Putting first handi together, best 357 options?

[mattri]

Looking to put a nice 357 mag together for informal target shooting, small game and deer.


Just picked up an SB2 receiver.


Will need a stock set, was going to pick one up from the classifieds here.  Would prefer wood over synthetic, other than that is there anything to look for/avoid?


For a barrel, would it be best to pick up a used barrel here or send the receiver in to be fitted with a factory piece?  Will be using iron sights, any real advantage to an 18" vs. 22"?  it seems like the longer sight line and extra velocity of the 22" may be helpful but neither is a deal breaker one way or the other.


I do reload, and am not interested in reaming out to a max at this time. 


Any suggestions welcome. 


And yes quick i read the faqs .

[stimpylu32]

mattri
 
If your going to be carring the rifle in the field hunting the Tupperwear (  plastic  ) stocks do offer a slight weight advantage along with being water proof , as for barrels its just a matter of what your wanting , some like the barrel cut down to 16 & 1/2 " just for ease of movement while others opt for the longer sight rad of the 22"
 
stimpy

[tacklebury]

I put a 16.5" on my wife's .357 handi and she loves it.  It'll put 5 shots in one hole at 25 yards and does just as well out to 100 yards with the little scope I put on hers.  I have had a lot of fun shooting it so far also and it has so little kick it's almost like a .22.    With the poor BC of most revolver bullets, you won't be shooting much past 100 yards with a .357 magnum anyway. 
 

 
 

[Spanky]

I like the 22" barrel over the shorter tube. I think it balances better and I like the longer sight radius. Mine is set up with old style low comb synthetics and open sights. It's got a WGRS rear sight and a Remington 700 front ramp with gold bead insert. I reamed mine to Max but very rarely shoot Max ammo in it... most of the time it's 38 specials for plinking and small game. I also reload for mine and love the versatility of the cartridge. I've loaded up some nasty Mag rounds using 125gr. jacketed soft points over H110 and I wouldn't hesitate to take a 150yd shot on a whitetail with it. On the other hand I've loaded up some lead wadcutters over Trailboss for shooting tin cans and chipmunks... it doesn't make any more noise than a pellet gun. Basically everything from 110gr. hollowpoints to 200gr. hardcast has been through my rifle and it's accurate with all of them. It'd be real hard to find a rifle more useful than a 357 Handi.
 
 
 
Spanky

[mattri]

Thanks for the great replies.  tacklebury is correct, I won't be shooting farther than 100 yards for deer, if that.  Plan to use cast bullets as well.  Any benefit to picking up a used barrel here vs a factory fit? 

[Doublebass73]

The only thing I don't like about the longer .357 barrel is weight. Other than that they are shooters so my vote would be for the shorter barrel for weight savings but that's my own preference.

[stimpylu32]

Thanks for the great replies.  tacklebury is correct, I won't be shooting farther than 100 yards for deer, if that.  Plan to use cast bullets as well.  Any benefit to picking up a used barrel here vs a factory fit?

Not any real difference other than wiith a 2nd hand barrel you may have it fit the first time or you may have to do some work on it , with a Factory , it should be right the first time . You notice  " I said - SHOULD " but even things happen there too .
 
stimpy

[OldSchoolRanger]

Thanks for the great replies.  tacklebury is correct, I won't be shooting farther than 100 yards for deer, if that.  Plan to use cast bullets as well.  Any benefit to picking up a used barrel here vs a factory fit?

I agree with you, I have a .357 barrel, that I won't ream out to Max.  I like the 22" barrel just the way it is.  I too prefer wood, but if your going to be carrying it all day in the woods, unless you don't mind getting the wood a little dinged, and adding character to the gun, synthetic is the way to go.
 
 LE$$ CA$H!  If you can, or are lucky enough to pick up a .357Mag on the classifieds, it will save you the cost of shipping the receiver back, the cost of the barrel being shipped to you, the fitting labor charge, and sales tax.  I think it's approximately $145 estimating the tax to at $11.00, this is not counting the cost of your shipping the receiver back to the factory plus the approx. 2-4 week wait.  Try advertising in the WTB, that's how I ended up with mine.
 
