Range And Load Report For The 357 Mag Carcano

[8uck5nort]

I had issues with the scope mount on the .357 remington magnum built on a Italian Carcano. A little filing, leveling, and JB Weld bedding of the mount has it rock solid and dead on. Onto the reloading and range report. I have about 100 to 120 rounds through the rifle now and tested several different flavors.

 

I have worked up the following hunting load. 7.5 gr of HP38 with a 140 gr Hornady bullet. The flex tip leverevolution stuff. So far I am getting consistent and very nice groupings at 55 yards. 1.5" high on the bullseye and sub 1 to 1.5 inch groups.

 

The other combo this rifle likes is factory Winchester 158 JHP. It shoots about .5" low off the bullseye, but seems to group tighter.

 

Gold Dot 158 JHP bullets using the same 7.5 gr of HP38 didn't do too bad.

 

Tried loading up with Herco and the 140 gr Hornady bullets, but can't seem to get a load that performs as well.

 

Very mild to little recoil. Should be a decent gun under 100 to 125 yards depending on what load I take into the field. Rifle for deer will not open until November, so I am putting the rifle down for a while and getting my bow tuned for the October 1st opener. :-)

[littlecanoe]

Interesting concept. I like the idea of a lighter straight walled cartridge in a bolt.

I'm not familiar with the way the Caranco (??) is set up but would it ream out to and

reliably feed 357 Maximum cartridges? I understand that the Max can really scream

out of a rifle where pressures can be pushed up a bit.

[8uck5nort]

I bought a pre-chambered barrel blank and had it fitted into the original barrel shank. So not sure about the reaming part. Ther original caliber was 6.5 mm carcano.

 

This has a crude one shot mag/storage so the best I can do with the 357 mag shell is a single shot with a ready follow up. It does eject well. It may actually feed with the original clip system with the longer max round, but I haven't tried it.

 

 

[bstarling]

I bought a pre-chambered barrel blank and had it fitted into the original barrel shank. So not sure about the reaming part. Ther original caliber was 6.5 mm carcano.

 

This has a crude one shot mag/storage so the best I can do with the 357 mag shell is a single shot with a ready follow up. It does eject well. It may actually feed with the original clip system with the longer max round, but I haven't tried it.

 

Darin, did you use the barrel stub from the original barrel and bore it to take the 357 barrel? I've heard of that being done with H&R single shots.

 

Bill

[8uck5nort]

Yes, that is how it was done.

 

I took it to the indoor range yesterday during my lunch hour and at 25 yards from a bench I had a 5 shot group that punched out the bullseye using my hunting loads. I am really impressed with this rifle once I got a load that really shoots well. I am sure I am biased, but forgive me. :-)

 

My other carcano shoots very well using the original 65 mm carcano. that is until my scope mount works loose. I am working on a better mount for it that will stay put.