Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Single Shots 357 maximum contender

General consensus on 357 maximum for deer hunting whitetails, Looking to pick up a contender pistol in super 14. Any favorite pet loads/bullets out there for deer thumpers. Maximum effective range ect TIA
Ron

It's a fantastic caliber, easy to load for, easy on the shoulder, low report, hits like a bolt of lightning with 180 grain Fury bullets. We use them here in Michigan for deer hunting and it's very effective.

I have one in a contender and 1 in an Encore

Lil Gun powder and Hornady 180s are superb in my two barrels.

I really like H4227 for the .357 Max with 180gr Hornady XTP's. It's been my go-to powder in my Ruger .357 Maximum.

What is the effective range of the max ?

Rifle 357max with right bullet/optics/stock 250-300yards.
Pistol 357 max depending on optics & stock configuration 150 yards or so

There fun little guns and i like the cartridge, easy on brass, the shoulder,ears and kills whitetail like lightning

I had a 357max in a 12” custom contender. Didn’t get to use it much but it’s a great cartridge. Killed one antelope with it, about 100 yards, one shot kill.

I have a 357max with a Super 14 barrel mounted with a 2x Burris handgun scope. It’s an excellent firearm. Never hunted with it but it’s exceptionally accurate. 1” 3 shot groups at 50yds. Initially loaded it with H110 and 158 grain Hornady XTPs but have since moved on to AA1680 and 180 Hornady XTP’s.

My first, and next couple of dozen or so deer were taken with a 14" 357 max Contender. The first two were taken with factory loads. The first hand load I used was the Speer 180 gr. FP with W 296 powder.

This load worked fine out to about 125 yards, which was the farthest shot taken, and unlike the factory loads (180 Federal and180 Remington), gave exits.

When Hornady came out with their 180 gr. SSP bullet I used them, though they were more accurate in my barrel with W 680. (Both bullet and powder are discontinued).

A bit later on, Nosler came out with their 180 gr. Partition hand gun, also now discontinued, which shot best with AA 1680.

All of these loads were decisively effective if placed properly.

I'm looking for a 357max barrel for contender.
I would appreciate any help.

Check out Ed's Contenders. He has a number of barrels not sure if he still has any 357 MAX or not but worth a try.

A friend of mine had a Super 14 in .357 Max. he used Sierra 170 gr. JHC. Said it worked great. I would've used a pointed bullet for a little more range.

Picked up 5 boxes of nosler 180 grain partition HG bullets, loaded up 8 with 4227 and 9 with h110. Pretty impressive groups for first load at 50 yards I’ll post pic in a bit

Marty at Haus of Arms just got in a shipment of SSK barrels. Lots of Max.

https://www.hausofarms.com/SSK-Hunt...le-Barrel-wThreads-and-Base-_p_3094.html

I have a 10” 357max barrel with a leupold scope on it. Haven’t shot it in years, but h110 comes to mind. It hit hard with a hard cast bullet. Toyed with the idea of a hog hunt, but that never happened.

Find a 12/14” 357 magnum cheap send to Mike Bellm he will rechamber to his design 357 maximum and you will have a tack driver! I have been very pleased for several years now!