Question for .357 magnum hunters

[NoirFan]

Hello,

If anyone here has used the .357 magnum cartridge to hunt animals of deer size and up I would like to hear about your experiences. I would prefer to read accounts where the cartridge was fired out of a revolver but carbine stories will be useful to me as well. I’d like to have the following information:

• Type of animal shot, and shot placement
• Time elapsed before animal drops
• Make, model, bullet weight, and velocity of that particular load
• Firearm barrel length
• Size and appearance of entry wound
• Size and appearance of exit wound
• Size and appearance of internal wound channel – was it significantly larger than caliber?

I myself am not a hunter so I put these questions to those THR members who do hunt. Any information is appreciated.

Thanks,

 

[The Bushmaster]

Blacktail---lung/heart
50 yards/10 seconds?
Winchester case, 18.5 grains of W-296, 140 grain Remington SJHP
Colt SAA 4 3/4"
About the size of a .38.
No exit wound
Didn't look at interior wound channel. Bullet went through the lung and stopped just the other side of the heart.

If you are not a hunter, why do you ask?

 

[NoirFan]

Thanks Bushmaster

My main purpose for asking is to see if the .357 produces secondary damage along the primary wound channel, or if it makes an unusually sized exit wound for its diameter. I'd like to know if the effects of velocity in a pistol cartridge matter in the real world.

I would like to hunt someday but I am not yet confident in my skill level.

 

[Majic]

Whitetail about 110 pounds and 35 yards
Colt 357 Magnum w/ 6 inch barrel
My reloads with my cast 160 gr flat nose
Broke shoulder and trashed lung
Anchored it where shot long enough for me to get to it and finish it off
Never bothered with looking at wound channels and bullet stayed in chest cavity

You have to take in account for the bullet used. Mine had a solid nose so it may deform when hitting bone but not expand.

 

[JUNGLEBILL]

hi, i shot a big doe up in ohio years ago with my 357,,taurus 6 inch, firing hot handload 158 jhp,was in tree stand about 20 feet up,, deer stopped rite under me, shot her thru the spine between the shoulder blades,she went down like ton of bricks fell on her,had to shoot her then as she was on the run and i knew she only stopped to figure things out, as it was when that load hit her all 4 legs seemed to fly out under her as the bullet seemed to drive her into the ground,she was dead instantly,when got down to check her out, entry hole took out about 2 in. of spine and exit was about 12in. with alot of internals laying on ground when i rolled her over,,def. one load no one would ever want to get tagged with,,,bill

 

[NoirFan]

Junglebill, thank you for the response. Just to confirm: you are saying the exit hole was one foot in diameter. Is this correct?

 

[JUNGLEBILL]

yup,, she was pregutted,,,bill

 

[rcmodel]

On the otherhand that certainly isn't typical .357 mag performance.

It may have happened, but it won't happen twice in a row, or even ever again I betcha!

Further:

shot her thru the spine between the shoulder blades,

Now wait a minute!

If you shot her through the spine between the shoulder blades the first time, she most certainly didn't get up and run off so you had to shoot her again!

rcmodel

 

[HGUNHNTR]

Shot a large Nebraska Doe during late season last year. The set up was 6" Taurus, using 165 gr corlokt loads. The deer was shot at 70 yards with open sights, just behind the shoulder. Total pass through, about a 1/2" exit wound. The deer ran about 30 yards.

 

[janobles14]

185 lb whitetail
heart and lung shot dropped on spot
handload of 158 gr. XTP with H110 powder. 1311 fps or so.
4" taurus model 66
small entry with no exit.
complete heart and lung destruction. lots of impact clotting. 6-8 inch wound channel through most of the wet mass.

 

[BADUNAME37]

I agree with rcmodel.

Severed spine=dead nerves from the bullet wound back.

She might have been trying to crawl using only her front legs, but I seriously doubt her back legs were working at all.

 

[rcmodel]

The deer was shot at 70 yards with open sights, just behind the shoulder. Total pass through, about a 1/2" exit wound. The deer ran about 30 yards.

And that right there is typical .357 performance.


To answer NoirFan's question.
IMO: No, the .357 magnum, or any other handgun with the possible exception of the .460 S&W class guns, typically do not produce secondary missile damage, or hydrostatic shock like you find in high-power rifle loads.

