357 handi with HEAVY cast boolits???

[mikeyman]

Hi all, just picked up a handi in 357. I have the usual weight molds such as 158swc but was wondering if anyone has experience with this rifle shooting heavyweights? 230gr? 250gr? Something like the 280rn (358009) even? Main reason I ask is I also recently aquired a rem 700 in 35 whelen and I am thinking a dual purpose mold perhaps...

Or should I just shoot the 158's? Thanks.

[Tatume]

I like 180 grain jacketed bullets and RCBS 35-200-FN cast bullets, but I wouldn't go any heavier than that.

[jmort]

Ream it to .357 max and then go north of 200

[MT Gianni]

Reamed to 357 Max it shoots the Saeco 352 @ 245 gr well, the twist is there.

[glockky]

Anyone ream to 357 max and leave on the sb1 frame?

Seems it would be fine as long as you stuck with 357 max revolver data. I have a encore with a 18" MGM 357 max barrel for hot loads.

I kind of find my handi 357 useless as is with its huge throat. I have never been able to get acceptable accuracy from it. I am not looking to spend the cash to buy a sb2 frame and have it fit since I already have a max encore.

[curator]

My Handi-.357 has such a long throat that I can easily seat a 250 grain .360 LBT SPGC over 15 grains of WC680. This combination just touches the rifling, gives good accuracy and is easy on the shoulder (compared to my .35 Whelen Imp.) It also has almost the exact trajectory as my .300AAC with 220 grain slugs.

[Whiterabbit]

Hi all, just picked up a handi in 357. I have the usual weight molds such as 158swc but was wondering if anyone has experience with this rifle shooting heavyweights? 230gr? 250gr? Something like the 280rn (358009) even? Main reason I ask is I also recently aquired a rem 700 in 35 whelen and I am thinking a dual purpose mold perhaps...

Or should I just shoot the 158's? Thanks.

I shot 250 grain hornady jacketed bullets in mine. They shot fine for big game, an inch at 25 yards or so offhand, but more "normal" loads were much better, holes touching at 25 yards kinda size (scoped of course).

Fun for dinging steel, but if I did it all over I'd be testing 175-200 grian sizes in a 357 max, and shooting 150-160's in the 357 mag.

[Whiterabbit]

Anyone ream to 357 max and leave on the sb1 frame?



yep. The primers flow into the firing pin hole, you just can't get around that. You can load 250 grian bullets to 1800-1900 fps; they will slip out of the chamber via gravity, no damage to the rim, no other pressure signs, but that primer will flow. For the record, it will do that loaded light too.

When it flows (which is 9 times out of 10) the action locks up. you fix it by dry firing onto the fire case and that will free the pin and action to open.

it doesn't inspire much confidence, but the fact is starting 357 max loads do the same thing and have less bolt thrust than 357 mag loads (or something along those lines, it has been a long time since I was playing this game). Anyways, worked fine for me, I was feeding it a steady diet of 38 special and a few dozen 357 mag and occasionally shoot the max, so it was never an issue for me.

[gpidaho]

I load the Saeco #352 240gr. fp in cases cut down from 357max. My 357mag Handi will accept cases of 1.403 so I cut the brass to 1.395 and seat the bullet the last .010 by closing the action. So far have been working on sub-sonics and 4gr. Unique chronographs in the 780s fps. I've got some loaded with 4.5gr Unique but have yet to chrono. them. I powder coat the drive bands on these leaving the noses bare to fit the bore, and gas check them. Will try to post pics. later today. GP

[gpidaho]

126423Here's a pic of the .357 Heavys.

[nekshot]

Anyone ream to 357 max and leave on the sb1 frame?

Seems it would be fine as long as you stuck with 357 max revolver data. I have a encore with a 18" MGM 357 max barrel for hot loads.

I kind of find my handi 357 useless as is with its huge throat. I have never been able to get acceptable accuracy from it. I am not looking to spend the cash to buy a sb2 frame and have it fit since I already have a max encore.

Why don't you fellas try 357 max brass cut to fill you neck. I bet you would be shocked how good it would work out. The casting department of shooting is always screaming for longer brass and bigger boolits!

