The_woodsman
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.357 magnum within 50 yards for deer: Good enough?
Is .357 magnum enough gun for white tail deer?
- Thread starter The_woodsman
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Brian Williams
Moderator Emeritus
Yes, out of a 4" or greater handgun, pick your shots and have lots of practice under your belt.
Out of a modern lever action with good loads out to 150 yards.
A good revolver and a good lever action you can take most anything within 150 yards except The North American large game.
Out of a modern lever action with good loads out to 150 yards.
A good revolver and a good lever action you can take most anything within 150 yards except The North American large game.
Ohen Cepel
Member
I think it is and wouldn't hesitate to take a very good shot at 50 or less with my Blackhawk and a heavy load in it.
Pa.Bill
Member
S&W 19/.357 - 6bl drops about 4" at 100 yards.
( American Eagle 158gr Jacketed SP )
Yes---great for hunting deer +
~BEST~
Bill---------------------------------->
( American Eagle 158gr Jacketed SP )
Yes---great for hunting deer +
~BEST~
Bill---------------------------------->
ZeSpectre
Member
158gr JSP out of a Rossi 92 Carbine at 35 yards.
If it'll do this to all of the metal (especially the platters) of a hard drive I'm pretty sure it'd drop a deer (with a correctly placed shot of course).
BTW this particular critter was DRT <grin>.
If it'll do this to all of the metal (especially the platters) of a hard drive I'm pretty sure it'd drop a deer (with a correctly placed shot of course).
BTW this particular critter was DRT <grin>.
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Charles S
Member
With selected loads it is more than adequate to the task if the shooter does his part and selects his shots carefully.
Husker1911
Member
Perhaps adequate, but why take chances?
DeerHuntr
Member
You bet, here's the proof, he was taken between 30-40yds, I was shooting Fed 180gr Castcore's out of a 6" Gp100. I still have the .357 but have added a 7.5" SRH .44Mag for this coming season. Please take note that once you successfully harvest an animal with a pistol it becomes a bit addicting, can't wait to try the 44 this fall!!!
Shawnee
member
Choose an appropriate bullet and place your shots or hold your fire and you'll be fine.
Random Discharge
Member
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- 196
Is 44 Magnum Enough?
I think 357 is marginal unless you compensate.
From a short (4"-6") barrel revolver, distances need to be short as implicitly suggested by original post.
"Good" loads, like H110 or W296 handloads under quality bullets compensate too.
357 out of a carbine - well, that's quite a bit of compensation. Combined with a good slow powder load (see above), we're talking near medium rifle performance.
Or a single shot. From a Contender pistol with no barrel cylinder gap pressure loss, a longish barrel of ~10" (relative to a 357 revolver), and good loads; now we're talking 44 magnum revolver energy. Few argue a 44 magnum is not enough gun for whitetail.
I think 357 for whitetail is a hobbyist pursuit. If you compensate by staying within the capabilities of the platform and your load selection/handloan, sure, it's fine. If you don't want to think about it, I think a 44 magnum will deliver what's needed within any reasonable range of accuracy for a handgun.
I don't mean to disparage 357 - I think it is enough and I love the round. But if you're more of a hunter than a shooter, I think the 44 is the ticket. If you're a shooter who likes to hunt, I think 357 can be an entertaining and perfectly adequate selection for whitetail.
I think 357 is marginal unless you compensate.
From a short (4"-6") barrel revolver, distances need to be short as implicitly suggested by original post.
"Good" loads, like H110 or W296 handloads under quality bullets compensate too.
357 out of a carbine - well, that's quite a bit of compensation. Combined with a good slow powder load (see above), we're talking near medium rifle performance.
Or a single shot. From a Contender pistol with no barrel cylinder gap pressure loss, a longish barrel of ~10" (relative to a 357 revolver), and good loads; now we're talking 44 magnum revolver energy. Few argue a 44 magnum is not enough gun for whitetail.
I think 357 for whitetail is a hobbyist pursuit. If you compensate by staying within the capabilities of the platform and your load selection/handloan, sure, it's fine. If you don't want to think about it, I think a 44 magnum will deliver what's needed within any reasonable range of accuracy for a handgun.
I don't mean to disparage 357 - I think it is enough and I love the round. But if you're more of a hunter than a shooter, I think the 44 is the ticket. If you're a shooter who likes to hunt, I think 357 can be an entertaining and perfectly adequate selection for whitetail.
welshgrouser
Member
I think the answer is yes, with an *.