On deer size game, complete through & through penetration, with near bullet diameter exit wounds are very typical.

JHP loads may not exit, while JSP sometimes will & hard-cast SWC almost always do.
The more & sooner the bullet expands, the less penetration you will get.

Handgun performance on game depends almost entirely on penetration of vital organs and massive blood loss. That usually takes 20- 50 yards for the deer to bleed out, go down, & die.

One-shot stops on the spot usually only happen when the brain or spine are hit, or both shoulder joints are broken.

rcmodel

 

[Shawnee]

+1 for RCModel's comments.

Even with my .44 magnum I go for sending it through both shoulders at the front edge in order to anchor the deer. Only exceptions have been when I had the opportunity for a neck shot that I knew I could make.

 

[BADUNAME37]

That's precisely why I got a 500 Magnum and load Barnes X bullets for it.

I know I must make a good shot and any caliber (well, most any) does NOT make up for lousy shooting or a lousy shot!

 

[rcmodel]

Come on guys!

Grandpa was killing deer very nicely with 32-20's and 38-40's a hundred years ago.

Deer are no harder to kill now then they were then.
If you shoot them in the right place.

If you don't, even a .500 won't make up for it.

And the average pistol hunter will shoot a .357 or .44 Mag much more accurately then a .500 S&W I betcha!

rcmodel

 

[BADUNAME37]

My 500 has a Millett Target sight on the rear and factory OEM red insert front sight. I have a target downstairs that I shot from 50 yards with the 275g XPB loads I worked up. I chronied the bullet on average of 1,455 fps at the muzzle (as near the muzzle that I dared put my chronograph without blowing it to high heaven). Running the ballistics through Barnes Ballistics software, I have the trajectory plotted out to 150 yards. The gun is zeroed at 50 yards. The target group is 1.5" The bullet and load were chosen out of 30 different combinations of bullets and powders, shooting 10 rounds each load, and the 275 XPB with Longshot was the most accurate bullet/powder combination out of this 4" barreled gun. Also, consideration was taken concerning a powerful load, but not wrist-breaking. The load is a moderate, easy-to-shoot load. If the bullet doesn't hit the right spot, that is my error, not the gun's. I have total dependability of both the gun and the load I have created.

I've shot a lot of handguns over the years, including a lot of magnums (357, 44 and 454 Casull). I've shot literally tens of thousands of pistol rounds back when I used to have a progressive press in the 80's.

I was ready to purchase the 500. The time was right and I was ready for it. Unless the shot is right, I won't take it.

Back to the original question pertaining to 357 Magnum for hunting. If hunting deer or deer-size game, I would think a shot to the heart, or better yet, to the head would be the most humane. A spine shot is possible, however, the spine is not that large and to hit it intentionally might be difficult. If it was such an easy shot, then a shot to the brain should be so easy.

 

[buck460XVR]

First two deer were does, at about 15 yards from the same elevated tree stand two years apart. Both shot behind the front shoulder quartering away, no exit wound. Went thirty to forty yards with a moderate blood trail. both times bullet was imbedded in the brisket/shoulder on the other side. Shot with cheapo Blazer 158 HPs.

Third deer was a 6 point buck taken in his bed at less than 10 yards, high in the front shoulders as he looked upwind in the pourin' rain.. No exit wound, bullet was just under the skin on the other side. He went maybe 30 yards after he jumped up. 158 JSPs.

Fourth deer was a doe taken at 40 yards as she stood up outta her bed, low front shoulder as she looked at me. Exit wound thru the ribs on the other side, not much bigger than entry, heavy blood trail, she went maybe 30 yards. 158 JSPs.

 

[AH-1]

while I haven't shot any deer with the 357 mag I have killed several with a 44 mag.the first was about 50 yards with a factory win 240 jhp.I hit a rib just behind the shoulder shot.the bullet angled off and sure made a mess of the other shoulder.
after that I hunted with my cast 240 gr gc swc's.never had one of over 20 yards and a couple were boom flop.
while the 357 mag can a will do fine on deer I think the 44 mag is a better choice and this is from a "big" fan of the 357 mag and ol elmers 358429 bullet.if I was going to hunt deer with a 357 mag it would be with that bullet.
pete

173 gr keith

 

[HB]

entry hole took out about 2 in. of spine and exit was about 12in. with alot of internals laying on ground

Must have used XtremeShock ammo
HB

 

[MCgunner]

Two whitetails under 50 yards, 158 SWC over 14.5 grains 2400, behind the shoulder lung shots. Neither was over 100 lbs dressed. Neither went more'n 20 yards and dropped. Complete penetration and wider than caliber wound channel, pretty impressive for no bullet expansion.

