.360 Buckhammer

[Grayone]

You can use any .357/.358” bullet in your .357max. I use several different handgun bullets and several different rifle bullets in all my .357max guns. FWIW, I’ve never felt handicapped using any of my single shot rifles. I can’t recall a time where I didn’t get a deer because my gun only held one cartridge, and I’ve shot a lot of deer in my 61 years of deer hunting.

I am 71 and still deer hunt with a single shot most times. The times I take a MSR is coyotes and hogs where multiples shots are possible. I too use a 357 Max and it leaves nothing wanted 200 yds and in. I can shoot 38, 357, 360 DW, and 357 Max from the same gun. I reload and can make it do what I want from small game to medium large. I see the latest crop of cartridges aim at selling more rifles and ammo to the aforementioned JDC.

[Jungle Dave]

Thinking about building a .357 Max in a single if I could find the right barrels, but I'm not buying the marketing hype of these, not even a "legend", or the so-called "hammers", with bullets that don't even co-mingle with other cartridges or barrels. It's as if they are doing all of this on purpose for malevolent reasons.

[Aynew1]

I have a Henry single shot 357 mag that was re-chambered to 357 max. Never got to the point that I was satisfied with the accuracy so I just had the same guy re do it in 360 Buckhammer and was shooting 1" groups right right out of the box. Don't have a chronometer so I don't have a velocity on it and I haven't shot further than 100 yards. That's my next project is to stretch it out and see how it does. I live in Iowa and we don't have the straight wall or length rules, just has to be over .35 caliber. 35 whelen seems like gross overkill to me and my old bones are getting recoil averse so I think the Buckhammer is a pretty good compromise until the rule makers come to their senses and let us use reasonable deer rifles.
By the way, the guy that does the re-cambering is Mike Bellm. You can find him at https://357maximum.net/.

[AnthonyB]

I am slow and have just learned about this new cartridge. I have a lot of 30-30 brass that would be much better used launching something larger. I’ll buy one if I see it.
Tony

[faraim]

Whenever I first read about this cartridge I thought that someone re-invented the 35/30-30. But now what enters my mind is, "It'd be fun to play with cast boolits in that cartridge." I've been thinking about having a 35/30-30 built up for that very reason. Maybe a case that I could buy across the counter would be better.

[dverna]

Whenever I first read about this cartridge I thought that someone re-invented the 35/30-30. But now what enters my mind is, "It'd be fun to play with cast boolits in that cartridge." I've been thinking about having a 35/30-30 built up for that very reason. Maybe a case that I could buy across the counter would be better.

Also look at the cost of dies. I nearly had a M94.30/30 converted to .35/30 but realized $300 and then about $150 for the dies, IIRC., did not make a lot of sense for my needs. Lots of love for the .35/30 on this site but IMO the .360 is a better choice.

[TD1886]

Okay I got in this late so I'm not going to read through all of it. The Rifleman just had a article on it about everything from it's beginning to shooting it. It isn't anything but a 35-30 except not bottlenecked. They said the take the 30-30 case off the forming line before it's bottle necked and trim its lenght and form it to 35 caliber. Why the hell doesn't Remington just start pounding out the 35 Remington cartridge and maybe make a new rifle for it? Think of how ironic this cartridge is. Remington conceived it on a Winchester designed case! I'm laughing. I'll take a long shot and say "I bet Winchester won't chamber it for it's leveractions". For those states that have case length and caliber requirements for deer hunting, out of the 350 Legend, 400 Legend, 360 Buckhammer, and the 450 Bushmaster THE BEST IN MY OPINION IS THE 450 BUSHMASTER!!! That cartridge is a beast!

[dverna]

Okay I got in this late so I'm not going to read through all of it. The Rifleman just had a article on it about everything from it's beginning to shooting it. It isn't anything but a 35-30 except not bottlenecked. They said the take the 30-30 case off the forming line before it's bottle necked and trim its lenght and form it to 35 caliber. Why the hell doesn't Remington just start pounding out the 35 Remington cartridge and maybe make a new rifle for it? Think of how ironic this cartridge is. Remington conceived it on a Winchester designed case! I'm laughing. I'll take a long shot and say "I bet Winchester won't chamber it for it's leveractions". For those states that have case length and caliber requirements for deer hunting, out of the 350 Legend, 400 Legend, 360 Buckhammer, and the 450 Bushmaster THE BEST IN MY OPINION IS THE 450 BUSHMASTER!!! That cartridge is a beast!

Some places require a straight wall case of .35 cal and 1.8 case length. Thus the "need" for something like this.

The .450 BM is not a pleasant round to shoot and less so if a smaller person is shooting it.

[TD1886]

Some places require a straight wall case of .35 cal and 1.8 case length. Thus the "need" for something like this.

The .450 BM is not a pleasant round to shoot and less so if a smaller person is shooting it.

