Author Topic: 357 Barrel, 360DW? (Read 718 times)

De41mag · « **on:** January 05, 2005, 04:40:51 PM »

Just called H&R today;

Talked to Mary, asked her if the 7.62X39 barrel was going to made soon. She said the production is slated for January. Anyway, she told me that the 357 barrel was available.
So what I'm asking is with the 357 barrel, as is, can the 360DW cartridge be used with out reaming the barrel any futher?
Talked with Tommy Mace at Leadheads Bullets, he said that he could drop an empty DW case in the chamber and the case would be flush in his 357 barrel.
If so, I'm going to order a 357barrel also.
Thanks.

Dennis

JPH45 · « **Reply #1 on:** January 05, 2005, 05:19:27 PM »

Provided they haven't changed their reamers, or reamer specs, then yes, But I wouldn't just assume this. Get a barrel and check it out, reaming the chamber deeper is not trouble at all. Paul B. has done a lot of shooting in his unmodified barrel, perhaps he'll drop in on this and you can also do a search for his posts. A lot of good work there.

Nuttinbutchunks · « **Reply #2 on:** January 05, 2005, 05:26:10 PM »

Hmmm.... I tried to call them yesterday and they said they were closed. I'll try again tomorrow.

marv · « **Reply #3 on:** January 05, 2005, 05:44:48 PM »

When I got 357 Mag I meaused the camber it was long enough for
360 DW. But I wanted 357 Maxie, Leftover DJ made reamer ready
about that time, so 15 minutes work, No problems with it. Happy
coon hound . Marv.

Badnews Bob · « **Reply #4 on:** January 05, 2005, 09:28:51 PM »

I origanally bought a .357 to cut for a max but it shot so well I wouldn't cut it and ordered a new barrel to chamber in max (glad I did to that is one sweet brush gun for white tails) But I can never leave well enuff alone so I tried some .360 brass in the other barrel. Works great and they shoot just as well. I shoot mostly cast and don't need the extra case cap but its nice to know its there if you want it, this barrel also shoot .38 well which loaded at 7 to 800FPS hand cast bullets is really fun to shoot.

Now that .357 barrels are available I may order another one just in case.

Hi my name is Bob I am a Handi-aholic. :grin:

riverjackal · « **Reply #5 on:** January 05, 2005, 11:15:06 PM »

Does anyone know if the 357 barrels that NEF is making now have open sights or no sights ? Handiholics want to know!!!!! :music:

quickdtoo · « **Reply #6 on:** January 06, 2005, 05:42:28 AM »

Quote from: riverjackal

Does anyone know if the 357 barrels that NEF is making now have open sights or no sights ? Handiholics want to know!!!!! :music:

Mine has sights but it's an older barrel. I'd email H&R for the answer...

hr1871@hr1871.com

Badnews Bob · « **Reply #7 on:** January 06, 2005, 05:45:40 AM »

They should come with iron sights on them, My last one did.

MSP Ret · « **Reply #8 on:** January 06, 2005, 10:04:53 AM »

My .357 Mag barrel was one of the last, and possibly the last, .357 Mag barrel out of the factory before they quit making them last year. It was a real effort to get it, with some at the factory telling me there were none left and one person telling me to send it in, that he had a barrel for me. Customer Service said they had no more and even that they did not have enough for already promised jobs. I was lucky enough to get in touch, quite by accident, to a tech that did barrel fitting and he said that CS only knows what is told to them (makes sense to me) and to send my receiver in and that he had a barrel there with my name on it, one of, or possibly, the last one!!! He told me also that all promised barrels would be fitted and he had one left, and it would be mine!. So I sent my receiver with a little note and followed up with phone calls (even though I was told by CS there were no more .357 Mag barrels, just doing their job) and lo and behold less than 4 weeks later I got my newly fitted .357 back, and with a free trigger job, thank you very much!!! Also, thanks to the efforts and generosity of Deadeye (haven't forgotten you buddy!!!) I can tell you that .360 DW brass fits and shoots very well from my factory .357 Mag chamber....<><.... :grin:

De41mag · « **Reply #9 on:** January 06, 2005, 01:27:00 PM »

MSP Ret, JPH, marv, Bad Bob;

Thank you very much! I'll be sending the rifle in this weekend, for both barrels. Let you when I get it back. The rifle range is closed till Feb. 1st.
So I'm in no big hurry.
Thanks again.

Dennis :grin:

Lynn Alan Kietzman · « **Reply #10 on:** January 06, 2005, 02:20:18 PM »

Okay, now I'm way confused.
MSP Ret said:

Quote

My .357 Mag barrel was one of the last, and possibly the last, .357 Mag barrel out of the factory before they quit making them last year.

Now does that mean that they stopped making the barrel or stopped production at year's end and will start again this year?
De41mag said:

Quote

I'll be sending the rifle in this weekend, for both barrels

Now if NEF stopped making the barrel and MSP Ret got possible the last one, why would De41mag send his rifle to NEF.
Lastly, does it mean anything that the chambering doesn't even show up on the web site?
Chamber overload.....

MSP Ret · « **Reply #11 on:** January 06, 2005, 02:50:22 PM »

L.A.K., H&R/NEF ceased production of the .357 Mag barrel last year but have brought it back as a special production run (as I have heard it). There was much knashing of teeth when they stopped making the .357 barrel and many calls were made to the company asking that it be brought back. Many calls have been made about the .35 Whelen and .35 Remington also, as well as the 7x57 Mauser to a lesser extent but no luck with those yet. Get the .357 Mag while you can if you are interested, it may not last forever....<><.... :grin:

Paul5388 · « **Reply #12 on:** January 06, 2005, 04:27:16 PM »

My .357 barrel isn't quite as late as MSP's, but it was one of the last 20 from last year.

I don't have any problems shooting .360 DW's in it, but they can't be loaded very long. A 180 gr XTP seated in the cannelure is about as long as you can load the .360, but that's long enough! :grin:

I load 11.0 gr of 800X with the 180 XTP-HP and a CCI 550 primer for 1650 fps in Starline .360 DW brass. It'll go faster, but I get better accuracy here.

JPH45 · « **Reply #13 on:** January 06, 2005, 04:55:12 PM »

Paul5388, Please excuse my ruining of your handle in my post above.

Paul5388 · « **Reply #14 on:** January 06, 2005, 07:44:07 PM »

JPH,

No problem, I just thought Paul B. may be one of the fortunates who had a .357 barrel too!

I've had time to think about the .360 again, so I went back to the near book length thread I had going on www.handloads.com and checked the bullets I was using. This picture shows some of them (nickled cases are .357 Mag).

16.0 gr H4227 with a 200 gr Rem PSP, CCI 450, .360 DW brass at 100 yards

Here's the 180 XTP-HP with 11.0 gr 800X, CCI 450 and .360 DW brass at 100 yards.

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