Another, a mature doe of about 90 lbs, was shot in the ribs at about 80 yards, went about 25 feet. This one was shot with a 20" Rossi 92 Carbine with the very same 158 grain load. Similar wound channel and, again, exited.

Really don't need 180s on Texas deer, maybe on Mulies or something. The handgun kills were done with an iron sighted Ruger 6.5" Blackhawk. As with rcmodel, I'm a complete penetration kinda guy with handguns, especially of marginal energy like the .357, but even a .44 is around 600 ft lbs at 100 yards. Hard cast bullets work. A bullet I have yet to try, but is very accurate, is the 180 Hornady XTP. They have a good rep for penetration and should offer a little expansion. I'm pushing it 1400 fps out of the Ruger. Hunted with it, missed a 150 lb hog with it. :banghead: I'll get something with it, yet.

 

[Daizee]

I shot an 8" whitetail paper plate at 50ft with my Blackhawk and full-bore lil'gun handloads using 158gr hardcast keith-style bullets. The bullet penetrated completely, 1" from POA, and the plate never moved an inch.


-Daizee, jealous of handgun hunting staters

 

[MCgunner]

That's precisely why I got a 500 Magnum and load Barnes X bullets for it.

I know I must make a good shot and any caliber (well, most any) does NOT make up for lousy shooting or a lousy shot!

Well, I'll one up ya. I have handgunned five so far with my favorite handgun, TC Contender, .30-30 Winchester, 150 grain Nosler BT at 2100 fps. That thing will knock an gnat off a ticks ass at 100 yards. I can put that bullet right where I want it, 2x LER scope for sights. That don't mean I won't use the .357 if I want. I like the gun and the caliber on deer sized game. I also load a .45 Colt Ruger with 300 grain XTPs at 1120 fps from its 4 5/8" barrel. It's very accurate, too. That's a bit overkill on our little whitetails, but is a bit more potent for a big hog. The TC and .30-30 caliber is almost cheating where handgun hunting is concerned.

 

[ARTiger]

12 whitetails over the past ten seasons were taken with my Ruger GP 100 6" at 15 to 65 yards. I did use Winchester 180 gr. partition - now use Buff Bore's 180 grain LFN.

Of those only 1 needed a follow up shot and all were shot through with entry and exit holes of roughly similar dimensions. I do notice the hotter Buff Bores tend to anchor the deer faster.

In my experience .357 magnum loads are more than sufficient to quickly and cleanly drop any size whitetail with proper shot placement. I've seen no evidence of the expanded wound tracks associated with high-powered rifle rounds. Just a neat and clean wound track which I prefer versus making a mess of an animal that I'm probably going to butcher myself.

The area I hunt most often is hilly and thickly overgrown. A 100 yard shot would be rare and I like pistol hunting anyway.

 

[machinisttx]

I haven't yet had the chance to use any of my handguns on deer or pigs, but I did witness my wife use her Marlin 1894 CP to take a nice doe(her first deer) at approximately 15 yards. The bullet entered about 1.5" right of the center of the chest(deer was looking straight at her), destroyed the lungs and exited somewhere to the rear of the ribcage. The doe ran about 35-40 yards and piled up. I'd estimate under ten seconds from hammer fall to dead deer.

The load was a 158 grain Hornady XTP over around 11 grains of AA#7. XTP's are known more for penetration than expansion. Entry was basically a 38 caliber hole, and I don't recall the exit hole being much bigger.

I'd have no reservations about using the same load in one of my sixguns for deer---but I'm far more likely to use a 158 grain cast bullet instead.

 

[huntershooter]

Two Whitetail.
Mod. 27 S&W 6".
180 gr. WFNGC @ 1230 fps.
30 yds. and 55 yds.
Lung shot.
Deer traveled less than 50 yds.