Penetration & Lethality of my .357 Load - your opinions

[gamestalker]

Oh ya, I forgot about mule deer that have been taken with those H110 / 296 Gold Dot loads posted above. One of my Sons took a mule deer with a head shot using those, and it went through and through. I don't remember where the other mule was shot, I think it was a lung shot, and I do believe it was a through and through also, not sure though. But both deer hit the ground dead, never took a step.

GS

 

[Certaindeaf]

It sounds like you'll be in good shape against glass spined dogs.

 

[GooseGestapo]

quote "It sounds like you'll be in good shape against glass spined dogs."

HUH???

I don't know where you come up with something like this from what I wrote. I simply stated that the bullet didn't exit the stocky, well built dog. (beagle/pit bull cross?)

The dog was body slammed to the ground and didn't even kick.... Statement was to the effect that the bullet expanded to the point that it didn't exit.... Not a "weak" round at all....

re: bouncing .38's. Yeah, I assisted in a homicide investigation where a rival dope dealer shot another dope dealer in the head with a mod. 36 w/158gr LRN. Victim had a synthetic fabric head-wrap on his head and was playing basketball when perp walked up to him and popped him. At the hospital ER, the attending after "pronouncing" him, pulled on the head wrap and removed the bullet, still trapped by the fabric. He placed the wrap w/bullet in an evidence bag and handed it me so we could send it the the crime-lab. The problem is with the 'launch platform'. A mod 34/60 2" snub only runs around 650fps.... About like the infamous .38s&w loads of military "Phillipine Moro Campaign" infamy...

fwiw; back in those "bad 'ole days", we didn't like the factory SWC .357mag ammo(lubaloy coated like .22lr) as they often over penetrated and didn't put perps down like the heavy (heavier than 125gr JHP's) JHP's....
And the wheels of the bus go round and round, .....,.....

 

[chrisf8657]

Thank you to many answers some have posted I will look into some of the good links you provided. I failed to mention it is for a 4 inch 686.

I still don't understand how some failed to see where I plainly said the load was for a SHTF situation (i.e. extreme break down in law and order) - btw I like the one poster who said "It's his zombie load"...LOL...hell i'll just pluck them with a .22 when the Walking Dead come to my house

 

[USSR]

Jacketed HP's out of a handgun can do some funny things. I've told this story before, but I'll tell it again. Used to hunt deer with my 6" S&W 686 .357 Magnum. Selected the Winchester 145gr SilverTip HP round. Killed 2 deer with it with the classic "thru the ribcage" shots. Well, one morning I was hunting out of my tree stand when I heard a shot and a deer came limping up to me and lay down under my tree stand. I figured I would dispatch it for the guy who shot it. So, I aimed at the back, angling down into the chest cavity. At the shot, the deer got up and ran off. I was astounded, as I felt good about the shot. In the afternoon, I was on the ground in a nearby area hunting with my shotgun, when a limping deer came by and I shot it. Dressing the deer out revealed a perfectly mushroomed .357 SilverTip bullet that failed to penetrate beyond the heavy fat and gristle above the back. Needless to say, I quit using that round for deer hunting and have zero faith in jacketed HP's for penetration. If you must use a jacketed bullet, I recommend a softpoint. I still shoot HP's, but they are cast HP's where I control the alloy used and thus am able to ensure penetration. Oh, and I moved up in caliber to the .45 Colt.

Don