There is no way a .357 mag will take a whitetail.

[schlockinz]

All my deer have just bedded after running into some brush, haven't gotten a bolter yet.

As for the difference in killing, I was talking about blunt force trauma (non-expanding bullet) vs the cutting action of a broadhead. Just shoot a weaving of rubber bands with a bullet and a broadhead, that should be similar to how a bullet will act on blood vessels vs a broadhead

 

[lefteyedom]

Back when the earth was still flat. Many poor folks in Mississippi put venison on the table with a 22 rifles. At hog killing time it was a single shot from a 22 rifle that got the day started.

I am not saying that a 22LR is a preferred whitetail load. I am saying that it does not take nearly the power that gun writers would have you believe to kill a deer. Anybody want to compare a 25/20 to a 357? Yet many many deer have been killed for meat with the old 25/20.

 

[DeepSouth]

As I have been reading this thread I couldn't help but think of my 3rd cousin that killed a whitetail with his BB gun. And I guess it was legal after all a BB gun isn't a rim fire.LOL

 

[BlayGlock]

That is one hell of a bb gun...

 

[DeepSouth]

It was just shot a bunch of times.........Deer had his back legs hung in a barbed wire fence, the boy was like 8 years old.

 

[rhoggman]

It was just shot a bunch of times.........Deer had his back legs hung in a barbed wire fence, the boy was like 8 years old.

That sounds like a terrible death for a deer. I hunt, but I'm not sure I would want to watch that go down.

A good clean kill makes me feel good.... Shooting a "trapped" deer repeadedly with a BB gun is just sad. Not saying anything about you, apparently it was not you that did that, but that is just plain wrong. Then again if it were all I had I guess it would have to do. Just seems very irresponsible to dispatch a large animal with anything that takes multiple attempts. I realize large animals do not usually die on the spot, but a good shot with an appropriate bow, or rifle should do the trick within a couple of minutes at the most. Usually this process is very quick.

I'm not some great hunter or extraordinary marksmen; however, your ideal shot is a killer. I'm talking about the kind of shot that results in death usually within 15-20 seconds.

I just shot a doe that literally was running dead. Both lungs, and heart were all punctured. She ran like a bat out of hell for approx 15 seconds if that. That 15 seconds was about 65 yards, but she was literally done the second she was hit.

I could not disrespect a living creature by torturing it to death with a BB gun. :banghead:

 

[mes228]

.357

I personally know of two people that have killed black bear with a .357 magnum. Both were game Wardens. One in Virginia, one in Wyoming. If you'll do a little research you'll find the .357 magnum has taken EVERY BIG GAME ANIMAL ON EARTH (not shouting, just wanted to emphasize that factoid). Including Elephant and Cape Buffalo. I've killed deer with a .22 magnum revolver in my youth. I suspect a .357 would do handily if the round was placed correctly. The Virginia Game warden killed the bear with one shot to the head. The Wyoming Game Warden came home with both hands full of grocery bags. Only to find a black bear on the porch really, really, wanted them. Three rounds (I think that's the round count) from a snub nosed S&W .357 in the chest, killed that bear dead right there.

 

[AKElroy]

There is no way a .357 mag will take a whitetail.

Of course it won't. An arrow will, though; so will a hand thrown spear. Stone aged man could kill them with a sling, or even a well thrown rock. But a .357 mag? I hardly think so. A .30-30 won't kill them anymore either. It used to, but not anymore.

 

[AKElroy]

from a snub nosed S&W .357 in the chest, killed that bear dead right there.

Not possible; you need to read my last post. For bear, some people foolishly carried .44 mags into the woods. No where NEAR enough gun, so we needed the .454 Casull. Of course we now know dear can't be killed by either of those anymore, so now we have the .500 S&W. It may be enough, at least for awhile.

 

[DeepSouth]

That sounds like a terrible death for a deer. I hunt, but I'm not sure I would want to watch that go down.

