Anyone shooting a 357 Remington Maximus ?

[BPSharps]

I have an opportunity to buy a 357 Remington Maximus 10" Bull barrel for my T/C Contender. Anyone got shooting experience with one of these? Yeah or Nay? Thanks in advance.

[str8wal]

Maximus

Maximum? The 357 Max is a great round. Good for deer out to 150, and not bad recoil. You can use 357 Mag dies to load it. If the price is right, I say get it.

[BPSharps]

Contender Barrel in 357 Max.Burris rings & Base,comes with a free Tasco Pro Point.10" Bull Bbl. $225

[sixshot]

It's a very good cartridge with correct bullets, don't try to use lightweight bullets at high speed. Anything 158 gr on up to 190 gr is great in the Maximum. I only shoot it in my Ruger 10.5" revolver but I've taken several deer & I think 4 antelope with mine. I use bullets in the 175-190 gr range for best results.
Last year took a mule deer & an antelope in Utah with mine & this year took a white tail in Montana at 117 yds using a 185 gr cast HP. Down & out in 3-4 seconds. You will gain some velocity with your TC over my revolver with the same bullet weights. Starline has great brass.

Dick

[Walks]

I think I've got to check my safes in the garage, that sounds exactly like the 30yr old T/C set up I have for my 10" Bull bbl.

I used to use the SAECO (#354) 180gr FPGC cast of # 2 over 16.0grs of 2400. Sized .358, It's a bit hot with today's reformulated Powders. But it was safe in my gun with that one particular 8lb keg of 1980's of 2400.

I tried the Speer 180gr J-bullet, did not have anywhere close to the accuracy of the cast.

Today, I shoot the HORNADY. 358 - 148gr HBWC over 5.5grs of BULLSEYE. Can't handle recoil anymore. Just a bit less accurate from the bench at 50yrds as the SAECO Bullet was at 100yrds.

sixshot is right, just stick with heavier bullets. 158gr to 180gr.

I only used REMINTON Brass. Trimmed not to often with hot loads. None with light loads.
Sized brass just far enough to chamber easily.
Crimp light on light loads, really just enough to close the mouth of the case. On heavy loads, It's a sorta as you develop the load. Crimp enough to get a full powder burn. I like the REMINGTON brass because it seals the chamber even with light loads.
Blasted s-line is too hard to give a good seal.

The sharp shouldered bullets loaded in .38/.357 cases will leave a build up of Lead residue on the inside edge of the end of the chamber.

[BPSharps]

Thank you all for your replies

[Packy]

i have a 12 inch Bullberry barrel. I shoot the rcbs 200 and the ranch dog 190. I use 1680 for powder, it seemed to shoot better than 296. i have had a 2x6 scope on it and it shoots very good. I use a red dot for hunting, have not got a deer with it but did kill a coyote with it last year.

[LUCKYDAWG13]

Had a 14" barrel on my contender sold it bought a 14" 44 magnum never looked back

[crappie-hunter]

Check this out

http://357maximum.net/

[Tatume]

Excellent cartridge in a 10" Contender barrel.

[JSH]

Be aware factory TC barrels may have longish throats. I had one and did a chamber cast. It was so bad I never fired it. Throat/forcing cone was close to 1\2 long.

[contender1]

I have a pair of T/C bbls in 357 MAXIMUM! One in 10" & one in 14". Both are sweet, and not going anywhere. I also own a few of the Ruger revolvers in .357 Maximum. As sixshot has stated,, quite good guns,, and the caliber is excellent. I too use heavier bullets.

[NSB]

I have a TC Encore rifle barrel in .357max and a Win Low Wall in 357max (rechambered by Bellm). Both will shoot five shot groups 1moa at 100 yards. I've shot several deer with these guns over the last several years and I've spent a great deal of time doing load development. Depending on the twist of your gun, you might be able to shoot heavier bullets as well as the lighter ones. Regardless of all the hype you hear about Hornady XTP bullets "fragmenting" or "blowing up", that just doesn't happen. I'm shooting 158g bullets at a clocked 2300+ fps and they aren't coming apart. This year I shot three deer with the TC with the MGM barrel on it and recovered one bullet. The other two were pass throughs and left exit holes in excess of an inch in diameter. The recovered bullet showed perfect expansion and outstanding weight retention. Typical of what I've found over the last several years. Correct above on the TC throats for this bullet. For best results get a .357mag and have someone like Bellm rechamber it for best results. These are not "book" loads and should be used with caution in your gun. These were fired in an Encore Pro Hunter in an MGM barrel.
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