I can agree with you that the 450 BM isn't pleasant to shoot and if it wears a muzzle break it's dangerously loud. I know what you mean about the 35 Remington being a bottleneck and I forgot to mention that, but didn't forget in my mind that some states won't allow such cartridges. If those states would get their heads out of their ***** things would be a lot better for the hunters, and well, lot better all the ways around.

[michael.birdsley]

. Why the hell doesn't Remington just start pounding out the 35 Remington cartridge and maybe make a new rifle for it? Think of how ironic this cartridge is. Remington conceived it on a Winchester designed case! I'm laughing. I'll take a long shot and say "I bet Winchester won't chamber it for it's leveractions". For those states that have case length and caliber requirements for deer hunting, out of the 350 Legend, 400 Legend, 360 Buckhammer, and the 450 Bushmaster THE BEST IN MY OPINION IS THE 450 BUSHMASTER!!! That cartridge is a beast!

because, you can’t use the 35 remington in Michigan’s limited rifle zone aka the old shot gun zone in the southern 1/3 of the state. it’s shoulder cases without shoulders only. I believe 357 is smallest by case length that is legal. that’s why the .350 and .450 are selling up here faster than they can make ‘em.

the .360 will give more choices to the lever guys rather than the .357 and 44 mags that are currently legal


yes i love my RAR .450. it will drop anything the state of michigan can throw at it within 250 yards


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[TD1886]

because, you can’t use the 35 remington in Michigan’s limited rifle zone aka the old shot gun zone in the southern 1/3 of the state. it’s shoulder cases without shoulders only. I believe 357 is smallest by case length that is legal. that’s why the .350 and .450 are selling up here faster than they can make ‘em


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Yup, I'm very aware of what's going on with the states that have stupid cartridge/firearms requirements for hunting deer.

I believe Illinois just legalized a bunch of cartridges and firearms for deer hunting. Ohio did it long ago.

[Jeff Michel]

I loaned a 450 to one of my contractors,(Ruger American) he asked if there was anything in particular he should know about it. The only thing I could think of was "You might want to hold on" A week after deer season, he told me what an amazing job it did on deer. He also showed me a half inch gash on the bridge of his nose from the scope. He's now the proud owner of a .350 Legend. FWIW, as an Ohioan, the straight case requirement is a non issue. People in bottleneck states shake their heads and say it's stupid, but they never were forced to hunt with a shotgun. I'm just happy I can use a rifle.

[TD1886]

I loaned a 450 to one of my contractors,(Ruger American) he asked if there was anything in particular he should know about it. The only thing I could think of was "You might want to hold on" A week after deer season, he told me what an amazing job it did on deer. He also showed me a half inch gash on the bridge of his nose from the scope. He's now the proud owner of a .350 Legend. FWIW, as an Ohioan, the straight case requirement is a non issue. People in bottleneck states shake their heads and say it's stupid, but they never were forced to hunt with a shotgun. I'm just happy I can use a rifle.

You forgot to tell him one other thing, at least when just sighting it in or plinking, wear a good pair of earmuffs!!!! Maybe even with earplugs with the muffs! I have the same rifle. It's nasty.

[dverna]

You forgot to tell him one other thing, at least when just sighting it in or plinking, wear a good pair of earmuffs!!!! Maybe even with earplugs with the muffs! I have the same rifle. It's nasty.

It is funny that you tout the .450 BM and then admit "it's nasty".

People have lost their senses when it comes to deer rifles. Both the .350 L and .360 BH will get the job done without all the drama of recoil and muzzle blast.

I agree the rules are silly, but for people who live in areas with those rules, it is an expensive decision not to abide by them. I live in northern MI and can use bottleneck cartridges but my buddy lives in southern MI and bought a .450 when they came out. He hates sighting it in.

[TD1886]

It is funny that you tout the .450 BM and then admit "it's nasty".

People have lost their senses when it comes to deer rifles. Both the .350 L and .360 BH will get the job done without all the drama of recoil and muzzle blast.

I agree the rules are silly, but for people who live in areas with those rules, it is an expensive decision not to abide by them. I live in northern MI and can use bottleneck cartridges but my buddy lives in southern MI and bought a .450 when they came out. He hates sighting it in.

I actually didn't know how nasty the 450 BM was, but you have to admit that Ruger Ranch rifle is awfully light and with a short barrel. More then likey the reason they put a honking muzzle break on it. Part of the lure for me is that it's a 45 caliber and I enjoy that caliber and have a lot of cast bullets that work well from it. Mihec has a big old 45 hollow point bullet that is listed for the Ruger Only and it shoots just great from my 450 BM and I don't have to load it as hot as jacketed. That way the rifle is bearable. I have the Legend on a 16 inch barrel AR15 carbine which is quite light and it lets you know you shot something other then a 5.56! It too has a muzzle break on it and it's very loud to. The seems to "shutter" when you shoot it like shock wave is passing through it.

