesting. Does anyone have anything providing documentation that there was a 357 Supermag cartridge rated at higher than the 40,000 psi?
1 Guest(s)
