357 Mag for taking mule & whitetail

[357smallbore]

Just bought a vintage Rossi SRC 92 in 357. Plan to hunt Mule and Whitetail this fall. Will be using my own loads of 158 grn bullets. Shots will be no further than 125yds.
Anyone ever hunt deer with a 357?

 

[courtgreene]

Not only have I done so with a .357, I used a r92. Worked fine. I did two things:
1: I tailored a load to the task. It seems you’re doing that. I used ftx because I like them and felt they’d do well. They did. The rifle shoots 158 hollow points well also (xtp), but let’s move ahead to number two and display why that didn’t matter.
2: I practiced like crazy with iron sights and the exact load I’d use hunting. The xtp grouped better, but I didn’t care. I wanted to use the ftx for the expected terminal ballistics. The two impacted the target about three inches away from each other, so I shelved the 158s and stuck with the 140 ftx when practicing to assure that I was aiming to the right poa.
It worked out very well. Those rifles are surprisingly accurate, at least mine is.
What bullet is your pet load?

 

[Rodfac]

I've had good results with WIn 296 and Hornady's 159 XTP FP using 16.0 grains and Magnum primers (close to a 'top end' load); and chrono's right at 1700 fps from my .357 Marlin 1894 CS' 18.5" bbl. and will do 100 yd, 3-shot groups that are approx. 2" with a peep sight mounted. Penetration on several of our deer has been through and through, (all were shot through the ribs). Shots here on the farm are limited to `75 yds and the peep/carbine combination is fast in the brush.

(If interested in the above load, consult a good, manual, consider the pressures involved, then work up to it. All guns are not equal, pressure wise, and yours may differ significantly from mine. This load does not exhibit excessive pressure signs in my Marlin.)

Hornady's 159 XTP FP is designed for rifle velocities where as the standard 158 XTP is a handgun bullet. I've never shot deer with the XTP but suspect that at rifle velocities, it would expand too quickly. YMMv of course. Rod

 

[MacAR]

I can't say about mule deer, but I have shot a couple whitetails with the wife's 16" R92 357. My load is a Speer JHP over a healthy dose of 2400 and mag primers. It groups about 1" at 50 yards with iron sights, failing eyesight, and slightly shaky hands. I try not to shoot over 75 - 100 yards, and so far have had good luck. Of course, good shot placement is key, but the farthest I've had to trail one was a touch over 100 yards. Good luck!

Mac

 

[Varminterror]

Misfire

 

[Picher]

Here in Maine, our whitetail deer can be from about 60 lbs to over 200 lbs. Over my deer-hunting "career", I've shot them over most of the size/age range, including a nearly-200 lb buck. Anyone bagging a 200 lb+ buck qualifies for the "Biggest Bucks in Maine" club, for which a commemorative patch is awarded by IF&W Department. I've shot some bucks that were about 175, but haven't gotten into the "club" yet.

 

[PistoleroWadcutterGANG]

Yes. Arkansas deer are "middlin". Most the time were happy with a buck that dresses out around 150. Doe of course not a problem in any fashion. I've killed 7 with 357mag. 2 bucks and 5 does. All shots were very close under 75 yards. I had pass through on all. And Stevie Wonder could have followed the blood trail. Regards

 

[Armored farmer]

At the risk of boring those that have read my thoughts on the .357 subject before....
I have considerable experience killing deer with a .357mag from a handgun. As I am writing I can easily think of at least seven. I never lost a deer that I shot, but I had some long bloodtrails. A big whitetail can go long distances with pencil sized hole through both lungs.
Will I do it again? Yup! I'd like to hunt with my little 1894c in. 357mag. I would try to find some really good hollow points first though. It doesn't take much to get a through and through on a broadside deer. I'd like to have a good wound cavity. My cast SWCs just poked holes.

 

[Show Me]

All good comments. My .357 hunting stage of my life was stands in the woods. Never more than 60 yds. Home cast SWC. Never felt good about those. FTX will blow a hole clean threw. XTP 158 will blow a smaller hole clear threw. Less violent.
Two years ago I was filling doe tags to fill our new freezer using a different rifle for each. The .357 140 gr XTP mag loaded was the best ever at 55 yds. Ever check the speed on that load?

But a 44mag 24 inch octagon R92 with a mag loaded 240 gr XTP entered dead center chest at 40 yds. Exited and made an extra bung hole. Never took a step . Did not gut that one just hung it up and carved the meat off. .357 and 44mag works .
Im into 7.62x39 Rugers now. We shall see.
PS. FTX was violent for me. Maybe too close ?

 

[jmr40]

The more I see, both 1st hand, and read about bullet performance the less I'm concerned about bullet diameter or even bullet weight. Poke a hole in the lungs and you have a dead animal. That means good shot placement and enough penetration. Very often smaller calibers penetrate more than larger calibers and if you shoot it more accurately that trumps more power.

I have no doubt that a 357 mag with the right bullets will kill anything in North America within its range limitations. I don't hunt with them because I'm not willing to restrict myself to the shorter ranges. A 44 mag is only 72/1000" larger in diameter. That's not really much. A dime is 52/1000" thick.

Deer, even mule deer, aren't any heavier than a typical adult male human. The same loads that have been used by LE for shooting bad guys forever should give the same results on deer of the same size. It's when you start shooting much larger game that bullet choices become more important.

