CWLONGSHOT
Well-Known Member
I have been a fan of the 357 Maxi since the mid 1980s. Taken truck loads of game with the cartirtage. Lighting off more than 5# of 1680 and who knows how many boxes of 180 SSP bullets. That was all In single shots. I diD SO MUCH, want for a repeater. Marlins 94 actions where too short or 36/336 silly long. Same for the Winchesters. Yea thecould be likely modified with deep enough pockets. But I never did. I do not think I will live a day without owning a 357 Maximum.
I have been a reloader for nearly forty years loading nearly daily and for dozens of calibers. I can also a avid bullet caster esp motivated since the popularity of powder coating we now enjoy. It IS a jacket and properly applied allows softer bullets at higher velocities WITHOUT fear of leading. NO it dosent replace a gas check BUT instead of looking to GC a 1200 fps bullet ya really dont need it till your pushin 2K! Now that covers 98-% of all handgun calibers!!
Last year at this time I was BESIDE MYSELF with excitement over the rumors of this 350 Legend. This soured as we learned the ignorance Winchesters power to be exhibited. I felt betrayed, as a reloader ignored. And gave up on my excitement with the introduction of the 350 Legend. But I cooled off. Looked at the caliber thru a cast bullet eye. Cast bullet folk dont much care for exact dimensions we are quite adapt at customizing a bullet to a particular firearm and know the hows and whys its needed.
Cast bullet calibers like long necks. The legend is all Neck..
Cast bullet shooters like intermediate capacities because we are NOT enamored with velocity And mostly subscribe to heavy for caliber projectiles are better.
SO looking to this caliber as a lead launcher I bought the first Ruger American that was available. I bought a mini case of 145g FMJ to get me started with brass.
In the very first box I saw primers blown out one case head separation and four additional cases with loose primer pockets.
I stopped and pulled all bullets remaining. What I found was case lengths where ALL OVER THE MAP!!! Powder charges where not very consistent either. I weighed most powder charges. And recorded the totals. I trimmed all brass to 1.705 left factory primers and re charged the cases with a little less than the average powder charge. For a bullet I lubed and ran Hornady 140 FTX thru a LEE .356 Bullet sizer twice. Then seated them leaving cannelure well exposed.
These reloads shot a honest 3/4 MOA and clock 2300+ FPS from my 16” barrel. Case head expansion is .002./003 primers are slightly flattened. (Primers flatness means zero on its own merits) This loading is a flat winner! I was conserned with this bullet. As mentioned its not intended to preform at the velocities attainable in the legend. But my buddy, shot some thru his wet paper box and we where both amazed that even at 2200 fps this bullet DID NOT COME APART! I have spoken with Hornady and they claim this bullet was designed as a RIFLE bullet for use in the 357 Magnum. The best part, 2k is within design perimeters! The 357 Mag in a 6” hand gun can see 1400+ fps. Remove that vent and TRIPLE the barrel length knowing about 40-60 fps per inch additional velocity and you will see about 5-600 fps additional. I have another friend who lives Contenders and shoots the 357 Bain and Davis. With this caliber 21/2200 fps are entirely doe-able with a 140 from his barrels. He shot a doe last month with this bullet. The bullet broke a leg and ribs on both sides and EXITED. IMPACT vel was 2100+. Now the sd on this bullet is still lacking and would not be my first choice. Same can be said for the 150g offerings Winchester has. (Anyone old enough to remember the 150g 35 Rem problems?)
So while I am still a lil skeptable and would avoid big bones this 140 FTX is a viable candidate.
I load mine with lead. I have many appropriate molds and some really show much promise. A Saeco 354 is a 180g TC style with about a 24 cal meplat. Feeding should be glorious in any action. Its plain based and I powder coat them. I have pushed 230 Ranch dogs past 1700 so getting these 180?s to ANY sane vel is a non issue.
This caliber duplicates the 357 Maximum. Its case has slightly more capacity and its pressures are higher so any Maxi load can be used in a Legend. Making data easy to find.
Now Hornady has two bullets offered a 165 FTX that I was able to get some early released samples of and a 170 SP. Both os these shoot well with the Twins 296/H110. I dont use lil gun as it's prone to pressure spikes if you even think your coming close to 100% density. Plus it burns very hot and excessive heat eats throats and kills barrels. Besides and again I am not a velocity follower.
I have had a Saeco 354 Mold for some years and knew its profile would be well suited for the Legend. I never really spent much time loading it. I have a good friend who just bought a Ruger Bolt in Legend and Im making him 100pcs for Christmas. 60 with these Saecos and 40 reman factory using the 140 FTX bullet.
last night I shot 12 rounds using 4198 powder. I know its pretty slow for this caliber but the issue would be top vel not accuracy. As its cast I dont want or need top velocities. I want 1500 ish. 20g and 21 G where tried under that Saeco bullet.
Here was my target.
