Author Topic: 10" 357 Max Loads For deer?? (Read 1725 times)

sk330lc · « **on:** December 19, 2008, 02:41:52 PM »

I'm Looking to see what everybody Is using in there 357Max for deer.
I loaded Up several test loads with what I could find at My local shops.
1st Load was 180gr SSP-SP Over Reloader 7 . 5 Shot group free hand @ 40yards was about an inch. But when I dug the bullets out of the ground. None had even started to expand.
2ND Load was a 158gr xtp Over H110. Same as the 1st load about an inch@ 40yards. The expansion was Excessive.
3rd Load was a 158gr unicor Over H110 . Same accuracy Bullet all but fragmented in the Mud.
4Th Load was a 180gr tmj-sil Over H110. Same accuracy Bullet Kinda acted Like a cast Bullet it started to Expand a Little and held up well. I think this bullet would do well on shoulder shots.

I wish I had some 180gr XTP's Or 170Gr Gold dot soft points to test. But none to be had Locally .
So tell me what your Favorite Bullet Powder combo are for hunting deer.

spinafish · « **Reply #1 on:** December 19, 2008, 04:05:11 PM »

you should shoot the 180 SSP bullet through a jug full of water backed with some wet phone books or old magazines and catalogs. It will expand well. I like the expansion of the 180 grain XTP. I have loaded some 200 grain Hornady .358 diameter bullets, but yet to check the expansion of that bullet from my 12" barrel. I'm lucky that my barrel seems to like all the bullet weights from 158 through 200 grains. I also have some 200 grain Cast Performance bullets loaded..that would be my choice for hogs or maybe black bear.

WayneS · « **Reply #2 on:** December 19, 2008, 04:16:17 PM »

Placement and pentration over expantion . When I hunted with a Max I used a 200 gn cast bullet.. my next choice would be a 200 gn RN bullet, since you are using a T/C you can long seat these bullets for more case capacity.With the RN bullets you can file the nose flat like the CCI SGB .22 rounds for more shock.

Hopalong7 · « **Reply #3 on:** December 20, 2008, 02:54:00 AM »

I agree with spinafish, the 180 Hornady SSP should give good expansion along with the 180 XTP. I've also had good success with the REM 180HP and my favorite, the disscontinued REM 150 SP. It's amazing how "good" things get when you can't get them anymore. Fortunately I had a good supply of them and they have been the only bullet lighter than 180 that I could get farly good accuracy and velocity from.
GOOD SHOOTIN', Walt

WayneS · « **Reply #4 on:** December 20, 2008, 03:31:35 AM »

you'll might check out Midway, they had some 180 JHP blems for sale

Lone Star · « **Reply #5 on:** December 20, 2008, 01:20:12 PM »

Quote

...But when I dug the bullets out of the ground. None had even started to expand....

Shooting into the ground to "check" expansion is a waste of time, it in no way approximates animal tissue. Water jugs and wet newsprint are not much better - how does solid water duplicate lung tissue full of air? Anyway, bullets that are known to perform include the 180SS SP, the various revolver bullets and the great 150 SPCL. I too have a few hundred of the latter squirreled away for a rainy day....

.

kiddekop · « **Reply #6 on:** December 20, 2008, 01:38:15 PM »

Quote from: sk330lc on December 19, 2008, 02:41:52 PM

I'm Looking to see what everybody Is using in there 357Max for deer.
I loaded Up several test loads with what I could find at My local shops.
1st Load was 180gr SSP-SP Over Reloader 7 . 5 Shot group free hand @ 40yards was about an inch. But when I dug the bullets out of the ground. None had even started to expand.
2ND Load was a 158gr xtp Over H110. Same as the 1st load about an inch@ 40yards. The expansion was Excessive.
3rd Load was a 158gr unicor Over H110 . Same accuracy Bullet all but fragmented in the Mud.
4Th Load was a 180gr tmj-sil Over H110. Same accuracy Bullet Kinda acted Like a cast Bullet it started to Expand a Little and held up well. I think this bullet would do well on shoulder shots.

I wish I had some 180gr XTP's Or 170Gr Gold dot soft points to test. But none to be had Locally .
So tell me what your Favorite Bullet Powder combo are for hunting deer.

