.357 Max Question

[bbarker]

Stupid Question......do anyone out there still make .357 Max ammo or will handloading be my only option. I do not have any equipment to handload nor had I done it before.

Has anyone out there taken a Handi rifle and reamed it out with much success? Are you still able to shoot your 38s and 357mags without any issues?

Thanks in advance!

 

[fasteddie48]

i have a guy that builds them close to me he reloads too

 

[dbd870]

Reeds Ammunition sells loaded rounds; I'm unaware of any major company that loads for it. Not a Handi rifle but I had a 20" Encore barrel rechambered for it; it worked just fine. I use nothing but my own reloads so can't help you with how well the Reed's shoot. I've never tried a 357Mag in it either, I shoot nothing but my full power hunting loads in it, never taken one with it in Max form, but I don't take it out hunting very often. I'm taking a young man out for his first deer hunting season this fall and he will be using it exclusively so hopefully it will get blooded this fall.

 

[parson]

I reamed a Handi some time back. I took a pretty nice buck with it last year on opening day.

I've hand loaded for a lot of years, so I don't know if ammo is commercially available.

And, yes, you can still shoot .357 and .38 spcl. after it's reamed.

You can find a lot of info here
.357 Maximum

 

[Bucky623]

Here are a couple of previous discussions about the Max.

https://www.indianagunowners.com/forums/long_guns/88270-deer_legal_guns.html

https://www.indianagunowners.com/forums/long_guns/131354-357_magnum_handi_rifle.html

 

[walker]

www.midwayusa.com Grizzly ammunition .357maximum 200gr lead wide nose gas check. Box of 20 $29.99 product#:818300 www.grizzlycartridge.com From what I've seen you will be looking around $1.50 a round, it would be cheaper to reload in the long run. Yes you will be able to shoot .38 .357mag out of .357max

 

[bbarker]

Thanks for the responses guys. One other question...how would the ballistics compare to the 44 mag in a comparable rifle?

 

[dbd870]

Running my little ballistics program (w/ 100yd zero) at 200yds:

44Mag 240gr JSP: has a 16" drop and 705 left in energy
357Max 180gr SSP: 9" and 1278 respectively

I'm not a big energy numbers guy but no matter how you cut it if you are going to be shooting longer ranges I'd much rather have the Max. At 100yds. - doesn't really matter to me.

 

[cfgunworks]

I Just re-chambered a Handi Rifle to .357 Max Monday. I know that there are several of the custom loaders that offer ammo. I've seen it at the Indy 1500 also. For it's power range it is a flat shooting little number out of a rifle and certainly extends your effective range over the .357, .41, and .44 magnums. I also find the Max more comfortable to shoot in a single shot than the .454 or .500 magnums.