Hi
What is the heaviest bullet practical/available for the .357 Magnum, both for short guns and long guns?

Locally 158 grain seems to be the maximum available commercially
Cheers

Subsequent to posting the above, I found a thread on heavy bullets where good things were said about a 185 grain BTB (I don't think these have reached Darkest Africa yet)

Now, if I can persuade the powers that be that I need a lever gun, and that lever gun was to be used for hunting pigs and deer sized game at ranges up to 75 metres, then what would srve me better

A .357 loaded with this very impressive sounding bullet, or a suitably loaded .30 - 30?

Now for the proviso - the gun would see most of its work at plinking and carrying on a daily (in and out of vehicle) basis for close range varmint control, and would be the primary weapon when going out to investigate farm/stock/crop theft.

Just to throw into the mix - I already have a .357 wheelgun as my town and around carry gun.

I know the easy answer is "get both", but I know that I won't persuade the powers that be about that one - I must be planning murder, mayhem or revolution if I buy two similar weapons.
Cheers

The 185 Beartooth is a great bullet, and there are plenty of 180gr. jacketed bullets available here for the .357. That would be about the heaviest 'common' .357 mag bullet.

It is possible to find 200gr. bullets for the .357 Mag, and even some load data, but they are not common at all.

'Better' than say a 170gr. .30-30? - that's a tough call. A slightly heavier, larger diameter bullet at a somewhat reduced velocity.

For plinking loads the .357 wins hands down, and if you have a long magazine tube you can get an impressive number of them in the gun (definite advantage when things go 'bump' in the night).

I guess I know what direction I'd lean - except to say I have a Marlin 1894 in .45 Colt and it will hold 12 cartridges in the magazine tube, all loaded with 250gr. or heavier bullets. Now that will take care of some pretty big 'varmits'!

Rodders,
I have not shot the 185 grain beartooth but I have a mold for the NEI #161A 190 grain LBT style bullet. This is THE bullet for the Winchester Model 94 in .357 magnum. It feeds very well, is accurate and penetrates into next week. This style bullet fills the throat on the Model 94 and will shoot at high velocity with no leading.
The 170 grain Sierra Power Points are pretty good also.

I shoot 215 gr. Lymans in .357 magnum. I use Remington brass, which seems to have thinner sidewalls, so I don't have problems with the cartridge diameter (the 215's seat really deep at the std 357 mag C.O.L. These can also be used in 38 spl. cases. 3 gr. of 700X gives almost no recoil, yet gives bowling pins wings at the local matches. It's a pity that Lyman saw fit to discontinue the 358627. ==Bob