I have just got a T/C Contender in 357 Max. I was out trying it out today with some 180 gr Hornady SSSP's and H110. The groups were nothing to write home about. Now, I will admit it's been a while since I have shot handguns beyond 30 - 50yds. So, I just wrote it off to being out of practice. So I had some 200 gr Rem PSP Core lokts on hand for my 35 Whelen. I decided to give these a try. I worked up with H110 powder and got up to 1500 FPS. I gave this load a try at 100 yds and put 5 shots into a 1.159" group. So I guess my contender sorta likes this load. Now, my question is how will this load perform on whitetail and maybe a hog out to 100 yds? I just wonder will this bullet expand or should I give the 200 gr RNSP core lokt a try? I won't be using this for shots beyond 100 yds.

Maybe I'm comparing apples to qranges but what I have dose seem close.

I shoot a 200 gr. Hornady out of my .357 Herrett and it dose good enough as far as getting decent expantion, (that was a concern of mine before I ever shot anything with it)

The hornady seems to have the best B.C. in a bullet of that weight in a .35 cal. Tried 225gr and Balistic tips and found that the best "sweet spot" performance seems to be the with 200 gr. bullets.

I tried the hornady SSST 180 last fall on antelope, and got zero expansuon on a double lung shot at about 100 yards.
I have switched to Hornady 180 XTP but hasve not use on game yet.

The recurrent angst about expansion cracks me up. Hunters take animals with muzzleloader loaded with round lead balls and solids, even in the paltry .375 diameter, are used to take the most dangerous game and we worry about expansion of a .357 diameter bullet on a deer?

With that type of accuracy, that's the bullet I'd be using but, if lack of expansion really worries you, try Hornady 158 gr. XTP Mag HP bullets. I get 1 to 1.5 in. 3 shot 100 yard groups using them in a 357 Herrett and they expand very well. Meanwhile, I'll keep in mind the Remington bullets and probably try them next time I'm playing with the Herrett.

I like the Hornady 180 gr XTP bullet best in the 357 max.I have two boxes of 150 gr Rem Corelock PSP .358 that would probally work better in the 357 max.They were made for the 35 Rem .I use aa1680 in the 357 max.I usually just use 180 gr bullets but the 150 gr rifle bullets might be good too.They quit making these but you might find some around.

I tried the 150 gr Rem PSPCL in my .357 Max and it didn't shoot worth a hoot. I want to say the twist rate of the Herrett is slower - like 1:14". I'm thinking the Max is a bit faster - like 1:18". Don't have my old Speer manual with that info in front of me right now. I will give the 150 PSPCL a try in a new/used 35 Remmy I just received.

Speer says 1:16 for the Herrett and 1:14 for the T/C Maxi.

The 150 PSPCL bullets shoot very well in my 14" .35 Remington (1:16). Five-shot group average is 1.8 moa over AA-2015 for a chronoed 2339 fps - faster than the factory load in a rifle. Burns clean, expands well, kills deer very well, no frame stretch after nearly twenty years. Disrespected by the slick writers (who just re-write each other's stuff anyway) hunters know how well this bullet kills out of the .35 Remington rifles. It would not still be selling so well (for over 50 years) if it didn't work.


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The 150 Rem is no longer availiable as a reloading component but is still found in loaded ammo. Hard to find someplaces. Noone carries it around here in .35 Remington. To my knowledge it has never been loaded in the Max from the factory. If you find someone with a supply of 150 Rem bullets in .35 caliber I sugest you grab them.

quote:

Originally posted by dgr416:
I like the Hornady 180 gr XTP bullet best in the 357 max.

Me too. I've taken about five deer with this bullet out of my 10" Contender 357 Max. I use W296 powder. This combo works great at woods ranges.

BTW a 1-18 twist is not faster than a 1-14

As long as you hit the deer in the proper place it well kill any deer you shoot.

I load 158gr rem sp in my 357 max and it has kiled around 30 or so deer no trouble I don't think I would take hard angled shots with it.

I shot one Deer with them several years ago with an Encore pistol barrel (15 inch), it was a broadside shot through the rib cage at about 85 yds. The entry hole was about the size of my little finger and the exit wound was the same size. It looked like it just penciled through with no expansion.

Steve E.......