Who makes the HOTTEST 357 magnum rounds>

As I understand all main stream ammunition manufacturers load their 357 Magnum to lower power levels than the original load of a 158 grain LSWC @ 1525 fps. The boutique loaders like Buffalo Bore, and Underwood probably have a load close to that range.
I've always thought of getting a box of it just to see what the "old" load was like. For any practical purpose needing more power than what I can commonly get in 357 Magnum, I'll just use my 44 Magnum!
 
Either handload it yourself or contact any one of several custom ammunition makers.
The custom stuff won't come cheap, they'll probably tell you you don't have enough gun and they may simply refuse to sell it to you.
 
Most 357s have plenty of cylinder steel to handle the hot loads.

A Colt SAA 357 is the same cylinder diameter as a 45 Colt for example.
 
The issue here is not that these loads will blow up a gun. The issue is severe gas cutting of the forcing cone. Ever watch someone use a gas cutting torch? Steel will stand up to it for a little while. The torch always wins. Read Kuhnhausen's Ruger DA revolver shop manual. He has many photographs of barrels ruined by staedy diets of 110-125 gr. "hot" loads. Unfortunately I didn't read his book until after I ruined a barrel on a Ruger GP 100. Stick with heavier slower loads unless you don't mind paying the cost of replacing your gun or its barrel.
 
Thanks for the responses

Lol guys I simply want to shoot the most powerful load I can with the gun I have. I am also thinking about getting a Ruger for this reason but if I do that then Yes I would just spend the extra cash and get a 44 mag :D
 
Drail

Thank you very much for your reponse, very educational. Flame cutting is the reason why I didnt buy a polymer revolver like an LCR. :eek:
 
Who makes the HOTTEST 357 magnum rounds
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I do!:D Seriously though, just getting the hottest load may not be the best route, accuracy is just as important IMO. But I do have some hand loads that are more powerful than some commercial SD loads, at least with a chrony and identical bullet weight.

If you want a recommendation I would say the Buffalo Bore is about the stiffest load I ever bought commercially.

I have a Ruger GP-100 with a 6" heavy under barrel that I absolutely love to shoot MAX 158 grain loads out of.
 
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Try some Federal American Eagle 158gr .357mag. Gets 1500fps with my Ruger Blackhawk 6 1/2" barrel. Fed Fusion same thing with a little hollow point.
That's as hot as I want to go.
og
 
Thank you guys for all this information. I have done some more research on this and have found that flame cutting appears with just about any magnum load. So now that I am aware of this and aware that my own gun has some flaame cutting already (being used for 10 years) that I will shoot only a few rounds. My .357 in 6 inch will never see any carry duty I just wanted to " shoot the fire out of it" :) Thank you guys I have researched much more on the flame cutting issue than before.

Although I still find it curious as to why a heavier bullet is a better combatant against this than a lighter bullet

Maybe because of the bullet itself isn't as long (flame cutting due to the forcing cone issue) as a 158 grain bullet thus [roducing more muzzle flash, sound and recoil (from what i've read)

Which is why im curoious, but at the same time makes sense.

Overthinking.. Go figure:D Hah!
 
I think i'm going to go to a .44 mag ammo question thread and say how foolish it is to use a .44 mag for protection when the .500 S&W exists! A .357 with 180 gr buffalo bore ammo has A LOT of power. Enough for black bear and anything smaller. I was once charged by a bear in my back yard and all I had was my .357 with 180 gr BB and I fired off a shot at his feet. The flame it threw and the sound alone turned him tail and he ran off. Animals aren't invincible. I wouldn't take a .357 to Africa or Alaska but a guy that can get off 3 or 4 solid shots with a .357 is a lot more effective than a guy who can only place one .44 round because of muzzle rise.
 
Although I still find it curious as to why a heavier bullet is a better combatant against this than a lighter bullet
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heavier bullets give more resistance to pressure so less powder is required to build pressure behind a heavier bullet. less powder = less cutting.
 
Try some Federal American Eagle 158gr .357mag. Gets 1500fps with my Ruger Blackhawk 6 1/2" barrel. Fed Fusion same thing with a little hollow point.
That's as hot as I want to go.
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I think you need to check the accuracy of your chrony. Factory spacs for the American Eagle 158 gr 357 Magnum is 1240 fps. Some manufacturers are pretty close to their specs, many are actually lower, and some of the hot loads from the boutique ammo loaders actually read a bit higher. That's a bit higher. I doubt that any common brand will produce velocity of 260 fps over their claimed numbers!
 
Hot 357

Buffalo Bore lists their 180gr hard cast at 1400 fps and their 158gr at 1475 fps.Fiocchi at one time offered a 158 at something like 1400 or 1450 fps but I don't see it listed anymore.I know it has been awhile since I have seen it,because everyone else loads their 158gr to 1235 to 1250 fps and this was quite a bit hotter.Lawyers I guess.....
 
hey cheapshooter, try some Fed AE with your chrony and see what you get. barrel length makes a difference. others I've read get close to 1500fps also in longer barrels. shoot some with your chrony before judging me.
og
 
Not judging you at all. Just not used to factory velocity being exceeded in real life. Most often they use a fixed chamber test barrel of a length longer, or at least the longest commonly seen. Their specs are usually over what is commonly found in actual use. sorta like the +P advertising hype used for rounds that have no +P SAAMI ratings.
 
Shotgun 693 says, and others agree:

Why do you want the very hottest .357?



Well maybe it's just for fun. maybe there is a real need. Who cares?
If someone wants to load the hottest round possible in his .357 or 45-70 or old 30-06, that's what he wants to do. He probably understands that there are 44 mag and 500 mag hand helds out there. The 45-70 shooter probably understands that he can buy a big bore Lott and there are a multitude of .30 cal. super lazer ultramags.
But entertainment, and need, exist where they exist so I feel for the guy wanting to do the most with what he's got even if it's just for a good time.
People put heads and a cam and a lot of other things in their small block Chevy while knowing that there are 600" big blocks to be had. There are still old hard heads hot rodding flathead 1936 Ford motors. Just a matter of taste.

I'm just glad he's shooting, I won't personally get hung up on his load. We, as shooters have much larger and more dangerous enemies than some cat wanting to hotrod the caliber he owns, regardless if it's a .17 or a .357 0r a .577 nitro express.

Don't trample on other peoples fun. Run what ya got and enjoy it, at whatever level of energy makes you happy, that's my take.

JT
 
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