[parson48]

yep. The primers flow into the firing pin hole, you just can't get around that. You can load 250 grian bullets to 1800-1900 fps; they will slip out of the chamber via gravity, no damage to the rim, no other pressure signs, but that primer will flow. For the record, it will do that loaded light too.

When it flows (which is 9 times out of 10) the action locks up. you fix it by dry firing onto the fire case and that will free the pin and action to open.

it doesn't inspire much confidence, but the fact is starting 357 max loads do the same thing and have less bolt thrust than 357 mag loads (or something along those lines, it has been a long time since I was playing this game). Anyways, worked fine for me, I was feeding it a steady diet of 38 special and a few dozen 357 mag and occasionally shoot the max, so it was never an issue for me.


Handi's sold in recent years as .44 mag & .357 mag have small firing pins which are not a problem I reamed mine to maxi about 3 years ago and have never had a problem with it. Lotsa good info on Graybeard site re. these rifles.

[mikeyman]

I was reading about the rem max on greybeard and they have a program where you can rent a reamer but they won't ship the reamer to Canada so I will have to try and find a local smith to do it. I have the noe 360429 which drops solids at 177gr and hollow points at 161gr with my alloy.

Those 240's look interesting gpidaho. I was thinking the handi might be a good platform for heavy boolits subsonic being that I read how long the throats are.

[hendere]

Why don't you fellas try 357 max brass cut to fill you neck. I bet you would be shocked how good it would work out. The casting department of shooting is always screaming for longer brass and bigger boolits!

Starline is taking orders for 360 DW brass. I've heard it will run in the next month or so. I'm hoping it will chamber as is in my Handi. Sounds fun anyway.

[GLL]

Starline is taking orders for 360 DW brass. I've heard it will run in the next month or so. I'm hoping it will chamber as is in my Handi. Sounds fun anyway.

Where did you hear about that ship date ?

Jerry

[wlc]

These should fit your need for a heavy for the 357 mag.

http://accuratemolds.com/lib/timthumb.php?src=/img/bullets/catalogue/36-250A.png&w=114&h=0&zc=0 (http://accuratemolds.com/bullet_detail.php?bullet=36-250A-D.png)


This is from Tom at Accurate Molds. I had him cut me two cavities of this bullet and two cavities of a similar, but 300 grainer, in the same mold. He also has a GC version of this one as well (250gr). Actually cast some of these two this evening. I shoot them out of my Max, subsonic and suppressed, but the 250 grainer should work well in the mag case. Try them with some 231. I can't remember the load I saw a guy use that has a Ruger 77/357, but do remember him using 231 with 250 grain Hunter Supply cast bullets. He was also shooting subsonic and suppressed. It was a deadly thing on hogs in his AO.

[hendere]

Where did you hear about that ship date ?

Jerry

I'm going from memory here, and that's not a good thing. Someone on this site recently said he had contacted them and was told it would be early in the year.

Edit: I found it. Hope it really happens.
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?258638-360-Dan-Wesson-Starline-Brass

[bedbugbilly]

nekshot - I picked up a new Handi this past summer and it too, suffers from "long neck syndrome". I'm still playing with it with different boolits and I'm able to seat them out quite a ways in the .356 brass but still not happy with the results. My next step will be to do as you suggest - get some 357 Max casings and trim back to fit my chamber. Now to find about 20 casings to play with!

I know a lot of folks have great success with the ream job and Max brass. I'm just a "plinker" - don't hunt anymore so my fun is in trying to find something that will work in the rifle as it is. I'm very happy with my Handi - just not happy with how it shoots so far but that's the fun of "playing" with it and finding something that will shoot well.

[gpidaho]

bedbugbilly: We are on the same page here, I have no intensions at this point to take mine out to Max as I'm learning how to work with the loooooong chamber. (see above posts) Last I knew "Four-Sixty" Chris had some max for sale, would be a good place to ask anyway. If He's out PM me and I will loan you a few until you get some. My Handi shoots 357 and even 38s surprisingly well even with the long chamber. Good luck with yours, they are a lot of fun. Now on to the Ruger 77 I hope. GP

[dubber123]

yep. The primers flow into the firing pin hole, you just can't get around that. You can load 250 grian bullets to 1800-1900 fps; they will slip out of the chamber via gravity, no damage to the rim, no other pressure signs, but that primer will flow. For the record, it will do that loaded light too.

