Final 357 Maxiumum deer load.

[Stonechucker]

So I was finally able to land on my final deer hunting load with my 20 inch 357 Maximum Encore. I am using W296 with a 158 grain Fury soft point at an OAL of 2.20 Inches, and CCI 450 primers. With this combo I was able to achieve an average of 2385 fps. I had no pressure signs on primer or brass, and the brass pulled out easily. I don't want to say how much W296 I used as every gun is different, and you should always go cautiously with your own gun. I was not really shooting for groups, but with a fairly poor rest I was able to shoot a 3/4 inch group at 50 yards. This looks like it will be a pretty good deer slayer out to 200 yards or so. I would be curious to know if anyone else uses the Max. For deer, and what their favorite load is?

 

[Fyrstyk]

I use the max in a 10" contender. My deer hunting load is with a 180 grain Hornaday SSP over WW680 (no longer available) powder. I get 1950FPS and 1" groups at 75 yards from the bench. I was wondering how your 158 grain bullet will hold up at those velocities on deer. Some of the 158 handgun bullets I tried broke up pretty bad at 1800FPS and higher. I don't think they were made for that high velocity.

 

[Stonechucker]

These bullets are specifically made for Maximum velocities, and have been tested at impact velocities over 2200fps. Check them out at Fury bullets. Dennis is the owners name. He also sells a 180 Spitzer, a 170 truncated cone hollowpoint and a 170 soft point. The 158 I shoot has a bc of .240 so it is pretty flat out to 200 yards.

 

[Fyrstyk]

Sounds like you found a great combination.

 

[Stonechucker]

Yes, I think it will work out pretty well. Now all I have to do is run across a big Northern Maine buck this season, and put the load to a real test.

 

[GarrettJ]

My 16-year-old daughter used a 16" MGM barrel to take a good-sized doe this past fall. The load was a 180 gr. XTP, seated the rear crimp groove, so they're a bit longer OAL providing a bit more case volume. Powder used was Lil Gun. It has consistently given better results than H110 or AA1680. They chronograph at just over 2000 fps at the muzzle, and I can usually keep a 10-shot group under 1.5" at 100 yards.

Since I can't find any .357 XTPs in any weight any more, I may need to take a look at Fury bullets.

 

[Stonechucker]

I would recommend Fury highly. They have a much better bc than XTP'S, and normally you can drive them faster with less pressure. In my limited experience, and from what I here from people like Mike Bellm (who by most is considered the #1 357 Max. Guru) the Fury bullets seem to produce lower pressure mostly do to their shorter shank. In messaging back and forth with Mike he thinks I should be able to get well over 2400fps with the 158 Fury. Since I have seen no sign of too much pressure, I will continue to work up slowly.