Douglas Wesson and the 357 Magnum

[Blue Brick]

Does this range look right? By the way I posted this in the "rifle" section because of the range.

1935
Major Douglas Wesson
• Antelope - 200 yards (2 shots)
• Elk - 130 yards (1 shot)
• Moose - 100 yards (1 shot)
• Grizzly Bear - 135 yards (1 shot)

The Antelope was hit the first time at 125 yards. It ran, stopped and was shot the second time at 200 yards. The second shot killed it.

The Bull Elk was killed with one shot through the lungs.

The Moose was shot in the chest near the base of the neck. It cut the 2nd rib, passed through both lungs, sheared the 8th rib on the off side and stopped just under the hide. No follow-up shot was required.

These animals were taken on a Fall hunt in Wyoming, near the West entrance of Yellowstone Park. The Grizzly was taken later in Canada.

The above game was taken using factory loads which were a 158 gr. bullet at 1515 fps from an 8 3/4" barreled S&W producing 812 ft. lbs of muzzle energy. (S&W later shortened the barrels to 8 3/8" as we have today)

http://www.leverguns.com/articles/taylor/357magnum.htm


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-NZaLQlhtk
6 min 28 seconds in.

 

[JAV8000]

Out of a rifle with 180 gr. Flat nose bullets probobly, at least for the big boys. Lots of holdover....

 

[Blue Brick]

holdover

???

The above game was taken using factory loads which were a 158 gr. bullet at 1515 fps from an 8 3/4" barreled S&W producing 812 ft. lbs of muzzle energy.

 

[Old Fuff]

Maj. Douglas Wesson was the grandson of Smith & Wesson's co-founder, Daniel B. Wesson. During 1935 he did some extensive hunting with the company's new .357 Magnum revolver. For reasons that should not have to be explained he had been shooting from the time he was a boy, and was to say the least, a competent shot. For an experienced shooter the distances mentioned are not particularly long. Hitting a target the size of a large dog at 200 yards is not particularly difficult. The .357 Magnum cartridge, as it was loaded then, could bring down the largest game animals if the shot(s) were carefully placed.

 

[Blue Brick]

Thanks.

 

[Sport45]

I don't mean to cast any doubts on Mr Wesson's ability with a handgun, but I imagine the long distance game he shot at and missed, or shot at and wounded were never reported.

 

[Old Fuff]

Since he was in a party of noteable people, and the hunting party included professional guides, I doubt that they left any woulded game. The .357 Magnum, as it was loaded then, was noted for deep penetration, and for the kind of game he was shooting that's what was needed. As for the distances, they may seem long to some, but they weren't. In the handgun Metallic Silhouette Shooting game the maximum range for revolvers is 200 meters (about 230 yards).

 

[Blue Brick]

In the handgun Metallic Silhouette Shooting game the maximum range for revolvers is 200meters (about 230 yards).

How big is the target?

 

[Old Fuff]

About 2 1/2 feet long by 2 feet tall, cut out of heavy steel plate in the shape of a ram. The body is smaller then the shoulders/head. When I fired the course shooters were still standing on their hind legs, and the (usually) revolvers had iron sights. Google "IHMSA" and see if you find anything.

 

[Sport45]

Since he was in a party of noteable people, and the hunting party included professional guides, I doubt that they left any woulded game.

I don't think they would have left wounded game either. But do you think we would have heard about the misses or game that was wounded and dispatched with a follow-up shot from a rifle?

Like I said, I don't wish to cast doubts on his ability with a handgun. I'm sure he was better than most, and much, much better than me.

 

[Old Fuff]

I'm not sure if there were any missed shots or not, but given the number of people there I think if more then that happened word of whatever it was would have leaked out - then or by now.

Following the hunt he wrote a book (or had it written) about the experience, and it was widely distributed by Smith & Wesson. I believe it may still be available in either original or reprint form. Both Ed. McGivern and Elmer Keith made comments about the hunt later in their own writing, which I doubt they would have done if what was reported wasn't on the up-and-up.

The point of the whole thing was to prove the viability of the new revolver in the context of hunting big game. Maj. Wesson's own 8 3/4" guns ended up in Col. Rex Applegate's collection, and they were auctioned among others following his death.

 

[Blue Brick]

About 2 1/2 feet long by 2 feet tall, cut out of heavy steel plate in the shape of a ram. The body is smaller then the shoulders/head. When I fired the course shooters were still standing on their hind legs, and the (usually) revolvers had iron sights. Google "IHMSA" and see if you find anything.

Thanks.