.357 Magnum rifles?

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Hello all, RON L here

While I don't understad the OP's reservations about Lever guns, I do see that a Carbine or Rifle chambered in 357 as a Great Compainon to a 357 Revolver! I had a Puma Carbine and a Model 28 Smith and 6" Python and they all worked really well together and I wished I had them all still? I like the idea of a semi, but could live with a pump, if it were not too expensive? I like a Single shot, as well, but I do Prefer multiple folow up shots and a lever gun always did that for me and I liked it? Lots of Options and all they do work!
 
I remember there being a pump action .357 a few years back "Taylor's Lightning" Just another thing to look into. made by Taylor firearms.
 
Everyone's quick to mention Pumps and semi autos, but are there any bolt guns in .357? i was thinking about taking an enfield and rebarreling it, but the rim diameter is closer to a .44 mag.
 
jmr40 said:
Lots of guys get on the net and say they would like to see manufacturers come out with this gun or that gun. The problem is that them, and 6 other guys are the only ones who would actually buy it. If there is a market for it, they will make it.
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I don't completely agree with that statement. More correctly, if they THINK there is a market for it they might make it. Tooling up to produce a new rifle isn't cheap. Working out the design, fixing all the little kinks, getting new equipment or switching over the old stuff. None of that is cheap.

It's a lot cheaper to just keep making the same thing people have been cranking out for fifty years because you know it will sell. That's why kel tec is such an interesting place. Whatever else you want to say about them they market interesting and new designs.

I honestly think that if someone made a semiauto tube feed .357 rifle there would be a nice market for it. It's a very popular cartridge. If they came up with a semiauto that could handle both .38s and .357s in a light, quick handling, rifle with tube fed magazine that used a standard side loading gate plenty of people would buy it.

Now, I don't have a couple of hundred thousand extra dollars to finance that production and the current rifle makers don't seem inclined to bother either. Given the state of our economy I don't think they are willing to take the risk, and I can't blame them. But just because they don't make it doesn't mean it wouldn't sell well. It just means they aren't willing to risk losing money testing the waters by being the first to offer it.
 
For whatever reason, the market seems to have picked the .40 S&W in this niche. It's a different beast, of course, with 2/3 the energy, but on a scale that runs from .22lr to .308, they're pretty close.
 
I've always wondered if rimless versions of magnum revolver cases could be produced that could easily cycle through a semi-auto with a detachable mag, but could also run in revolvers using moon-clips.
 
I was really excited when ruger brought back the 44 carbine in a mini-14 package. then totally let down when they stuck a 4 round mag in it. If ramline or somebody could build a hi-cap mag for a 22, why not a 44? 357 is the same principle. But until they build one I'll keep rocking the 30 carbine. it's the closes I can come to a semi 357.
 
I own a Browning Low Wall in .357/38 Spl. Sweet rifle, half octagon barrel, tang sights. Very accurate....I've never fired anything but cast bullets in it.

It's no longer made, but you might find one in the auctions.
 
Cimarron arms has a case hardened finish pump action called the "lightning magazine rifle" . 10 shot pump. Its beautiful but a lil pricrey. .357/.38
 
pedersoli.jpg


I can heartily recommend the Pedersoli .357 Colt Lightning clone. I say clone, but it's not really, more of an update, I guess. I love mine.


-Matt
 
ColdChili: If you don't mind my asking, who did the refinish on your Timberwolf? Hard chrome, electroless nickel, NP3 or what? My beloved ol' Timberwolf is showin' its age a bit and I've been mulling-over fixes.
 
only two weeks later

mainmech48,
The finish is cerakote in gun metal grey, the baked on variety. I had liberty coatings apply the finish and couldn't be happier, its holding up nicely. The rifle was a 'kit' so I wasn't too concerned about the collectors value of it.
 
Oh Man... I'm gettin Jealous.........

.357 in a Rolling Block, or in a Hi-Wall,,, make me salivate!!!

I have a Rossi lever in 357 and a Marlin in 44 Mag.. both GREAT Guns,, and the 357 with Keith style bullets loaded to wadcutter velocities is as quiet as a church mouse.

I remember years ago, there was someone converting M1 carbines to .357 and a 256 Winchester. But I don't know how successful they were, would seem a shame to butcher up a GI M1 today.. Now I would gladly sacrifice and old universal M1..
 