A good clean kill makes me feel good.... Shooting a "trapped" deer repeadedly with a BB gun is just sad. Not saying anything about you, apparently it was not you that did that, but that is just plain wrong. Then again if it were all I had I guess it would have to do. Just seems very irresponsible to dispatch a large animal with anything that takes multiple attempts. I realize large animals do not usually die on the spot, but a good shot with an appropriate bow, or rifle should do the trick within a couple of minutes at the most. Usually this process is very quick.

I'm not some great hunter or extraordinary marksmen; however, your ideal shot is a killer. I'm talking about the kind of shot that results in death usually within 15-20 seconds.

I just shot a doe that literally was running dead. Both lungs, and heart were all punctured. She ran like a bat out of hell for approx 15 seconds if that. That 15 seconds was about 65 yards, but she was literally done the second she was hit.

I could not disrespect a living creature by torturing it to death with a BB gun.

I completely agree.

I don't remember his age but he was around 6 or 8 best I remember, so I don't hold it against him too bad, after all my judgement when I was younger was poor as well.

 

[fourdollarbill]

DeepSouth, I too tried to kill a deer with a BB gun. I was as serious as the day was long. 5 yrs old I was on the back patio and about 300 yards away I saw a deer eating in the corn field. I racked my red ryder and started shooting. After about 20 shots I went back into the house and grabbed a pillow off the couch and used it as a prone rest. I don't remember how many more shots I took but the deer started walking away and I was getting mad. Then all of a sudden I was lifted up in the air by a big set of hands and I got my ass beat for having the couch cushion laying half in the mud. I'm pretty sure the deer got away that time.

 

[Ed Harris]

In my experience, within 50 yards, with factory 158-grain magnum ammunition or good .357 handloads with proper bullets, such as Hornady XTP, I've noted no meaningful difference in game killing performance between the .357 Magnum in my Marlin 1894 and the .30-30 with factory loads from my 94 Winchester, except that the Marlin is more accurate. About a dozen deer taken with the .357 over the last 25 years. If I gave you one shot with each to dress and butcher you'd not be able to tell the difference. Key to remember with both is that the hind end of a deer is to eat and not to shoot.

 

[BlayGlock]

AKElroy is right, deer are just tougher these days I guess which is why we need bigger handguns.

 

[millertyme]

whitetails aren't even that big. even a big whitetail isn't all that big. my motto is "if you can kill a man with it, you can kill a deer with it." Echoing the sentiments others have posted, even a 22lr, if placed correctly, will kill a whitetail.

 

[Daveboone]

I stopped carrying a .357 (or any handgun...I had and shot a .44 mag that ruled!!)only after comparing accuracy expectations of rifle to handgun. I tweek my rifle and loads to make the absolute smallest margin of error, but would allow a very good handgun group at 50 feet that would be considered horrible from a rifle. It dont make sense. If I am serious about the sport and making as clean a kill as possible as a priority, I will use the instrument most able to the task. (boy, I am sure this will stir the fires...)

 

[natman]

Where exactly did anyone say you can't kill a deer with a 357? I don't think there's any doubt that it's possible to inflict a fatal wound with one.

It's also possible to inflict a non-fatal wound with one, with a higher probability of doing so than with more powerful cartridges, which is why it's not a good choice for deer. However, that's not the same thing as saying you can't kill one with it.

 

[kanook]

I stopped carrying a .357 (or any handgun...I had and shot a .44 mag that ruled!!)only after comparing accuracy expectations of rifle to handgun. I tweek my rifle and loads to make the absolute smallest margin of error, but would allow a very good handgun group at 50 feet that would be considered horrible from a rifle. It dont make sense. If I am serious about the sport and making as clean a kill as possible as a priority, I will use the instrument most able to the task. (boy, I am sure this will stir the fires...)

Althought the 357mag is mostly used in a handgun, some of us use it in a rifle. I'm sure you will now agree the the 357mag will work on deer.

 

[T.R.]

