.357 Maximum

[Markbo]

S&W is putting a steel insert in the topstrap of it's scandium guns, like the 340pd and 386

I used that very idea and commissioned my gunsmith add one in a couple of my revolvers that see a lot of heavy loads. Problem averted. Yes it really was that simple.

 

[KI.W.]

I don´t use 125gr bullets with 2375fps loads with my Dan Wesson Super Mag, but only with my T/C G2 .357 Rem Max.

 

[MASTEROFMALICE]

How about dovetailing a piece of material such as tungsten into the topstrap so that it's replacable?

Youn see cutting? Punch it out and replace it.

 

[1911Tuner]

How about dovetailing a piece of material such as tungsten into the topstrap

Still weakens the topstrap, and further adds to the weak area with sharp corners.

Remember that the topstrap is under high tensile stress every time the gun is fired. Streeeeeeeeeetchhhh....*pop*

 

[moooose102]

yes, that's why when i was talking about the dovetailed replaceable pad it would have to be designed at the factory to do that, so the top strap would be thick enough to withstand the stress even without the dovetailed peice of tungsten in place. adding it afterwards would be a huge weakening of the frame. i suppose, if you didnt care about the looks of the gun, you could wrap a thin sheet around the top strap that would be replaceable, maybe stainless, but it would be so thin that you wouls probably have to replace it every time you reloaded. doesnt make any sense to do it that way, but It could be done. and it would make the gun UGLY! the only practicle way to revive the cartridge would be for a gunmaker to asses the shorcomings of the existing pistols, address them, re-design the problem area's out and then put the gun back on the market. since all of that would cost a lot of money, i do not forsee it happening. unless somebody takes over a gun company who is in love with that cartridge and goes for broke. i think it has merrit, but to be honest, i dont think even if you corrected all the problems, you are not going to set the world on fire with that round. its just to bad the gunmakers didn't do their homework correctly and get the job done right the first time. the gun would probably still be around if they had.

 

[unspellable]

357 what is it?

The 357 SuperMag preceded the 357 Maximum. The 357 Supermag never had any of these problems. Dan Wesson chambered their revolver for the 357 SuperMag, not withstanding that the barrel shroud is amrked 357 maximum. (Go figure.) Dan Wesson issued two barrels with the revolver. I have never touched my second barrel and I have never heard if any other DW shooter switching to the second barrel. Top strap erosion has been no more than on any other revolver.

Now we come to Ruger & Remington. As is all too often the case, when the big boys take a wildcat commercial, they have to fix what ain't broke. Ruger declined to make the frame window long enough to take the SuperMag despite Elgin Gates warning. The SuperMag was intended to launch a heavy for caliber bullet, Ruger & Remington cooked up a light for caliber bullet with a massive charge of very slow ball powder load for the Maximum, trying to get warp 8 speed. It was a recipe for erosion. The Ruger will not chamber a 357 SuperMag.

How ever, with a decent handload, the 357 Maximum will work just fine in the Ruger. It's only the factory load you have to avoid.

 

[351 WINCHESTER]

It's my only source for .351 brass.