The .357 Remington Maximum is an elongated revolver cartridge developed jointly by Ruger and Remington in 1983, primarily for handgun metallic silhouette competition. It extends the .357 Magnum case by roughly 0.315 inches, generating substantially higher velocity and energy. Chambered initially in the Ruger Blackhawk and Redhawk, it offers genuine hunting capability for deer-sized game from a revolver.
Type: Revolver
Introduced: 1983, United States
Parent case: .357 Magnum
Standardization: SAAMI
Bullet diameter: 0.357" (9.07 mm)
Case length: 1.605" (40.77 mm)
Overall length: 2.235" (56.77 mm)
Max pressure: 48,000 PSI
Rim type: Rimmed
Primer: Large Pistol
Typical twist rate: 1:18.75
Muzzle velocity: 1550–1825 fps
Muzzle energy: 843–1332 ft-lbs
Effective range: 250 yd
Common bullet weights: 158, 180 gr
Primary use: target_shooting, silhouette_shooting, hunting_small_game
Production status: Limited
Also known as: 357 Maximum · .357 Max
History: Developed at the request of IHMSA (International Handgun Metallic Silhouette Association) competitors seeking more power for knocking over steel rams at 200 meters. Ruger and Remington collaborated on both the cartridge and purpose-built revolvers. Severe flame cutting on revolver top-straps and forcing cones caused Ruger to discontinue chambered revolvers by 1984. Single-shot pistols like the…
Notable firearms: Ruger Blackhawk, Ruger Redhawk, Thompson/Center Contender