Cartridges

The 356 GNR was developed by Gary Reeder Custom Guns from Flagstaff, AZ. It is based on the 41 Magnum case necked down to 357. It duplicates the power and speed of the old 357/44 Bains & Davis from the early 70's, except in a revolver it works perfectly, whereas...

This was a development by Smith & Wesson and Federal during the early 1990’s as the Team Smith & Wesson for their IPSC shooting team. During the late 80’s, shooters began migrating away from the 45 ACP to the 38 Super, as the loads were loaded hot enough to...

The 357/44 B&D was probably one of the earliest exercises in necking the 44 Magnum case down to .357 cal and was featured in the January 1964 issue of Gun World magazine. Although enjoying some brief success as a silhouette cartridge it did not last very long.

The Grizzly Win Mag pistols were modified and scaled-up M1911 type handguns that were designed by Perry Arnett in the mid-80’s. His designs were patented to L.A.R Manufacturing for an interchangeable pistol for large, heavy duty handgun rounds. The 357/45 GWM are made...

The 357 Auto Mag is based on the 44 Auto Mag necked down to .357. The basis for this was the 308 Winchester case shortened to 1.298 inch. The 357 Auto Mag was announced in 1973, about three years after the launch of the original 44 Auto Mag but, as opposed to the 44...

Supposedly a wildcat design by the late Horst Grillmayer. This cartridge is basically the same as the 9mm COLT MARS XPL.

The 357 Herrett was a collaboration between Bob Milek and Steve Herrett and was one of a series of cartridges they developed. The 30 Herrett was launched in 1972 and the 357 followed not long after that in 1975 in the Thompson/Center Contender pistol. It is based on...

The early 1930’s was a time of trouble and turmoil in the US. America was in the middle of the Great Depression and Prohibition was still in effect and with it came the inevitable gangster. Police at that stage were still armed with the 38 Special and it was a common...

The 357 Peterbilt is based on a shortened and necked 284 Winchester case.

The 357 Maximum was developed in 1983 by Elgin Gates and originally called the .357 Super Mag. It was during the period where metallic silhouette shooting was in its heyday and shooters needed a revolvers that could take care of those steel rams at 200 meters. The 357...

This was another 44 Magnum necked down to 357 and was designed by the late Vern Juenke.

This was a 44 Magnum case necked down to .357, and one of several different variations of the same idea. From various discussion forums, the Bobcat was developed sometime during the mid-80’s by gunsmith Bob Booth. One of the main problems with bottle-necked cartridges...

The 357 SIG was developed in 1994 in a collaboration between SIG-SAUER and Federal. As was the case with the development of the 40 S&W, references were still made to the 1986 Miami shootout and under gunned Federal agents and 9mmP loads being under powered. The...

This is the smaller .36cal Lipfire made for the Navy Model Revolver. Much of the history of Ethan Allen was discussed under the 44 LIPFIRE.

At the end of the American Civil War, one thing became clear in the world of handguns. The era of the percussion revolver was over, and the era of the self-contained metallic cartridge had arrived. Except for the folks at Smith & Wesson, that posed a problem for...

This was an early design, probably dating from around 1881. During 1874, Smith & Wesson started to discontinue manufacture of the No.1 and 1½ rimfire revolver in preparation for the new center-fire versions. Page 314 of Charles Suydam’s work on U.S. Cartridges and...

The idea of the 360 Wesson dates from around 1999 during the IHMSA International Tournament at Ft. Stockton, TX. According to the Los Angeles Silhouette Club website, (that currently seems down), the discussion was between Bob Serva, then president of Wesson Arms and...

This is the longer cased version of the Short Centerfire revolver and was also a British design dating from the early 1890’s, being listed in the 1894 Kynoch catalogue. (Erlmeier, Brandt Ref. 348)

This is the same as the 9mm MARS and th full history is described under that topic. (Erlmeier, Brandt Ref. 349)

The .360 No.5 Revolver dates to around 1878 and was a British design, originally for a rook/rabbit type rifle. The 1894 Kynoch and 1898 Eley catalogues list this also as a revolver cartridge with a lighter loading. (Erlmeier, Brandt Ref. 350)

This is the shortened version of the .360 Long Centerfire revolver, a British design in all probability for cheap pocket revolvers. Listed in the 1882 Kynoch catalogue but did not survive long after. (Erlmeier, Brandt Ref. 351)

The 375 Forsberg was developed during the latter part of 1983 by Pacific International Service Company gunsmith Lee Forsberg, out of Janesville CA. It was based on the .308 Win case cut down to 1.563 inches and was part of several necked up or down variations on the...

One of a series of cartridges designed by the Late Lee Jurras, one of the greats in handgun hunting. He was very interested in the exploits of the old hunters with their Howdah pistols and in the early 1970’s brought out his own versions chambered in 6 different...