.357 MAX (was: 357 vs 38 super questions

[Don Krag]

OK, forget the prior questions, I'll just deal with the feeding issues of the rimmed brass and stick with the 357s.

Rather than the 357 mag, I'll be chambering for .357 MAX. Anyone have any experience in load development out of an ~18" barrel with these? I'd like to use Speer hot-cor 180gr bullets or Hornady interlok spire 180gr.

[LaOtto222]

My barrel is 22", so I do not have experience with 18" barrels. Use the pistol data for your loads. If you are using a Speer bullet then use the Speer manual data for a 14" T/C, for a Hornady bullet use their data for 10.5" Black Hawk. You will get higher velocities than listed due your longer barrel length. Find a load that shoots well for you and you are home. If you have a Chronograph you can then run them over it to find velocities attained with your pet load to figure bullet drop. Good Luck and Good Shooting

[Don Krag]

I have both manuals. I wasn't sure how much of a velocity/pressure difference the extra barrel length was going to make. I'll probably get a box of a few different bullets and start on the low end for the pistol loads as specified. These are being used in a home-built semi auto (modified AK bolt/gas system), so gas bleed off bolt function will also play a factor.

What are the specs of what you've been using (bullet type/rifling twist)? This one is 18" including chamber with a 1/10" twist so I'm figuring the 180-225 gr bullets ought to fly well.

[LaOtto222]

First off pressure should not be any different, no matter the length of the barrel. Velocity will climb. More on the Black Hawk than the 14" T/C. The Black Hawk is only 10" and is a revolver. The T/C is a one piece chamber barrel set up. A semi - auto is not going to loose a lot of velocity. The projectile (bullet) is already by the gas port and it only bleeds off some of the gases. I am guessing here but I am saying you will get around 100 - 150 fps more out of your 18" barrel in comparison to a 14" T/C barrel. The proof is in a Chronograph. If you do not have one, you can get them for under $100. They will tell you a whole bunch about your loads. I got by years with out one - I just could not justify the expense. Over the years, they got cheaper and I got better off - so I got one. I really use mine a lot. Good Luck and Good Shooting

[Badnews Bob]

I get 2000fps out of a 22" barrel using IMR 4227 and 180gr bullets and that isn't a max load, AA1680 gives very similar results. My rifle dosn't shoot the 200s as well as the 180s and it didn't like the pointy  bullets much at all, the 180 gr RNSP for the .35 rem shoot pretty good out of it thou.  I keep the speed down on most of what I shoot out of mine but I am mostly using cast bullets you can crank the jackets up higher than what I am doing and still be inside of book loads.


BTW how and what did you do to the AK?   I have been looking at making a  .358X39 which is a 7.62X39 opened up to .357, Been thinking about doing this to a SKS and maybe a .357 handi rifle.  I have load info using 240gr bullets to make a subsonic round similar to whisper type loadings, I just have to many irons in the fire to work on that one yet.