When hunting big game with a 357 MAG, you should limit your shots to archery distances. Say, 40 yards or so. Keep shooting until the animal topples over.

This cow elk weighed approx 550 lbs. But two well placed 158 hollow tip bullets got the job done.

TR

 

[stiab]

Where exactly did anyone say you can't kill a deer with a 357?

I agree, and in the first page or two of this thread requested the OP to tell us exactly where someone said that, post a link, etc. He responded, but did not reveal where it was said. I continue to have my doubts.

 

[22-rimfire]

I generally believe the 357 mag in a revolver is a bit light for deer hunting. The power difference when you step up to either a 41 mag or 44 mag is substantial. The whole purpose is the shoot the deer within the kill zone and have it die quickly and the 40 caliber+ magnums do the job pretty well.

This is not to say that a 357 mag revolver can't be used for deer hunting. I just believe you're better off choosing something with a bit more power. As long as you think in terms of archery hunting ranges, you're probably okay with the 357 with good shot placement.

 

[BlayGlock]

Natman, I disagree that it is not a good choice. It is perfectly fine wthin 50 yards or so.

Stiab, I find it very hard to believe that you have been reading all these forums and have never run across a people sharing that sentiment.

 

[natman]

Natman, I disagree that it is not a good choice. It is perfectly fine wthin 50 yards or so.

Stiab, I find it very hard to believe that you have been reading all these forums and have never run across a people sharing that sentiment.

I guess it depends on your definition of "good choice". As you say, it will work within 50 yards. I would say if the presentation is perfect and everything goes well. The more conditions you have to apply to using the cartridge the less attractive it is.

Personally I like to allow for the possibility of needing a bit more margin for error than a 357 revolver allows, even while I do everything I can to eliminate the need for that margin. I like a bullet that expands and penetrates enough to exit and leaves a nice big hole in its wake, even on some of the tougher shots. I just don't see the point in using something in the 357 power range when there are so many better choices. And no, I don't consider actual good choices like a 6.5x55 Swedish, 7mm-08, 257 Roberts, etc. to be a "cannon".

I have never heard anyone say that you can't kill a deer with x cartridge, nor that deer are armor plated, nor that they are now tougher than they were back in the day. I have heard lots of guys use these as straw man arguments when they are trying to justify using some underpowered cartridge.

The hunt should be the challenge. The shot should be as sure and easy as possible.

 

[stiab]

Stiab, I find it very hard to believe that you have been reading all these forums and have never run across a people sharing that sentiment.

If it is so hard to believe, then surely you can post a link to a thread where someone says there is no way that the .357 magnum is appropriate to kill a deer. According to some, those type of threads are common. Can you direct us to one or more of them?

 

[BlayGlock]

Here you go pal, some of the stuff Ive run across recently:

http://www.deerhuntersclub.com/forums/handgun-hunting/3750-what-do.html

http://www.technohunter.com/hit em hard.html

It is not an exhaustive list by any means but maybe it will assuage your curiosity?

 

[natman]

Here you go pal, some of the stuff Ive run across recently:

http://www.deerhuntersclub.com/forums/handgun-hunting/3750-what-do.html

http://www.technohunter.com/hit em hard.html

It is not an exhaustive list by any means but maybe it will assuage your curiosity?

Let me repeat some of the quotes from these links:

"I think a 357 would be very marginal for deer sized animals."

"I also think the .357 is a little weak for animals the size of Deer "

"In my hard earned opinion, the .357 Magnum is NOT ADEQUATE for reliably taking deer. "

Marginal. A little weak. Not adequate for RELIABLY taking deer. None of these authors has said that you CAN'T KILL a deer with a 357, nor that the bullet will bounce off, nor that deer are now armor plated. What this means is that while it is certainly possible to kill a deer with a 357, the odds of only wounding it are unacceptably high.

This is commonly misinterpreted to mean that you can't kill a deer with a 357, which results in answers attempting to prove you can. While those answers are true, they are answering the wrong question.