Suppressors Suppressed 357 Maximum TCA/Encore pistol/sbr?

[bp78]

I've ordered a TCA Encore pistol receiver and plan on eventually doing Form 1 for it. For an upper, I want something 38 caliber since I already reload 38spl/357mag and have a stamp incoming on a Octane 9 HD suppressor.

I'm looking at ordering a custom MGM barrel for it (or one you suggest).

Length, I'm thinking 11", threaded 1/2-28 by my local smith.

Chamber wise I'm leaning towards 357 Maximum. I know I can shoot 38spl, 357 Mag, and 357 Maximum with that but a steady diet of 357 Magnum will ring the chamber eventually which will then cut the 357 Max brass. I really have no plans for shooting much 357 Mag. This will primarily be for suppressed use and I imagine the 357 Max case volume will allow me a bigger selection of heavier bullets (all subsonic loading of course)? Unsuppressed I'll probably shoot 38spl for silhouette games.

Anyone tried this? Any twist rates suggested? Skip the Maximum idea and just stick with a magnum chamber?

Thinking of it like 300 Whisper on the cheap with a lower BC. ;-)

 

[schuetzen357]

Re: Suppressed 357 Maximum TCA/Encore pistol/sbr?

For economy, 357 Magnum or Maximum Contender barrels, especially in less than 16" lengths are more readily available on the secondary markets. For the price of buying one new custom made Encore barrel, one might be able to buy 2 or 3 Contender barrels for experimenting. Perhaps one in 357 Magnum and one in 357 Maximum. Also, It is possible to ream a 357 Magnum to a 357 Maximum if the need arises. A .357 Magnum barrel may not chamber the heavy spitzer type bullets.

I edited this post to also mention, .357 Maximum Brass is very hard to find right now (at least at a good price). Rumor has it Remington produces it every couple of years. I bought some from Midway about a year ago, but now there is virtually none to be found. Hopefully they will be producing more soon. For hand loading .300 AAC Blackout should not be any more expensive than .357 Maximum. There is even some commercial ammo being produced at a reasonable price. Midway has some for ~$12 for a box of 20 although I don't believe this is low velocity.

 

[bp78]

Re: Suppressed 357 Maximum TCA/Encore pistol/sbr?

Since I had ideas of buying a stamp for this one, I went with the Encore since it'll do .308 and larger cartridges unlike the Contender.

I did find this article on the net today, pretty interesting using 250gr bullets in 357 magnum subsonic. Notes a 1:10 twist rate where 1:18 is supposed to be normal for 357.
http://www.impalabullets.at/data/IWA/357Esubs.pdf

 

[schuetzen357]

Re: Suppressed 357 Maximum TCA/Encore pistol/sbr?

I like the idea of trying .357 Maximum. I may do some experimenting myself with subsonic. I've got an Encore .357 Maximum in a 16" barrel.

Note the edit to my original post about availability of .357 Maximum brass.

This video came out just yesterday. The benefit of the .300 Blackout is for use in AR systems. Otherwise .308 WIN could be downloaded for subsonic.

Handloading Subsonic .308 WIN Ammo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ix2si1M2iM8

The twist rate is going to be an issue which ever caliber one chooses. It will probably require a custom barrel for accuracy.

 

[dddoo7]

Re: Suppressed 357 Maximum TCA/Encore pistol/sbr?

Why not a 300 blackout? brass is cheap because it can be made from formed .223. It will still shoot subsonic through most 9mm suppressors. bullets are typically 220gr HPBT which are easy to find. I cannot imagine 300 blackout being any more expensive than 357 mag or max as far as reloading goes. Ballistics are similar at point blank, but the blackout will outshine the 357 at distance. barrels can be made by MGM.

 

[bp78]

Re: Suppressed 357 Maximum TCA/Encore pistol/sbr?

357 over 300 Whisper because:
- cast lead bullets are cheaper
- less brass prep with straight-wall pistol brass
- already have the dies for 357
- 357 works on "pistol caliber only" ranges

If it were entirely a quiet game-whacking project, I'd probably just go sub-sonic 308win on the encore platform. I want something to plink with though, and shoot in the occasional silhouette match.

 

[ptaylor]

Re: Suppressed 357 Maximum TCA/Encore pistol/sbr?

