Bambi bullets?

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Slinky556

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What's up everybody, I just picked up a Henry big boy in 357mag and I'm wondering what everyone uses for game ammo. I bought two different boxes of ammo, Federal Champion 158gr jsp and Federal Fusion 158gr jhp, both of which advertise 1240fps and 540ft lbs from a four inch barrel if I remember correctly.

I also had an extra Nikon in a drawer so it now has a Pro Staff 2x7-32 on it. Its groups fantastic at 75 yards, roughly one inch. I'm actually a bit surprised by it and obviously more than pleased with it.

I'm not looking for it to replace my 30-30, I only bought it because of my inability to continue living without it but I would like to put one down with it. I am aware of its limitations being a pistol cartride. Where I hunt in north Alabama you're doing good to see past 40 or 50 yards in the timber so I wont be stretching it out.

I did look up 357mag on ballistics by the inch and the 18 inch barrel really adds some zing and smack to the cartridge. They show 1719fps from an 18 inch barrel with just over 1000ft lbs of lay your a** down

So what do y'all shoot? And how's everybody's deer season going?
 
I would think jsp or some sort of cast would be best rather than hallow points. You want proper penetration .

Edit: My father uses buffalo bore in in his marlin .357,and had good luck with that. Not sure the weight, think he got the heaviest one available though.
 
Ive seen the Buffalo Bore and if thats what it takes thats what I'll get. I'm just wondering if anyone is using off the shelf ammo and what if so. It's always nice to be able grab target and duty ammo while in walmart grocery shopping.
 
I'm not looking for it to replace my 30-30,
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Some of the better 357 loads from a rifle will beat 30-30. At least at ranges up to 75ish yards. I've never used one, but I've seen guys report great success with just about every bullet out there. Conventional wisdom says use a JHP or PSP 158 gr or heavier. I don't think you could go wrong with any of them on deer. On bear of bigger game then I'd be looking at the premium 180 or 200 gr hardcast bullets.

I've even seen guys post a few very dead dear shot with 125 gr HP ammo. It obviously works, but I'd think shot placement would be much more critical.
 
Yeah thats why I asked. I've found a lot of conflicting answers. Some saying 125 hollows were best, some saying the 180 buffalos were the ticket. For 21 years Ive been using my 30-30. I got it when I was 8 so its my go to. But I didn't have a pistol cal lever gun in my collection, decided on 357 since I can use 38 to kill paper and I completely lost it over the slick action of the Henry big boy. Its way smoother than my winchester 94 ever was. Now I figure since I own it (and its a very capable caliber), I'd like to get it out in the woods and drop some supper with it once.
 
Ahh, gotcha. I don't handload so whatever I'm shooting comes out of a box. I'm headed to the woods with a full stack of the Fusions as we speak so wish me and my little 357 some luck
 
Slicnky, I understand that, Ive been hunting deer and elk for 40+ years with a 41 mag at my side .....my goal was always to take that game with the 41, closest I got was 12 elk running past me at 12 feet, heart check but no antlers, hope it work's for you.
PS 158's in 357 will do the job.
JD
 
You might try some Federal 180gr if you want a heavier bullet. I shot them at recommendation of my local gunsmith, He told me that the twist in my GP100 was perfect for the 180. I tried it, they shot really well. When I decided to work up a load I went with the 180gr XTP's over a stiff load of H110. I have taken 8 or 10 deer with the load. Took one at 43 yards. Everything else has been less. Never had to shoot one twice. Works well.
 
Hornady makes the LeveRevolution in .357. I use them in 35 Remington and .45 Colt. I'm sold on them, however, I have never tried the .357 as I don't have a rifle in that round.
 
158gr fusions do the trick. I didnt see anything yesterday but hunted again this morning and shot a doe, 144lbs. About a 40 yard shot and went all the way through. 2 broken ribs on the way in and 2 on the way out. The lungs were mush and her heart was two piece, I'd believe it was done by a 30-30 if I wasn't the one that shot her
 
Stick with 158's. 125's are too light for proper penatration imho. Out of a rifle within 50 or so yards and good shot placement, you should be good to go. I only use 125's in my backup for coyotes and my self defense rounds.
 
i prefer 225 grain soft lead .530 ball, but lots of my friends use 128 grain .440 ball. I get about 1400 fps from my load, they get about 1600-1700 with their loads, I'd expect the 158 grain JSP's to work fine out to 100 yards and not have a penetration problem, and at under 60 will have no worries about taking the deer down.

LD
 
Slinky556 said:
What's up everybody, I just picked up a Henry big boy in 357mag and I'm wondering what everyone uses for game ammo. I bought two different boxes of ammo, Federal Champion 158gr jsp and Federal Fusion 158gr jhp, both of which advertise 1240fps and 540ft lbs from a four inch barrel if I remember correctly.


So what do y'all shoot?
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I've shot the Fusions in my .357 revolvers, but not the Federals. Still, I believe when used within their intended parameters, either would be a good .357 deer bullet. That said, you may be getting outside the intended velocity parameters of the Fusion when used in a carbine. In my .357 carbines for deer, I prefer JSPs or Hornady's XTP-FPs.
 
Well about 10 minutes after 5 today, right before last light, I managed to call a 5 point with a couple of bleets out of our neighbors corn field into ours and hammered him from roughly 75 yards. Thats a long shot on my property since its mostly moderate to thick timber. Once again, it looked like I'd hit it with my 30-30. Dropped, struggled up, immediately fell back over and kicked for about 45 seconds. He went 161lbs, fell to a 158gr fusion hp

The Henry 357 has probably been the best gun purchase I've ever made. I swore that my winchester 30-30 would never sit out a season and I think I'm going to eat my words. Its half the recoil, half the report and lays down the same smack... at least at the ranges I shoot it.

I'll stop boasting and gloating now before I get on anyone's nerves haha
 
I load a 158 grain Lee Keith style SWC (165 grains with gas check installed) over Li'l Gun and get 1850 fps. That's in the 1300 ft lb range IIRC. I've killed one deer with my Rossi 92 20" barrel using this load, a doe at 80 yards with a lung shot, quite dead.

Not my favorite hunting rifle, but it will kill deer. :D
 
I looked at a Rossi the same time I looked at my Henry. I was actually at the gun store to buy a Rossi. Huge price difference between the two, I almost wasnt interested in the Henry because of it. I asked to see it just because I'd never held one and the first time I cycled the action I said "lets do some paperwork". I was skeptical of the Henry's tube mag vs a loading gate like my 94 winchester but its actually grown on me in its easy to unload. You dump the tube, kick the action open and you're done
 
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