 

[Show Me]

The more I see, both 1st hand, and read about bullet performance the less I'm concerned about bullet diameter or even bullet weight. Poke a hole in the lungs and you have a dead animal.

Well if your experienced then you know how far they run with a SWC hole compared to an expanded bullet hole. The weight combined with front bluntness it hits with also matters. Then speed is another subject.
There's more to it than a simple hole.
Too bad you need to shoot longer distance because close up hunting is the bomb.

 

[Hookeye]

My buddy is 12 for 12 with his .357 rifle.
Uses 180gr bullets, shots under 100 yards.
Biggest was a little over 200 #.
He's very picky on his shot selection.

 

[Hookeye]

There is no straight wall case mandate for my state's pistol cartridge rifle (PCR) deer hunting.
Here its bullet diameter, and max/min case length.........a trimmed 35 rem is public land legal.

 

[Mars5l]

Those Federal 170gr Hammer Downs look quite potent

 

[Gun-Reck]

Out of a carbine, the Federal AE 158 gr. JSP gives PBR pistol performance at 150 yards.

So, point blank and 150 yd carbine performance:

​

Handloads are HDY 180 gr. XTP, and Barnes 140 gr. XPB, both with max charges of H110 and large pistol magnum primers.

Zeroed at 100 yds., and they are all ~ 6" low at 150.

 

[Show Me]

Out of a carbine, the Federal AE 158 gr. JSP gives PBR pistol performance at 150 yards.

Handloads are HDY 180 gr. XTP, and Barnes 140 gr. XPB, both with max charges of H110 and large pistol magnum primers.

Zero at 100 yds., and they are ~ 6" low at 150.

With a scope ? If not you the man

 

[Gun-Reck]

With a scope ? If not you the man

Aperture sights, from field positions.

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[Show Me]

Aperture sights, from field positions.

​

Show off

 

[WestKentucky]

Just bought a vintage Rossi SRC 92 in 357. Plan to hunt Mule and Whitetail this fall. Will be using my own loads of 158 grn bullets. Shots will be no further than 125yds.
Anyone ever hunt deer with a 357?

Killed a 2yr old whitetail with a 6” 357 revolver about 26 and a half years ago. If the wheelgun will do it the lever will do it better. A r92 is what I really tried to get my daughter to like for her first deer rifle. She said it looks old and feels heavy. I’m still trying. She’s got good car taste (chevelle, Chevy II, 70 Camaro, tri-five) so I have faith a little gun taste will show up at some point.

 

[Pat Riot]

Hornady's 159 XTP FP is designed for rifle velocities where as the standard 158 XTP is a handgun bullet.

Thanks for this info. I am going to have to buy some XTP FP bullets and test them out.
I had heard about there being different XTP bullets for rifle in .357, but I didn’t know the designation.

 

[ThomasT]

Remember all Rossi R92s in 357 and 44 mag calibers use a 1/30 twist. Rossi 45 Colts have a 1/24 twist. Marlins use a 1/18 for their 357 rifles. The slower twist may, and thats a big May shoot better with a 140gr bullet. Then maybe not. So try several bullet weights in your gun. And don't worry. It will kill deer just fine. I'm not sure about the 125 yard part though. Thats a stretch for the round and course sights they come with.

 

[styles]

Remember all Rossi R92s in 357 and 44 mag calibers use a 1/30 twist. Rossi 45 Colts have a 1/24 twist. Marlins use a 1/18 for their 357 rifles. The slower twist may, and thats a big May shoot better with a 140gr bullet. Then maybe not. So try several bullet weights in your gun. And don't worry. It will kill deer just fine. I'm not sure about the 125 yard part though. Thats a stretch for the round and course sights they come with.

Ruger Marlins are 1:16” twist

 

[Oldschool shooter]

Took a whitetail with a revolver many years ago. 8 3/8" barrel using the 125gr Super Vel round. Shot was a textbook broadside at around 35 yards. Back then, we didn't have the variety of good bullets to choose from like we do today. The R92 will get the job done, but for myself, 100 yards max with the 357. Maybe I'm just old and overly cautious.

 

[Tentwing]

As long as you are hitting where you are aiming you should be happy with your results. I can’t speak for mule deer as I have never hunted in an area where they live. A 357 through a rifle will turn Whitetail and feral pigs into table fair with little trouble. I my area deer don’t often get real big . Pigs however we can grow them critters. I might be wrong , but I would guess that you could take down a mule deer since I have taken pigs over 220lbs. Enjoy your lever action.

 

[Ugly Sauce]

My buddy is 12 for 12 with his .357 rifle.
Uses 180gr bullets, shots under 100 yards.
Biggest was a little over 200 #.
He's very picky on his shot selection.

I would want a 180 for deer hunting. Don't always get the perfect broadside shot. Seems like the 158's and lighter are kind of on the light side. Yah, I guess they will work. Yes cast bullets can punch clean holes, the only deer I had to track far with my .44 Ruger carbine was with a cast 300+ grain bullet. I'm still surprised a deer can go that far, while bleeding that much. The best bullet in that rifle was the Hornady 265 grain Soft Point. Everything dropped on the spot with that bullet. A good 180 grain soft point in a .357 mag rifle should produce the same results. Or close to it.