I was checking out bullets on www.bivwak.com and located a lot of boxes of Nosler 357 180gr partitions on pg9 starting bid is $19.95 only 1day plus left no bidders as yet you can always contact bivwak staff to buy now w/o waiting

spinafish · « **Reply #7 on:** December 22, 2008, 10:54:57 AM »

I didn't mention freezing the water..I meant water in its liquid form and most animals are made up off alot of water..us included. Most bullets are expanded by the time they reach the lungs of an animal. Most folks don't have access to ballistic gel..I realize water bottles and wet newsprint is not the same as flesh..but if bullet A and bullet B are fired into the same media..one should get an idea which one will expand the most.

sk330lc · « **Reply #8 on:** December 22, 2008, 01:09:56 PM »

Quote from: Lone Star on December 20, 2008, 01:20:12 PM

Quote
...But when I dug the bullets out of the ground. None had even started to expand....

Shooting into the ground to "check" expansion is a waste of time, it in no way approximates animal tissue. Water jugs and wet newsprint are not much better - how does solid water duplicate lung tissue full of air? Anyway, bullets that are known to perform include the 180SS SP, the various revolver bullets and the great 150 SPCL. I too have a few hundred of the latter squirreled away for a rainy day....

.

I'm sorry to say If a Bullet won't expand In Wet Red Clay. It won't expand In a Deer. Red clay Is way More Dense Than the Hide and Muscle tissue of a deer. I'm Not saying That the 180gr ssp-sp Won't expand In a deer. With the loads I loaded I believe it would have just Penceled through. I have tested Bullets this was Sense I started hunting at the age of 11. Granddad taught me the Red clay trick. 98% of the time the Bullet will Look the same when and if recovered from an animal as from the clay. So a "Waste of Time" I think Not ! The Bullets May Be know to perform By you and others with your Loads. But for me it has not been proven With the loads I have tried. Thats why I came here for some insight On what Bullet, powder Combo have worked for you at what Velocity.

Jim Stacy · « **Reply #9 on:** December 22, 2008, 05:23:03 PM »

Hopa long tell me some about your experiences with the 150SP Rem. Velocity , perforamnce on game and expansion. I have some and have shot them out of my 14" 357 Herrett with full loads they seem to work fine on deer but have not recovered a bullet ? just curious ? that bullet shoots great out of my 10" 357 Max at 1900 or so and (book value have not chrono them yet) 2350 from the 14" 357 Herrett with 30.0/H4227 . Thanks Jim

Hopalong7 · « **Reply #10 on:** December 23, 2008, 05:19:24 AM »

Jim, We gotta rely on memory here which is always dangerous with old minds. I shoot the .357 R-Max out of 3 different barrel lengths, all with good results. I don't have my old chrono notes handy but I recall about 1900+ out of the 10" tube w/ the 150 Rem SPCL over a near max load of WW 680(Yep, I still have a couple pounds left). 2050+ out of the 14" 'er. I have yet to chrono the 21", but it appears pretty good and is accurate. Several deer have fallen to the 10"/150 SPCL with good bullet performance although I haven't recovered any bullets. I recall a couple of quartering away shots that took out the off side shoulder and resulted in bang-flops. I don't recall using the 14" on game and I know I haven't with the carbine(but I plan to). I've had a couple of 35 REM's and still have a .357 Herret, but I still seem to pick the R-Max the most. I've alway intended to take the S-14 barrel and make a full bull 10" barrel that will work with the bigger forends....maybe 11-12". I think my all time favorite 10" barrels are .22lr, .30Herret, and .357R-Max. I'll have to add that I've also gotten good results from 180SSP's and 180REM HP's and I shoot some cast too, but I still like the little 150 REM SPCL. It's the only bullet lighter than 180 that I've gotten to shoot good out of the Max. GOOD SHOOTIN', Walt

7-30 Waters · « **Reply #11 on:** December 23, 2008, 07:51:26 AM »

Quote from: sk330lc on December 19, 2008, 02:41:52 PM

I'm Looking to see what everybody Is using in there 357Max for deer.
I loaded Up several test loads with what I could find at My local shops.
1st Load was 180gr SSP-SP Over Reloader 7 . 5 Shot group free hand @ 40yards was about an inch. But when I dug the bullets out of the ground. None had even started to expand.
2ND Load was a 158gr xtp Over H110. Same as the 1st load about an inch@ 40yards. The expansion was Excessive.
3rd Load was a 158gr unicor Over H110 . Same accuracy Bullet all but fragmented in the Mud.
4Th Load was a 180gr tmj-sil Over H110. Same accuracy Bullet Kinda acted Like a cast Bullet it started to Expand a Little and held up well. I think this bullet would do well on shoulder shots.