Thanks, Chili! I've been hankering to have mine Armaloy-ed or NP3-ed almost since I got it. Not long after it was purchased I saw one of the .44 Mag. versions that came from the factory with some kind of a hard chrome or electroless nickel finish (can't recall which) and it struck me as being pretty close to ideal for my kind of use. Don't recall ever seeing a .357 with that, but Interarms ceased importing them not long after I bought mine.

Seeing yours just sorta reignited the yen. I'm not much concerned with any "collector's value" either, as my Timberwolf is probably first among those few items in my modest accumulation that I'd never willingly part with.
 
Dirty Bob said:
Well, there's now a Ruger 77/357. I hope it sells well! I don't need one, but I could certainly see how it might be a great "fun gun" for some of us!

http://www.ruger.com/products/rotaryMagazine77357/models.html

All my best,
Dirty Bob
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I would LOVE one of the Uberti's or Pedersoli's that folks are touting, but $1,300-1,500 MSRP is just a little rich for my blood. At the expected street price tag, I'm more inclined to go with the Ruger (or nothing at all, for now).

I still have the Winchester Trapper in .357 which will see me through in a pinch... :)


.
 
I still have the Winchester Trapper in .357 which will see me through in a pinch...
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And I'm working with an H&R 1871 Handi-Rifle in .357 Magnum (SB1-S35). I tried without success to find a Rossi, but the Handi-Rifle is still a great choice for me. It's a very fun rifle and fairly compact, but I'd like to have the smallest possible carbine, if I'm going to go with a single shot firing a pistol cartridge.

I replaced the buttstock and forearm with a Youth set and added Uncle Mike's QD swivels for a sling. I removed the rubber buttpad and am trying to create my own from aluminum, using a butt trap from an old AR-15 buttstock.

The .357 Handi-Rifle ships without sights. I've installed an NDS-38 peep sight and am planning to make a front sight after cutting the barrel down to 16.5" and crowning. My target length is about 29-30". It will never be a featherweight, because of the chunky barrel, but it should be fairly easy to being along on outings. Taken down, it should fit in a laptop bag.

I'm still working on loads. I made a wood-and-kydex front sight as a temp, and I've had great fun shooting wadcutters, semi wadcutters, round balls, and the excellent Lyman 195-grain round nose.

All my best,
Dirty Bob
 
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I wonder why those fruit-loops at H&R didn't put open sights on the .357 Handi-rifles. IIRC, they used to sell a straight stocked version with open sights.
 
Dirty Bob said:
And I'm working with an H&R 1871 Handi-Rifle in .357 Magnum (SB1-S35). I tried without success to find a Rossi, but the Handi-Rifle is still a great choice for me. It's a very fun rifle and fairly compact, but I'd like to have the smallest possible carbine, if I'm going to go with a single shot firing a pistol cartridge.

I replaced the buttstock and forearm with a Youth set and added Uncle Mike's QD swivels for a sling. I removed the rubber buttpad and am trying to create my own from aluminum, using a butt trap from an old AR-15 buttstock.

The .357 Handi-Rifle ships without sights. I've installed an NDS-38 peep sight and am planning to make a front sight after cutting the barrel down to 16.5" and crowning. My target length is about 29-30". It will never be a featherweight, because of the chunky barrel, but it should be fairly easy to being along on outings. Taken down, it should fit in a laptop bag.

I'm still working on loads. I made a wood-and-kydex front sight as a temp, and I've had great fun shooting wadcutters, semi wadcutters, round balls, and the excellent Lyman 195-grain round nose.

All my best,
Dirty Bob
Click to expand...


Bob -- that .357 Handi-Rifle sounds like a really nice and, uh, handy set-up! :)

I have a T/C Contender with a .44 mag carbine set-up, but it's really more oomph than I need -- been toying over the years with finding a .357 barrel for it.

The single-shot is a vastly under-appreciated platform... :cool:


.
 
I was out shooting my .357 today: .38 Special cases, with a light load of Bullseye behind a 195-grain RN Lyman bullet cast pretty soft. The report was in the air rifle range, with good accuracy at 25 yards. It was lots of fun.

I love the .357 in a long gun!

Regards,
Dirty Bob
 
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