357 max

[rickyp]

Does anyone deer hunt with the 357 max? I just ordered a custom contender barrel and 250 rounds of brass. Now I need bullets and powder.

what are you useint?

i do have a 158 gr lee bullet mold for my 357 mag contender barrel.

 

[ohen cepel]

21gr of W296 under a 200gr JSP worked well for me.

Not sure I would do much lead in a MAX, might be pushing it too fast/hard.

 

[toppkatt]

.357 Max is similar (almost a clone) of the Ballard extra long. A load of 25 to 30 Gr of black powder under a cast bullet of proper size should work. Also I think you could use this during black powder season.

 

[E.Shell]

I took a bunch of deer with the Remington factory 158s and with handloaded 180 XTPs in mine.

I had a 10" .357 Herrett in the 70s, then a 14" .35 Remington in the '80s, but the Max is so close to their ballistic performance in handgun-length barrels, easier to load for and so much more efficient, I went with the 10" .357 Max for deer hunting and the other barrels just gathered dust.