Im saving for a custom MGM barrel main target will be deer. I live in Ohio so straight wall 357 or larger is the rule. Im leaving very heavily towards the 357 max especially after talking with Mike Bellm a little. He said he knows a guy using a 14 incher loaded with 200 FTX for elk so it should be plenty powerful. I doubt ill ever hunt outside the US so I imagine it would be enough gun for anything I wanted to hunt if loaded right. Just wondering if anyone else has any other/better suggestions. I have a 45/70 super 16 but bullets are a little pricey and its over kill even loaded down for squirrels and such and the trajectory isn't all the great. Welcome any suggestions.

If Deer are the main animal you are going to hunt, you are fine with the MAX.

That's as big as we got around here. Maybe an occasional coyote or if im very very lucky a hog but I've never seen a feral hog even though there are supposed to be a few.

The MAX would be an excellent choice IMHO. Best of luck with whatever you decide.

Bushytail.....im about 20 miles south of portsmouth ohio, and off rt23 a couple miles. Hello 👋🏻

Id take the 357max n go at it. Really great cartridge imo.

Why not a .460 or .444. More horsepower on tap, bigger bullet and you can load up or down as needed. Uses .452 bullets or .429 so cheaper than 45-70 .People worked for years to get bigger more suitable guns,bullets and loads for big game, and now everybody wants to go back to a 357.What the hell.

Because it still works, has low recoil, and is easier to shoot.

!!!

BB, if you need range and power the 460 is the way to go, the first year I hunted Ohio, I could not make my mind up on which MGM barrel to order, the MAX, or the 460, I ordered both, LOL.

Mike chambers the .357 Max with the throat cut correctly. It's an awesome round in a proper chamber. If that is what you like it will certainly get it done.

Nothing wrong with a 357 and since you have the Max,,, Have you considered the 205 grain bullet from Leadhead bullets? It does a fine job with 4227.

Lots of other options if you need more power but the .357 Max is a good one.

It has to be straight walled and I don't think the contender frame is really suitable for the 460 but idk. I already have dies and the 357 max can be loaded hotter than what the books say safely. From what I've read it'll out perform the 35 remington loaded right and could always be opened up to 358 bellm or something if laws change. I did think about 444 ill have to look into it some more i have dies for it as long as it has the trajectory but it burns more powder also.. So many considerations that's why I asked on here so I can be sure I get what I really want in the end. And I can always have my 10 inch 357 barrel re chambered heck I could do it myself wouldn't be nothing next to match chambers I've cut

The Contender frame does limit your choice's a bit.What about the 445 Super Mag. My books show a 240 gr. .429 bullet at 2000 fps out of a 14 in barrel,and a 300 gr. at 1800 fps.The bottom line is get what you are comfortable with.

I have brass and all that for 444 as long as its not going to whoop my but everytime I touch it off lol can load it down to those levels and I was going to go with the full bull at 13 inches so it shouldn't be an issue I can put a break on it myself I just can't buy a blank stub the trashed 44 Mag barrel my dad has out and get a reamer as cheap as mgm will build the whole thing

Also what kind of limits am I having with the 444 id imagine its good on everything on this continent but rounds are really only good for 200 yards and would have about the same energy at 200 but the 444 does it with 100 grains more bullet in a larger diameter... I really should just go with the max its better suited to my specific needs but the 444 would be cheaper to start with for me and has more potential... Would the 444 do ok on African game? I doubt ill ever go and if I do id work a 375 caliber in the budget but would the 444 do the job?

I cant see how a max will out perform a 35rem if it has less powder capacity. It will be reasonably close enough.....but......more usually equals more. I have both. I chronographed a factory max and factory 35rem. I havnt chronographed my mgm 14" 357 max.

Anyway, the 460 would be an encore only cartridge and the 444 would be better in that gun also, although there have been 444's made/rechambered for contenders. you could do an encore 460 with a muzzle brake to tame some recoil. The encore makes a bigger heavier pistol and that is a minus to me personally.

Deer hunting ohio....id take a 357max EVERY time. Nice lighter package, plenty for deer, and i think it would do fine for me to 200 yrds, which is plenty range for me with a handgun.

IF you ever went to africa, you would assume enough money to buy another barrel or gun. Buy a gun that suits what you are actually going to do and do it well. Enjoy it!

There is always more more more, and it usually has a price.

THIS!

That's what i Figured and no factory 367 max won't but its underloaded. Since it has the same (appromately as in darn close) head size as a 223 then it produces the same amount of bolt thrust at the same pressure. And most loading data and factory stuff isn't even loaded to the saami 48,000 usually around 40,000 and the 223 is 55,000 you can get more out of it than you'd think. Mike Bellm's site has some great info but in a 24 inch rifle something like 2700 for the 140 FTX and if I remember right 2300 for a 180 and around 2100 or better for a 200 and only lose 200 fps in a 14 inch barrel.

Im shooting 23 grains of little gun with a 158 xtp in my 357 Mag right now with zero signs of pressure but the bullet is loaded out as far as my gun will let me 1.765 oal not sure on velocity but ill have a chrono this week should be close to 1900 id guess but i have no real idea

2188fps with 180 hornady ssp out of the 14" 35 rem rimmed, But it is reasonably close.

I mean i don't know specifically I know its so close the deer wouldn't know the difference and with a lot less powder. I've already ordered a scope to try that'll go on my 357 Mag till I get the max and I believe I figured out why my Mag was stringing seeing as the rear scope mount was so lose the locking piece would move when I touched it and the Leopold on my 45/70 barrel suffered a whack at some point apparently and the adjustment cap won't come off so I got a tool and gently turned it and the whole dang turret unscrewed so im not using it soon lol

445 Super Mag can use 44 mag or 44 special if you want. I use rifle that does a 240 grain with 4227 at 2100 FPS 3 rounds touching at 100 yards