I'm not so sure about that, Lnf Crzr. The way I've heard it is a few folks like Elmer Keith were pushing the 41 Mag for an Officer's sidearm, but most of those folks, including Elmer, were disappointed with final product - the revolvers chambered for .41 Mag were too big and heavy, and the .41 Mag was overly powerful for the average LEO.
It’s a close range hole puncher. Works good on wild pigs and deer within 50yds. Past 50, you’ll be following a blood trail. I recommend starting at 13.5gr of 2400 work up to a load you can point shoot into a pie plate at 25yds. Nerf soccer balls are good for getting it down pat, in my experience. Wish we had those 40 years ago.
Why not let a 9mm fill its niche and 357 fill its.
I also load it up with Unique in.38Spl for really close range pigs and vermin hunting.
I like Sig 357! but that conversation is not putting a rim .357 in the chamber of a 9mm
Now see this is why I don’t quote loads from memory. What I gave you was the maximum load - as in .357Maximum.
I always wanted to shoot that! 3 years ago, a shop had new .357 Max brass for $.30 a piece, that’s when everything was cheap. Should have picked it up
are you British too?
what was that other round? 475 Lineball
That's exactly why .444Marlin and .45-70Gov't outsell .30-30 and .243 every deer season.
It isn't. Not by hunters. Maybe by wanna-be's and pretend posers but the people like me who put meat in the freezer consider it about the best all-around pig and whitetail getter around - IF you're going to use a handgun. Personally, I still prefer the .35Rem - which any gun rag cowboy will tell you is as incapable and outdated as the .30-30 and .357 - but it still puts meat on the table. So does the .30-30.
That's exactly why .444Marlin and .45-70Gov't outsell .30-30 and .243 every deer season.
Except, they don't. Give some thought to WHY .30-30 is still in the top-10 or better most popular deer cartridges in the US before disagreeing.
"Vista Outdoor, which manufactures both Federal and Remington ammunition, reports that .30-30 ammo is still a big-volume item. The cartridge consistently ranks in or near the top 10 in annual ammo sales.." https://www.realtree.com/brow-tines-and-backstrap/has-the-30-30-really-killed-the-most-deer
The recoil, muzzle blast, weight of the firearm, and portability all lend themselves to the .357, NOT the .44 - and I'm a Ruger SBH + M77/44 owner and hunter. The 44mag does plenty of damage and that's part of the problem. I want meat, not a trophy. Trophy hunters might prefer a handgun that rips rib meat to shreds but I don't.
Handguns aren't ideal for hunting to begin with. I use a .35Rem Marlin 336T when I have the option. A .30-30 Marlin 336C when I know the range will be flatter and longer. Handguns are for tight quarters, riding, 4-wheelers, swamp brush, and walking trails/fence-lines. The only time a handgun is better than a rifle is chasing coyotes, pigs, and/or wounded deer through thickets, around watering holes, through kudzu, into the palmetto patches... places where a rifle is just too unwieldy. When I do hunt with a handgun deliberately, it's a .357 - either a 6-1/2" Ruger Blackhawk or a 4" Colt Lawman - because they handle faster, point easier, holster more easily, carry lighter, don't over-lead, and the recoil is easier to manage if I get off-balance than a 300gr Sierra out of a SBH - but that's a good load for blinds and tree stands in thick pine. I hunt year-round, mostly on private land, use rifles WAY more than handguns and like to keep a full freezer - which is why I'm not going out this season. Wife says we can't buy another freezer, no place to put it.
That crowd would still miss or wound and loose deer independent of firearms used. You can buy yourself some margin for error by stepping up to larger bores and greater energy cartridges but that only buys you so much. No amount of "big-gun" can will make up for poor shooting.
I respectfully disagree. 40+ years with everything from .22Short to .44Magnum hunting deer, gators, pigs, snakes, possum, coyotes, racoons, and about anything else you can eat or need to keep from eating you says the .357Magnum is skilled hands is far better for hunting - especially if eating is your intent - than a .44Magnum or larger. Maybe it's not IDPA, IPSC, USPS, etc. billion-round-a-year steel-plate plinking load better but it's far better if want a decent meal and know how to hit what you want to hit.
