357 maximum

[dmbassking]

I have a 357 mag barrel for my original contender (not G2) and am thinking about having it rechambered to 357 max. my only hesitation is that i have a 10" bbl when i would like the 14" version. I am wondering if it is worth the extra cash to get an extra 75fps (i keep going back and forth).

Thanks in advance for the advice!



Mike

[rockrat]

The 14" would probably give you quite a bit more velocity. I will be in Redlands next month, I think, and have a 357 max reamer. Simple job. Can bring the reamer out there. All you need to supply is a good cutting oil and a vise with padded jaws(remove extractor first also).

[dmbassking]

Thanks for the offer! When I make my decision on what to do I'll definitely pm you. The velocity thing is really making me lean towards getting a new barrel


Mike

[Scrounger]

I have a 357 mag barrel for my original contender (not G2) and am thinking about having it rechambered to 357 max. my only hesitation is that i have a 10" bbl when i would like the 14" version. I am wondering if it is worth the extra cash to get an extra 75fps (i keep going back and forth).

Thanks in advance for the advice!



Mike

Your ten inch barrel would bring you $110 to $125 from Ebay and you could buy a fourteen inch Max for about $150 to $165. But they're not real common, might take a month or two to find one posted.

[Dale53]

Here is a thought: you might be happier with buying a 14" .357 magnum and rechambering to .357 Max. That way you would guarantee a proper throat. TC seems incapable of maintaining consistent throats.

Just a thought...

Dale53

[STP]

You have brass already??

[Explorer1]

I love all of my 357 guns, but they all liked heavy bullets and the Merrill REFUSED to shot anything that resembled a light load. But it shot heavy loads better than many, many rifles.........

[dmbassking]

Here is a thought: you might be happier with buying a 14" .357 magnum and rechambering to .357 Max. That way you would guarantee a proper throat. TC seems incapable of maintaining consistent throats.

Just a thought...

Dale53

That is what I was intending to do for just that reason... the problem is that they only offer the 357 mag in a 12" barrel and i would think that there wouldn't be enough of a velocity increase to justify the hassle.


I don't have any max brass yet but i figured that it wouldn't take but 500 pieces to last the rest of my shooting days.

I should have mentioned that i am planning on starting wiht 180gr boolits as i figued they would be good enough to take a muley or antelope.

Mike

[dmbassking]

Here's another thought... I could bet the 357 mag carbine barrel, ream it for 357 max, and cut it to 15.5"

Mike

[Scrounger]

Here's another thought... I could bet the 357 mag carbine barrel, ream it for 357 max, and cut it to 15.5"

Mike

A carbine barrel in .357 or .357 Max is much, much harder to find than a pistol barrel in .357 Max; it'd be a shame to waste one by cutting it down. Be patient. I have a 14 inch .357 Max barrel I will probably be selling soon anyway.

[dragonrider]

Just checked Ed's Contenders, he has a couple of 357 Mag, barrels but nothing over
12" and no Max. BUT he does have a 357 B & D that I have always had a want for but he wants $225 for a 10" octogon. Too much.

[JSH]

Before you all get gung ho on rechambering a 357 to a 357max, I suggest you do a chamber cast with cerosafe. I really doubt the max will clean up the mag's throat, relly more of a forcing cone than a throat. To clean TC's mess up a 35 Herrett or 35 Remington should do it.
I looked at a bunch of 357 barrels before I finally ran across one that was decent. I also had a factory max14" that would not shoot to my standards. So off to ebite it went. I did a chamber cast on that max barrel, looked more like a minerature 38-55 or 375. Throat or forcing cone what ever you want to call it was rediculously long.
Jeff

[Bill Vrooman]

The 14" would probably give you quite a bit more velocity. I will be in Redlands next month, I think, and have a 357 max reamer. Simple job. Can bring the reamer out there. All you need to supply is a good cutting oil and a vise with padded jaws(remove extractor first also).

Hi rockrat: I have a bbl. 357 mag. and wish to ream it to a 357max.
JohnSmiles thougth you had a reamer as you state here,would you loan it,I will pay all postage and a user fee?
Bill

[rockrat]

PM me. I just got it back from loaning it out.