What to hunt with Ruger Blackhawk .357

[Magwa45]

Just what do you hunt with the New Model Blackhawk in .357 Magnum. I am thinking of getting one to complement my S&W Model 66 with 4 inch bbl. which I have had for over 20 years. The Ruger would have a 6 1/2" barrel for better accuracy and balance, etc. I reload and like to use LaserCast bullets. Anyway, I guess that varmints, coyotes, etc. would be the game for this gun, .357 in a revolver being a little light for big game. Like to hear what you hunt!

 

[Steve C]

The .357 mag is quite adequate for taking deer limited by the shooters ability to put their round in the vitals. It has been used to take about every game animal on the North American continent and has been used successfully to defend against large bear where that was what was available.

 

[lawson]

yep, there was once a time when .357 was considered adequate bear medicine, back when .30-30 Winchester was the thing to hunt deer with. now it's all whiz-bang magnums and comically huge revolvers.

i've taken deer, javelina, black bear, coyotes, jackrabbits, and everything in between with a .357, from both handguns and carbines.

the blackhawk is perfect for the reloader. you can work up some really high power loads.

 

[MCgunner]

I'll add hog hunting to the list, but I don't shoot really big ones, meat sized, up to about 150 lbs. I've killed two deer and a javelina with the .357, haven't taken a hog with it, yet. Missed one earlier this deer season...:banghead:

Yes, I've got one 180 grain handload I will NOT shoot in my other .357s, Blackhawk only. It's pushin' near 800 ft lbs.

 

[Any Cal.]

I used to use the same gun w/ the speer silhoutte loads. They made that gun BARK! W/ the 180g fmj, they made dents in 3/16 steel plate. I don't think there is a better platform for hunting w/ a .357. It was also very accurate w/ .38 sp. If I remember right, I used to use the top of the bevel on the front sight to hold over for gallon jugs a 100yds with the .38s. Great gun, and I really liked the 6.5" bbl.

 

[Onty]

What to hunt with Ruger Blackhawk .357
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Just what do you hunt with the New Model Blackhawk in .357 Magnum. I am thinking of getting one to complement my S&W Model 66 with 4 inch bbl. which I have had for over 20 years. The Ruger would have a 6 1/2" barrel for better accuracy and balance, etc. I reload and like to use LaserCast bullets. Anyway, I guess that varmints, coyotes, etc. would be the game for this gun, .357 in a revolver being a little light for big game. Like to hear what you hunt!

My. 0.2 cents; if you want to hunt with revolver like Blackhawk, I would suggest you to take a long, hard look on 41 Magnum. For this application, it is better than 357 in any revolver. To push 180-200 bullet at 1200 fps or so from 357 you have to load on very high pressure. Same load in 41 is just nice practising load, with much lower pressure, barrel erosion (if any), gun wear and muzzle blast. I had Bisley 357, replaced it with 41 Bisley and never looked back. However, to use full advantage of 41 you must reload...

I don’t hunt with handgun (not possible over here) but shoot on silhouette range. However, other, more knowledgeable and experienced folks stated that any handgun hunt with revolver should be done starting with 40 calibre and up.

 

[Ala Dan]

Here is Alabama, there really is not anything so large that a Ruger .357
Blackhawk can't handle. From whitetails to 'bout 175 lbs honey bears,
the Ruger should do them in, provided that you do your part in placing
the shot(s).

 

[Cosmoline]

The .357 Magnum is like Will Munny, it's killed just about everything that's walked or crawled at one time or another.

 

[MCgunner]

However, other, more knowledgeable and experienced folks stated that any handgun hunt with revolver should be done starting with 40 calibre and up.

That just ain't so in Texas. I'd say for big hogs, yes, it is so. But, the deer here MIGHT reach 200 lbs, well, not HERE, but in south Texas. On MY place, largest buck I've shot, a 6 year old mature buck, weighed 120 lbs field dressed. It don't take no cannon to kill deer in Texas and certainly not javelina. A magnum that starts with a .4 is big time overkill on javelina.

IOW, it all depends on the size of the game. No, I wouldn't go chasin' no Canadian moose, or even one of those huge Alberta bucks I see on TV shows, with a .357 if I have a choice, and I do. My favorite hunting handgun starts with a .3, though, as in .30-30 Winchester..... Yeah, okay, it ain't a revolver. But, so far, it's only ever taken one shot from it.

 

[bakert]

A .357 works well on deer unless you're one of those people that go around shooting them in the A$$ and probably should not be hunting with a handgun in the first place.

 

[Clipper]

I didn't even own a long gun for 25 years, hunting everything from rabbit & squirrel with .38 wadcutters to deer & black bear with .357 magnum silvertips out of my 6" blackhawk. My stainless gun would hold 1.5" groups off the sandbags @ 50 yards, my blued gun, which I sold before wearing the finish completely off, would hold 1.25".