Hello all,
I'm just getting started with my T/C Contender 14" in 35 Rem and plan on using it for deer in Indiana this year. I'm a long time reloader but I haven't messed with this one yet and I'm getting mixed answers on the best way to go. I have a friend who's been using this combination for years with great success using a Speer 158gr soft point .357 over a charge of IMR 3031. He's got five one-shot kills with this including two at nearly 200yds (I saw him do it!) He initially tried Hornady's 180gr single shot pistol bullet and claims to have shot clean through a large doe at about 120yds with very little expansion and has not used them since.
I question the use of a .357" bullet through a .358" bore and would appreciate any input or past experiences from you good folks...
Thanks in advance,
KC

kc,

Most 35 cal Contender barrels actually slug at under .357" so you will be fine with the pistol bullets.

I could believe expansion problems with the 358 SSSP bullet especially when its launched near 2000 FPS or under and a hit over 100 yds on game.

If you are feeling your way you could try the 158 Soft points like the Hornady XTP FP not HP and possibly the Hornady 180 gr. XTP HP. For a short range basher say up to 50 yds. you could also try the Rem factory 200 gr RN in component form in handloads.

The Rem is loaded quite anemic from the factories in deference to the old semi-autos it was originally chambered in. The loading manual loads tend to be on the lighter side too except the Hodgdon #25. Just take it easy as the cases are not overly heavy drawn and the Contender is no bolt action XP 100.

Pay attention to the shoulder position and headspacing on new or factory cases using the secondary shoulder technique if needed. Your buddy can assist you with the idiosyncracies of this round in the TC too, fortunately.

Have Fun and welcome to the board!

Regards

[ 10-15-2002, 06:25: Message edited by: Headstamp ]

Thanks for the input, I'll give it a try & hopefully give you some good results...
Thanks too for the welcome...I'm into some oddball chamberings so maybe I can be of assistance to some of you in the future.
KC

First, I don't understand how the orginal post says the 180 SSP shoots clear through a deer and then the second poster is not surprised due to high velocity. Too high a velocity for the bullet design should have caused the bullet to "blow up" not penetrate. This particular bullet is pretty "soft" and expands well at lower velocities, even from the .357 Max.

I have 2 .35 Rems and a .357 Max. I find this bullet good when starting from 1500 to 2000 fps. If it doesn't suit you switch to the 180 grain Speer FP or Hornady 200 grain RN. A high tech bullet is not needed at these velocities. I've found H322 to be the best powder with the Speer FP for this cartridge (.35 Rem) giving 2300 fps from my 21" barrel (I didn't chronograph it from the 14" after seeing this).

That said, I may be switching back to the 200 grain RN just to simplify logistics. I also have a .35 Rem Remington Model 8 rifle and it won't feed without a RN bullet in the case.

[ 10-15-2002, 16:38: Message edited by: Hobie ]

I filled a 200 gr Hornady RN in half and the jacket closed up the front to a tiny opening. I did this test after I shot a small, unaware buck in the ribs with my .358 Win at short range and this was the only deer that ever ran from a hit with that caliber in dozens of instances.

Now we use the Speer 180 gr flat nose with outstanding results out to 240 yards. Of course this is out of a rifle at 2700 fps MV.

I don''t think imr 3031 is the right powder for a .35 Rem and 158 or 180 gr bullets. I would try imr 4198.

Hobie,

If you read my reply, I inferred that by the time the bullet reached 100 yds the velocity could have possibly dropped off enough to cause expansion problems. If it was launched at under 2000 at the muzzle it's possible there wasn't enough velocity, which is about 1700, at 100 yds for reliable expansion in some instances.

I agree, one circumstance of this happening is not enough to condemn a bullet or it's performance but evidently it concerned the above poster so I made other bullet suggestions that he might try to boost his confidence in his newly aquired barrel.

Regards

I like to use the 150gr. Rem. core lokt soft point (spire)in the 35 Rem. pistol. They are out of production, but you may still find some somewhere if you look. When I heard they were going to stop making them I bought 2,000 of them so I wouldn't run out. Accurate and really deadly on deer from the 14" Contender.
TDLefty

I have used the Hornady 180 gr.ssp in the 35 Rem and was not impressed with the expantion either. I have also heard other hunters say they work great. I wounder if they had some quility control problems? Some hard , some soft? Lone Hunter

TDLefty

Plan on hunting with my 357 Max carbine this fall using the Rem 150 PSP. Located a 1000 over the summer. I will report the results.

Maybe we should take this discussion to another topic.

The 150 PSP gets raves by some, raspberries from others. I know several who've loaded this in the .357 Max including yours truly. I do NOT like it.

[ 10-16-2002, 00:03: Message edited by: Hobie ]

OK Hobie,

Like I said, it's probably best to not condemn a particular bullet with one or two field experiences because anything can happen.

I too have heard the 150 can be problematic depending upon the velocity.

A whitetail doesn't really offer a heck of a lot of resistance to penetration depending upon the range hence it can be a factor in helping bullet upset along.

This is one of those deals where all you can do is recommend what has worked for yourself.

I would tend to like the 158 XTP FP and 180 XTP in the Max. So far I can chuck the 180 XTP at 1850 or so out of the 10" Bellm rechamber bbl. with a case full of Surplus WC680. The 158 at over 1900+ with WW296.

Anybody want the Handloader article on the Max?

Regards

[ 10-16-2002, 02:14: Message edited by: Headstamp ]

Paul,

It would be in an attached file form so I'm not sure it would go through the inter-mail.

As a matter of fact, I sent the load data page to you about a week or so ago and never heard anything.

Thought you were mad I sent it or something.

Regards

KC, It's been a long time since I shot my 35 Rem, but it was the first Contender barrel I hunted w/. Killed 6 whitetail deer w/ it; as I recall, 1 w/ 200 gr (?) X-Bullet (WAAAAYY to hard a bullet), 1 w/ Hornady 200 gr RN, and 4 w/ Hornady 180 gr SSP. Don't recall any particular problems w/ the latter bullet. It would be my first choice were I to go deer hunting w/ the 35. Never tried any of the 158 gr pistol bullets. True, a whitetail deer is not a big animal so that a 35 cal bullet w/ muzzle vel approx 2100 fps may not always expand well, but even if it doesn't, you've still got a BIG 35 cal hole in the animal. A hole that big usually does not bode well for an animal's short term existence.

For those using the Remington 150 grain bullet . . . .
You shooting those out of a 35 Remington how about out of a 357 Max? What kind of velocity are you geting? I have a couple of hundred so maybe I should see what they will do!
I'll be using a Max or 357 Herrett, most likely the Max at about 2150-2200 fps and a bit more out of the Herrett, but not much more. The Max is a SUPER performer that died way before its time thanx to the sixgun crowd!

LouisB

Have used the 150's out of the Herrett and the Rem,don't have a cony so don't know the fps,for deer here in southern VA and hogs I have stayed with the 200 grain round nose,works great in my bbl out to about 150 yards or so,The best I have used is the Cor-bon 180 pistol stuff.

I think that the 150s did 2100 fps out of my 21" .357 Max barrel. Not accurate though. Don't like them in the .35 Rem either. An side note is that they won't feed in my M8 Remington in .35 Rem although I've been told that they feed fine in at least 2 of these rifles. Only the 200 grain RN profile will feed through mine. Of course any bullet of the correct diameter will go in a Contender.