How well is the 77/357 doing ??

I cannot answer your question, but it's an issue which causes me concern. The 77/357 is at the top of my firearms Wish List. I actually went to buy one earlier this year, but none were available at the time. Now I'm stuck waiting another 2 mos. or so before my finances catch up w/ my purchasing desires. I'd hate to get stymied again. It's also my guess that the 77/357 would make a perfect "light" deer rifle for where I hunt in Central PA, as well as making things simpler for me, logistics-wise (I carry an SP101 .357 Magnum). So please, someone tell me sales are just strong enough to justify continued production, but not so strong as to render the 77/357 difficult to obtain.

This is strictly "MHO", as I have no data to prove anything.... but I think the lever-guns like the Rossi and the Marlin in 357/38 have a pretty good corner on the market . I have a Marlin 44 mag 1894 and two Rugers...A SS Model 77/44 and an older Semi-auto Carbine. I enjoy shooting all three....but when deer season opened, I had the Model 77/44 and My Wife used the Semi-Auto Carbine.

With the 357, I can only relate one incident. Recently I took a very nice Marlin 357 lever-gun in trade, I listed it on Armslist and in less than 48 hours, had a bunch of offers from all over the USA. First time that has happened to me on that site. I finally worked a deal for $600 plus shipping, which was about $100 more than I listed it for initially. There is a strong market out there for the 357 carbines !!! I would think that would carry over to the B/A Model 77's also.

Mayor Al said:

With the 357, I can only relate one incident. Recently I took a very nice Marlin 357 lever-gun in trade, I listed it on Armslist and in less than 48 hours, had a bunch of offers from all over the USA. First time that has happened to me on that site. I finally worked a deal for $600 plus shipping, which was about $100 more than I listed it for initially. There is a strong market out there for the 357 carbines !!! I would think that would carry over to the B/A Model 77's also.

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Mayor Al, a M1894 in .357, in good shape, is one of the hardest rifles to snag I can think of. I looked in several shops for over a couple years, and gave up when the 77/357 came out. I may grab a Rossi at some point, but I keep thinking I'll see a Marlin .357, someday.

One thing I am sure of though, Ruger is a well run business, and NO well run business drops a product with a two month backorder, unless it burns to the ground.

TMan51 said:

Mayor Al, a M1894 in .357, in good shape, is one of the hardest rifles to snag I can think of. I looked in several shops for over a couple years, and gave up when the 77/357 came out. I may grab a Rossi at some point, but I keep thinking I'll see a Marlin .357, someday.

One thing I am sure of though, Ruger is a well run business, and NO well run business drops a product with a two month backorder, unless it burns to the ground.

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+1

Impossible to find a Marlin 1894 in any caliber in our area or, for that matter, a 77/357 or 77/44. I don't think the 77/357 is in any danger from disappearing from lack of interest.

I picked up mine at a gun show less than a year ago. At the time I was specifically looking for one and after searching the whole show I found one on the last table next to the exit on the way out. Traded my circuit judge and some cash for it. Probably one of the best buys I've ever made. The last show I went to a couple weeks back had no fewer than 5 77/357s available, and the prices seemed more reasonable.

I have a 77/357 on lay-a-way at Buds guns. My wallet can't empty fast enough to get it out of jail.
Had the chance to go to Bud's Gun Warehouse while traveling down on I 75 last month. had my hands on a lovely Winchester 357 lever gun and really wish I could have a purchased it. But have the 77/357 stainles model in my future. I have a wood stocked 77/44, also from Buds and that too is a hearty well made firearm.

Here in Ohio, they just opend the door for straight walled hand gun rounds to hunt deers. That is a great thing. Has a run on all these types of rifles, lever, bolt and single shot.

BTW, I would have been very happy with a RAR 357 and or a RAR 44
Hello Ruger.... Anyone listening

daleeman said:

BTW, I would have been very happy with a RAR 357 and or a RAR 44
Hello Ruger.... Anyone listening

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Agreed.

daleeman said:

BTW, I would have been very happy with a RAR 357 and or a RAR 44
Hello Ruger.... Anyone listening

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Probably not.

The 77/357 and 77/44 are well designed and accepted products, but hardly sensational sellers. Over many trips to a range with members in the thousands, I've yet to see a single other 77/357, and only a couple of 77/44's.

That tells me market forces are minimal, as everyone wants 20rd magazines and high volume of fire power. The rounds lack the range for many applications, and both appeal more to revolver shooters that want a rifle to shoot their revolver loads in a pinch. As hunting rifles, they are for hunters, not snipers.

I love mine, but people yapping at the range think they are cute, "but why".

With the cost of ammo now, and the cost of reloading components, the 38/357 rifles make sense to me.

With the right ammo the 357 is OK for short range deer.

Might pick one up.

I had to have one. All around fun rifle. Love it. I hope they do keep making them.

Since the Voice of the Customer Survey came out, I've been anticipating a semi-automatic rifle in .357 Mag. / .44 Rem. Mag. I hope they make 'em.

Maybe the $600 plus price point of a 77/357 vs a $350 price point would sell very well.

daleeman said:

Maybe the $600 plus price point of a 77/357 vs a $350 price point would sell very well.

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The price keeps increasing too. The msrp now is almost a grand.

In the market for one, myself. Like having one caliber for two weapons, makes sense to me.

I am going to say 77/.357 ok but I really feel the .357 & .44 magnum are a much better cartridge for the lever action!

I enjoy mine a lot, doing fine.

aurora40 said:

The price keeps increasing too. The msrp now is almost a grand.

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I see them new for about $750 in most places, and that is a bit steep. The Italian made lever guns are quite a bit less, if mounting a scope isn't an issue.

The .357 is deer capable, but it's not deer ideal. The 77/44 would be my personal choice, and is. For me, the 77/357 extends the versatility of my collection of .357's, and although it will shoot anything I feed it, it doesn't shoot everything well, and the best loads in the carbine, are a bit much in an SP101. Many guys are more shooters than hunters though, and if you reload your own ammo, the .357 in any form is a very versatile and practical option for a small collection.

TMan51
I agree with your statement - "the 77/357 extends the versatility of my collection of .357's".

I too have a small collection of .357's and .38's. I like the idea of a .357 with a different type of action - a bolt action. But then I also like the idea of a .357 in lever action, pump action, rolling block, single action, double action and automatic pistol. All of which are available. And I can't disregard the Chiappa .357 revolver for its uniqueness even if it is a firearm without the most attractive lines.

I don't have a Ruger 77/357 yet but will one day.

jruppert2 said:

But then I also like the idea of a .357 in lever action, pump action, rolling block, single action, double action and automatic pistol.

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For a while there was a pump action .357 available from ?? I think ?? Grizzly Arms. It was very well made, and I recall accuracy was quite good. Like passing on a M94/.357 Trapper, I kick myself from time to time for passing on it.

I also have had no luck finding a decent Marlin 1894C.

But I have my 77/357, as I didn't want that to get away too. Topped with a Nikon 1X-4X in Ruger rings, it's up to most tasks as far out as the .357 round is really effective. I stocked up on four extra magazines, no use running out, and it looks just right posed with my 4" SP101 and 6" GP100. I'm thinking my Blackhawk would look cool next to one of the M92 Winchester replica's.