Deer Hunting with a .357

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Trygve

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First shotgun season for deer is coming up soon here in Iowa and this year I will be using my Ruger .357 Blackhawk with a 6.5 inch barrel. Can anyone give me any suggestions or tips on how to take a deer with a revolver? I will also have a 870 with a scope and rifled barrel for long to medium range shots. I am plaining on using Hornady 158 grain XTP's. I will be carrying it in a shoulder holster. Thanks for any input.
 
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.357 is a good deer round. Whacks 'em hard enough if you do your part. Your part is knowing where the vitals are and not taking any shots you cannot reliably put in a 6 inch circle of your point of aim.
 
A .357 revolver is best used either as a thick brush gun, or in a stand where your shots are short, or you can set the revolver on the stand next to you for an opportune shot, and have the shotgun ready otherwise. I'll admit, I've shot plenty of small game, and a coyote that way, no deer. My son jumped a deer in a thicket 2 years ago with his Taurus 66 and got it, range was about 15 yards.
 
158 XTP Hollowpoints will work great for out to as far as you can have a steady hold and keep it in the vitals
 
I've taken several deer with my 6" 686. Similar to hunting with bow. Keep range to within 40 yards or less and try to avoid the shoulder for best penetration.
 
I know of 10+ deer or antelope that of been killed with a 357 magnum, close to or beyond 100 yards and they were clean kills in the last year and a half. One of those was a double shoulder shot on a buck antelope at 189 yards and another one was a bad shot by a first time revolver hunter, but he hit the doe in the hindquarters broadside and bullet penetrated through both hindquarters broke bone and was found at the offside hindquarter just beneath the hide. The distance on the doe was 154 yards. Five of these big game animals was taken with factory Hornady ammunition using the 158 grain XTP hollow point
 
The .357 has enough velocity and bullet weight that I'd be comfortable shooting as far as my ability will allow me to make clean hits. With a scoped gun, that can easily exceed shotgun range and still hit plenty hard for deer.
 
Thanks for all the input everyone, I am new to the forum and I am loving it so far. I am a college freshman so thankfully I have the advantage of a young mans eyesight and for the past couple of months I have been practicing at a indoor range with my college rifle and pistol club so I have plenty of practice at hitting my target. I have had my Blackhawk for about a year now and if corn prices weren't so low I would buy another with a 4.62 inch barrel for carrying around the farm.
 

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Won't lie - the fact you are asking in November about how to kill game with your weapon is giving me pause.

Indoor practice is one thing, field shooting is another. A time for every tool, so it's better than nothing, but you should have your practice in and your load well known by now.

It'll do the job at short ranges. But much better options exist.
 
I have decided I will carry it in the field but it probably wont see much use. I will be doing most of my hunting with a scoped 870 with a rifled barrel shooting Hornady SST slugs. I will have the revolver for up close shots if I have a deer down but its not dead yet or if a deer sneaks up on me and I don't have time to look through my scope.
 
If you don't handload, Magtech make a nickel plated 158 JSP that will knock them down.

I shoot a GP-1611 6"so, I'm sure It will work for you in a 6.5"
 
Don't let anyone discourage you from trying it. Keep your shots at range you can make consistently. If corn price dictate income I'm sure you were raised on a farm and know the outdoors. You said you have owned the Blackhawk for a year, so the gun is not new to you.........what cha waiting on? Go get a deer with it and come back here and show us a picture of it or tell us about "the big one that got away" :)
 
aarondhgraham said:
I'm confused,,,

First shotgun season for deer is coming up soon here in Iowa and this year I will be using my Ruger .357 Blackhawk with a 6.5 inch barrel.

Aarond

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Click to expand...
Some states allow one to use handgun calibers during "shotgun only" season.
 
I'm an Ohioan and can answer that one. Ohio has three seasons for deer. First to open is archery in October and runs through January. The most popular is gun season that opens the week after Thanksgiving, during which you may use shotgun slugs, allowed pistol calibers (.357 diameter and larger, straight wall case from handgun with at least 5 3/4" barrel), archery equipment or muzzle loader (flint or percussion) .38 caliber or larger. Recently, rifles in certain calibers (complete list on ODNR website) have been allowed during gun season. Muzzle loader season in January allows black powder rifles and shotguns, as well as archery equipment.

In short, the once "shotgun only" season has been expanded to include many other options. But most still refer to it as "gun season" or "shotgun season". It was that way for many decades.
 
I thoroughly enjoy hunting with a handgun. I have taken at least a half dozen deer with a .357. Your choice of bullets is good. I like XTPS. I'm not too crazy about hard cast bullets. They make tiny holes. You don't need much penetration for deer.
If you're really serious about taking a deer with your handgun, leave the shotgun at home.
 
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