Have tried to increase accuracy in a tc contender barrel 357 maximum, by using 200 grain hornady spire point, much better accuracy than pistol bullets! but do not know about the performance of this bullet at handgun velocity ? Can someone help, will it expand? loaded with 15.4 gr 2400 powder I dont know the velocity but can only guess from the manuals
rifle bullets in a tc handgun ?
- Thread starter bubbak45
- Start date
Handgunr
New member
bubbak,
I've played with this one since it was first introduced back in the very early 80's, and it's probably my favorite all around cartridge for the most part.
I started with it mainly in the 14" Contender, and a little in the Dan Wesson.
I used the 170gr Sierra .357 handgun bullets mostly, but I did use the 180gr. Hornady SSP bullets in my handloads for a while playing with different loads.
The 200gr. bullets were used mainly back then by silhouette shooter's, and I'm not too sure how many actually used that bullet for hunting. Being a bullet designed for higher rifle velocities, I'm not so sure it'll perform as well out of the .357 Max in the 14" barrel.
I was getting 1995fps. with the 170gr. bullets with a maximum load of H110, and that bullet was literally a "flying grenade". I got good penetration really, but it would just drop deer on the spot more often than not.
Since Sierra doesn't list that bullet weight any longer, I've started working with the bulk Remington 180gr HP's, Hornady 180gr. XTP's, and maybe the 170gr. Speers.
Unless someone offers a "handgun specific" 200gr. bullet, an educated guess would dictate that penetration would more than likely be pretty good, but expansion would be very limited.
To give you a good parameter with which to judge bullet weights and styles, Sierra has velocity limits in their manuals for best bullet performance with their offerings.
They are usually listed in the front of their manuals, and it'll give you the speed limits for a particular bullet.
My advise is to stay with bullets no heavier than 180grs. and no lighter than 158gr. With the lighter bullets, I use softpoints, usually. I also make my own jacketed bullets in the 165gr. range with lead core wire, and jacket cups, that perform very well. If the barrel is stock, bullet shape has more to do with accuracy, than does the difference between rifle or pistol bullets, and even bullet weights. Although a given weight area (say 170-200, more so than 125-158) might shoot better in that barrel and twist rate, the shape of the bullet entering TC's "stock cut" rifling makes a far greater difference in accuracy. Bullets with a "rounded" gradual ogive give far better performance in that barrel than do the beveled ogive bullets like Sierra's pistol bullets.
Yep, I used them and got decent accuracy, but I found out much later, that the rounded Remington's and bullets of the like, performed quite a bit more accurately.
H110, W296, Li'l Gun, AA1680 and H4227 are probably the biggest choices in the Maximum. I haven't used loads with Li'l Gun as yet, but currently, if I only had to choose two, they'd be H110 and W296 (basically the same burn rate/powder).
Don't get me wrong, 2400 is good powder, and fully suitable in the Maximum, but in comparison to the others, it doesn't generate the velocities per grain weight that the others do.
Primer brand and type are also major considerations as well.
Good luck & hope this helps,
Bob
I've played with this one since it was first introduced back in the very early 80's, and it's probably my favorite all around cartridge for the most part.
I started with it mainly in the 14" Contender, and a little in the Dan Wesson.
I used the 170gr Sierra .357 handgun bullets mostly, but I did use the 180gr. Hornady SSP bullets in my handloads for a while playing with different loads.
The 200gr. bullets were used mainly back then by silhouette shooter's, and I'm not too sure how many actually used that bullet for hunting. Being a bullet designed for higher rifle velocities, I'm not so sure it'll perform as well out of the .357 Max in the 14" barrel.
I was getting 1995fps. with the 170gr. bullets with a maximum load of H110, and that bullet was literally a "flying grenade". I got good penetration really, but it would just drop deer on the spot more often than not.
Since Sierra doesn't list that bullet weight any longer, I've started working with the bulk Remington 180gr HP's, Hornady 180gr. XTP's, and maybe the 170gr. Speers.
Unless someone offers a "handgun specific" 200gr. bullet, an educated guess would dictate that penetration would more than likely be pretty good, but expansion would be very limited.
To give you a good parameter with which to judge bullet weights and styles, Sierra has velocity limits in their manuals for best bullet performance with their offerings.
They are usually listed in the front of their manuals, and it'll give you the speed limits for a particular bullet.
My advise is to stay with bullets no heavier than 180grs. and no lighter than 158gr. With the lighter bullets, I use softpoints, usually. I also make my own jacketed bullets in the 165gr. range with lead core wire, and jacket cups, that perform very well. If the barrel is stock, bullet shape has more to do with accuracy, than does the difference between rifle or pistol bullets, and even bullet weights. Although a given weight area (say 170-200, more so than 125-158) might shoot better in that barrel and twist rate, the shape of the bullet entering TC's "stock cut" rifling makes a far greater difference in accuracy. Bullets with a "rounded" gradual ogive give far better performance in that barrel than do the beveled ogive bullets like Sierra's pistol bullets.
Yep, I used them and got decent accuracy, but I found out much later, that the rounded Remington's and bullets of the like, performed quite a bit more accurately.
H110, W296, Li'l Gun, AA1680 and H4227 are probably the biggest choices in the Maximum. I haven't used loads with Li'l Gun as yet, but currently, if I only had to choose two, they'd be H110 and W296 (basically the same burn rate/powder).
Don't get me wrong, 2400 is good powder, and fully suitable in the Maximum, but in comparison to the others, it doesn't generate the velocities per grain weight that the others do.
Primer brand and type are also major considerations as well.
Good luck & hope this helps,
Bob
Ridge Runner
New member
try the rem .358 150 gr psp, its designed around the TC in 35 rem and will reliably expand at hangun velocities. anytime you shoot a rifle bullet at handgun velocities you have a dilemma with expansion, your best bet is go light for caliber bullets.
RR
RR
Bob, you are a wealth of info for an inexperienced loader, I did notice in the manuals better velocity with powders other than my 2400 , that is what i had, to give it a whirl, any way i will probably try 180 grain next time around, my accuracy was so improved that it was almost unbelievable out of a 14 inch bbl. went from around 2 inches to nearly one hole group(75 yards bench )with the rifle bullet ( excited) while i already have them loaded up I will use this load (200 grain) for Saturday and let you know if anything happens to get if front of me !!