MD finally approved hunting with straight wall rifle cases in our more densely populated areas. Many guys are rushing toward the new 350 Legend, both in bolt action and AR. I'm just happy to reach for my Encore MGM 357 Max. And sad that I sold my 45/70 lever.
I'm pretty sure my load of 1680 in the max is up to the task. I do wonder about a big flat metplat vs a hollow point. Right now I'm leaning toward big flat.
There's LOTSA hunting that I HAVE NOT done, but with larger caliber rounds, I sure gravitate toward the "large flat". It seems to do its job, whether any expansion occurs or not.
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Large meplat trumps a hollow point. 1680 is the correct powder for the "Max". Good luck hunting this season.
BB
I would choose either in the 45-70 depending on animal being hunted
hunting is the key though the more of it the better
Hit em'hard
hit em'often
I have a nib 450BM ruger gunsight scout for the occasion.
Having a proven Encore in 357 max sounds like a winner to me.
The Legend ballistics are not any better than the Max and the Legend has a lot more "issues" associated with headspacing on the mouth.
The Lee 200 or anything with a bigger meplat will perform exactly as you expect. A little less likely to give a DRT, but good enough and reliable.
The biggest issue with the Max over the years has been with people not getting desired expansion from J words. This can be too much or too little. From what I have been able to determine, there is still some of that going on with the new Legend specific bullets.
Jeez sure I don't need a 700 nitro double?
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White Tail deer are not Cape Buffalo. In Ohio we must use 38cal minimum. Most deer shoot under 100yds. A 357mg is adequate for the job. Obsessing over meta plates and hollow points is arm chair stuff. I have 45/70, 44mg and 375Win. The 45/70 is a lot of gun for deer. No question it will kill them, bullet matters little. Same with 44mg. I have never killed a deer with modern 47/70. I have shot a few with Trapdoor and Rolling Block with cast boolits and Unique. With 44mg have never shot a deer with rifle. Have shot several with Ruger SBH/ 240gr JHP. The 375Win is #3 Ruger and I was fooling with it with spitzer bullets. I think it will offer the flattest shooting package that has dead bang 300yd accuracy. New rifle hunters that have to use straight case should realize they don’t need a cannon. I don’t like the 350Legend but it is perfectly capable of taking a deer. There may be some new straight case cartridges with better performance than something that is designed for AR platform. I have done considerable reading and fooling with straight cases and believe the sweet spot may be a Super Max 357 with Spitzer bullet. A case like 44mg:444 only in 357 cal.
correct me if I'm mistaken. .57 Max 1.605 .357 Super Max 1.610 I can make due without the extra .05 inches in a pinch. But I am also the guy looking at the 414 super mag over the 41 mag.
I would be more than satisfied with the 357 Max if I had to use a straight wall case. In my stable I would probably pick either a 44, 444 or 38 55 if allowed.
375Win is hot 38/55. Case is heavier but little shorter. The point I was trying to make is the straight cases are like a arms race. The whole idea of them was to limit velocity/ range. The traditional deer rifles 30/30, 32, 35Rem are no more dangerous but not legal.
I agree DRM. When we switched from shotguns to rifles here in NYS, hunting accidents actually went down . We gradually went to rifle in almost all NYS and some areas are quite populated. Around here we actually hear less bang, bang, bang, bang shooting now most use rifles with scopes instead of semi auto shotguns.
And here I am able to use whatever rifle round I want and I choose to take an 1894C in 357 Mag more often than not. Deer are taken at archery range due to vegetation. No one is shooting 100+ yards unless they are in a corn field. And even then you’re usually limited due to houses along the perimeter.
The not so amusing part is I have to watch what side of the hill I’m on. The side opposite my house in a shotgun only management area. None residents get gigged by the game wardens every year.
the 405 JESS putting in the freezer! 300 gr. Cast GC @1800 fps is a hammer!
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This is very interesting to me. We're allowed to use what we want, they even legalized .22 Centerfires a few years ago. But if I was restricted to straight walled, I'd have no problem using a .45-70 or .38-55.Originally Posted by Shawlerbrook
Nebraska is a rifle state, so I could use my 280 Rem, but that is 'overkill at tree stand ranges, rarely over 100 yards. This year I will be using my Henry single shot reamed to 357 Maximum and the Larsen 180 fp group buy and a soft alloy. For our kind of hunting I think it will be perfect, mostly trying to fill the larder, takes a lot of simmering to get 'horns tender nuff to eat anyway! Tom
Every deer I have shot with my 357 Max Handi with 200 gr RNFP has been DRT. Ranges 100 to 150 yds.
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Farmerjim- Oh, I have the NOE 200+ fp/hp mold (ment for .38 snubbies) on order for next year, pretty sure that will be overkill too! My compact 4x Leupold and the Max, ought to be outstanding inside 125 yards! Damn, getting excited a month early, Tom
hc18flyer, I thought your deer harvester was a cool handgun?
Never trade luck for skill.
I helped my buddy sight in a .350 in a Savage Axis. Mild recoil and shot under 2 MOA with Hornady factory loads.
Seems like a decent package for deer hunting. He has a .450 in a Ruger and it kicks a lot more...plus it seems a bit much for a corn cruncher.
For most people who do not reload, and the even fewer that cast, the .350 makes sense if a cartridge like that is required. Ammunition is not very expensive and the rifles are affordable. IIRC my buddy paid under $250 when Dunham had them on sale. I have never seen a "cheap" .38/55, 45/70, etc.
If I had to hunt in southern MI, I would get the .350 and shoot factory ammunition. IMHO not worth reloading to save $10-15/year.
I am in the camp that these "restrictions" are worthless in terms of increasing safety. A rifle is a rifle. If safety is the concern, make it shotgun and buckshot only. Any rifle is going to reach out a long way.
Don Verna
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