David Bradshaw Photos - Vol. LXV, .357 Maximum Shooting

[Lee Martin]

A snowshoe walk of about 1800 yards as warmup for shooting. The Ruger .357 Maximum was developed without thought given to accuracy from its parent .357 Magnum. As lark and to satisfy curiosity, we shot prototype Maximums loaded with .38 Special and .357 Mag at 100 yards. Bill Ruger, Jr., retrofit a Hawkeye single shot with specially made transfer bar and rebarreled same to .357 Maximum. Which showed somewhat better accuracy. Shooting the shorter rounds brought no surprises. Bullets obliged to jump unsupported case to throat in Maximum chambers shot well enough for practice, especially the .357 Mag.

Ruger Maximum about try Winchester Silvertip .357 Mag 147 JHP, and .357 Remington Maximum 180 Semi-Jacket HP



Snowshoed 106 paces to set first target. Winter-packed snow. Easily 100 yards, as snowshoes glide atop winter-packed snow. (Snow much softer in the woods. Cardboard target set against puckerbrush at woodline. Photo: lens on zoom.



Closer to what it looks like from the gun.



.357 Maximum posed on limb. To shoot a Maximum with glove projecting past cylinder would quickly ruin the leather. In practice, two hands hold revolver, with a touch of leather between trigger guard and limb.



357 Mag: Winchester Silvertip 147 JHP. First three shots a at upper left: 3x3=2.8" @ 106 paces. Followed by sight adjustment and six shots: 6x6=6.3"; with 5x6=4.4". Thjesewere the first Winchester Silvertip .357's put through the Ruger maximum.



Graphic look at .357 Mag Winchester Silvertip 147 JHP from .357 Maximum at 106 paces. Excellent accuracy from the longer chamber.



Blackhawk Maximum with first-run Remington .357 Maximum 180 Semi-Jacket HP. Revolver rested on tree limb from 109 paces: 5x5 shots=5.0", with 4x5=4.2".



.357 Remington Maximum 180 Semi-Jacketed Hollow Point with target from 109 paces.



Maximum ejector always welcome for complete extraction without having to pluck shells.



Cylinder gap, revolver just fired. A .001-inch barrel/cylinder gap without drag. Good for velocity. Nevertheless, tight gap contributes nothing to accuracy. Bill Ruger, Jr., developed the means to hold to .003" gap in production, although some are looser.

 

[Joe S.]

I love Maximum posts.

 

[dmel75]

^second that^

 

[contender]

Nothing like first hand experience! Excellent!

 

[David Bradshaw]

Joe S., dmel75, contender.... since question whether to shoot .357 Mag (or .38 Spl) in .357 Maximum comes up now and then, though it would be good to show what it is like. As a gamble, thought I'd try the Winchester Silvertip 147 JHP, since I'd never before fired this particular .357 Mag in the Maximum.

I was cold, shooting the Ruger last week. Spring now springs, which should kill any alibis from the indoor types.
Burn powder,
David Bradshaw

 

[Joe S.]

I've fired some cast 38 in mine. Leads terribly from all the blow by i guess. But its so fun i dont really mind. Just clean good after.

357 mag JHP does ok!

 

[David Bradshaw]

Joe S.... you might try deep seating cast in the .357 Mag case----for instance, 158 SWC seated so meplat is level with case mouth over a .38 Special charge. Minimum crimp, just enough to remove seating flare and prevent brass from easy chambering. That might reduce leading.

Extra-deep seating in .357 Maximum brass probably would require a special seating plug, or a narrowed bullet, say a .32 SWC, as a "floating seating plug."

At all hazards, take every precaution to insure against double charges of fast or medium powders. Of course, the rule applies to all handloading. That is why the ability to visually inspect each charged case before setting the bullet is so important. I doubt it would be easy to spot a double charge of fast powder in the Maximum case.
David Bradshaw

 

[David Bradshaw]

.

 

[Joe S.]

Thanks!
I might would try it in a mag case. Wint do it in a max case. I have used a case full of trail boss behind a 158 cast in max case and it did ok. Still mild and good for plinking.

 

[David Bradshaw]

Joe S.... a look at the Hodgdon Powder Burn Rate chart shows Trail Boss slower than Bullseye and faster than Win 231/HP-28 (HP-38 is 231). Not sure I understand a case full of Trail Boss under a 158 SWC in a .357 Mag case----without pressure signs, no less. Sounds like dynamite.

I only use fast powder in small amounts at low pressure. I do not play footsie with the red zone. Fast----and medium----powder offer no cushion at the upper end, they just want to spike.

Example of a mild, .38 Special-class, load in .357 Mag case: cast 158 SWC; 3.5-3.8 grains 231 (HP-38); deep seat to crimp .030-.060" above front band. Approximates COL for .38 Special. Same thing should work in .357 Maximum case----providing you can varify no double charge, and seat to approximate .38 Spl seating depth.

In the event you really are driving high pressure with your lead bullet loads and signs appear mild, heat may generate a soldering effect.
David Bradshaw

 

[Joe S.]

David
Trail Boss is a very bulky powder. Donut shaped grains. A case full is only about 5.5 grains.