anyone own use or have experience with 357 maximum in t/c encore?

[nagantguy]

Looking at the data on Mike bell's site sounds real interesting anyone have one and what can you tell me good or bad about them. Mostly intend to use for cast deer and pig hunting. Now that my daughter took owner ship of my 94/44 I'm looking at a new pistol cartridge rifle to fill the void. My first thought was a 24 inch .44 mag barrel but I'm now leaning towards this 357.

[Ola]

In T/C it is a very good cartridge. The only reason I have "only" a .357 Mag, is the poor availability of the .357 Maximum cases.

But as hunting cartridge with cast bullets... I'm not an expert in making reliably expanding lead bullets, so I'd choose the .44 Mag.

[GhostHawk]

The H&R crowd hangs out over at graybeardoutdoors. They have reamers for rent at a decent price.
So far every one I have seen says they have seen an accuracy improvement after reaming. Even in .38 special or .357 mag brass.

Me I decided the chances of me shooting something other than paper with mine are slim. The difference is not that large. I don't chase speed. I just bought a mold that will make 200 grain bullets if I ever need them. I am able to use .360DW brass in mine, the throat is that long and large. To shoot .357 max they would have to be trimmed or I would have to ream. I just have not yet seen the advantage in doing so yet.

But, if you hunt then that is a different matter, and you should look into the Max. Head over to graybeards online and find out for yourself.

[nagantguy]

Thanks gents for the input, I will probably go with a .44 barrel just cause I have everything I need for it and am comfortable and competent casting and loading for it but it does seem that 357 max has some critter getter capabilities going for it.

[LUCKYDAWG13]

I started off with a 357 max in my contender shot good but just a PITA to find brass sold it and got a 44 mag barrel for it
but for my Encore i went with a 454

[Hamish]

In the Encore you can easily shoot .357 Max level loadings in a .357 Magnum chamber,,,,,,,

[cattleskinner]

I don't have a T/C, but do have a re chambered New England 357 Max. Mine is on a rifle frame, and shoots around an inch and a half groups at 100 yds. with the 180 gr. RNFP mold. With jacketed bullets, it will shoot under an inch. I found AA1680 works best in mine, and brass is not a huge issue if you buy a hundred or two in the spring when they make a run. I shot two deer with mine last year, and a co worker got three with it a couple days later. I consider it my straight walled 30-30 when it is loaded up to about 2100 fps.

[P Flados]

I have a 10" 357 max for my contender & I have a 357 max Dan Wesson revolver.

A factory max from TC frequently has a less than optimum throat.

For the encore platform, a 357 magnum is not much of a step down.

You really can load for higher than normal pressures and you can load with lots of boolit sticking out.

Also, if you get the mag and later decide you really do want to step up to the max, the reamer rental discussed earlier gives you the ability to get a chamber that fits your needs for boolits rather than meet some silly SAAMI drawing that was based on revolvers.

Having said the above, my 10" TC max does fine as is.

Loading any of the great boolit choices into a max case is a piece of cake for a single shot.

[Beerd]

My .357 Max is a Contender with a Bellm 18" barrel.
With a 180 gr WFN bullet at 2000 ft/sec it's a deer killer out past 100 yards.
..

[218bee]

I shoot a Contender with a 14" barrel in 357maximum
I use Hornady 180gr spire points at 1800fps so far three deer.
I found out the penetration capabilities due to poor shot placement once.... after a very long wait for a whitetail buck to stop feeding and give me a shot, he finally turned broadside at about 70yds. I was aiming behind his shoulder and I actually hit his shoulder, well bullet broke that shoulder went to other side and broke that shoulder also. Never recovered bullet but was surprised at that level of penetration/performance. Deer dropped right there, but had to add a killing shot on the poor devil. Two others killed one shot each when my aim was true.