I don’t know that model specifically but I had a somewhat similar model. I’m guessing that you won’t get a lot of responders who own this model so I’m posting an off topic supplement.
It was a 12/33 with a Tecumseh 12hp OHV. The handle bars, dash and bucket look the same. From what I can see of the gearbox it looks the same and probably is. I could not find drawings for your model to compare with mine.
I opened up the gearbox and the gears were robust enough. They can easily last 30 years with proper use.
The chute crank mechanism was on the cheap side but functional. Plastic universal but cheap enough to replace if it brakes. Probably the newer models have changed and not the quality of Ariens or Honda but functional.
The remote hood mechanism was also on the cheap side but worked fine. Just a pull back spring type. At the time I had two Ariens machines with frozen hood cables so liked the simplicity of the “working” Murray.
I don’t know the weight of mine but it felt and handled like a 524. It had the huge wide tires which were great.
The handle levers were not the best, sort of light in the metal but ok.
For all the power it did not toss that far compared to other machines of similar power. But it had ok throughput compared to the others. I think that was due to the auger and impeller speeds being much slower than the other guys I compared it to. You might want to check into those if distance is a big factor for you. Ariens is now up in the 1300 rpm impeller speed and about 130 for the augers.
The height of the bucket was about the tallest I’ve seen and a bit of overkill unless you can use it. I’m in eastern Massachusetts so a bit big for around here.
Murray was bought by Briggs but the plant is probably the same as where mine was made and the drawings tweaked instead of a revamped.
All in all I liked my machine. I’ve gotten to like Murray after working on a number of their machines. I just had a two year old 6hp Murray that was a very nice machine. They are without question a step down from the big guns but nice machines and capable of lasting 20 years easily if taken care of and maintained. I' d place a Murray above MTD and below Toro and Ariens.
$1600 is getting up there and I would not call it a “professional” model but it’s robust enough. I’m not up on what’s around for newer models at a similar price and would do some checking which you probably have. If your looking for a “big” machine with great distance I’d dig into the spec’s.
I could not find the impeller and rake speeds. The spec I saw did not list the impeller diameter or blades. The torque is 16.5 ft-lbs but it did not list the RPM so not sure about the horsepower.
An MTD 357 OHV 30 inch is listing at 1000-1100 and a similar quality machine but a bit less. For the price break it might be a consideration. I saw a “big:” machine at Sears made by MTD but it was a few grand. I’d take the Murray over that.
I got mine for $50 as it had a dead engine and the owner happy to get rid of it. I put it aside for months as I considered it a big dog and a waste of time. I eventually worked on it and got it going. When the snow got here and I used it I got to like it a lot. You could get that thing and keep it 20 years but I’d check on the distance part if you want to keep up with the Jones’s.
