Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Single Shots single shot .357

I'm thinking about getting a single shot .357 or .44 to use on deer and black bear. I know that nef, cva, and Thompson center make guns but I'm not sure what the the benefits and drawbacks are of the different models. It would be nice if the gun could be set up or used for people of varying sizes. I.e. my mom who is five foot could shoot it as well as myself and I am six four.

I'm a big fan of the Contender Carbines. They do feel a bit toy-like but I'm 6'4", 240 lbs and don't find the diminutive size to be a problem with the full length stock. A youth stock is easily installed in case you do need a shorter L.O.P. for smaller shooters.

I am a big Contender fan, but dang they have gotten pricey. I think a CVA or H&R in .357 would be a great shooter and come in at a much lower cost. Be advised that a .357 can easily be reamed to .357 maximum and it then becomes a whole 'nother animal.

Leon, can 357 MAG ammo be fired in a 357 MAX?

i saw a single shot pistol version of the Thompson center .44 magnum. Could a person put a rifle butt stock on it?

so long as it's 16 in or longer. Otherwise you won't be hunting where you'll be going.

so if i have it registered as a pistol i can't put a rifle stock on it?

Yes, and so can .38 Special.

You can convert a Contender pistol into a rifle, but you cannot go the other direction. If you buy a frame you can do whatever you want. I'm not sure how they are going to enforce such silliness, but that is my understanding of the affair.

.02 for what it may be worth, the Contender is light years beyond the NEF and other wannabe SS guns. One frame, many barrels, lots of options.

is there a safety on the encore or do you just cock the hammer?

did some plinking with my .357 Browning Low-wall yesterday. Will try me a deer with it this year.

I have a H&R in 44 that came with far more scope than it needs. I took it off and replaced a red dot. Nothing else carries so nice. It has more reach than I have need, generally. I constantly look for others like it, in 357, or 3030.

I had a Martini action mannlicher stocked single shot in .357. It was a light gun, around 5lbs and had open sights. It was so so accuracy wise and probably needed a new barrel. No safety so you carried it unloaded or loaded but with the action open. I sold it to get something else but often wish I had it back.

Don't think so, but I've not handled one. The Contender frame has no safety.

Browning sold a few Low Walls in the .357, as did Ruger in the #1, but they are really uncommon and sought by collectors; both would probably bring over a grand, unless you find one that's beat up.

I'd also vote Contender for a decent shooter at moderate cost, though I'd avoid used T/C barrels, unless you know for a fact it shoots well.

I have not handled an Encore, but my Contender has a safety of sorts on the hammer. Switch it and a little pin sticks out, that block the hammer from hitting the firing pin.

Jerico, if anyone answered your question, I missed it. You can shoot .357, 38 Special, .38 long and short Colt in the Maximum chamber. Accuracy may or may not suffer.

Jerico, if anyone answered your question, I missed it. You can shoot .357, 38 Special, .38 long and short Colt in the Maximum chamber. Accuracy may or may not suffer.
Contender all the way.

While I don't disagree with Digital Dan on the Contender being more than an H&R, I've been pleasantly surprised with the H&R I bought off a forum member here. It has a slightly heavier than sporter barrel and therefore the recoil is all but nil. My 7yo likes shooting it more than the 10/22! It has a red dot scope on it and I have no problem keeping 5 inside of 2" at 50yds. He can keep most of them on a 4" paper plate at that distance. So, while it won't set any records, for our use it's more than accurate enough.

I put a Choate varmint stock on it for him since I can change LOP easier. A 158gr XTP worked quite handily back in Sept for him and we're hoping for more of the same tomorrow!

Last year for $400 at a gunshow I got a No.5 1902 or 1910 Model Remington Rolling block that someone has converted to 38 Special with a quality barrel that was given a military step taper.

Pointer makes a valid point.

There is nothing inherently wrong with the H&R platform; my previous comment came from the fact that I've hauled both and find the Contender superior in all regards.

That said, I ponder a .357 option as I peck at the keyboard, one with a can on the front end. I can pick up a H&R platform cheaper than a new barrel for the Contender. My intended application does not require supreme long range accuracy, quite the contrary. Minute of brain bucket inside 50 yards will work dandy. 200 grains, 1,100 fps, spit/whop/flop, case closed.

I have been accused in the past of feeling strongly both ways.

Are you inside my head?? It is looking likely that Indiana will allow all rifles .243" and larger next year. So, my son will likely be using something different next year. That said, converting the current 357 to a suppressed model like you described would make for a super doe whacker as we have for ol' mossyhorns to stroll by. Something I'm seriously considering.

As I remarked on another thread, I recently handled a used H&R .243 at a LGS and was surprised at how nice it was, and only $250 with, I think, a Bushnell Banner on it. Very tempting, but for once I resisted the urge. At this point, I need another deer rifle like I need another dog.

I dunno, but don't be afraid of the voices in our heads.

I decided the best 35 for me in a T/C is the 35 Remington. I also find I rarely change barrels anymore, and I am slowly buying more frames.

Some of the newer contenders have a safe position on the hammer it also changes the pin from rf to cf.

Can am 357 be rechamber to a 35 rem

I was looking at gunbroker the other day and there was a NEF 357 mag on auction. I know they are no longer made, but IMHO it is nowhere near a $550 rifle, which is what it sold for. At that price, T/C all the way.

As far as a 357 being re-chambered to a 35 rem, the 357 is or should be 0.357" across the lands, the 35 rem should be 0.358" So while a 357 mag barrel could be re-chambered, you might run into some pressure issues pushing bullets that are 0.001" oversize down the barrel.

OK thank you so a no go on that , I have loaded some .357 bullets in a 35 rem before to see how they would work ,and just had that thought about re clambering my .357 H&R to 35 rem I think I will go with the 357 maximum

Nice thing about the .357 max is you can shoot .38 special ammo in it and shoot small game with the same rifle as big game. And the max is only a very little less powerful than a .35 Rem.

In a single shot, you can even load max loads in .357 mag cases, seating the bullet way out. Good to know when brass is scarce.

Or, as the case has been with the .35, non-existent.

It's probably possible to get enough .35 brass for hunting by buying some of the annual run of ammunition, but if you want to shoot just for fun, the Max is more practical.

The 180gr A-Frame ought to really mow 'em down.

I have been playing with the idea of reaming my rolling block 38sp out to 357 MAX.

There is little gained... but in a single shot I could throat it out for way longer OAL than SAAMI, and then I could make some real power.

The 357 mag in a revolver is only good to ~ 40kpsi before sticky cases. But with single shot with extractor with leverage, that increases to 75 kpsi.

Still the 75 kpsi super long OAL 357 max with high force extractor is no 35 Whelen, but it is closer to the 35 W in performance than a 357 mag with factory loading.