.357 mag ammo for hunting

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Water-Man

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I have a new PUMA .357 mag rifle. What factory ammo would be the most appropriate for deer hunting? Range of 50-75 yds. Whitetails. Experienced opinions only please. Thanks for the input.
 
A good 158 or 180 flat point or SWC. I've killed a doe about 80 yards with mine using a 158 handload at just under 1900 fps. I would look into Buffalo Bore, turns that gun nearly into a .30-30, at least out to 100 yards or so. It would certainly do the job. I'd rather reload, though, cheaper. :D But, those who insist on factory ammo must pay the price and be limited to that which is available.

http://www.buffalobore.com/ammunition/default.htm#357
 
I definitely love DT. I plan to get an 1894c, and I feel like the 158gr GDHP's out of that woud kick butt on smaller deer. 180gr's for bigger stuff where more penetration is needed. But on most deer, I'd think a 158gr HP load would penetrate sufficiently, and be terribly destructive.
 
My opinion is that no .357 is appropriate for deer and in many states (fact) would not be legal.
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:uhoh:

States such as? Indiana has fairly restrictive caliber limits on handguns, and tis OK here. Lots of people use it to great effect.
 
woof...If you can't reply to the question, don't reply at all. To the rest of you that replied, thanks much.
 
.357 for hunting

Here's what Hornady claims for its .357 Mag Leverevolution ammo:

140 gr FTX
8" barrel: Muzzle vel (energy in ft lbs): 1440 fps (644), 50 yds: 1274 fps (504), 100 yds: 1143fps (406), 150 yds: 1049 fps (342)

18" barrel: Muzzle vel (energy in ft lbs): 1850 (1064), 50 yds: 1632 (828), 100 yds: 1438 (642), 150 yds: 1272 (503)
 
I have used Double Tap 158gr HP with good, but great results, but only in my revolver.I think as long as the range is 25 yrds or so you are fine, out past 50 yrds you start to loose to much energy. In a rifle I'm thinking 75 yrds.
If you going past 25-40 yards, a heavier round might help. Can't comment on the LE as I have only just got some and is is for my .44M
 
Many states require 1200 ft lbs of muzzle energy for deer. And that's a minimum. Sure deer have been killed with a .22, but not by a sportsman who wants a clean kill. Water-man, when you post anything at THR you are inviting responses of all kinds not just those you approve of. If you can't handle all the answers, don't post the questions.
 
"Sportsman" gets thrown around a lot. The term is pretty elitist, if you ask me.

"Good Shot", now that's a term I can get behind. Back in my father's youth, he may not have been what you would call a "sportsman", but he is a good shot when a .22's all he's got.
 
Colorado minimum for big game handgun hunting is: 550 ftlbs energy at 50 yds, minimum caliber is .24" (6mm) and a minimum of 4" barrel. A 158gr soft point will exit offside unless it hits (and breaks) a shoulder bone.
In the hands of a responsible sportsman, every bit as effective and humane on a mule deer as an arrow. The thread originator asked about whitetails so I leave it to the board to opine on whether this applies.:scrutiny:
 
As ridiculous as this may sound, here in Alabama the law states that you can use "ANY" centerfire rifle or pistol cartridge for deer hunting, but you can only use .40 caliber and above in muzzleloaders. Some people therefore use .223's and even smaller and many deer run off wounded and die without being found. I know, I know, "Any rifle is only as good as the shooter", but I personally feel that a .243 is as small as is ethical and it's borderline.

As for pistol caliber's such as the aforementioned .357mag, as long as you keep the range in perspective, a 140gr Flex-Tip, a 158gr or 180gr JHP should do nicely. There is a BIG difference in a 50 or 60gr .223, which unless it hits a bone will usually pass right through a deer, and a 158gr jhp .357mag which carrys much more mass and will expand more when hitting muscle doing more damage.

The cowboy's of old used .38's and .32's as well as the .45's and .45/70's.
 
Many states require 1200 ft lbs of muzzle energy for deer. And that's a minimum. Sure deer have been killed with a .22, but not by a sportsman who wants a clean kill. Water-man, when you post anything at THR you are inviting responses of all kinds not just those you approve of. If you can't handle all the answers, don't post the questions.
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You wont admit or acknowledge it, but LOTS of deer hunters drop deer with .22 center fires, with no chase. Its not like its a secret, people just IGNORE the obvious; the "Secret" is to use a bullet designed for big game, keep shots short (probably 150 max), and DON'T TAKE QUESTIONABLE SHOTS.