 Whatever you do, don't try buying the barrel on fleabay, they rip you off there.
 http://www.ebay.com/itm/320890420065?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649

[jeepmann1948]

Welcome to the 357 Clan!
 I think (IMHO) it is the most versatile of all the handgun chamberings from the factory.The Rooster,my deer slaying Grandson, will tell you it is the best of the best period!4 shots fired at game.......3 dead deer & 1 exploded Armadillo.Plus uncounted numbers of water bottle lids!!! but according to the number of reloads its a lot.
 I have found the Max reamer available here at GBO increased the 357 accuracy in the rifles I have reamed to Max, several others have mentioned this as well.
 I have also found that the 158 grain with the wide flat nose do a tremendous number on critters of all sizes.
 As far as the barrel length goes ,tests have shown that total velocity is reached in a 357 around 16 inches of barrel length so whatever length barrel you decide on will work just fine.
Again welcome to the clan
George

[petemi]

When I got my first Handi .357 it shot so well I was afraid to ream it to max and ruin it.  I got my second one and it shot the same as the first so I decided to risk one.  It shot even better after reaming, so I went ahead and did the first.  Today, my wife's Maxi is 22 inches on a synthetic stock set.  Mine is 16.5 inches on a BC Carbine stock set.  Both wear Bushnell Banner 4x32s.  I will encourage you to ream yours to Max.  You will already have a .38 and a .357.  Reaming will give you a third rifle for the price of the reamer rental and give you more versatility.....ya can't beat it.  Since you already reload, the additional cost is negligible.

Used barrels on the forum usually get snatched up quickly.  If you stay up late and get up early you may luck out and snag one.  There's lots of help here and in the FAQs if you need it for fitting.  If you don't want to wait for one, bite the bullet, send your frame to H&R and pay the extra bucks.  The other advantage there is that they'll fix it if there is a problem.

Good luck with it.

Pete

[nova71]

I have been thinking about getting another 357Mag barrel, I'm not quick enough to get one from here so thought I'd get a factory one. but from their web site it says scope rail and no sights. mattri said he wanted open sights. do they still have them with sights and just don't list them?

[OSOK]

Not sure, have to ask Brian56. The only .357's with sights in recent history were the Talo Trapper 18 3/4" barrels.

[jackddavis]

I went further than many with my .357. It is featured on my website at http://www.hmds.ws/357magnumrifle.htm
 
 

[Scibaer]

Im not wanting to highjack this thread, but i am considering doing the same thing and have a few questions.
 is the .357 enough gun for whitetails ?
 and how does the .357 measure up to the .44 mag as far as this build up goes , not really talking ballistics .

[HAMMERHEAD]

Maybe you can find the older style barrel like my 22" that has the ejector and the old style click adjustable sights with the flat top rear blade and post front. Very nice sight picture. It shoot very well with jacketed, cast or plated bullets out to 100 yards.

[OSOK]

  Scibaer, The .357 has a considerable velocity increase going from a handgun length barrel to rifle length. By using quality heavy bullets, like the Hornady 180 gr. XTP, you get reliable pass through's on deer sized game. It is a short range combo, but effective.
  I have to agree with the others in recommending anyone with a .357 mag Handi ream it to Max. No loss in accuracy with the shorter cases, and you gain a great amount of energy for hunting, extending your range.
  As for the comparison to the .44 mag, if you are leaving ballistics out, there would be no difference in the build.

[jackddavis]

If it were I making the decision to ream or not to ream, I'd secure a source for the Maxi cases prior to. It's my understanding that Remington is not making those cases any longer. And you're chamber will likely accept the .360 DW case without any reaming. Why spend the money, if the cases are not available?
 
But that's just MO.

[45-70.gov]

what stock you choose should be based on sighting arrangements


this is far more important than whether it is wood or tupper wear


high comb and open sights or  adding a scope to a stock designed for open sights


is just plain awkward

[mattri]

jackddavis, That is exactly why I'm going with a straight 357 mag.  I don't doubt for a second that the max is a better round, and hope to have one eventually, but for now the regular mag makes more sense for me.  I can get all of the components locally with no wait time or availability issues and the mag delivers enough accuracy/lethality for my purposes at the moment. 

45-70.gov,  That's a really good point re how a stock fits in relation to which type of sights you want to use.  I understand the differences in principle- how does that translate into handi-speak?  Which stocks, as they may be listed here, would be best for an open sight arrangement like we're discussing here? 

[nova71]

I think the way a stock fits you is more important than how it looks on the rifle, I bought one of the synthetic Handi-Grip stock sets because I liked the way it looked but the rifle I wanted to use it on has a scope and it just don't fit me. if I rest my cheek on the stock I can't see through the scope and if I can see through the scope my cheek is not on the stock. it would work better with open sights or a shotgun IMHO

[Scibaer]

ok, there are two basic choices, low for sights or high for scopes.
 so how many stock profiles are there ?
there are shot gun stocks, low and high rifle stocks...and ?

[45-70.gov]

due to the hammer [unless a scout pistol or red-dot


the scope must be mounted too high.....making the low combs worse


i wanted to carry a shot gun barrel with my scoped handi rifles when traveling
horrible fit  with the monty carlo stock


best to just handle a few  and realy imagine wear the sights will be

[rdlange]

Bob the hammer.  Install an extension.  An older 4X max scope seems adequate for 357.  Get one with a small dia. rear ocular bell.  Use low rings.  See FAQs on scope mounting and hammer bob.  Works for me on BC and Handi grip stocks.
 
I agree MC stock doesn't work with open sights.