357 MAG BARREL FOR CONTENDER

I am trying to decide what barrel to get next for my contender. I found a new article in a magazine last week on the G2 Contender in 357 mag. The accuracy in that article showed three inches at twenty five yards. Is that normal for that barrel? My revolvers do better than that.

I have read that Thompson Center did have a problem with the accuracy of their 357 mag barrels years ago. Has that problem been corrected?

I was just wondering if I should consider a 357 mag barrel for my contender or due to such problems try something else. I want a barrel that I can afford to shoot a lot but would also be good for deer to 125 - 150 yards. The 357 max looks good but I do not have time to reload at this time. I can either shoot or reload and I love to shoot.

I have 2 10" and 1 14" .357 Magnum Contender barrels and all have been excellent. All of them will shoot better than 3" at 100 yards.

500WE, who made your barrels? What caliber are your barrels?

If I were buying a barrel to deer hunt with factory ammo I would buy a 35 Remington. Several of my friends have been very successful in the deer woods with factory Remington 200 grain Core-Lok. (green box) ammo. Good expansion, full penetration = dead deer.
Accuracy with factory ammo & TC factory barrel. Sub. 2" groups at 100 yards with a LER scope. Kill deer out to 200 yards.

Not sure what was wrong with that barrel, but I've never had a T/C barrel that wouldn't do that or better @ 100 yards and often MOA. My MGM made 7-30 Waters and 218 Bee barrels will do sub 1" @ 100 all day long. Some factory 357 barrels have been known to have a long leade, and I know one guy who can chamber 360 DW brass in his factory 357 barrel, but even that barrel will shoot the mags fairly accurately. I would look into MGM if you are wanting a barrel made. You can get a custom MGM barrel, 13" or shorter, for $250 bucks. That is less than I have seen some factory tubes listed for.

I own a 10" T/C made one. It'll shoot better than I can hold it.

What twist rate is best for stabilizing 140 - 180 grain bullets in a 357 mag?

Wouldn't need any faster than a 20. If going MGM it is the only choice you have for a 357 I believe.

I have a 10" stainless .357 Mag barrel from MGM and had them build it with a 1-14" rate of twist for 180+ grain bullets and I wanted fast twisted anyway. I'm a fan of fast twist short barrels.

Shoots like a champ.

Like fast twist barrels....hmmm What a surprise!

I should have been clearer. Since the topic was .357 Magnum barrels, that's what I was talking about. All of those .357 barrels were made by T/C between 1979 and sometime in the late '80's.
I own about 22 barrels made by T/C and SSK, some of which will shoot 1 MOA, or better on occasion. The .357's are my most accurate straight walls.

I thought the original topic was what Contender barrel to buy for deer hunting if shooting factory ammo?

The 35 is a deer hammer, the only thing I would ad to this would be is the 30/30, for factory ammo.

billa, I just changed the wording in my original post. I did mean to be asking about the accuracy of TC 357 mag barrels but I am open to the other chooses for deer hunting.

The reason I was looking at the 357 mag is because I like to shoot a lot and do not at this time have time to reload. 357 mag ammo is easer to find and pay for but I am open to other barrels that I can get suitable hunting ammo for. 35s are very hard to find around hear but 357 mags and 44 mags are everywhere.

I would like to be able to shoot this barrel a lot but also feel good about hunting with it out to maybe 125 yards.

I had read bad things in the past about the accuracy of some of the TC 357 mag barrels and was asking it that problem had been corrected. I was also curious about what twist I should get to stabilize 140 - 180 grain bullets.

But like I said above I am open to other suggestions. I hope my original question is clearer now.

Then go with the 44, you can get a 125 yards out of that easy!

I suggest a 44 magnum barrel based on your revised criteria. My first big bore handgun was a 44 mag Contender in 1977. Bagged my first big game with it. You can probably find low cost reloads. Although I will admit that for the best economy 38 special / generic 357 mag ammo will be cheaper if you are shooting alot!