4 inch .357 for mule deer?

[askikr]

i have a .357 ruger gp101 in a 4 inch barrel. i was told by a local dealer that in the state of nevada this is a legal set up to hunt mule deer. i want to carry it as a back up gun incase something happens to my primary weapon (a pre 64 winchester model 70 featherweight .30-60).

anyway, do you all think that a .357 in a 4 inch barrel would be enough to take a full sized mule deer under 100 yards? what would be the best choice for a hunting round?

like i said, it’s just a back up gun and i really don’t intend to use it. it would just be nice to know that if some how something happened to my 06 :banghead: i would still be able to take a deer.

any advice would be much appreciated

 

[mtnbkr]

We don't have mule deer here in Va, but I understand they're bigger than whitetail deer. Because of that, I'd be leary about using the 357mag on them, especially past 25yds. If you must carry it, use the heaviest load you can shoot accurately. Winchester and Federal both sell 180gr hunting loads for the 357. I've shot Federal's Castcore load. It's accurate and powerful. I haven't shot Winchester's, but it looks ok as well. IIRC, the Winchester load is a hollowpoint. Because you need penetration on those large deer, I'd go with Federal's castcore load.

Chris

 

[Brian Williams]

A Heavy loaded 357 will do elk but a 4" will loose almost to much vel over a 6" or an 8.375" Dan Wesson of S&W fame shot every animal in North America. It was with a S&W 357 magnum, probably a Registered, but was a long 8+ inch barrel.

If you want to shoot a Deer even a Mulie, do this get some 6" paper plates and shoot at the range you think you might shoot at a mulie with your 4 incher. Then shoot with the load you are going to hunt with without misses at least the same amount of shots as yardage, If you pick 100 yards then shoot until you have never missed this 6" plate at least 100 times, if you pick 50 yards then shoot it till you have shot 50 time without missing this plate. This includes called wobbles. Etc.

 

[fisherman66]

You don't have a GP101. You have either a GP100 or a SP101. Since it is 4" it must the the GP100. Good gun and adequate for meduim game at close range *IF* you do your job. Best of luck.

 

[askikr]

yeah, thanks fisherman. i got a bit mixed up. i have both the gp100 and the sp101. the sp is only a 2inch. i know that is far too short a tube to use on big/medium game.

thanks for the replies everyone

 

[Johnny Guest]

I dunno, man - -

I did it once, just to say I could. I made a 30 yard downhill shot on a pore little Hill Country White tail buck. It was an ideal high lung shot which went through and busted up the off shoulder and stopped just under the skin. I didn't like seeing it wobble along, waiting for my second shot. The load was a 150 gr. JHP a a little over 1250 fps. It showed perfect expansion, but a finishing shot was still needed. I don't believe the old deer would have weighed much over 100 pounds.

I won't do it again unless I'm hungry. I just don't believe this combination is a sporting proposition. Maybe a 180 gr bullet loaded up to top velocity possible in the heavy Ruger, at very short range would be a little better.

Johnny

 

[fisherman66]

Neck shot perhaps with a scope? Practice, Practice, Pr....

I'd go with Bufallo Bore and hard cast moving fast. Should leave an exit hole and trail. Certainly more sporting than rifle hunting. I don't like to see any animal in pain either. 357 will do the trick, but it has limitations. Know your limits.

 

[USSR]

askikr,

I carry a 6" S&W .357 as a backup for Whitetail hunting. On two occasions I have used it to take deer. I restrict myself to 30 yard shots which range testing has indicated that I can reliably place the shot where I want it to go. I think that looking to shoot to nearly 100 yards, while commendable, is fairly optimistic from the viewpoint of your 4" barrel. Of course, the only way you will know is to test yourself and the revolver at the range.

Don

 

[askikr]

thanks everyone. good stuff, good stuff.

i hope l dont have to use it at all. i dont feel comfortable using past twenty yards now. lol

 

[Matt G]

My rule of thumb is to take the max distance that I can make repeated hits on a paper plate from field position in practice (about 45 yards), and to cut it by about 15 yards when confronted by the real deal. Fudge factors are a good thing.

With hot .357's, put them in a good chest shot, with a rest once you're under 25 yards.