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Thread: 357 Maximum

  1. #1
    Boolit Buddy
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    357 Maximum

    I decided to get a cast friendly Contender barrel for Deer Hunting with the wife in mind. Ok this gives me a new Project to work with. I decided the 357 Maximum was about as good a choice as I could come up with. I ended up ordering a 13" MGM barrel. I sent in a 180 cast Dummy Shell and a 180 XTP Dummy Load to get the throat cut to best handle both loads. The reason for 13 Inch rather than 14 was cost. You have a price jump between 13 and 14 inch. I got it drilled and tapped for the 6 screw base.
    I ordered a Weaver scope base for it that will probably be modified to the 6 screw configuration. I plan to start it off with one of my old Burris 2-7 pistol scopes for load development. For Deer Season I plan to have a 30mm UltraDot or 30mm MatchDot Red Dot Sight on it.
    No luck with Remington 357 Maximum Brass so far. I got a Notification from Midway on the 357 Maximum Brass a while back, but not the one I wanted to see. Instead of IN STOCK it was listed as DISCONTINUED. Not what I wanted to hear.
    I do have some Jamerson 357 Maximum Brass. I guess I will need to test it for my self and see if the cracking problem has been addressed. I could not find any information on this that was not two or three years old. On the Positive side I have 500 rounds of 360 Dan Wesson Starline Brass. I will probably never notice it does not say 357 maximum on the head stamp. I think it will produce all the velocity I need with 180's. It would be nice if Starline would make 357 Maximum, so we have a source of High Quality Brass.
    I have had this project on hold for a few months. I did get my 5 cavity bullet mold that casts WFN 180 grain Gas Check bullets in. I have cast close to 1000 of them. I have been picking up a box of 180 XTP's now and again.
    Now I need a rainy day to get to reloading for it.

    Bob R

  2. #2
    Boolit Master
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    You will enjoy this caliber. I have two loads for my 357 max T/C carbine - one is the Lyman 175 gr SWC-PB and the other is the new 200 gr RFGC. Both shoot very well.

  3. #3
    Boolit Grand Master leftiye's Avatar
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    Good stuff! I'm also a fan of the .357 maximum. I've got an H&R Handi in .357 Max, and a ruger blackhawk. I like 200 grainers, and find you can load them to near 2000 fps. That's right up there with 35 Remington. If you want more info on the caliber, look up some of member (past) 357 Maximum's old threads. Not assuming that you don't know already - 1680 and the corresponding VV powder are the top powders.
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  4. #4
    Boolit Master

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    I had a contender 14" 357 max lack of brass was why i sold it and picked up a 14" 44 magnum barrel i dont understand why
    Starline wont make that brass if they did i would love to pick up another barrel
    kids that hunt and fish dont mug old ladies

  5. #5
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    I sold my 14" .357max barrel last week...it is a good round...but, I am personally not sure that it is worth the effort. I decided to just get rid of it and let the others serve the purpose. I bought a 14" 44mag, last week, to replace the max...I will never look back. I guess I got to the point that I feel by it like I do the .41mag...why bother. JMO

  6. #6
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by LUCKYDAWG13 View Post
    I had a contender 14" 357 max lack of brass was why i sold it and picked up a 14" 44 magnum barrel i dont understand why
    Starline wont make that brass if they did i would love to pick up another barrel
    Have Starline actually said they won't make it, and was that before Remington (if truth be told) discontinued it? They might revise that judgment, for I always understood that bottlenecked brass was what they were most reluctant to begin.

    The German 5.6x50R is one possibility for filling the gap. The database in my Load from a Disk programme says it should be .354in. at the shoulder (very close to the length of the Maximum mouth), and .017in. thick immediately behind it. So it might be necessary to remove some brass, but that is a whole lot easier than adding some.

    It is a great pity if we are really seeing the demise of the Maximum, which is far better as a light rifle or single shot pistol round than it was in revolvers. But it is a natural enough consequence of the introduction of so many rounds for which there is no earthly necessity. I wish they would see that the availability of a cartridge matters only a little to someone choosing a gun, but a whole lot more to someone who already has one.

  7. #7
    Boolit Buddy
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    I had a handi rifle that I reamed to 357 max but sold it. With all the problems with max brass, wouldn't it be simpler to go to the 357 herrett? Should have about the same performance, but you'd have to tinker a bit to get the brass made. Of course if you're on this site you should be OK with tinkering.
    Siamese4570

  8. #8
    Boolit Master
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    OK fellas, I probably won't have another 357 Maximum so if someone wants to make me a decent offer I'll make their day. I have one box of new, unfired Winchester 357 Maximum brass, plus I might have some other brass that's been fired. First off, make the offer on the new stuff.
    Send me a PM, thanks.

