[critter]

Just wondering. How effective (on whitetail deer) should a .357 SIG autoloader be at 50 yds and under? Load would be a good JHP in the 125 gr range and at about 1400 FPS.

Anybody ever try it?

[Redlg155]

I haven't tried it personally, but in many states there are minimum caliber length/ caliber restrictions pertaining to allowable handgun cartridges.

The .357 Sig is balistically close to the .357 mag, which many folks agree to be the smallest caliber you would want to hunt deer with. Even then the shot would have to be an almost perfect broadside shot and using heavier 158 grain soft or hollowpoint bullets.

A 125 grain JHP would expand a bit too voilently and not give you the needed penetration on deer. I've used my own fast moving .44 mag handloads with a Sierra 200gr JHP out of a 10" barreled Contender and still had deer running a good bit before expiring.

Good Shooting
Red

[JShirley]

Saw a deer hit with a .35 Remington about 3 years ago. It was a decent shot through the ribs, but that buck was still alive over 20 minutes later, and jumped up when I walked closer. Finally was able to put him down with my Glock 23 at maybe 15 yards. Hit him at the top of that groove in the neck, just underneath the jaw. Instant lights out. Round was a 155-grain XTP loaded to about 1150 fps.

I reckon I'm saying that even a marginal handgun will do the job if you put the round in the right place. Before making the final decision, I'd want to test the round to see how it performs in some type of test media- say gallon water-filled jugs with 1/4" tightly folded sections of newspaper between each jug. There's a lot of variation in bullet construction, so you may be able to find a bullet that will penetrate deeply enough while still expanding at least somewhat.

[41 Redhawk]

Watch the law too. Some states do not allow semi-autos for big game hunting. Personally, I would use a 10mm if I were going to hunt with a auto pistol.

[454c]

In AR the barrel must be 4" on a handgun for deer hunting.

[grampster]

In Michigan you can use an autoloader only if the magazine has been modified to hold no more than 3 rounds.

I killed a white tail using my Beretta mod. 96 (.40 cal) using Federal hydro shock. Very well placed shot at about 20 paces, just missed the heart and creamed the liver, and bambi went about 100 yds before lying down and bleeding out. I was surprised, though, that the bullet passed entirely through the critter. Went in between two ribs, passed through the torso, never hit a bone and went out the other side. I would have thought that bullet would not have done that.

I gotta say, making that shot and getting the critter was a highlight of deer hunting. Was hunting in heavy cover (which is why I was using the handgun) and didn't have any margin for error. All those rounds fired paid off.
grampster

[kumma]

dont limit yourself grampster

per michigan dnr site:
A conventional (smokeless powder) handgun must be .35 caliber or larger and loaded with straight-walled cartridges and may be single- or multiple-shot but cannot exceed a maximum capacity of nine rounds in the barrel and magazine combined.

looks like .45 with 7 round mag are ok but no standard 10 round autos

[grampster]

Kumma,

Thanks, rules musta changed since 1993 when I asked the DNR about capacity in a handgug.

grampster

Don't usually need more than one shot, though. :D :D :what:

[mete]

I advised a hunter to use heavy bullets in his 357 because penetration is very important . Instead he chose the 125 - the bullet hit a small branch in front of the deer and came apart - no deer. A 44mag is about twice as effective as a 357 , yes big bore really does count.

[Art Eatman]

mete, it all depends on the distance between the small branch and the deer. For roughly a ten-foot spacing, even a .45-70 can deflect enough for a clean miss.

Unless the brush is very, very close to the animal, there's no such thing as a "brush-busting" bullet.

Art

[Dr.Rob]

I think the only legal auto pistols for big game here would be the Desert Eagle in 41 or 44 mag. (though I suppose if you can afford an Auto-mag or Wildley auto pistol you could use those too)

For big game a hand gun has to generate 550 ft/lbs of enegry at 50 yards, be .24 caliber or more and have a 4 inch barrel and fire an expanding bullet.

Strangely, for LION, the gun must fire at least a 45 grain bullet and have 400 ft/lbs at the muzzle. Damn, looks like 9mm is lion medicine after all.

[ENC]

here in oklahoma we can use any caliber that is larger than .24 as long as the case length is at least 1.25 inches.

I don't know of any pistol rounds that fit that category. Looks like I'd be limited to .357 mag.

[444]

I shot a large mule deer buck with a 9mm out of a Ruger P89. I think I was using Hornady XTP handloads.

I would strongly advise against it.

[MCNETT]

Looks like you can add the 10mm to the list in Colorado!!! Using DoubleTap Ammunition, you can use: 200gr JHP, 200gr FMJ/FP, or the 180gr JHP. All three are well above 550ft/ lbs @ 50yds. from a stock G20 and slightly higher from a Kimber, Razorback, Delta Elite or SW 610 !
-Mike

[MCNETT]

Scratch the 200FMJ/ FP, I reread your post and it is a non-expanding bullet.
-Mike