Have you ever hunted deer with a .38 Special?

Buffalo Bore has their Outdoorsman SWC hardcast load that is a 158-gr. SWC at 1100 fps, IIRC. That would do it, but even then, close range and shot placement...

As I stated in the first post, I'm not looking to actually hunt with this load, I'm looking to work up a woods carry load. I figure if a tested load has killed a deer, it'll be more likely to do for the critters Imay encounter in the woods where I fish in and don't want to carry my bigger guns.

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Develop a load close to the pressure limit of your caliber/firearm and choose a bullet and go for it?

Once again, I'm looking for input from anyone who has hunted with a .38 Special.

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Sounds like no one has hunted (large critters) with 38 special, nor would they. And neither are you.

My first pistol deer was with a 357. Neck shot, actually broke bone, but he got up on his back legs and tried to get away. Next 3 with 41 mag were all one shot kills. Even the 357 is not adequate for deer. My choice for a "woods carry" would be "The Judge" or S&W equiv. Covers all bases.

Madcap_Magician said:

Buffalo Bore has their Outdoorsman SWC hardcast load that is a 158-gr. SWC at 1100 fps, IIRC. That would do it, but even then, close range and shot placement...

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That's 1250 out of a 6".

.38 spcl is a trapline gun at best. I put wadcutters in them to hunt grouse as well. I would consider it inhumane to use a caliber that is marginal AT BEST on a deer. "responsible outdoorsman, humane kill" and all that. If you have bigger guns, use them. I tend to agree with state minimum caliber and energy regulations, since most people can't shoot well enough to be absolutely sure of a neck vertebrae or brain shot.

For many years I carried a state issued .357mag. I typically carried a speed strip with some .38spl +p SWC-HP's (reloads.... too cheap and poor to buy "factory"), for dispatching road-hit deer.
Due to lack of penetration on all the head-shot deer I dispatched, "hunting" with the .38spl ain't a great idea; even if it's legal. It'll do in a "pinch" or "subsistance" situation where it's all you've got. But they're quieter and less recoil than a full-loaded magnum, so made shooting an already incapacitated deer more practical where an over-penetrating .357 could cause a richochet hazard on pavement/asphalt. I never had a .38spl exit, regardless of shot placement though I ususally targeted heads.

I did arrest a subject one day that had taken a doe out of season, on a closed management area. (.38spl was also a specifically prohibited cartridge). I was checking fishing licenses in the area and heard the first shot. I went looking and heard the second shot 1-2min later. When I found the subject, he was dragging the doe under the fence/firebreak at the property line. He'd shot the deer with an S&W Mod14 6"bbl with Winchester 125gr +P JHP's. First shot broke deer's neck (approx 25yd shot from a portable ladder/deer stand on firebreak). Second shot was to dispatch the still writhing deer. That was a very expensive deer. Inmates got to eat it, too...

Funniest epsiode of .38spl shot deer was by my captain. He drove up one night on a car wreck/deer-scene. The Sheriffs deputy on the scene ascertained if it was "ok" to dispatch the deer that was in median of divided 4-lane that was "thashing and bleating" to the dismay of bystander/passerby's. 'Sup' said "go ahead". The deputy shot the deer in the neck with a 9mm S&W Mod 659 w/115gr JHP. Deer got up and ran into opposing lane of traffic and started kicking and bleating louder..... My 'sup' walked over to the deer and in disgust aimed his 2" S&W mod 60 w/158gr +P SWC and shot the deer between the eyes whereupon it layed down, let out a final gasp and gave up the ghost....

He was something of a celebrety for a while around the coffee pots. (it even made local news paper as a reporter was at scene). About 6mos later, the S.O. traded in their 9's and went to .40's..... also a dept. policy of NOT shooting injured wildlife.....
But in all honesty, it wasn't the 9mm's fault. It was poor shot placement... The 9's no better or worse than the .38spl....

Many years ago I made the mistake of trying to help out a friend who needed his child biting Chow dog put down. We took him out into a isolated area and tied him to some brush. I shot him square in the chest at close range with a 38 special wadcutter - don't remember the exact load.

The dog instantly went birzirk in pain and agony, tumbling and rolling and howling and so forth. I put 5 more in his torso as quickly as I could do so accurately. He was moving way too much to make a head shot.

After, he was still alive, but barely, when I finished him off with the biggest rock I could find to the head.

I felt very badly about how things went that day, and still do. I would do things a lot differently now, but in no case would I shoot a living thing with a 38 special again if I had a choice in the matter.

I do know for a fact however that Chuck Norris goes bear hunting with a switch.