.357 Questions

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Blacklabman

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I am thinking about buying a S&W 686. I would use for night stand and if it is up to it, for hunting.
Should I look at a 4" or 6"version? I really do not wont to go any longer.
The hunting would be for deer. All or any shots would be 45 yards and under.
Would be .357 be good for this?
Sorry for the questions. I have always been a shotgun shooter. Thanks for anyn help.
 
i've been looking for a 4 inch barreled .357 stainless in Louisiana forever

6 inch would probably get you the best bang for your buck. I've been looking for a 4 inch .357 to pack with me when i go hunting as a back up gun for smaller critters. .357 is a little small for deer, but i hear it works, just go with good rounds.
 
Based on personal experience, I would recommend 10mm/.41 Mag with at least medium weight bullets (~200 gr.) as the minimum for deer.

Member, MS Handgun Hunters Assn.
 
Thank you, for the replies.
So you would suggest atleast a .44? I have thought about the 629 or Redhawk. I owned a SuperRedhawk w/a 7.5" barrel a few years ago, that I really did not care for. Not a knock on the pistol in anyway, just personal feelings.

22-rimfire,
Must be someone else. I have been around a few of the shotgun, SC and FITASC forums here and there, but havent been to a pistol forum in atleast year.
 
As you probably know from other threads, the 357 is considered marginal for deer. That said, people consider the 243 maginal in a rifle for deer. I like the 243. Not my first choice though. For night stand use, I would get a 357 revolver with a 4" barrel and load it with 38spl +P's (125 gr. HP's). A 4" revolver is normally considered the shortest barrel length for hunting. Some states actually require a longer barrel-5" or longer. If the use is primarily for defensive purposes, the 4" points the easiest. If you lean more heavily toward field use, go with a 6". For normal whitetail hunting in the woods where your typical shot is under 50 yards, it should be okay with good shot placement into the chest area. The margin of error is less when you use a 357 which is why folks recommend larger calibers for deer hunting. I like the 41 magnum over a 44, but I'm strange. The last two seasons, I have carried a 480 Ruger 9.5" SRH revolver off and on as the primary gun. No shots. I'm still a wana-bee when it comes to scoring a whitetail buck with a handgun. Look forward to it again this season and may just leave the rifle at home and carry either the 41 mag or 480.

I see a lot of folks place the exact thread on multiple forums. Sometimes I answer both before I realize they came from the same person.
 
If you practice enough that you can always hit a beer can at 45 yards, and use heavy-bullet max loads, I doubt you'd have trouble on Georgia deer. The majority of them aren't all that big, and careful aim will bring down Ol' Biggie.

Art
 
Been using a 6" 686 loaded with Win 180gr .357mag loads to hunt deer here in the Texas hill country for the last 5 years or so. Goods results with every shot so far, I don't feel under gunned at all.


Chris
 
If it's to be a dedicated hunting pistol, I have to recommend going with the 6" pistol. The barrel will give you another ~60fps (or thereabouts), and the sight radius will give you better accuracy, assuming you're using the iron sights, as God intended. :)

Go with a 158g load, at minimum, and try the 180s for accuracy. Do NOT get caught up in the "ENERGY!!!" excitement over 125g magnums for hunting game larger than coyotes. You want two holes in your deer/goat/hog/antelope etc.

My rule of thumb on handgun hunting is to practice from field position on cheap 9" paper plates ($1.25/100 at Kmart), and go as far as I can and still get 5 out of 5 shots on a paper plate. Then, I cut that distance by 10 yards for hunting. I can put 5/5 on a paper plate with my Kimber at 45 yards from field positions (no bench). I thus consider my field maximum for deer with it as 35 yards. (Note: in unfamiliar environments, your distance judgment goes out the window. In the dry high desert air of the Big Bend in SW Texas (about 800 miles from home), I misjudged the distance, and Art Eatman got to hear me fire shot after shot before finally anchoring a javelina with my Kimber .45. The distance turned out to be right at about 50 yards. Oops. I feel I would have dropped it right off if I had tried that shot at 35 yards. :rolleyes:
 
Thanks again for the help and information. After reading the posts here, and trying several pistols that friends own, and seeing what I liked Best. I bought a S&W 629 Classic w/a 6.5" barrel. I have put a box and a half thru it in the backyard, and could not be happier.

I thought about a 5" version, but the 6.5 just felt better.
 
Last edited:
No kidding! :D :)

What's this?!? A guy who does research before buying?

A guy who actually takes to heart the responses he gets to the question he asks on the forum?!?? :confused:

I'm impressed.

Tell us how it goes, Blacklabman. And post some more!

Oh, and where's the picture of that new M29?

Demanding, aren't I? :)
 
With proper shot placement and good loads, a .357 is perfectly adequate for deer.

People have been killing deer for thousands of years with bows and arrows, and if what basically amounts to a pointy stick works, so will a modern .357 Magnum revolver round . . . so long as you put your shot in the right place.

Your 629 Classic will hit harder than a .357, and is a fine choice for hunting deer (and larger) big game. (But the extra oomph over a .357 still doesn't let you get sloppy with shot placement! ;) )
 
Dedicated Hunting Gun?

If this is a hunting peice only, go with the six inch. The extra two inches of sight raduis will pay off. Also check your state laws regarding barrel length. Some states, mine included, have limits. Here the legal minimum length is 5 3/4 inches. The .357 is O.K. for deer, but a minimum. Go bigger if you can, for insurance.
 
For hunting the 44mag is about twice as effective as the 357. Get a six inch barrel which is fine for HD ,but use a good 44 spl load for that .And practice ,practice.
 
I've killed one buck with a Glock 29 10mm. 180gr. Georgia Arms GoldDot. 25 yards. I've had deer run further after good hits with a .300 WinMag..

I've also seen a buck that was shot with a 12 gauge slug right aft of the shot ribs run a half mile and then take three 10 mm's in the neck at point blank range before agreeing that it was dead.

I wouldn't have a problem with .357. Four inch or six inch. Just practice with it. Know what you can hit with it Then back off ten yards like Matt said.

One thing that can help in unfamiliar territory is to get the measured distant to measured landmarks beforehand. That way, you'll know if it's in range or not.

I don't try to use rangefinders on game as they appear. I do use them on landmarks in the vicinity.
 
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