I wish I had some 180gr XTP's Or 170Gr Gold dot soft points to test. But none to be had Locally .
So tell me what your Favorite Bullet Powder combo are for hunting deer.

[/quote

I have had great luck with Win 296 under 205 grain leads w/gas check. 1800 fps from a 12" barrel. H110 is the same powder as Win 296. Reloader 7 is too slow burning of a powder in my opinion for the 357 Maximum.

buckeye509 · « **Reply #12 on:** December 23, 2008, 01:12:21 PM »

BTW, just saw that MAX brass is now available at Midway. I ordered some and a couple hundred of the 180 grain "blems".

sk330lc · « **Reply #13 on:** December 23, 2008, 01:43:33 PM »

Thanks Thats Great Info . The reason I tried Reloader 7 was. I have a friend that loves it in his 15" 357 max. Keep it coming guys!

bull · « **Reply #14 on:** December 26, 2008, 09:43:01 AM »

How about trying the Hornady 158 gr. JFP-XTP instead of the JHPs. I used them with a good dose of AA1680 to turn the lights out on a nice buck just after Thanksgiving. I agree, the xtp-jhps open too fast, designed more for the 357 mag, but the jfp seems to work good out of my 10" Max.

bull

sk330lc · « **Reply #15 on:** December 29, 2008, 03:59:48 PM »

Bull, the 158gr xtp fp. Is on my List to try.
I've kinda put this an the back burner till Our BP season is over. Would Love to hear about all loadsyou guys use . Even plinking loads.

Thanks again

Graycg · « **Reply #16 on:** January 02, 2009, 04:52:02 PM »

Three favorites,
First bullet would be 180 Hornady SSP, top notch accuracy and good game bullet for this application.
Second bullet is 180 Grain LBT flatnosed gas checked cast bullet, it's a real pile driver and tends to be extremely accurate in my barrels...10, 12, 19 inchers.
Last bullet is old hornady 180 grain xtp Jhp, great bullet.
I'm a fan of using H110, Lil gun and AA1680 in the max. I used to have some 150 remington pointed bullets and loved them, but only a few of them are left.
Finally is a fun load for my carbine, Use 240 grain Mountain moulds cast bullet and treat it like a 45-70 or 38-55...240 grain bullet at 1300 fps is unbelievably accurate and will shoot a big hole through what ever you hit with it. RX7 is good powder for those loads, so is unique and 2400!

Max is great, really great.

regards,
Graycg

sk330lc · « **Reply #17 on:** January 03, 2009, 03:59:44 AM »

Thanks Gene, Thats Good info to have also. the 150gr spire points, what dia were these? Were they .358 Bullets?

Hopalong7 · « **Reply #18 on:** January 03, 2009, 05:04:02 AM »

The 150gr are .358. It's been 2-3 years, but somebody over on The SP Forum( I think ) was selling some. He got Remington to make a run of them evidently. As I recall his price was fairly reasonable considering. Wish I could remember who....Sorry.
My favorite fun load is Lyman's old 358315 bullet. Depending on the alloy it's around 205gr more or less and shoots good. One of these days I'm going to try to mould some of them with a soft nose. They are gas checked and can be pushed to the wall with no problem. GOOD SHOOTIN', Walt

Lone Star · « **Reply #19 on:** January 03, 2009, 05:31:14 PM »

Quote

...the 150gr spire points, what dia were these? Were they .358 Bullets?

These bullets were designed for the .35 Remington and are still loaded in that cartridge by Remington. I bought several hundred from a guy on another board who had a run of 50,000 made - so he could have some for his own use. He sold the rest in less than a year IIRC. This was all at least 6-7 years ago, I'm certain he's been out a long time. I wouldn't doubt others have done it too.

.