Do you guys think a 10" 357 Remington Magnum shooting 180 JSPs will consistently knock over the Rams at 200 meters? Yes, I know that you have to hit them first....

Thanks in advance,

Bill

It should knock them over...depends how fast you're gonna start them out. One of the best shooters in the country uses a .357 mag for big bore.

I notice that you're from St. Louis...where do you shoot silhouettes? Or maybe I should ask where do you plan to shoot silhouettes? I regularly travel to Higginsville where we shoot on the 4th Saturday of each month and was wondering if I would see you there. Bret

Thanks B_Koes. If I got a "definite maybe" answer, I was thinking about chambering 357 Max. instead. Also will probably go with a 12" barrel, so should be able to squeeze enough speed out of it. Comforting to know that one of the top shooters is doing well with a 357 Mag.

Right now I have only been shooting some rifle Silhouette (both RF and HP) at St. Louis Benchrest Rifle Club (BRRC) about 1/2 hour west of St. Louis, but the Arnold Gun Club in south St. Louis county holds IHMSA matches monthly, so would like to check them out. There's also a range near Columbia, MO (Green something) that holds handgun Silhouette matches, but I don't anticipate traveling too far to shoot. I went to Columbia thinking it was High power rifle match, but it was High Power pistol. That was before BRRC started holding HP rifle Silhouette matches.

Higginsville looks like a pretty good drive for me, but you never know....

Best regards, Bill

Hmmm...better wait a minute before you run out and buy anything! If those shoots really are IHMSA shoots (and I wonder becuase I don't see anything in the monthly IHMSA newspaper about match results), then you need to stay with a 10" barrel that is manufactured by T/C or the Fox Ridge Shop to qualify as "production". Otherwise you will be competing in the "unlimited" category with custom bolt-guns. I suppose that your local shoots could be NRA competitions and I wouldn't have seen them listed.

I gave you a "definite maybe" because some people load the .357 mag down. Also, I don't know about your range and its targets. Some ranges can have a situation where the wind commonly blows from down range and can help to support the targets from falling over. This can be a big deal on the "marginal" cartridges. When I say marginal, I mean they have the necessary power but certainly not an abundance like a .44 or some bottlenecked round. If you stay with 180gr or 200gr bullets and keep the load near maximum, then I don't think you should have any problem with the .357 mag knocking them over. In my first year shooting silhouettes I used factory 158gr loads from my Contender for Big Bore and never rang a ram...of course I didn't hit too many then!

I think the generally accepted standard is that it takes about .77-.80 momentum factor to reliably take a ram (depending upon the range of course).

B_Koes,

Thanks for the additional info. I saw on the IHMSA site that 10" (or less) barrel, no "custom" barrelmakers, for Encore in "production" class, so already figured on "Unlimited" class if I shoot with the new barrel. Plus, I already installed a Bellm spring . I was thinking that the little 357 would be a fun gun to shoot and hunt with, and might also be suitable for Silhouette. 44 Mag is also an option, haven't made the final decision yet. Could also shoot the 44 mag Redhawk in Production class, but was looking for an excuse for another Encore barrel.

Now that you mention it, I think the club in Columbia may be shooting NRA handgun Silhouette (standing "offhand" only). I know the guy that used to shoot at Arnold used that lay-down, feet-first, gun-on-side-of-the-knee position. I just assumed Arnold was shooting IHMSA. They were using a position that I had never seen before in Columbia. They crossed their arms and rested the gun in the "crook" of the weak hand elbow, kind of "locked" the gun in position and provided a decent "rest". That put the scope about 3 inches from their forehead - I wouldn't want to try that with a heavy recoil handgun.

Still pondering, and I appreciate the comments, Bill

B_Koes,

I talked with the last IHMSA match director at Arnold gun club. They stopped having matches many years ago when the club balked at paying the target setters. Litchfield, IL also used to hold matches, but not anymore. I'm sure that they shoot NRA Silhouette in Columbia, I remembered that I found out about them in American Rifleman.

Looks like Higginsville IS the closest IHMSA match for me!

No need to worry about those 357s knocking down the Rams, I've decided to go with the 44 RM....

Liked your H4895/7TCU photos!,

Bill

If you find yourself in a position to make the drive, we'd love to have ya. Only one match left this year and unfortunately I will not be able to make it for that one. I got a little one on the way and cannot be that far from home!

It is quite unfortunate that many ranges have stopped holding matches. Often times it is about target setters and money. Also space becomes a more precious commoditiy and it is more difficult for ranges to accomodate longer range shooting.

I would like to find out more about the shoot in Columbia as I might be able to venture over that direction next year for a shoot. I always like to try new places and meet new people. Do you know of anybody to contact regarding this shoot?

I really sounds like you need a Contender and a couple of barrels for it. No need to put yourself into an unlimited category when all it takes is another gun to get you back in "production ready" status!

B_Koes,

I saw that the last match at Higginsville is Sept. 28th, but I will not make that one either. Our last BRRC Hunter Class Benchrest match (my "primary" competition) is on the 29th.

I have considered the Contender, and may own one someday. Right now, the Encore has been relieving me of my "disposable income"....

It doesn't really matter to me which class I shoot, as long as I "get to play". If this turns out to be something that I really want to get into, I can make the necessary equipment adjustments later.

Congratulations to you and your wife!,

Bill