The reloader has many options for .224 big game bullets, but factory ammunition is available as well. Speer Bonded bear claws, Nosler partitions, and Barnes X bullets all have wonderful track records.

A good rule of thumb is 1,000 Ft-lbs at the game animal. That limits the .223 to 100 yards or less, and the 22-250 to 200 yards or less.

We cant hunt deer with a rifle in Indiana. The state is "too populated", and therefore hunting deer with rifles is "too dangerous".....but we can use any high powered rifle we choose to hunt any other animal on the SAME hunting grounds...as long as we are not hunting deer. :rolleyes:

During firearms season, we have to use shotguns, loaded with slugs only. THAT means you have two options:
#1) using a normal shotgun with a bead sight and pumpkin-ball slugs
#2) spending $2 per round to hunt with a rifled bore shotgun and sabot slugs.

Option #1 limits you to 50 yards to to rapid energy loss and accuracy problems. Option #2 will have you spending more than the cost of your gun for 100 rounds of ammunition, and only gets you out to 100 yards, or maybe a little more.

I hunt deer with a 6" .357 revolver. There is little benefit to be gained with the pumpkin slugs that i can afford to shoot in our terrain: northern Indiana is covered in hardwood forest with plenty of underbrush, and speckled with small lakes and clearings. Even in these clearings, you will rarely find a shot over 100 yards.

lots of places in the Mid West are very similar to this. In these kind of environments, i think a 22-250 or .243, with proper bullets, could fill the same roll as the traditional 30-30.
 
My opinion is that no .357 is appropriate for deer and in many states (fact) would not be legal.
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Perfectly legal to use in both handgun and rifle in KS.

Tell that to all the dead deer and the hunters who killed them with lever gun .357's. A 158 grain hardcast SWC or XTP moving 1600-1700 fps will take a deer easily.
 
I have taken caribou with a Rossi 357 Mag lever gun.

The first time I used some Federal 125 grain jacketed hollow points. They blasted a huge exit hole out the opposite side of a 170 pound arctic caribou.

I later discovered that the Federal 125 grain stuff goes darn near 2,400 fps from a 20 inch barrel.

It left lead and jacketing pieces all over the place.

The next time I used regular Federal 158 grain jacketed soft points. They worked much better. They still exited the other side on broadside shots, but the hole was not so big that you could walk through it while reading a newspaper.

Good hot factory loads like the old Federal police ammo get about 1,600 to 1,700 fps from a carbine barrel.
In fact the Federal 158 grain stuff will go 1,770 fps from a 24 inch 1894 Marlin Cowboy Limited lever gun.

You can handload 158 grain slugs up to 1,900 or 2,000 fps using Lil-gun powder.

I tried 170 and 180 grain bullets as well. The 180s were not all that accurate. The 170s were ok but nothing special.

Buffalo Bore makes some good hot factory ammo: http://www.buffalobore.com/ammunition/default.htm#357

This is from thier web site


5. 18.5 inch Marlin 1894

a. Item 19A/20-180gr. Hard Cast = 1851 fps
b. Item 19B/20-170gr. JHC = 1860 fps
c. Item 19C/20-158gr. Speer Uni Core = 2153 fps---- Can you believe this?!!!
d. Item 19D/20-125gr. Speer Uni Core = 2298 fps---- Or this?!!!


As for the 357 mag rifle not being good enough for deer. (which are easier to kill than caribou.

If we were talking about using an old model 94 Winchester in 32-40, you would probably say
"Oh yeah my grandpa used one for year s and bagged hundreds of deer."
Yet it only fires a 32 caliber 175 grain bullet at 1,650 fps...
Or maybe that 38-55 Winchester you special ordered. Now that sounds like a real deer slayer.
But the factory ammo chronographs at 1,120 fps for a 255 grain bullet from a 26 inch rifle barrel. Yet it does work and has since it was loaded with black powder.

It seems to be more a matter of how it sounds than how it performs.
 
I have used the Remington 165 gr corelokt load out of my 357 revolver. I have had nothing but 1 shot kills, 1/2 inch exit wounds, and deer that maybe go 35 yards before expiring.

Anyone who thinks the .357 isn't enough for deer probably hasn't hunted with one.

Deer are Human sized creatures, put 2 and 2 together.
 
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