I bought a TC custom shop barrel and received it today. Its a 357 Mag new in box and box had sticker dated 8/25/88. 15 inch blue with sights. Price was very right. Now the problem. Do I put in on a frame and enjoy shooting as I do have dies, brass and bullets or do I have it rechambered to say 357 max. I can't take much recoil as I have wrist problems. I shoot a 12 inch 7TCU and thats as much as I want as far as recoil. Problems, problems.

tommyn
I'm just guessing but I would think that going to the 357 Max would increase the recoil beyond your comfort limit. It may be to your advantage to use it as is.
Rich Jake

Chambering depends on the planned uses, but ...
I say
Leave it as a Mag if it will shoot accurately.
The 158s will zing right along out of my 12" aMag barrel (1500+fps)
I am a proponet of the MAX, but it can develop some recoil with heavier loads. The max may be needed to clean up the chamber/throat though.
158s will approach 2000 easily in the 10" barrel with a reasonable amount of recoil and the 14" barrel will tame most or all of the "flip" the I think most associate the the Condenders recoil.

LouisB

I would vote to leave it as it is for now and if your wrist improves, then go up to the Max if you still desire to.

I am gonna vote to keep it as is. I do like the max A LOT but the additional recoil will create an issue with your wrist.....

Tommy-
I'd leave it as-is. With wrist problems, even the Mag version can hurt a bit with top-end loads. But that 15" barrel should absorb a good bit of the recoil, so I think you'll be just fine if you leave it as-is.

That being said, I do hope that is doesn't have the throat problems many of the standard TC factory .357 Mag barrels are afflicted with.

I'd shoot it for a while if you're gonna use it as a plinking or range gun only. Shoot lots of jacketed bullets to smooth up the throat and bore. If you later get more recoil tolerant, then you can rechamber and your barrel will be smoothed up and ready to become a killer cast bullet Max barrel. 180-200 grain cast bullets are great out of the max...you don't have to push them real hard (and thus create excess recoil) to make them good deer/pig killers.
Unfortunately, my 3 experiences with 357 mag T/C chamberings were not accurate enough to suit my needs. I love the mag and may some day get a custom barrel made for it, but it won't be a T/C barrel, the forcing cone chamber is not to my liking.

regards,
Graycg

If yours does as well as mine does, I think you'll be happy just the way it is. I've not seen a 357 Mag barrel as accurate as this one and that makes it a joy to shoot.

stay w/ the 357----it'll be fun!!!