Deer season will be a little different this year.

[Mudcat]

Ok everything is coming together with this Handi and should be ready come deer season. I picked it up last year before deer season and killed a few with it in the .357mag configuration and was ok with it at shorter distances. I rented the Max reamer from here and traded for some brass on here. I picked up 3 boxes of the 185grn Hornady SSP bullets found at an out of the way gun shop. 1680 and dies I already had, I guess I will send my bullet seater in to have it modified for a pointed bullet. I got the barrel back from my wife's uncle yesterday where he cut it down to 16.2". So everything is coming together pretty nicely and should have no problem having a load worked up for deer season. I may change the scope on it and possibly go to a Vortex SPARC with a doubler on it or a 1-4 power. I don't like the 3x9 on it now and prefer lower power for just about everything I see my self doing with this rifle.

 

[Fishersjohn48]

So did you re-chamber it into a new caliber? If so what? I'm curious what advantage you feel the 16.2" barrel will give you.

 

[spaniel]

He extended the 357 Magnum chamber to 357 Maximum.

 

[Mudcat]

It is reamed to .357Max now. The advantage of the shorter barrel will be obviously less weight a a better balanced rifle. But also the interwebs say that the powder is burnt with in the first 12 inches of the barrel and any added lenght does nothing for accuracy or speed and some even claim that it slows the bullet down. I do not know if any of this is true YET but I have various loads that I shot across the chronograph before the barrel chop. I will try them again soon to see for myself. .357 Maximum is legal for deer in IN. that is the reason for the reaming. I have been impressed so far.

 

[N_K_1984]

I like it! Well done. I'd say the other advantage to a short barrel is maneuverability. If you've ever hiked through thick woods and brush, a shorter rifle is a huge advantage. Humping a 28" shotgun < Humping a 16" a Handi Rifle.

 

[Bravo-4-2]

.....the interwebs say that the powder is burnt with in the first 12 inches of the barrel and any added lenght does nothing for accuracy or speed and some even claim that it slows the bullet down......

Don't believe everything you read on the Net. The above is nonsense.

 

[snapping turtle]

That is going to be a sweet setup. I used 357 max in 14 inch contender barrel with SSP bullets and they were accurate. Do remember they are more for "silly wet" shooting and not truly big game bullets. Expansion is not going to be a big factor but they should and do punch right through a deer well.

You will have 35 rem ballistics in that package.

 

[Fishersjohn48]

Interesting. After doing a little digging I found this site. The Great .357 Remington Maximum Revival I suppose you have seen it but thought I would post just in case you hadn't.

 

[singlestacksig]

if you hand load you can use powders that make use of all the barrel.

 

[42769vette]

I would definitely go with a 1-4 over a Sparc with a doubler on it. The 2x magnifiers that came with the sparc were free so you mise well take them, but they were worth exactly what you paid for them. I don't know of anyone who liked running it with the screw in magnifier, but Im sure there was someone.

The new Sparcs and Strikefires don't even come with them anymore.

 

[Mudcat]

Don't believe everything you read on the Net. The above is nonsense.

This us why I want to check it for myself so I will know for sure. I don't believe the ones who say it does make a difference as well as the ones who say it is nonsense.

Interesting. After doing a little digging I found this site. The Great .357 Remington Maximum Revival I suppose you have seen it but thought I would post just in case you hadn't.

I have seen this lots of good info.

if you hand load you can use powders that make use of all the barrel.

I do handload so if nothing else it will be a time waster.

I would definitely go with a 1-4 over a Sparc with a doubler on it. The 2x magnifiers that came with the sparc were free so you mise well take them, but they were worth exactly what you paid for them. I don't know of anyone who liked running it with the screw in magnifier, but Im sure there was someone.

The new Sparcs and Strikefires don't even come with them anymore.

I like shooting with my doubled at least shooting paper. Works great for shooting AQTs too. Probably won't be great for hunting though but I may give it a try who knows.

 

[Hookeye]

On short bbls.....

I have a 16.25" bbl on my .35 Rem and wish it was a 20".
It was nice n light, and balance sucked. I had to add about 8 oz of weight inside the fore end to make it easier to shoot offhand (it helped).

Have no intentions of putting a can on my deer rig, so for me longer would be better.

 

[Leadeye]

Sounds like an interesting rig, shorter equipment is always useful in a tree. I'll be interested in how it works out for you.

 

[42769vette]

I like shooting with my doubled at least shooting paper. Works great for shooting AQTs too. Probably won't be great for hunting though but I may give it a try who knows.

I think you will like a scope on 2x much more than a Sparc on 2x. To me if you to run a red dot, use a red dot, if you want to use a magnified optic, use a magnified optic. Ive never had success running a magnified red dot, but if everyone was the same then we would only have 1 option on the market.

 

[hammer24]

Cool rig! I'd definitely put some magnification on it, a 1-4X or 2-7X would fit the bill nicely. A red dot would be handicapping yourself and the rifle.

 

[Fordtough25]

I've got the 357 Mag handi rifle, took a nice doe with it last season. I have a 3x9 scope on mine and it works nicely for my area, it's a Handi rifle for sure. Lol

 

[sonofagun]

It is reamed to .357Max now. The advantage of the shorter barrel will be obviously less weight a a better balanced rifle. But also the interwebs say that the powder is burnt with in the first 12 inches of the barrel and any added lenght does nothing for accuracy or speed and some even claim that it slows the bullet down. I do not know if any of this is true YET but I have various loads that I shot across the chronograph before the barrel chop. I will try them again soon to see for myself. .357 Maximum is legal for deer in IN. that is the reason for the reaming. I have been impressed so far.

Hmm...and I always thought that flash that comes out the end of the barrel was high pressure gas still accelerating the bullet through the barrell!! Who'd have ever thought the bullet starts slowing down in the middle of the barrel. It's amazing the things I learn on the internet!

 

[BoilerWes]

I have been running a 357 max setup for about 3-4 years now. I have a TC Pro Hunter with TC Custom Shop barrel. It's an awesome set up. Highly recommend!

 

[spaniel]

Hmm...and I always thought that flash that comes out the end of the barrel was high pressure gas still accelerating the bullet through the barrell!! Who'd have ever thought the bullet starts slowing down in the middle of the barrel. It's amazing the things I learn on the internet!

The bullet is under resistance from the barrel; there is a pressure level at which the net effect would be a bullet slowing down before exit. This is a proven fact with extra long .22LR barrels. I doubt there is any significant slowdown with any .357 Maximum load, especially in reasonably short barrels. But with handloading you can easily make use of longer barrels using slower-burning powders.

 

[snapping turtle]

I like short barreled rifles for what we can use here in Indiana. Stiffer and better harmonics easier to carry and easier for me to get on target quick. Plus those Handi rifles are not what I would call light weight. That rifle looks like Tom Thumb and most
likely kills like a hammer of Thor.