I zeroed the bottom of the circle for subs at 100 and the cross hairs work well then for 50 yards and under. The top of the circle works great for supers out to 125 yards. Leupy VX1 1-4 with turkey plex.

My ruger 77/357 is working great. I found that with 38spcl cases I can shoot 247gr cast bullets at sub velocity with the factory 16 twist and get them to feed from the mag. 38 spcl cases are dirt cheap and so are the cast bullets. Its a win win. 5.0 gr of W231 in a federal 38 spcl case behind the 247gr cast bullets ignited by small pistol mag primers gives me a 10 shot average of 995fps.

 

[ptaylor]

Re: Suppressed 357 Maximum TCA/Encore pistol/sbr?

100 yard 5 shot group. This is typical with the 247gr bullets and 1-4x scope.

 

[verdugo60]

Re: Suppressed 357 Maximum TCA/Encore pistol/sbr?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ptaylor</div><div class="ubbcode-body">100 yard 5 shot group. This is typical with the 247gr bullets and 1-4x scope.

</div></div>

Very cool bro, thanks for sharing. Never would have thought of the 357 as a good sub round!

 

[malaga2]

Re: Suppressed 357 Maximum TCA/Encore pistol/sbr?

Shooting cast through your suppressor???

I SBR,d my Contender and run 300 whisper,9mm,30/30 and have a 357 barrel to be threaded....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyakagyZYSA&feature=player_detailpage

 

[schuetzen357]

Re: Suppressed 357 Maximum TCA/Encore pistol/sbr?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Malaga2</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
I SBR,d my Contender and run 300 whisper,9mm,30/30 and have a 357 barrel to be threaded....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyakagyZYSA&feature=player_detailpage </div></div>

When SBR'ing a Contender/Encore, does one SBR for every barrel barrel or can a single Contender/Encore frame be SBR'd independant of the barrel used? In other words, does one SBR a frame alone and then be able use different caliber barrels?

 

[wfjames22]

Re: Suppressed 357 Maximum TCA/Encore pistol/sbr?

You register the serialized part (receiver). I dont see where registering a Contender/Encore frame would be any different than registering an AR lower and using different short barreled uppers, which is the way its done with AR's.

 

[malaga2]

Re: Suppressed 357 Maximum TCA/Encore pistol/sbr?

Yes...SBR just the frame....excellent suppressor host

 

[ssnfa]

Re: Suppressed 357 Maximum TCA/Encore pistol/sbr?

I SBR'd an original Contender .357Max and use a Thompson Machine Isis2 on it. It is awesome!!

 

[bp78]

Re: Suppressed 357 Maximum TCA/Encore pistol/sbr?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ssnfa</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I SBR'd an original Contender .357Max and use a Thompson Machine Isis2 on it. It is awesome!! </div></div>
Who made that barrel? And any loads you suggest with it?

 

[ssnfa]

Re: Suppressed 357 Maximum TCA/Encore pistol/sbr?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: bp78</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ssnfa</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I SBR'd an original Contender .357Max and use a Thompson Machine Isis2 on it. It is awesome!! </div></div>
Who made that barrel? And any loads you suggest with it? </div></div>

It is a factory Super 14 barrel threaded 1/2x28. I usually stick with .38spl wadcutters.

 

[bp78]

Re: Suppressed 357 Maximum TCA/Encore pistol/sbr?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ssnfa</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: bp78</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ssnfa</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I SBR'd an original Contender .357Max and use a Thompson Machine Isis2 on it. It is awesome!! </div></div>
Who made that barrel? And any loads you suggest with it? </div></div>

It is a factory Super 14 barrel threaded 1/2x28. I usually stick with .38spl wadcutters. </div></div>
Those 38spl wadcutters still group decent enough out of that 357Max chamber?

 

[ssnfa]

Re: Suppressed 357 Maximum TCA/Encore pistol/sbr?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: bp78</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ssnfa</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: bp78</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ssnfa</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I SBR'd an original Contender .357Max and use a Thompson Machine Isis2 on it. It is awesome!! </div></div>
Who made that barrel? And any loads you suggest with it? </div></div>

It is a factory Super 14 barrel threaded 1/2x28. I usually stick with .38spl wadcutters. </div></div>
Those 38spl wadcutters still group decent enough out of that 357Max chamber? </div></div>

To be honest I shoot it more as a demo then as a target gun. It will still hit a small paper plate at resonable distances which is all I have ever asked of it.