I'll tell you another nasty caliber and that is the 45 Raptor on a short barreled AR. It's worse then the 450 BM for nastyness. Then throw in the 375 Raptor which is a slightly shortened 308 neckes up to 375. Excellent round. I build those for some friends, I don't have them myself.

[dverna]

TD,

People who reload can tame something like the .450, but reloaders comprise a very small share of the market, and not one companies introducing new calibers and rifle care about. Casters are even a more insignificant market.

Joe/Jane deer hunter might shoot 10-15 rounds of hunting ammunition a year and I know people who shoot less than that.

But without the hype, the gun industry would die. There are plenty of fools out there who will drink the Kool-Aid and they know it. I chuckle when a guy who shoots 20 rounds a year thinks he needs a 6.5 Creedmore to replace his .270.

At least this new crop of straight wall cartridges addresses a need caused by silly laws.

[TD1886]

TD,

People who reload can tame something like the .450, but reloaders comprise a very small share of the market, and not one companies introducing new calibers and rifle care about. Casters are even a more insignificant market.

Joe/Jane deer hunter might shoot 10-15 rounds of hunting ammunition a year and I know people who shoot less than that.

But without the hype, the gun industry would die. There are plenty of fools out there who will drink the Kool-Aid and they know it. I chuckle when a guy who shoots 20 rounds a year thinks he needs a 6.5 Creedmore to replace his .270.

At least this new crop of straight wall cartridges addresses a need caused by silly laws.

They've come out with a few good new cartridges and a whole bunch of bad Kool Aid ones.

[michael.birdsley]

It is funny that you tout the .450 BM and then admit "it's nasty".

People have lost their senses when it comes to deer rifles. Both the .350 L and .360 BH will get the job done without all the drama of recoil and muzzle blast.

I agree the rules are silly, but for people who live in areas with those rules, it is an expensive decision not to abide by them. I live in northern MI and can use bottleneck cartridges but my buddy lives in southern MI and bought a .450 when they came out. He hates sighting it in.

i will agree it’s a great deer round but, it’s not a gun you want to sit with at blast away with at the range. bought mine in 2019 and I believe the .350 either had just come out or was about to come out.

I use my .450 in the big woods in ogemaw county on state land and on the farm land around where i live in chesaning. I wouldn’t trade it though for anything still better than shooting a slug/sabot shot gun. the .350 so far hasn’t done anything for me to want to swap out RAR .450. mine has the 22 inch barrel.

what got me intrested was average guys at the range shooting dimes at 100 yards. Ya know typical michigan hunters dust the gun off November 1st for the opener on the 15th. put 3 rounds down range to check zero pack up and leave. use 1-2 more on a deer during the 2-3 week season depending on zone. rinse and repeat next november.

this is embarrassing. I about knocked my self out last year when i was working up hand loads. the scope eye relieve wasn’t set right from the gun shop. i knew but, was in a hurry to get the gun in 2019. it was fine shooting from the bench. i decided to go off hand and got to close to the scope. gun went off and i’ve never been hit so hard in my life in the head. i thought i destroyed the scope with my head. i was standing there dazed and than i felt the blood running down my nose. it left a good 1 inch scar above my eye brow. fixed the eye relief that night.


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[TD1886]

i will agree it’s a great deer round but, it’s not a gun you want to sit with at blast away with at the range. bought mine in 2019 and I believe the .350 either had just come out or was about to come out.

I use my .450 in the big woods in ogemaw county on state land and on the farm land around where i live in chesaning. I wouldn’t trade it though for anything still better than shooting a slug/sabot shot gun. the .350 so far hasn’t done anything for me to want to swap out RAR .450. mine has the 22 inch barrel.

what got me intrested was average guys at the range shooting dimes at 100 yards. Ya know typical michigan hunters dust the gun off November 1st for the opener on the 15th. put 3 rounds down range to check zero pack up and leave. use 1-2 more on a deer during the 2-3 week season depending on zone. rinse and repeat next november.

this is embarrassing. I about knocked my self out last year when i was working up hand loads. the scope eye relieve wasn’t set right from the gun shop. i knew but, was in a hurry to get the gun in 2019. it was fine shooting from the bench. i decided to go off hand and got to close to the scope. gun went off and i’ve never been hit so hard in my life in the head. i thought i destroyed the scope with my head. i was standing there dazed and than i felt the blood running down my nose. it left a good 1 inch scar above my eye brow. fixed the eye relief that night.


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The 450 BM is very accurate. I have Ruger bolt gun, but I sure would like to try the 450 BM in an AR. AR take some of the punch out of cartridges like that.

[Abert Rim]

The .450 was a pussycat in my AR -- and wonderfully accurate. Just traded it for a Husqvarna 146 in 9,3X57 -- much more versatile.