With a high quality bullet and distance limitations. No discount cheap ammo. I've killed 6 whitetails with 180gr black talons. All within 30yds. I wouldnt even think of shooting at one at more than that. My source of black talons dried up and I shot one more deer with 180gr remmington hp's and I bought a .44. I killed 6 deer w/one shot each and the last one soaked up about 6 remmingtons in the chest. None of the bullets opened at all.
The .44 is just more effective at greater ranges.
The 357 will do the number if you treat it like a bow and arrow w/premium projectiles.
With a high quality bullet and distance limitations. No discount cheap ammo. I've killed 6 whitetails with 180gr black talons. All within 30yds. I wouldnt even think of shooting at one at more than that. My source of black talons dried up and I shot one more deer with 180gr remmington hp's and I bought a .44. I killed 6 deer w/one shot each and the last one soaked up about 6 remmingtons in the chest. None of the bullets opened at all.
The .44 is just more effective at greater ranges.
The 357 will do the number if you treat it like a bow and arrow w/premium projectiles.
Starter52
Member
+1 to what welshgrouser said. Treat your .357 like a bow. Get close.
ArchAngelCD
Member.
With the proper gun and proper ammo combines with a lot of practice so as not to take the chance on injuring the Deer and making it suffer without dying, yes a .357 Magnum will take a Deer.
If you're talking about using a .357 Magnum round from a Carbine then there's no doubt it will do the job. With the right ammo like that sold by Buffalo Bore a .357 Magnum round from a Marlin 1894C can achieve *near* 30-30 ballistics under 100 yards.
I strongly suggest you check your local hunting laws because in many parts of the country hunting Deer with a .357 Magnum isn't legal.
If you're talking about using a .357 Magnum round from a Carbine then there's no doubt it will do the job. With the right ammo like that sold by Buffalo Bore a .357 Magnum round from a Marlin 1894C can achieve *near* 30-30 ballistics under 100 yards.
I strongly suggest you check your local hunting laws because in many parts of the country hunting Deer with a .357 Magnum isn't legal.
Marshall
Member
Use a hunting round and you'll be fine. I'll assume a 4" or longer barrel is being used, anything shorter is against most states hangun hunting laws.
The Bushmaster
Member
Took a Fork at 25 yards with a Colt SAA 4 3/4" barrel in .357 magnum using a 140 grain Hornady XTP over 18.5 grains of W-296...Not a load that I use every day in my Colt. It was purchased new 42 yeas ago...
John4me05
Member
Took 1 at 65yds with a Colt trooper MK3 6" and 158 SJHP...
john1911
Member
For a really dedicated handgun hunter who's going to practice, become a superb marksman and limit the shots to short range...yes.
For the average hunter looking to try something different (handgun hunting)...no.
For the average hunter looking to try something different (handgun hunting)...no.
nicholst55
Member
Reasonable - no. Adequate - just barely, under ideal conditions. I know that a lot of people have used this caliber for deer, but personally I would not feel confident in my equipment attempting this. And I'm an above average pistol shot, accustomed to this sort of thing.
Under survival situations, well, that's a different story.
Under survival situations, well, that's a different story.
Seafarer12
Member
Yes, it is plenty for deer with the right ammo. As far as the people saying a 44 is better. A bad shot is a bad shot doesn't matter how big the gun is.
BikerRN
member
Yes, IMHO.
You will need to select an appropriate bullet and focus on shot placement, but you should be doing that no matter what your target is. The .357 Magnum has taken every Big Game animal in North America at one time or another. I wouldn't hesitate to use it for deer, but wouldn't carry it for Bear Protection in Alaska.
BikerRN
You will need to select an appropriate bullet and focus on shot placement, but you should be doing that no matter what your target is. The .357 Magnum has taken every Big Game animal in North America at one time or another. I wouldn't hesitate to use it for deer, but wouldn't carry it for Bear Protection in Alaska.
BikerRN
Brian Dale
Member
Not for me, because I'd be using a 4" revolver on big, midwestern whitetails. I'm not precise enough with a revolver for that.
Carbine in .357, within 50 yards? Possibly, but I haven't tried it. I think that I'd still rather have a faster bullet.
Carbine in .357, within 50 yards? Possibly, but I haven't tried it. I think that I'd still rather have a faster bullet.
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