.357 for deer

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newbuckeye

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I decided I was going to try my .357 this year on our deer gun season. All I could find last minute was 158 gr SJSP, not the 180's I wanted. As it turned out, I didn't see any deer, but this 'yote made a mad dash past my ground blind. By the time I could react, he was at 20 yards running up hill and away from me. I hit him behind the rib cage on the left side (see the blood spot). What surprised me, there was no exit wound. The only reasoning I can come up with is that his fur was so thick that is really slowed down the boolet. With the angle I don't think it hit the right shoulder (no autopsy).

I guess my biggest question is 158 gr really heavy enough for deer at bow range?

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a .357 magnum with the right load is fine for short distance deer hunting.
 
I use 357 on deer. I prefer 180 gr. out of my Marlin 1894C. That said I have used 158 gr at 40 yd and got a DRT. Appropos of nothing, I never got a yote but did get a bobcat couple yrs ago.
 
Factory ammo, except for a few like Buffalo Bore, sux. I have killed a couple with my Blackhawk, even a hog, and one at 80 yards with my Rossi 92 using a cast 158 SWC from a Lee mold which with gas check actually weighs 165 grains. I shoot the 180 XTP in my Blackhawk at 1400 fps and it's very accurate. That one should be good to 75 yards or so out of the pistol. But, I don't know about factory stuff. Most of it now days is pretty poor. The lighter stuff is designed for self defense on humans and is inappropriate for hunting IMHO. I have killed a hog with my carry load, a 140 Speer at about 1450 fps from my 3" Taurus 66. It was a DRT, on shot kill, but it was a head shot.

I like the .357 magnum for hunting and, out of a rifle, it approaches .30-30 or .35 Remington light. My 165 grain load over 16.8 grains Li'l Gun is pushing 1900 fps. That's pretty danged hot. It's running 1470 fps in my 6.5" blackhawk pushed by 14.5 grains of 2400.
 
At bow hunting ranges it'll do fine. At longer ranges, on larger deer I'd prefer 180's. If 158's were all I had, I wouldn't stay home.
 
The .357 Magnum basically doubles its kinetic energy when it’s fired from a carbine, and it almost earns a promotion to the Big Leagues of rifle ballistics. But not quite. The result is substantially more powerful than a .30 Carbine, but even on paper it takes the most exotic .357 loads to equal the most pedestrian .30-30 loadings. And the .30-30 still dramatically outperforms these exotic .357s at longer ranges.
 
I have taken several deer with my .357's. I have killed every deer I shot with one, but certainly have had some issues (long stories). IMHO, .357 is the bare minimum. I have since went to .45Colt for hunting.
 
I know the use of lighter bullets will probably bring me some flak, but I have been sucessful with 125 gr JHP's out of a 6" revolver on deer. A shot thru the ribs takes the wind out of them in short order.
 
The .357 Magnum basically doubles its kinetic energy when it’s fired from a carbine, and it almost earns a promotion to the Big Leagues of rifle ballistics. But not quite. The result is substantially more powerful than a .30 Carbine, but even on paper it takes the most exotic .357 loads to equal the most pedestrian .30-30 loadings. And the .30-30 still dramatically outperforms these exotic .357s at longer ranges.
Click to expand...

Perhaps, but I don't need no stinkin' .30-30. :D The .357 will kill a deer or hog dead as a .30-30 does to 100 yards. Any farther and I have a .257 Roberts, a .308 Winchester, or a 7mm Remington Magnum in my gun safe.

Now, .30-30 DOES make a good handgun load, too. I shoot a 150 grain Nosler BT at 2050 fps out of my 12" Contender and have taken 5 deer quite dead with it out to about 90 yards. It is pushing just under 1000 ft lbs at 200 yards and shoots 3" groups from the bench at that range with a 2x scope, which can embarrass a lot of rifles.

