SimplyChad
Member
I use a 454 from a 5 in barrel SRH when I have pistol hunted. I will tell you this chest to butt through a decent sized muley with every factory load ive ever used.
.357 handguns on big northern bucks?
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d2wing
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I have shot deer with a .357 with hollow point jacketed hollow points. I have shot 250 lb bucks but not with the .357. You have to be close and accurate. I do not know if it makes much difference how big the deer is but I do know that big and older bucks have much harder thicker ribs than fawns. I also know that faster bullets destroy more tissue. Heavier bullets penetrate more so bigger and faster is better. I would prefer a .44 mag, and would not use a .45 Colt. Not legal here. Yeah a .357 will kill them but you have to be a very good hunter.
go to the bear tooth bullets website. they have very interesting information.
The oriignal elmer kieth 38-44 handloads were used for hunting everything. and they are used by some still. however, they arent much compared to what .357 magnum does.
what you use is up to you. accuracy and a fast followup shot is critical no matter what your shooting or hunting. If you need 3 minutes to reorrientate yourself and get your super magnum ready for a follow up shot, its useless when compared with that trusty .357 that you can punch out a full cylinder of say 180 grain swcs at 1200fps and keep on target in an entire minute.
yes the typical 357 magnum load is less then the typical 44 magnum loading is, but fast followup shot while its getting up off the ground is king over "my .500 has 1200 foot pounds at the muzzle" when you are to dizzy to get a second shot off.
The oriignal elmer kieth 38-44 handloads were used for hunting everything. and they are used by some still. however, they arent much compared to what .357 magnum does.
what you use is up to you. accuracy and a fast followup shot is critical no matter what your shooting or hunting. If you need 3 minutes to reorrientate yourself and get your super magnum ready for a follow up shot, its useless when compared with that trusty .357 that you can punch out a full cylinder of say 180 grain swcs at 1200fps and keep on target in an entire minute.
yes the typical 357 magnum load is less then the typical 44 magnum loading is, but fast followup shot while its getting up off the ground is king over "my .500 has 1200 foot pounds at the muzzle" when you are to dizzy to get a second shot off.
You can kill a deer with a stick and string with another flint tipped stick fired from it. So yes it can be done with a .357magnum. I have shot several with my Blackhawk and either a 180gr JSP, 158gr LSWC, or 140gr JHC. The key is shot placement and nothing else. A .22lr has taken many deer with one well placed shot. And no bigger bucks are not harder to kill just harder to hunt.
MCgunner
Member
Wow, if firepower is so important, then just how DID they do it with nothing, but a Hawken rifle?
I like the single shot pistols, myself.
On deer, any deer, a properly loaded 357 isn't giving up much to a 44, or even a rifle at typical handgun ranges. The bigger calibers help some if you are hunting game larger than deer, or if you are good enough to shoot at extended ranges.
I've drifted more towards the 44's. Not that I doubt the 357's capabilities, I just don't see much downside to using the bigger caliber.
I've drifted more towards the 44's. Not that I doubt the 357's capabilities, I just don't see much downside to using the bigger caliber.
MCgunner
Member
Me neither, except in the case of a .308" boat tailed nosler BT moving out at 2150 fps from a 12" ported barrel. THEN, I'll go to the smaller bore diameter every time.
Effective range is well beyond the .44 and it kills like a rifle...go figure. 
Armored farmer
Member
If the OP ever reads this I hope he's wearing his waders.
MCgunner
Member
Why? You don't think a .30-30 hand gun will kill a deer?
Armored farmer
Member
'course it will.... you can drop a big 'un right in his track with a q-tip, or a sharp stick if you are a really good shot....
I wasn't talking about you, MC
MCgunner
Member
Oh. Well, anyway, that TC in .30-30 is way more'n a Q Tip. It delivers as much energy at 150 yards as a .44 magnum has at the muzzle. It shoots 3" high at 100 yards and dead on at 200 and groups 1.5 MOA. Of course, in the woods around here, a .44 would work fine.
I need optics, though. My eyes ain't what they used to be. It ain't that I can't hit at 50 yards with irons, but you throw in shadows and the low light of early morning or late evening, and I might as well go back to the house with iron sights. I don't have a revolver with a scope on it, so my default hunting handgun is my TC, not my .45 Colt Blackhawk. I haven't used a revolver for hunting in nearly 20 years.
Armored farmer
Member
If I had a sweet set-up like that, I wouldn't either.
(but it's illegal here)
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