In a contender pistol, is there a "sweet spot" in barrel length for the 357 Herrett? It seems that 10 and 14 inch barrels are common. Do you lose too much potential velocity in a 10 inch? Is longer better with this caliber?

The 14" is going to give you a quite bit more velocity. I think 16-20" would be ideal in terms of ballistics, but not in a handgun. Longer is better with nearly every caliber unless your goal isn't velocity.

I've been hoping to squeeze 2000fps with 200gr cast bullets. So far, I'm not getting there in a 14".

HuntnShoot,

Thanks for the input. What cast boolit are you using? Gas checked I assume? My heaviest.358 mold is a 165ish grain.

I’ve been getting 1600 from the Sierra 200 gr. From a 10” barrel with mine, and the same for the RCBS 35 200 gr. Cast bullet. I have also gotten 1800 with the Hornady 180 gr. XTP, and 1950 with the 158 gr. XTP FP.

old70

I have the RCBS 35-200 FN, which casts close to 220 with gas check in my alloy, and the Lee version of the same, which casts and gas checks at about 205. As well, I have an NOE mold that I can cast with a hollowpoint that ends up about 175 grains, and with a WFN is about 190. I have another NOE mould that casts at 235 grains.

For jacketed bullets I've gotten 158's to 2200 and 180's to over 2000. I've only done experiments with cast bullets over 180 grains. Powders have been Lil Gun, H110, 4227, and H322 (basically compressed under the heaviest cast bullets.

Good Info here. Thanks Fellas!

It was designed for use in 10" barrels because the 35 Rem, which works great in 14" barrels, is too much case for a 10". The 357 Herrett will work fine in a 14" too and yield more velocity, but if velocity is what you're after, skip the case forming and go with a 35 Rem.

I hunt with a 10", 180 XTP over H4198 and get ~1850fps with it. Took my biggest buck ever with it.