I've killed deer with a .30-30 rifle, a .357 rifle, a .30-30 handgun, and a .357 handgun. I no longer have the rifle (an old 340 Savage bolt gun), but no matter, have better rifles. I wouldn't mind a lever gun in the caliber, but it's not high on my desired list of firearms. The .357, however, is neat since it can be raised 3 rotations of the rear sight, loaded with a 105 grain lee SWC in .38 brass over 2.3 grains of Bullseye, and do a fair impersonation of a .22LR on squirrel and rabbit and such, 1.5" accurate at 50 yards in my Rossi. Very versatile rifle. THAT is what I like about .357 carbines. :D
 
Three deer. 10,13,25 yards approx DRT with tthe 357 180 grain. Its shot placement. Can you put it in the boiler room?
 
Of course is fine. For decades people hunted with lever actions that had way less than that and now all the sudden folks feel they need a 50BMG to pop deer.
Have a happy hunting. Choose bullets with better BC that can give a bit more range if needed.
 
1stmarine said:
Of course is fine. For decades people hunted with lever actions that had way less than that and now all the sudden folks feel they need a 50BMG to pop deer.
Have a happy hunting. Choose bullets with better BC that can give a bit more range if needed.
Click to expand...

Exactly. Do your part, understand the limitation of .357 Mag and it will work fine.
 
At 60 yards my .357 revolver, loaded with 158 gr. soft points, went through both shoulders of a 2 point buck. Two holes bled died in ten feet. Rifle gives more range and accuracy. I have not shot a deer with 125 gr. heads but as it is a favorite with self defense groups should work. People are heavier and thicker than deer. I kill coyotes with 125 gr. heads at over 100 yds. Shot placement is important. Hit your mark and it is 0 deer thirty. Have fun and bangaway.
 
People aren't heavier and thicker than deer. Well, some are, but you ain't shootin' through a scapula, just ribs and a sternum when you're shooting a human. I don't even like 125 grain stuff for self defense, though, prefer 140 Speer JHP. The 125 stuff needs long barrels (not a problem for hunting) and it's got a rep for forcing cone erosion, hard on guns.

I use heavies, 165 hard cast SWC or 180 XTP for hunting.

2 point buck.
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I'm curious, is that western count or a spike? Don't matter, just I don't here "2 point". But, folks in Colorado, Montana and such only count one side and leave out the brow tine (western count).
 
Thanks everybody. I should have said I was shooting a 6" GP 100. I will def be ready next year with some 180s.
 
Heavy grain makes more sense. Although they might leave the barrel slower due the inteneded use they will probably reach the target faster due the slower drag deceleration.
Do not need more to pop a deer. Just be aware of the limitations to do it as fast and humanly possible.
 
MCgunner

That would be western count. Keith's .358429 is 177 gr. ready to shoot. It has the highest BC at .286 that I know of. It is my next deer bullet. Should do well. Have fun and bangaway.
 
All the 30-30 comparisons are informative as to potential. But here in Ohio it is not a legal choice:banghead:. Although, modern slug gun and front stuffer technology, the 30-30 and its ilk should be considered.

But thats off topic.

Inside 75yds 158gr pills, along with shot placement, should be just fine.
I prefer 180s, but, i also wouldn't stay home without them.
 
It says " Handgun, with 5 inch minimum barrel, using a strait walled cartridge .357 caliber or larger"
 
I used a Ruger blackhawk in .357 for everything from rabbits (.38 wadcutters) to deer (145 grain Silvertip HPs) for over 20 years...Didn't even own a rifle back then.
 
35 years ago I plugged a deer with a 357 blackhawk and some 160-ish grain swc's I had cast up. The animal did eventually die (nice deer, 180 lb 6 pt) but it was a pretty bad drag as it ran through some rough country. As a result I stick to rifles and recently have been having fun with a 375HH. Drags are shorter these days.
 
I killed this cow elk with my 357 MAG shooting 158 gr hollow tips. First shot fired at approx 50 ft or so. Second shot fired at about 65 feet or so. Both bullets did considerable internal damage at this short range.

TR

357MAGelk-1.jpg
 
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