# Contender .357 mag success



## rosewood (Nov 3, 2017)

30 yards.  180gr xtp handloaded.   Deer ran 25 yards and piled up, double lung shot.

Rosewood


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## scott stokes (Nov 3, 2017)

congratulations I hope to do the same with my .44 contender this year.


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## rosewood (Nov 3, 2017)

Thanks.  Good luck.

It wasn't a cull buck as some would say, I just wanted to shoot it.


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## lonewolf247 (Nov 3, 2017)

Congrats on a nice shot, and deer!  I've been tempted to get into handgun hunting myself.  Nice weapon!


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## deast1988 (Nov 3, 2017)

Awesome, looks like a solid hit aswell. Contenders are a load of fun.


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## james243 (Nov 4, 2017)

Nice job. I want to do the same thing with mine. I had mine throated so I have nearly 357 max oal and I get 1750 fps with that bullet in a 10". Haven't shot an animal with it like that yet.  I did shoot a small six point this morning with a suppressed 44 and got pretty much the same result.


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## Bobby Linton (Nov 4, 2017)

Great job! Can't wait to get mine.  What is the band on the forend, shell holder?


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## rosewood (Nov 4, 2017)

Bobby Linton said:


> Great job! Can't wait to get mine.  What is the band on the forend, shell holder?



Yep, made it myself from some material I got from Joann fabrics and a sewing machine.  Holds 2 rounds.


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## rosewood (Nov 4, 2017)

james243 said:


> Nice job. I want to do the same thing with mine. I had mine throated so I have nearly 357 max oal and I get 1750 fps with that bullet in a 10". Haven't shot an animal with it like that yet.  I did shoot a small six point this morning with a suppressed 44 and got pretty much the same result.



Mine is so deep, I seated that bullet above both crimp grooves and used a taper crimp.  Seems like it is 1.800 oal (near 357 max length) and pushing 1675 from muzzle.  No pressure signs and getting <1.5" groups at 100yds.


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## james243 (Nov 6, 2017)

rosewood said:


> Mine is so deep, I seated that bullet above both crimp grooves and used a taper crimp.  Seems like it is 1.800 oal (near 357 max length) and pushing 1675 from muzzle.  No pressure signs and getting <1.5" groups at 100yds.



Thanks for the info. It's good to see what results to expect. Fyi I seat my bullets about 1/8th inch into the case and pretty much completely fill that void with W296.


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## Dustin Pate (Nov 6, 2017)

Nice!!!


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## Buckhead (Nov 6, 2017)

.357 out of a Contender has a lot more punch than out of a typical revolver.  Been thinking that I "need" a .357 mag or max barrel for my G1 Contender.  

I have a scoped 10" .44 mag barrel.  Very accurate, ragged holes at 50 yards.  It is no fun to shoot though.  Serious recoil.


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## rosewood (Nov 6, 2017)

Buckhead said:


> .357 out of a Contender has a lot more punch than out of a typical revolver.  Been thinking that I "need" a .357 mag or max barrel for my G1 Contender.
> 
> I have a scoped 10" .44 mag barrel.  Very accurate, ragged holes at 50 yards.  It is no fun to shoot though.  Serious recoil.



No doubt, it has a lot more punch than a revolver.

I actually bought this one with a 10" 44mag barrel.  Recoil was ridiculous and I didn't like it.  Was having issues zeroing it and found it was hitting 6" left of the bore at 25 yards, found out the chamber was off center.  Sent it to TC explaining the issue.  Told them if they had to replace the barrel, I wanted a 357 mag instead.  It shoots great.

Rosewood


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## DeucesWild (Nov 6, 2017)

That'll work


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## Barebowyer (Nov 6, 2017)

Good deal.  Congrats! doesn't need to be a "cull" buck just hunt and shoot what you want to.


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## rosewood (Nov 6, 2017)

Barebowyer said:


> Good deal.  Congrats! doesn't need to be a "cull" buck just hunt and shoot what you want to.



I know.  Just had this conversation the other day where a lot of folks will call their small buck a "cull buck" or the doe a "meat doe" so folks don't give them a hard time about killing it.  Sometimes we just want a kill, no reason to make excuses, it is legal.


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## Rich M (Nov 7, 2017)

You can get good results out of the XTP 158 gr FP bullets - I put a heavy crimp in the cannelure.  550 CCI primers under max load of Lil Gun shoots tight.  I find the deer just drop to the 158s and run with the 180s, albeit not far.

1-1/2 inches at 100 is great.


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## rosewood (Nov 7, 2017)

The contender pistol and encores shoot great.  I find the pistol length barrels shoot better than the rifle length ones.  My 14" .223 barrel has turned in some 1/2 moa groups.


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## rwg (Nov 11, 2017)

Congratulations!


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## JiminSC (Nov 11, 2017)

Congrats on the quick clean harvest.


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