A New Barrel

[deerstalkerks]

Well it's about time for a new T/C barrel, and since Ed's TC will be at the Tulsa show here in a couple months got me think'in. What would be the best performance barrel a .357 max. 200 gr. rnfpgc or a .41mag. with a 200 gr. rnfp no gc both would be about the 20" or 21" barrels? Range would be out to 100 yard or less.thanks for listening to me ramble, Richard..

[tctender]

I have both but in pistol barrels. The 357 should shoot flatter than the 41 i would think. I would get the one i wanted for the distance you stated. Both will work and work well.

[leadman]

I have had both calibers and would pick the 41 mag. It is easier, at least for me, to get good loads for the 41 and the trajectory even in my Ruger SBH Hunter with 7 1/2" barrel is flat enough to make hits at 200 yards fairly easy. The SAECO 220gr TC GC carries very well at long range while the RCBS 215gr SWC plain base at over 1,500 fps gives in my Ruger it a run for it's money.

[Groo]

Groo here
If you want a longer range rifle [ 200yds] the 357max .
If you want a shorter range thumper , the 41mag.
The max can be loaded close to the 35 rem, the 41 can be loaded close to the 44mag or light loads in a 405 win.

[Larry Gibson]

Well it's about time for a new T/C barrel, and since Ed's TC will be at the Tulsa show here in a couple months got me think'in. What would be the best performance barrel a .357 max. 200 gr. rnfpgc or a .41mag. with a 200 gr. rnfp no gc both would be about the 20" or 21" barrels? Range would be out to 100 yard or less.thanks for listening to me ramble, Richard..

Given the 20 or 21" length of the barrels velocities with both cartridges can be well above 1200 fps upwards of 1900 - 2000 fps. Thus using the RNFPGC'd bullet the 357 Maximum will out perform the 41 Magnum with a RNFP PB's bullet in accuracy at any velocity over 1200 fps. The GC is the difference basically. You probably wouldn't get any decent accuracy over 1500 - 1600 fps with the PB'd .41 bullet whereas the GC'd 357 bullet should be giving excellent accuracy. If you get a .41 GC'd bullet the downsize there is the availability of GCs.

Larry Gibson

[quilbilly]

I have the 357 max in the carbine and the 41 in a 14" barrel. For versatility, I like the 357 max. I get good accuracy from 125 RFPB at 1200 fps to 165 SWCGC at 1850 fps to 175 SWCPB at 1400 FPS and will soon get the new Lee 200 RFGC when Fedex stops by next week. This is not to put down the 41 which is an awe sum deer and black bear caliber but so is that 165 SWCGC. One thing about the 357 max. carbine in such a light rifle is that "full house" loads have a very sharp recoil so I have kept the 165's below 1900 FPS.
You can't go wrong with either.