I picked up a 10 inch 357 max Contender barrel at the gun show in Tulsa last weekend. I have some 357 mags I can shoot for now but am wanting to get some brass and bullets to reload. My question is which bullets and powder are you guys using?

Wish I had known you were at the show. I was there Saturday morning and bought a 16 in Contender carbine in 6.8 spc from Ed. That is likely where you got your barrel.

I like H110 and 158 or 180 XTP's.

Here are my 3 favorite rounds for the 357 Max. I shoot H110 for right now but I'm looking for another powder that I was told shoots better in the Max.
I have a 13" MGM brl and it is great.
Here are my loads- 180 hard cast, 180 XTP and 180 Hornady SP.
I'm hunting the frist weekend with my Max around Shattuck, OK.

I have 2 loads, my barrel is a 15" MGM full bull Encore barrel,Lil gun and the Hornady 180 gr.sp, and H-110 using the 200 gr. Hornady FTX.

+1 with s4s4u.

Doc

Thanks guys. Doc and s4s4u, how well do the 158 xtp's hold up? I've read they don't hold up in the max. This is the reason I ask you guys, here I can hear from guys that have actually used them.
Hawkeye, I was leaning towards H-110, but have some Lil Gun and 2400 on hand also.
Hank, I wasn't sure I was going to go because I'm working the night shift now. Yes I did get my barrel from Ed's. I wish (again) that we could have had a meet and greet. Someday all of us Okies are gonna have to meet up.
Racksmasher, how well does the 200 grain Hornady ftx do? I haven't read anything about it.

There are two types of 158 XTP, HP and FP. I use the FP (flat point) as it doesn't expand as rapidly as the hollow point.

Is have used both, the HP have worked fine on antelope and deer sized game; however, I use the FP for larger game, bear ( black ) and elk. I've used them in both the 357 Max and the 357/44 Bain & Davis ( 44 mag necked down to 357 ). The 357 B&D and the Max are essentially the same.

Doc

I picked up some brass, a box of 180 gr Hornady SSP bullets, and a box of 180 gr XTPs last night. I also picked up a box of 158 gr XTPs for the mags. Thanks for all the help. If you have any more tips they will be appreciated.

For whatever reason, my 10" MGM Max doesn't like 296 as much as it does 4227 with the 180 gr XTP. Good luck in your load development!

Guys I learned this morning you can't seat the ssp bullets with the 357 seat die. I ended up using the seat die from my 30 Herrett then crimping them with the 357 dies. How do you guys seat them?

I was surprised with the same smashed soft points when I first loaded 357 Max with 180 SSPs also. Took me a minute to figure out what the heck was going on!
Then went to a seater out of some other die set, and then made 357 Max a seater with the lathe.

You are going to like the 180"s, to answer your question about the 200 gr. ftx bullets is I haven"t killed anything with that bullet yet, BUT I"m leaving for OHIO in the morning for their gun season and, I would like to save a tag for the MAX.