.357 maximum rifle project?

[3006guns]

Oops...that should have read Martini action PISTOL.

[45nut]

Any chance of a pic?

[3006guns]

Nope.......long gone in a trade. Too bad, it was a real curiosity and definately intimidating!

[Boomer Mikey]

I checked the H&R website; if you own an H&R Handi-Rifle you can order an accessory 357 Magnum barrel for $87. Poke that with a 357 Maximum reamer and enjoy... If you don't like it, send it to me.

Boomer

[JRR]

You would think that the Win. 94, 357 mag would be a good conversion. The problem is that the Win. in this caliber is loaded with poor engineering, especially in the link and cartrige stop.

The stop is borderline in preventing the cartrige from slipping past and underneath the lifter. Every 94 in 357 I have used or examined has had this problem. The only possible cure is to weld up the stop and recontour it with a file approx. plus .030-.040". The extra recoil of the "max" would most likely make this worse. If you don't get it perfect, the loading gate will not depress or the stop will bind in the slot that it rides in slowing and adding friction to the action.

I have not had this issue with 44 or 45 due to more engagment of the cartridge rim with the stop. Larger diameter rims. I think the 44/357 conversion would be ideal to shoot .358" bullets. Perhaps get a 44 mag 94 and put a .357 barrel on it and rechamber.

[Blammer]

357 max would have been neat to do in my Win 94 in 357 mag but since it was too long, a friend introduced me to 360 Dan Wesson. That is the ticket! It's midway between the 357 mag and 357 max brass.

[Blammer]

I've often contemplated getting the 357 mag barrel from H&R and having it punched out to 357 max.

$87 for barrel plus shipping there to H&R.

then $20 shipping of barrel to have it punched out, and punching price is $125...

a little steep right now....

[Old Ironsights]

Ok, now I am completely confused.

Let's see if I'm getting this right:

The Win 94 is made for long cartridges (like the .38-55).

It had to be re-engineered a bit to take the .357 because it is so short, but the .357 is still SOO short there can still be issues with it not engaging the stop fast enough to prevent under-carrier jams.

BUT, the longer .357 max still has the same "short cartridge problem" that the even shorter .357mag has... (why? shouldn't the greater length make it work BETTER?)

BUT the .360 Wesson is midway between the Mag and the Max but it works anyway?

[JRR]

Old Ironsights,
It's not the length that is the problem. It is the diameter of the rim that causes the cartridge to slip over the stop.

[Old Ironsights]

Ah. Ok. My bad. Thanks for the correction.

[jhrosier]

H&R made the Model 058 break action in .357 Maxi, back in the 80s.
I have one that I bought way back then to shoot with black powder.
I worked well enough, but has not captured my imagination and so hasn't been shot in many years.
If I get a 200 gr mould for my .358 Win. I will probably try the bullet in the Maxi also.

[leftiye]

Rosier,
.357 max. works muy bueno with all .357 boolit weights, and cast or condor bullits and white powder. Not a big capacity ctg., but it performs beyond expectations. Black powder????

[jhrosier]

Rosier,
.. Black powder????

Yep, it is similar in size to some of the old Maynard cartridges and you can get enough fffg in there to make it interesting. It is also possible to make a breech seater for the bullets and then the case capacity would be nearly equal to the 38-55. That was the original plan, but as I mentioned, I llost interest in the project for a while.
I'm getting back into casting after a long break so I've started thinking about this one again.

Jack

[home in oz]

Does anyone have some 357 cast bullet loads for deer from a 14" Contender barrel?

[Captain Midnight]

Can the cylinder for a Smith 27 be rebored to 359 Max? Or is it too short?

[725]

H&R .357 mag recut for the .357 Max. (if you can find one)

[longbow]

I keep thinking that a .357 Max rimless (blown out .223 brass) in a bolt action would be rather nice. Should be pretty easy to convert a .223 bolt action by rebarreling and maybe some work on the magazine. However, that is one I likely will never get to.

[Moleman-]

I've done several 357Max rimless in ar15's. You need a reamer that cuts a shoulder for the case mouth so it will have something to headspace one, the barrel extension needs opened up for the wider bullets and the two bullet guides in the front of the mag need removed so the rounds can double stack. Sometimes the feed lips need trimmed so they let go of the case sooner. A 223 rifle should be pretty easy next to that, but I'd rather convert my 336 since it only gets used when I go out of state any more.

[Ballistics in Scotland]

Cartridge length limitations inhibit putting a .357 Max in a Marlin 1894, but it could be done in the 336 action or the Winchester 1894. Trouble is, with those actions the temptation is to put a badder .35 caliber in it, like .35 Remington or .35/444. I like the 1894 Marlin myself and I lean toward rechambering a .357 Mag to .357/44 Baines and Davis. Cartridge length is compatible with the action and performance is as good as or better than the .357 Max. I keep trying to pick up another .357 Marlin or Rossi to do this thing.

The reason the modern shooter can have a new square-bolt centrefire Marlin, very like the original LL Hepburn 1894, is that they tried and failed to make the .44 Magnum work reliably in the 336. You might find the same with the Maximum in the 336, when you have got a lot of time, trouble and money in it, and I wouldn't entirely dismiss the possibility with the 94 Winchester. It is a cartridge length that hasn't been much tried with either, and at the best it would require quite a bit of work on the carrier and ejector. Neither of the short-action rifles, Winchester 92 and Marlin 94, would accommodate the Maximum's length.

To me it begs for a single-shot action. One of the modern break-open actions would be a simple and inexpensive conversion job, if indeed a Maximum version doesn't exist already. I'm sure you could do something with (Am I allowed to say this?) one of the more interesting single-shot actions? The Cadet Martini is excellent but expensive nowadays, but the BSA target rimfires which preceded the Martini-International are an easy centrefire conversion job.

A full-size Mauser seems like a clumsy great thing for a cartridge like this. Perhaps you could do something with one of the Howa or Zastava miniature Mausers.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...wa-mini-Mauser

[Ballistics in Scotland]

I've often contemplated getting the 357 mag barrel from H&R and having it punched out to 357 max.

$87 for barrel plus shipping there to H&R.

then $20 shipping of barrel to have it punched out, and punching price is $125...

a little steep right now....

$85 for a solid pilot chambering reamer from Clymer, one of the easiest of gunsmithing jobs with a rimmed straight case, and you would be ready if you or a friend wants it done again. You have to specify that you want the pilot diameter for a barrel and not a revolver cylinder.

http://www.clymertool.com/price/CLYM...ICE%20LIST.pdf