I seen a 357 Maximum a few years back (not sure who made it?) and was quite interested in the cartridge, I have been told they quit making it? is this true? if so what was the reason? Seems like I remember a guy telling me it got the name as being a "strap cutter" any info on this round out there? How did it compare to the standard 357 Mag? It looked to me like a powerhouse!!
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357 Maximum
- Thread starter solocam
- Start date
shootinstudent
New member
solocam,
I reload for a dan wesson .357 maximum. As far as I know, there's no readily available factory ammo, but brass you can get from midway, and bullets...well, it's a .357. It's my understanding that it was a strap cutter mainly when people tried to get rifle velocities out of 125 grain bullets. The pistol is a dragon with those loads. It seems like the revolver shoots as flat as a rifle, and it's a great gun...DW with the interchangeable barrels.
Please for your own sake don't take this thing hunting unless you want to wear ear plugs the whole time. It is LOUD, and it spits so much fire that you can see a flame out of the end of the barrel in broad daylight.
I reload for a dan wesson .357 maximum. As far as I know, there's no readily available factory ammo, but brass you can get from midway, and bullets...well, it's a .357. It's my understanding that it was a strap cutter mainly when people tried to get rifle velocities out of 125 grain bullets. The pistol is a dragon with those loads. It seems like the revolver shoots as flat as a rifle, and it's a great gun...DW with the interchangeable barrels.
Please for your own sake don't take this thing hunting unless you want to wear ear plugs the whole time. It is LOUD, and it spits so much fire that you can see a flame out of the end of the barrel in broad daylight.
I've been intrigued by the 357 Maximum but my thought has been to re-chanber my Rossi single shot rifle to the Maximum load. The only reason I don't is not knowing if the break open action is up to the pressures. It looks like a good way to move up to the 180 grain vicinity loads and still retain enough velocity for surer deer shots.
Ben Shepherd
New member
The 357 max was designed to get high velocity out of 180 and 200 grain slugs. It was used for sillouette shooting. The cutting is when people got the idea to launch 110 and 125 grain slugs at rifle velocities. When you burn that much slow powder over a cylinder gap, you get flame cutting. It would only progress to a certain point, then stop. But the damage was done, and production on guns chambered for it stopped.
shootinstudent
New member
steveno,
How do you like that TC in .357, and do you use it for hunting? I've never tried the DW pistol on game. It's sure a great looking beast of a revolver, though.
How do you like that TC in .357, and do you use it for hunting? I've never tried the DW pistol on game. It's sure a great looking beast of a revolver, though.
100W_Warlock
New member
ruger Blackhawk .357 max
My dad has one and he has a scope on it as well.
Its a FUN gun and easy enough to reload. (I just use my .357mag dies)
20gr of H110 and 180gr SJHP really move. we were plinking at some cans on the ground and he launched a worm burner through the grass 10ft in front of the target stand.
Thing looked like a gopher on steroids as it split the grass and launched dirt up in the air.
the .357 mag is like a nasty 44mag with really light 180gr loads.
Definately a talking piece, but, not as practical as a .357magnum or .44magnum
My dad has one and he has a scope on it as well.
Its a FUN gun and easy enough to reload. (I just use my .357mag dies)
20gr of H110 and 180gr SJHP really move. we were plinking at some cans on the ground and he launched a worm burner through the grass 10ft in front of the target stand.
Thing looked like a gopher on steroids as it split the grass and launched dirt up in the air.
the .357 mag is like a nasty 44mag with really light 180gr loads.
Definately a talking piece, but, not as practical as a .357magnum or .44magnum
I still have some handloads for the 357Max from my IHMSA days. Did have a ruger wheel gun and a TC single shot for that caliber. The TC allowed the use of a longer bullet because the Ruger made their cylinder a little short. Still both were really fine on the silhouettes out to 200 yards.
Strap cutting with the revolver was an issue, but it would burn in a little and stop long before it actually affected the safety of the gun. Still they pulled the gun from the market. I figure it was just bad press... but as far as I know no one is talking that actually knows the whole truth.
We shot 180 and 200 gr 35 cal round nose rifle bullets. (now they have heavy .357 bullets just for hunting, etc.) The caliber had a really strong recoil in a hand gun, but it also hit really hard, which is what you need in IHMSA shooting. I damaged my elbow at work in '86 and had to switch to rifles, so I have not kept up with the handgun sport since the late 80's.
I sure wish I have kept one of my 357Max guns, they were really special. But since I sold them, I only have my left over hand loads to remember our handgun silhouete days in Texas. Oh well, hind sight......
Strap cutting with the revolver was an issue, but it would burn in a little and stop long before it actually affected the safety of the gun. Still they pulled the gun from the market. I figure it was just bad press... but as far as I know no one is talking that actually knows the whole truth.
We shot 180 and 200 gr 35 cal round nose rifle bullets. (now they have heavy .357 bullets just for hunting, etc.) The caliber had a really strong recoil in a hand gun, but it also hit really hard, which is what you need in IHMSA shooting. I damaged my elbow at work in '86 and had to switch to rifles, so I have not kept up with the handgun sport since the late 80's.
I sure wish I have kept one of my 357Max guns, they were really special. But since I sold them, I only have my left over hand loads to remember our handgun silhouete days in Texas. Oh well, hind sight......
Lee Martin
New member
The flame cutting was a non-issue......the real problem with driving light bullets fast in the Max was that it accelerated forcing cone and throat erosion. The stainless Sevilles and El Dorados held-up a little better because they used 17-PH series instead of 4140.
Lee Martin
www.singleactions.com
Lee Martin
www.singleactions.com