Just recieved my new .357 max SS carbine barrel from VVCG. It is beautiful......excellent piece of work. Job well done to Steve and the rest. Can't wait til I can go bust a few.

If you ever get bored with it, let me know. I've been playing with a SS factory carbine barrel and really like it, but have been considering a bull barrel with custom throat for my 180 lBTs...

regards,
Graycg

I can't get bored too quick ......that would make me real unpopular around my house. Was hoping to get out and bust a few off this weekend but the snow has to melt first.

This cartridge has got to be one of my favorites. My experiments with Lil'Gun indicate that you should be able to exceed FACTORY .35 REM loads which push the 200 gr. jacketed at 1836 fps (from both of my .35 Rems) with the same 200 gr. bullet at 2000 fps! I can push either the 180 gr. SSP or Speer 180 gr. FP at 2100 fps! Amazing. Wish that I'd tried Lil'Gun earlier (before I loaded over 600 rounds! )

I didn't lose too much though since most are loaded with a 205 gr. LBT design which goes about 1600 fps with my load of 17.5 gr. H4227. I tried 18 gr. but cases stick when it gets warm out (over 70 degrees). However, max loads of H110/W296 with the 180 gr. bullets are a full 100-150 fps slower than max charges of Lil'Gun and 200 gr. bullets will be about 200-300 fps slower (depending on the bullet).

I really like the Hornady 200 gr. .358 RN and now I'll be able to quite buying the hard to get 180 gr. SSP and move to the 200 gr. bullet.

BTW, 2.5 gr. of Unique in the .38 Spec case with the 205 gr. cast bullet makes a quiet (not silent) small game load that shoots point of aim at 50 yards when the gun is sighted for 100 yards using the full-power loads. Very handy and you can easily tell them apart. Oh, and the Rem factory 158 gr. loads only get 2100 fps in my gun. These loads are a step up for this cartridge, without pushing pressures.