When it flows (which is 9 times out of 10) the action locks up. you fix it by dry firing onto the fire case and that will free the pin and action to open.

it doesn't inspire much confidence, but the fact is starting 357 max loads do the same thing and have less bolt thrust than 357 mag loads (or something along those lines, it has been a long time since I was playing this game). Anyways, worked fine for me, I was feeding it a steady diet of 38 special and a few dozen 357 mag and occasionally shoot the max, so it was never an issue for me.

I am curious if you ever tried small rifle primers in it? Maybe CCI's specifically which seem on the harder side? I have a F/A .357 revolver that uses rifle primers at the load levels it gets. Small pistol primers don't make the grade, but small rifle works 100%.

[GLL]

hendere:

Thank you for the Starline update !

Jerry

[barrabruce]

what accuracy are you getting with these 357 mag rifles.
Enquiring minds need to know

[mikeyman]

Had it out on the weekend for the first time using 38sp+p nickle cases and a 166gr swc put 7 shots within an inch at 25 yards. Gun was rested on my range bag and only 25 yards but I was very happy. Definately looks like it has potential.

[altheating]

Barrabruce, can't speak about the handi's, but with my 77/357 with 180 gr NOE 360-180's we are hitting golf balls at 100 yards all day long. That is with Quenched WW and surplus 10b101 powder. I started using the 10b101 when I first got the 77/357 and never even tried ebay thing else. We even hit a 150 and 200 yard gong on a regular basis. Can't tell you what a 360-180 looks like after taking two deer, they blow through both shoulders. No reason to change a thing IMHO!

[altheating]

Gpidaho, forgot to mention, if your just starting with the ruger 77 you might want to think about lapping that barrel. They seem pretty rough from the factory. Mine improved dramatically after lapping. Didn't make any changes to the load, just lapped the hell out of the barrel. Both the 357 and the 44 version needed it.

[ballistim]

Hope I find 357 Handi Rifle, I'll send it to Mike Bellm & have it turned into a .357 Maximum, extremely accurate in my Contender and able to use the heavier boolits at higher velocities, also would be legal for deer where I live.

[gpidaho]

Altheating: Thanks for the tip, just picking up next week(half down at local shop) I'm excited about this one, love 35cal. As a side I've been talking with friends about a new wildcat. It's 7.62x39R necked up to 35cal. 9x39 I guess (think 7.62x39 Ackley) Good shooting! GP

[Rustyleee]

Handis are famous for being a law unto themselves. Your .357 will most likely chamber a .360 Wesson just as it came from the factory. That and a 180 grain cast and you are good to go.

[MT Gianni]

what accuracy are you getting with these 357 mag rifles.
Enquiring minds need to know

With book oal in the 357 mag mine was a 3" gun at 50 yards. Reamed to max it is a 1 1/2" gun @ 100 yards with my old eyes and a 2.5 weaver scope.

[ballistim]

With book oal in the 357 mag mine was a 3" gun at 50 yards. Reamed to max it is a 1 1/2" gun @ 100 yards with my old eyes and a 2.5 weaver scope.

357 Maximum has been unfairly judged by the problems in the Ruger revolver and the poor job TC did in chambering it in the Contender barrels. Properly chambered the .357 Maximum is an impressive cartridge indeed. I have shot groups similar results as MT Gianni out of a 12" barrel in a Contender scoped from a rest. I have much respect for the .357 Magnum & have had much success with it but would rather have the advantage of the .357 Maximum with heavier bullets, especially in a carbine or rifle.

[barrabruce]

Thanks for the reply.
golf ball size is about 1 1/2 to 1 3/4" I suppose.

About what I get with me 30-30.

Be good enough for most size game out to its killing range then
Cheers