357 Herrett bullet sellection

[olddudeone]

I am considering picking up a 357 Herrett barrel for my Contender and as I have no experience with this ctg. I would like to know if you can use both 357 Handgun and 358 rifle bullets in it. I am more interested in using .358 rifle bullets of a semi pointed or spitzer design. Thank you in advance for your help. olddudeone

[Reed1911]

You can use both .357" bullets as well as .358" bullets. There is a very wide array available.

[Graybeard]

It doesn't really develop enough velocity to take advantage of the various spitzer bullets for rifles. It is not quite the equal of the .35 Remington tho it is very close. You'll not get much if any expansion of those sptizer bullets even up close and for sure not at extended ranges and the only supposed advantage of such bullets comes at ranges over 250 yards.

At that range you'll get zero expansion of them and trajectory out there is much like a rock being hand tossed. You'll find the various handgun bullets and 200 grain round nose designed for the .35 Remington to be more appropriate.

The best bullet I found for mine was the 200 LBT LFN. Over a near max charge of the old Win 680 powder it turned in sub inch groups of three shots at 100 yards three of four times and the largest group it shot at 100 for me was a mere 1.2" for three shots. Super accurate and enough bullet to take full advantage of the power the round has to offer. Cast bullets in that weight range to me are the ideal choice for this old round.

[VA Jim]

I've had good luck hunting with the Hornady 180ssp. It is a pointed bullet designed for lower velocities.  I've used it in 357 max and 357 herrett.

[Dezynco]

Yep, the Hornandy 180gr, SP/SSP (that means "spire point, single shot pistol) is a perfect match for the 357 Herret.  I believe that it was designed with 357 Herret in mind.  Almost any of the bullets for 357 Magnum will work great in the 357 Herret.  It's a pretty potent cartridge.  You'll need to make your own cases though, but it's not too hard to do.

[WayneS]

I am considering picking up a 357 Herrett barrel for my Contender and as I have no experience with this ctg.. olddudeone

When you say NO EXPERIENCE with the 357 Herrett, does that mean you have no knowledge of how to correctly make the cases, or just what loads will work ? you need to state your intended use for this BBL.

[olddudeone]

When you say NO EXPERIENCE with the 357 Herrett, does that mean you have no knowledge of how to correctly make the cases, or just what loads will work ? you need to state your intended use for this BBL.
[/quote]  When I say I have no experience with this ctg it means exactly what I said . I am 61 years old and have made cases for 219 zipper, 219 donnaldson and other various ctgs up to and including my woodchuck gun the 475A&M magnum Just no experience with the Herrett cals. Did the PPC cals and BR also. any and all info on the 357 herrett is helpful . I plan to use it as my main hunting arm for here in Texas . If i can find the best bullet for deer and hog that is what I am looking for. I have a couple of contenders in 7TCU and a barrel coming in 256 Win that I plan to rechamber to 25 Bullberry or 257JDJ. Thank you for any help you can offer. olddudeone

[Graybeard]

You'll find no better than the 200 grain hard cast I recommended to you for use on both deer and hogs. RCBS has an excellent 200 grain mould as well. I'm sure both are likely available commercialy cast if you don't cast your own but I don't know from who.

[quickdtoo]

Here's some 35 Remington jacketed terminal performance testing that should give you an idea of what .35 cal bullets should work better in the Herrett.

Tim

http://www.suitorsgarage.com/gunstuff/35remington/35rempart2.html

[Hopalong7]

I haven't used mine in quite a few years(since some low life S_B took stole it out of my truck), but probably the two quickest, cleanest deer kills I ever made with a handgun came with my .357Herret and the HOR 180SSP....we are talking "bang-flop" here.  Also, I haven't tried them in the Herret(but have in the Max  ) but I would be very comfortable with the Herret and GB's 200 LFN's as well.  Especially on those Texas hogs.  I always figured that the .357 Herret was about the most "bang" I could effectively get out of a 10" Contender.
GOOD SHOOTIN', Walt 

[WolfTrap]

I am considering picking up a 357 Herrett barrel for my Contender and as I have no experience with this ctg. I would like to know if you can use both 357 Handgun and 358 rifle bullets in it. I am more interested in using .358 rifle bullets of a semi pointed or spitzer design. Thank you in advance for your help. olddudeone

Oldie,
I see that you hot on loading up the Herrett you bought from Jim! Well just fireformed 25 cases yesterday with the 14 inch barrel (Bought from Jim)with 15% reduced loads of W680 in which all case dimensions filled out just fine. Hint:Make sure you size case to shoulder datum and not rim, or you will look silly trying to set a round off at the range
Didn't bother to set up chronograph, but once I adjusted pistol scope to 50 yard 2 inch dot, thereby killing a paper target, I than set sights on steel swinger (1 1/4 thick NRA-IHMSA Big Bore Pig) and rocked it's world
Oldie, use any 357 jacketed bullet first to fill out the lines and than go to premium bullets for the "Whatever"
As for cast boolits.....I suggest if you are not rolling your own, wait until you've done worked upped a jacketed load first, than try the RCBS 200 grain rifle boolit which will kill steel Turkey-Eggs at 200 meters in my TC 10 inch 357
Again...good luck
WolfTrap
PS: Rather than post new reply, I added a collection of Herrets in picture.
Lined upped left to right:30 Herrett with 130HP/165RCBS Sil, 357 Herrett 180 SP Midway/200RCBS SP, 300 Herrett 130HP/165RCBS Sil.

