.357 Max Reloading Question

[OSOK]

OK, for some reason my computer dosen't work with the search function on this site.
Has anyone on here ever loaded the Max with the Beartooth 185 gr. FNGC bullet?
Reloading for the BC has kinda got me on a lead kick right now, and I want to try the anealing the bullets like they talk about in their Tips and Comments section.
Thanks,
Les

[cwlongshot]

I haven't really shot much of any lead maxi loads.... Mine is a hunting firearm and the 180 Hornady SSP & 180gr Speer FP with AA1680 powder, does what I require. 

CW

[OR-E-Gun Bill]

Thanks for bringing that up CW. The Hornady SSP was one I was going to try out but had forgotten about it.


Bill

[DirtyDan]

I don't own a Max, but I brought down a good 7pt buck at 30 yds with a 10" Mag Contender using the BT185 bullet last fall. No recovery. It went thru and broke the spine on passing. I bought 'em for hogs and have used one of their 160gr 30s on them. It worked fine there too. May be a little hard but I like it. I'm going almost exclusively cast in my 30-30 & 357- a little more speed for the same powder, same or better accuracy & longer life to the barrel.

[Macphoto]

Just remember to size them before hardening and use an oversize sizer when lubing or you lose the hardening effect

[gcrank1]

FWIW, annealing is a softening process, quenching will harden cast bullets of wheel weight alloy dropped into a bucket of water straight from the mould. Float a sponge on the surface to catch them and have it roll over to slow drop them down.

[mechanic]

Thanks for bringing that up CW. The Hornady SSP was one I was going to try out but had forgotten about it.


Bill

I have loaded and shot some of these, and they shoot well.  They are not as accurate as my gc lead 168gr., but IMO will be a better hunting bullet.

[randy_68]

Speaking of Hornady 180 SSP's -- here is a pic of the .358 180 gr SSP (top) and the Hornady 180 XTP's I recovered from my dirt backstop. I know this isn't live game but the SSp's show good expansion and weight retention and look very impresive to me. These look similar to ones I saw shot into wet phonebooks as far as expansion goes.
These were shot out of my .35 Rem Contender with 14" factory bull barrel. Load was 28.4 gr IMR 4227. The newer loading manuals list a lot lighter charge than this but this is a load from an earlier book and shoots great with no excessive pressure signs.
I also plan on loading the SSP's in my Max but at a lighter charge.

[Badnews Bob]

What are you wanting to do with it? I load the 187 grain LBT style LFNGC over IMR 4227 and get 2000FPS from it. It works very well on deer shoots better than the SSP others like, About the same as a XTP, But I like cast.  I don't worry about expansion either, I like to just punch a hole clean thru them. This has worked very well so far.

[yukondog]

I'v had so-so luck with the ss/pb but the speer 180's shoot about 1 1/4" at 100 yrd. with my max.

[cwlongshot]

Speaking of Hornady 180 SSP's -- here is a pic of the .358 180 gr SSP (top) and the Hornady 180 XTP's I recovered from my dirt backstop. I know this isn't live game but the SSp's show good expansion and weight retention and look very impresive to me. These look similar to ones I saw shot into wet phonebooks as far as expansion goes.
These were shot out of my .35 Rem Contender with 14" factory bull barrel. Load was 28.4 gr IMR 4227. The newer loading manuals list a lot lighter charge than this but this is a load from an earlier book and shoots great with no excessive pressure signs.
I also plan on loading the SSP's in my Max but at a lighter charge.

Hello Randy!!  NICE JEEP man!! (I have five  )

I have shot a bunch of whitetails with the 180SSP and can attest that it works very well. maybe even over expanding on bigger bones at closer ranges when pushed to 2300fps or higher. On lung shots close and anywhere out round 100 its just perfect!!

CW

[Big Blue]

I have several bullets to try in mine once I get it maximized, but I'm hoping the CPB 187gr. will work. I tried my 30 year old .357 magnum RCBS dies with .357 Maximum cases and the cases end up being flared before being decapped. I ended up ordering a new set of .357 magnum Lee carbide dies for use with the .357 maximum.
Don

[gcrank1]

Any 'size' die for a larger bodied pistol or rifle cartridge would decap, if you dont have a universal decapping die (cheap). Yeah, its another 'step' but does the job at zero expense.