Full disclosure here - i currently don?t own a JDJ anything. That said, i?ve always wanted a 375 JDJ, well just because. I have a 35 remington factory-ported barrel that i keep threatening to send to SSK for rechambering to 358 JDJ.

As a guy who shoots a lot and hunts a little, i don?t need either of the two cartridges mentioned above, but that certainly won?t stop me from wanting them. The 7-30 is one of my favorite barrels and does a great job compared to similar cartridges, both JDJ and non-JDJ. However, there is a huge gap at the upper end that is unfilled outside of the JDJ offerings, without moving onto different platforms.

I guess in the end, we?re all very fortunate to live an era of unparalleled options to choose from, that can match our individual needs.

All. I apologize for my somewhat harsh responses on this thread. We should be positive and uplifting to one another on this site in the spirit of promoting handgun hunting by sharing our experiences with one another. Our debates and discussions should be based on data and factual experiences with a positive slant.

curioushooter, I tried to keep you from slipping down that slope but you insisted you wanted to go there and threw ice on my sand and even went back and edited your last paragraph on your latest post to criticize even worse.

Pab1 got it saved when he quoted you. For those of you that didn't catch this, go ahead and look at pab1's post; and read the last paragraph there of the second quotation of curioushooter. Unreal stuff. Doesn't belong here.

CS, I think that is enough, you are pissing against the wind here.

If anybody else would like to post here on my original topic, let's do it!

Thanks, guys.

Gregg

No apology needed IMO.

Curioushooter,
This is what we do not need nor want here. It is ok to have your opinion like everybody else does but word it so that it doesn't hurt or criticize anyone, please.

Gregg

I kinda been refraining from commenting on these posts as I think CS is just trolling members and trying to get them fired up and I generally don't fall into the trap. Having said that, I would like to know just how much experience CS has with these type of guns, I think not much based on some of his comments. Let me start by saying we live in a country where we are free to think and comment on just about everything, be it controversial or not. Not meaning to attack CS but he contradicts himself on several points he tries to make. One being that necking a cartridge down not up makes it less efficient, then goes on to say the 7x30 Waters is a grand chambering. It may well be but I thought all it is is a necked DOWN 30-30 Win. No disrespect intended but apparently he thinks Bob Milek is a more proficient wildcatter than JD because he gave us the 30 & 357 Herretts. The very first Contender I ever owned was a new 10 inch 357 Herrett. So I have made and shot several hundred rounds of that chambering. In my opinion there is not anything much less efficient than a shortened 30-30 case full of Win. 296 powder and very few guns are much louder. To illustrate my point when Mr. Milek went on his handgun safari to Africa did he take his creation of the 357 Herrett? No, he took a Contender in 35 Rem. which is by no means a "powerhouse" in itself. Again, no disrespect to the lovers of the 35 Rem its just compared to other available chamberings not that powerful. The main reason JD made his line of cartridges was to make money, which if you believe in capitalism is not a bad thing. Secondarily he designed easy to make and more powerful guns than were affordable at the time. CS tries to make the point that the 45-70 was already available. WRONG, the first person to ever chamber a Contender in 45-70 was, wait for it.... JD Jones. If you don't believe me look it up. That's how SSK got its start, by making barrels for the Contender in 45-70. So to CS I'll say this, you need to get a little more experience with JDJ cartridges and be a little more open minded about whats out there. I'll wrap this up by saying that I do own quite a lot of SSK/JDJ stuff but I don't remember ever spending anybody else's money but mine. Everybody knows they're own economic and personal ability so buy accordingly just enjoy what you like and don't trash what other people seek. For me, its reasonable power with ease of making them and pride of ownership.

Billa, I am not sure why you are apologizing, as it seems I am the one that offended folks here. I am not at all opposed to wildcatting or cartridge conversion or anything. I am most definitely INTO such things, and INTO handgun hunting (though I have no dislike of rifles). But I just don't see what JDJs bring to the table. I readily admit I may be overlooking something, but to date nobody has brought anything to my attention that I didn't already consider, and such JDJ enthusiasts, I would think, could explain things better than anyone, which is why I even interjected into this thread (cause I ignored it for a while).

I am genuinely interested in reading a substantive, science based "defense" if you want to call it that of JDJ cartridges for HANDGUNS (which in the USA must legally have under a 16" barrel). My opinion of them stands: they offer little over their parent cartridges, are reverse from desirable ballistic qualities for handguns, and are adding even more confusion and obscurity to an already WAY overcrowded and confused reloading landscape. Most people seem to agree with me, because two of my three reloading manuals don't even list the 375 JDJ, the most popular of the JDJs if I am not mistaken. Meanwhile most reloading manuals have 357 Herrett, another Contender wildcat, for example.

How about a comparison?

375 JDJ, 14" Contender, 270 grain Interlock spire point (BC .380) bullet going 2000 FPS (Hornady Manual 8th ed.)
444 Marlin, 15" Contender, 265 grain FTX bullet (BC .275) going 2100 FPS (Hornady Manual 8th ed.)

At 100 yards
375 JDJ will have dropped 0" and delivers a KO of 26.1
444 Marlin will have dropped 0" and delivers a KO of 29.7 (so 444 is better for that charging bear or other dangerous animal)

At 200 yards
375 JDJ will have dropped 9" and delivers a KO of 23.4
444 Marlin will have dropped 9" and delivers a KO of 25.6 (so 444 is better for that 200 yard Elk shot)

At 300 yards
375 JDJ will have dropped 32" and delivers a KO of 21.1
444 Marlin will have dropped 32" and delivers a KO of 22.1 (so here they are almost equivalent).

ONLY AT RANGES BEYOND 300 YARDS DOES 375 JDJ SURPASS ITS PARENT IN BALLISTIC PERFORMANCE. I'd reckon that less that 1% of LARGE GAME are taken by handguns at this distance. 99% of the time 444 Marlin is the better choice.

375 JDJ is a dubious solution to a problem almost nobody has. It is overkill for deer sized animals, and it isn't any better than many long established big bore cartridges, or even its parent, for big/dangerous game.

While the 357 Herrett has merit (which probably explains why it was adopted by T/C and is listed in most load manuals). It delivers extended range performance on deer from a handgun. It improves over its parent. I'm a fan of this former Wildcat!

My 14" Contender propels a 200 grain FTX at 2050 FPS with 34 grains of AA1680.
At 100 yards it drops 0 and delivers a KO of 18.4
At 200 yards it drops 9 and delivers a KO of 16.1
At 300 yards it drops 32 and delivers a KO of 14

It has the same trajectory as 375 JDJ and isn't OVERKILL for deer, which is by FAR the most common large game animal. 357 Herrett is easier to obtain, more pleasant to shoot, cheaper to shoot, and is more than adequate for deer. Nothing is gained from OVERKILL. If the deer dies and is recovered, the job is done. Excess power is NEGATIVE, since it damages meat, exposes you to more noise and recoil, and is more expensive.

CS, You apparently don't have any respect of other's opinions or desires in life and you just don't know when to let it be. You must be a very unhappy person or something (?) is going on.

Other than your poorly worded and critical responses I really enjoyed this thread, and I know others did also. I am satisfied with it, and I want to thank Gary and all you other posters that contributed to it.

Before CS can spoil it I am locking it down.

Gregg