357 maximum

[sooter]

My ups driver delivered another barrel for me today. I sent off two barrels a couple weeks ago and got my sons barrel first and will show a picture of it. I took his 357 mag barrel and had it cut back to 16 1/4 inches, had the muzzle recrowned and a muzzle break added to it. The break added 1 1/2 inches to the length. The 357 magnum was also rechambered to the 357 maximum. I also had the scope base and barrel redrilled and tapped for the bigger 8/40 screws. I had the same exact things done to me barrel but had it cut back to 18 inches and then the muzzle break added. I'll do a velocity comparison of these two barrels when i get mine in which should be one day next week. I plan on using remington 180 grain hollow points and either speer or hornady 180 grainers or maybe both and see what shoots best. Do you guys have a favorite powder or load for your 357 maximum? I have only shot winchester 296 powder and do not know what else would work. Any ideas would be appreciated.

sooter

[LaOtto222]

Snazzy I know there are a lot of guys who have had good luck with Lil'Gun in the 357 Max with 180 or 200 grain bullets. They have reported well over 2000 fps with the 180's out of a 22" barrel.

edit: The Remington bullets may be a little too soft for the Max at 2000+ fps

[sooter]

LaOtto222 - thank you for the information. If he remington hollow point is too soft, what about the soft point? Do you think it would work on 200+ pound deer with shoulder shots?

sooter

[jy951]

i've read many people are using the 180gr hornady ssp bullet with H110 for about 2200fps

[LaOtto222]

I was not sure if you were using the hollow point or the semi-jacketed hollow point. The solid point would hold up better IMHO but again it takes a tough bullet to break bone. I would lean more toward the Hornady SSP or the XTP for longer shots and I would use a bullet designed for the 35 Remington for shorter shots if you want to break bone and penetrate like the Hornady 180 SP. I would avoid the shoulder/backbone all together if possible and bury it in the ribs with the Remington bullets. The H 110/W296 and Lil'Gun are the best powders for the 357 Max.

[Swampman]

I really like the 180 grain FP that Speer sells for the .35 Remington.  I shot a hog through the front shoulders with it, and it exited the off side.  It didn't need a second shot.  I used W296.

Why did you add the muzzle break?

[tn_junk]

I've had great success with Lil'Gun and both the 180 grain SSP and 200 grain RN Hornady.
Use the 180 SSP exclusively now when I am loading heavy jacketed bullets, but shoot a 190 Grain Hard Cast
for deer and a 140 grain JHP (over H110) for varmits.

alan

[kingj]

21 grains of H110 and the Hornady 180SSP bullet.Devistating on hogs here in Fla.

[Badnews Bob]

22 grs of IMR 4227, 180gr hard cast wfngc @ 2000fps. Blows right thru whitetails, leaves a nice hole. Lottsa air in lottsa blood out = meat in the freezer. AA1680 work well too.

[cwlongshot]

I shoot the maxi allot and have shot a number of whitetails with it.

 I find that the 180 SSP at 2300 is a bit fragile. Don't get me wrong, It kills'em dead. It is good for lung shots. Offering thru and thru penetration. But On shoulder shots it dumps all energy into deer with NO exit. I wont call it bullet failure as its not really designed to be pushed this fast.  I have switched to the Speed 180PF. it smashes shoulders and spines and exits the other side. Again driven at 2300fps.

The HP is DEFINEATELY too soft for top velocities. Remember its designed for about 14-1600fps, not better than 2000!! I played with the 158XTP FP and it works well and stays together. I prefer a heavier bullet so the 180 weight gets the nod from me. Another one that I like is the newer 170 Speer GD SP. I have only shot one deer with it but it went thru the base of the neck, breaking it and passing thru one shoulder blade before exiting. 160+- live weight deer @ 75yards. I have loaded this GD bullet for friends in the 44 (270gr)with EXCELLENT results.

Your bbls being of shorter length may benefit greatly from the 10gr less weight of the 170GD. Be sure to try them.

 1680 is THE powder as far as I am concerned. I have tried them all and all worked well. but it wasn't until I loaded the 1680 that bullets began to touch at 100 yards.

Good luck,
 CW

[sooter]

Good golly! I did not realize that many of you guys shot the 357 maximum. I appreciate all the replys, thank you. I will definantly be picking up some lil-gun powder and some 1680 and i already have some 296. Since i am a "front shoulder shooter", i'll stay away from the softer remington bullets. I do however like the speer gold dot bullets but have only shot them in the 44 magnum and 444 marlin with great results. I'll also picu up some ssp bullets since most of you seem to like that bullet. I did get my other barrel in today and if my aunt comes over this afternoon, I'll get her to take a picture of it to. Thanks again for all your information, it really helps a lot. Oh yeah, i went with the muzzle break on my sons gun and mine for recoil reduction. I know that the 357 maximum does not have a lot of recoil but for one, my son is a small 9 year old and i broke my shoulder up real bad and for the guns that i do have, these will have the least amount of recoil that we should still be able to shoot comfortably. I also like the idea of the muzzle crown of the barrel being protected. These breaks also have the holes around the break angled forward a few degrees and do not blow stuff back in your face or on the scope. And for the scope base and bigger screws, chamber job and break, I thought the 150 dollars was well spent and if they still shoot good and gain more in velocity, i'll be real happy.

sooter

[sooter]

The longer barrel is mine and both are now in 357 maximum.

[cwlongshot]

The Maxi is my all time favorite caliber of my handis. I wouldn't give it up for the world. Shoots 357 and 38's nice too!!

 I KNOW you will enjoy yours, Good luck with it!!

 CW

[tn_junk]

The Maxi is my all time favorite caliber of my handis. I wouldn't give it up for the world. Shoots 357 and 38's nice too!!

 I KNOW you will enjoy yours, Good luck with it!!

 CW

My favorite round also.
I am on my third one. Sold the first two and regretted it the minute I did it.
Can shoot anything from squirrels with a .38 special that makes less noise than a .22 to 450 pound wild hogs.

[sooter]

I don't know if you are allowed to post load data or not but I just wanted to give and accuracy report on the 2 357 maximum barrels that we had customized. My sons 16 1/4 inch barrel shot the 180 grain ssp bullet exactly 1.0 inches measured center to center for 5 shots at 100 yards off the shooting bench with a harris bipod. Velocity was just over 2,000 fps. I went ahead and shot remingtons 180 grain soft point since i have over 2 thousand of them. My 21 inch barrel shot close to 2,200 fps. and all three shot groups that were shot at 100 yards could be covered with a quarter with none of the bullet holes showing. I was able to do this 4 times in a row. Before i sent these 2 barrels off to be reworked, the best either of them would do was right at 1 1/2 inches. Needless to say, it was money well spent.

sooter