That one flyer could be all me. It was 19 and altho I brought a front bag. I did not bring a rear or my glasses. Plus I was pressed for time. Sunset is last shots and I got to range after 16:00.... SS was 16:18.
is anyone here a Maxi fan or now a Legend fan?
Merry Christmas all
CW
I have been a reloader for nearly forty years loading nearly daily and for dozens of calibers. I can also a avid bullet caster esp motivated since the popularity of powder coating we now enjoy. It IS a jacket and properly applied allows softer bullets at higher velocities WITHOUT fear of leading. NO it dosent replace a gas check BUT instead of looking to GC a 1200 fps bullet ya really dont need it till your pushin 2K! Now that covers 98-% of all handgun calibers!!
Last year at this time I was BESIDE MYSELF with excitement over the rumors of this 350 Legend. This soured as we learned the ignorance Winchesters power to be exhibited. I felt betrayed, as a reloader ignored. And gave up on my excitement with the introduction of the 350 Legend. But I cooled off. Looked at the caliber thru a cast bullet eye. Cast bullet folk dont much care for exact dimensions we are quite adapt at customizing a bullet to a particular firearm and know the hows and whys its needed.
Cast bullet calibers like long necks. The legend is all Neck..
Cast bullet shooters like intermediate capacities because we are NOT enamored with velocity And mostly subscribe to heavy for caliber projectiles are better.
SO looking to this caliber as a lead launcher I bought the first Ruger American that was available. I bought a mini case of 145g FMJ to get me started with brass.
In the very first box I saw primers blown out one case head separation and four additional cases with loose primer pockets.
I stopped and pulled all bullets remaining. What I found was case lengths where ALL OVER THE MAP!!! Powder charges where not very consistent either. I weighed most powder charges. And recorded the totals. I trimmed all brass to 1.705 left factory primers and re charged the cases with a little less than the average powder charge. For a bullet I lubed and ran Hornady 140 FTX thru a LEE .356 Bullet sizer twice. Then seated them leaving cannelure well exposed.
These reloads shot a honest 3/4 MOA and clock 2300+ FPS from my 16” barrel. Case head expansion is .002./003 primers are slightly flattened. (Primers flatness means zero on its own merits) This loading is a flat winner! I was conserned with this bullet. As mentioned its not intended to preform at the velocities attainable in the legend. But my buddy, shot some thru his wet paper box and we where both amazed that even at 2200 fps this bullet DID NOT COME APART! I have spoken with Hornady and they claim this bullet was designed as a RIFLE bullet for use in the 357 Magnum. The best part, 2k is within design perimeters! The 357 Mag in a 6” hand gun can see 1400+ fps. Remove that vent and TRIPLE the barrel length knowing about 40-60 fps per inch additional velocity and you will see about 5-600 fps additional. I have another friend who lives Contenders and shoots the 357 Bain and Davis. With this caliber 21/2200 fps are entirely doe-able with a 140 from his barrels. He shot a doe last month with this bullet. The bullet broke a leg and ribs on both sides and EXITED. IMPACT vel was 2100+. Now the sd on this bullet is still lacking and would not be my first choice. Same can be said for the 150g offerings Winchester has. (Anyone old enough to remember the 150g 35 Rem problems?)
So while I am still a lil skeptable and would avoid big bones this 140 FTX is a viable candidate.
I load mine with lead. I have many appropriate molds and some really show much promise. A Saeco 354 is a 180g TC style with about a 24 cal meplat. Feeding should be glorious in any action. Its plain based and I powder coat them. I have pushed 230 Ranch dogs past 1700 so getting these 180?s to ANY sane vel is a non issue.
This caliber duplicates the 357 Maximum. Its case has slightly more capacity and its pressures are higher so any Maxi load can be used in a Legend. Making data easy to find.
Now Hornady has two bullets offered a 165 FTX that I was able to get some early released samples of and a 170 SP. Both os these shoot well with the Twins 296/H110. I dont use lil gun as it's prone to pressure spikes if you even think your coming close to 100% density. Plus it burns very hot and excessive heat eats throats and kills barrels. Besides and again I am not a velocity follower.
I have had a Saeco 354 Mold for some years and knew its profile would be well suited for the Legend. I never really spent much time loading it. I have a good friend who just bought a Ruger Bolt in Legend and Im making him 100pcs for Christmas. 60 with these Saecos and 40 reman factory using the 140 FTX bullet.
last night I shot 12 rounds using 4198 powder. I know its pretty slow for this caliber but the issue would be top vel not accuracy. As its cast I dont want or need top velocities. I want 1500 ish. 20g and 21 G where tried under that Saeco bullet.
Here was my target.
That one flyer could be all me. It was 19 and altho I brought a front bag. I did not bring a rear or my glasses. Plus I was pressed for time. Sunset is last shots and I got to range after 16:00.... SS was 16:18.
is anyone here a Maxi fan or now a Legend fan?
Merry Christmas all
CW
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