    Dick

  9. #9
    Boolit Master



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    Quote Originally Posted by sixshot View Post
    OK fellas, I probably won't have another 357 Maximum so if someone wants to make me a decent offer I'll make their day. I have one box of new, unfired Winchester 357 Maximum brass, plus I might have some other brass that's been fired. First off, make the offer on the new stuff.
    Send me a PM, thanks.
    Dick
    You might put your post in the swapen and sellen section that is an area for this kind of post. Yes the OP might be hunting for new brass, but IMHO you are clearly selling brass, not hunting.
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  10. #10
    Boolit Master
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    You are correct. Didn't come on looking to sell so I'll just hold on to it.

    Dick

  11. #11
    Boolit Bub
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    Received some 357 Max brass in a trade. Had a bunch of nickel-plated Federal brass that was showing signs of case head separation. 3 were about to happen with the split line appearing about an 1/8th of an inch above the bright line. Rubbing the inside with a hook confirmed there was a definite groove inside the case. My question is, is this a common problem with the 357 Maximum brass. It was fired an unknown number of times in a 10" Contender barrel. Since this is a straight-walled case, is this a pressure or a head-space problem. I would think pressure since the case has a rim. What do you think?

  12. #12
    Boolit Master
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    Straight walled cases like the 357mag and 357max don't develop case separation like bottle neck cases do. After a LOT of firings they will crack length wise. At least that's been my observation over the last 45+ years. I've seen the nickle separate by chipping off at the rim, but even then the cases were fired very, very many times. I have cases here that were fired a lot and they're over thirty years old. However, I need to add that I have an awful lot of cases so they might not have been fired as many times as someone who only has a couple hundred and uses them a lot. Wished I'd kept better count. I know that over a period of 45+ years I haven't thrown too many cases away.

  13. #13
    Boolit Master
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    This thread remninded me that I "used to have" a stainless Dan Wesson 8 3/8" 357 MAX , traded it to a friend and he sold or traded it off . Wish I had that one back !
    Parker's , 6.5mm's and my family in the Philippines

  14. #14
    Boolit Master
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    Mike Belm had an article in a newsletter on how to make 357Max brass from 223 brass. There would be slight chamber difference possibly due to Max brass head spaces on the rim and 223 is rimless and will have to space on the end of the case, but it can be done. I will have to see if I can find that article
    Last edited by ubetcha; 05-23-2016 at 08:31 PM.
    I'm the King of my castle---anytime my wife's not around
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  15. #15
    Boolit Master
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    I did find the article and he talks about the 223 brass does has the ability to stretch to 35 cal and still be close to the same neck thickness as 357max brass. he stated that he can cut the chamber to be used by both rimmed and rimless brass if needed if you trim the 223 brass to 1.70 or trim to 1.60 and keep the same chamber length. only thing would be that the edge that is needed to support the rimless case at the throat may shave a cast bullet if using max brass. At the time of the newsletter that was sent, he said he has not explored that concern as of yet. I would post the newsletter,but I don't know if re-posting his newsletter would be permissible with him or the Mods. I would think that if one was interested in such a thing, an Email to Mike may be in order. The 357Max is his favorite caliper, so I think he puts a lot of input into it
    I'm the King of my castle---anytime my wife's not around
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  16. #16
    Boolit Master
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    When I got my 357 max I just started keeping my eyes open at various gun shows for the brass. It didn't take too long to accumulate a pile.

  17. #17
    Boolit Master





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    I've rounded up a few hundred this month,but after payday I'll be watching for more,just got a 357Maximum,Ruger New Model Black Hawk,still looking for a contender barrel,hoping to find a 10"barrel.(blue).
    How about a link to Mike's newsletter please
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  18. #18
    Boolit Master



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    Quote Originally Posted by ubetcha View Post
    only thing would be that the edge that is needed to support the rimless case at the throat may shave a cast bullet if using max brass. At the time of the newsletter that was sent, he said he has not explored that concern as of yet.
    IMHO, This has never been a problem with all the rimless pistol cartridges out there. 45 ACP ,9mm , 40s, 25s, just a thought, it shouldn't be a consideration at all. The shaving of a boolit on entering the throat.

    cases made from from 223 cases should work fine and be very plentiful.

    Ken
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  19. #19
    Boolit Master

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    Quote Originally Posted by SSGOldfart View Post
    I've rounded up a few hundred this month,but after payday I'll be watching for more,just got a 357Maximum,Ruger New Model Black Hawk,still looking for a contender barrel,hoping to find a 10"barrel.(blue).
    How about a link to Mike's newsletter please
    Years ago I had a 10" 'tender barrel in 357 Maximum, it was a fire breather. But I did enjoy it. Maybe more than my 7-30 Waters... nah, that's just crazy talk.

  20. #20
    Boolit Master
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    I think the shaving of lead occurs when shooting 357 Max brass trimmed to 1.60 and firing it in a 1.70 chamber with the sharp edge where the 1.70 trimmed 223 brass head spaces. There would not be much of a throat in that area to support a cast bullet
    I'm the King of my castle---anytime my wife's not around
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    "A Government big enough to give you everything you want, is big enough to take away everything you have"
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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check