357 Mag Barrel Vrs. 357 Max Barrel - why keep the Mag?

[1187VX2]

Is there any advantage to having a 357 Mag barrel vrs. the 357 Max barrel?  I mean the 357 max barrel will shoot 357 Max, 357 Mag & 38 Spec., while the 357 Mag barrel will only shoot the last two.

So having a 357 Mag barrel (& wanting to try 357 Max) I should just buy the Max barrel & sell the Mag barrel, right?

[RonF]

I'd probably keep the .357 Mag barrel, at least until I was sure the max barrel would shoot mags accurately.  This is not a given, since the bullet jump to the rifling will be much greater with mag ammo fired in the max barrel.  Also, if you shoot the mag ammo in the max barrel you are going to leave fouling in the chamber which is not necessarily easy to remove.  Shoot it a lot that way and you can "ring" the chamber.  That's why I don't shoot .38 special in a .357 mag revolver; I just load light loads in mag cases.

My half nickel.

RonF

[Steve P]

Ron hit the high points.  I have a couple 357 max and they have never seen a shorter case.  If I want to shoot a 357 mag, I pull out my 357 mag barrel.  I do shoot 38s in 357 revolvers, but never in my contender.  Same as Ron, I load down the 357s and shoot with 357 brass.  Don't need the toilet ring in my barrel.  Don't need the accuracy loss and leading from bullet jump.

Steve 

[irold]

Ditto.....along with everyone else.   I do not get the accuracy from the mag vs the max....out of the max barrel.  the mags will group several inches at 50 yds...while the max will almost cut holes , providing I'm having a good day.  If you already have both , I'd keep both

[tn_junk]

My experience was different than the above posters.  I have had two .357 MAX guns, an NEF and a 15" Encore. Both would shoot the Mag just as accurately as the MAX, just to a different point of aim.
Got rid of both, but have a frame at NEF right now being fitted for a .357 Barrel that I will turn into a MAX.

alan