[Lone Star]

use any 357 jacketed bullet first to fill out the lines and than go to premium bullets for the "Whatever"

I assume that "premium bullets" means heavier bullets, not some dual bonded-core specials at $3 apiece.  The 180 Hornady mentioned above is a great match for the .357H, but do make certain you get the SSP version, the regular rifle version is too hard for our little Texas deer.

GB's suggestion of the cast bullet is good, personally I prefer expanding bullets under 0.41" in diameter on little deer.  180-200 grains is a good weight range IME.

Almost any of the bullets for 357 Magnum will work great in the 357 Herret.

This certainly is not true for hunting, because Herrett will drive most handgun bullets too fast for any kind of penetration - you'll likely get surface wounds, particularly up close, with 110-125 grain bullets.  For deer choose at least 158s, and I'd recommend 180s if you insist on revolver bullets.



.

[WolfTrap]

use any 357 jacketed bullet first to fill out the lines and than go to premium bullets for the "Whatever"

I assume that "premium bullets" means heavier bullets, not some dual bonded-core specials at $3 apiece.  The 180 Hornady mentioned above is a great match for the .357H, but do make certain you get the SSP version, the regular rifle version is too hard for our little Texas deer.

GB's suggestion of the cast bullet is good, personally I prefer expanding bullets under 0.41" in diameter on little deer.  180-200 grains is a good weight range IME.

Almost any of the bullets for 357 Magnum will work great in the 357 Herret.

This certainly is not true for hunting, because Herrett will drive most handgun bullets too fast for any kind of penetration - you'll likely get surface wounds, particularly up close, with 110-125 grain bullets.  For deer choose at least 158s, and I'd recommend 180s if you insist on revolver bullets.



.

I roll my own 270-284-308-357-358-430-451 Boolits, thereby "Any" jacked bullet is a "Premium" as far as my wallets concern
Steel would suggest the 180-200 jacketed rifle bullets for anything (Deer/Pigs) up to 300 lbs. at Herrett (1900-2200) velocities@ 100 yards, for thick grissel-bone breaking, heart stopping humane kill.
I may add....it is so choice when a 50 yard 60 pound STEEL swinger is rocking like it's being hit with a GO-LARGE sledge hammer.
If I remember correctly....Steve Herrett, Bob Malik and Craig Boddington took out a ton of deer/pigs up to 50-200 yards with both 140 jacketed 357 and 130 jacketed 308 bullets with 10-12 inch TC's back in the early 80's?
I Steel have 1980 the "Magnum Handgun" edition and will scan pictures and post them later. That's if anyone is interested?
I believe most States (Texas?) that allow Round-Ball Black Powder Hunts (No sabots) that limit the minimum caliber down to 45 round ball only? Does that mean a projectile (45 cal) that weighs 180gr. traveling the maximum velocity of 1350 fps would be considered fair game taking down one 150-400 pound pig?
Hmmmmm.....gee....lets see....180 slowing down to 900 feet per second at 100 yards or 140 jacketed bullet slowing down to 1900 feet per second on two different types of hunts?
What are we to assume?
WT

[Steve P]

GB has the ticket.  The LBTWFN 200 grainer will work on about anything that walks or crawls in Texas.  If you need help on ways to make the brass, shoot me an email and I will send you some info on easy ways to trim and correct sizing methods.  I have made a few bazillion wildcat cases from 30-30 brass.

Steve

[WolfTrap]

I am considering picking up a 357 Herrett barrel for my Contender and as I have no experience with this ctg. I would like to know if you can use both 357 Handgun and 358 rifle bullets in it. I am more interested in using .358 rifle bullets of a semi pointed or spitzer design. Thank you in advance for your help. olddudeone

Oldie,
I see that you hot on loading up the Herrett you bought from Jim! Well just fireformed 25 cases yesterday with the 14 inch barrel (Bought from Jim)with 15% reduced loads of W680 in which all case dimensions filled out just fine. Hint:Make sure you size case to shoulder datum and not rim, or you will look silly trying to set a round off at the range
Didn't bother to set up chronograph, but once I adjusted pistol scope to 50 yard 2 inch dot, thereby killing a paper target, I than set sights on steel swinger (1 1/4 thick NRA-IHMSA Big Bore Pig) and rocked it's world
Oldie, use any 357 jacketed bullet first to fill out the lines and than go to premium bullets for the "Whatever"
As for cast boolits.....I suggest if you are not rolling your own, wait until you've done worked upped a jacketed load first, than try the RCBS 200 grain rifle boolit which will kill steel Turkey-Eggs at 200 meters in my TC 10 inch 357
Again...good luck
WolfTrap
PS: Rather than post new reply, I added a collection of Herrets in picture.
Lined upped left to right:30 Herrett with 130HP/165RCBS Sil, 357 Herrett 180 SP Midway/200RCBS SP, 300 Herrett 130HP/165RCBS Sil.

Thought If I edit my reply, it would show up as latest comment? Well here goes. Enjoy the picture!