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.357 Mag....

MrGunz22
for deer? I've killed a few deer with a 357 lever gun. Seemed to work just fine to me. Just left the local gun shop where I was looking at a .357 GP100. Mentioned that i might use it for deer and the gentleman in the store thought I was crazy. He thought the 357 was way too light for whitetail. He tried selling me a 44mag with a 9in barrel. When I got home I checked some online ballistic charts and realized that the .357 produces way less than the 900lbs of energy most people feel is required to kill deer effectively. I know out of my rifle the round will generate a little more power, but is a 357 handgun too light for deer? What do the experts think?

Think a 4" barrel is too short or should I go with the 6"?

Not sure about the legality of it. Im in NY...All the regs book says is any centerfire handgun with a barrel shorter than 16" and that has been altered or manufactured to hold 6 rounds or less.
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Comments

10 comments

Date Votes
  • EhlerDave
    I am no expert but more than a few deer have fallen to my 357, shot placement is what counts.
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  • tsr1965
    MrGunz22,

    That is a debate that rages on. There are several threads here in the experts forum on that topic, if you care to look them up.

    There have been more deer killed with a 22 rimfire than most will ever know about. As mentioned, shot placement is paramount. You have to be an ethical hunter, and know the maximum range of yourself, and equipment combined. Stay within that range. Use a good bullet, that has controlled expansion, and hit the deer where you need to, and you will be fine with a 357. Take no iffy shots, or you will end up with a long chase, and a wounded deer.

    Best
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  • William81
    No problem with using a .357 Mag for whitetail. As said above, shot placement is everything. I personally would limit the shot to under 50 yards, but that's just me.
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  • we_dig_it
    I would go with a 6" barrel.
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  • dcs shooters
    Go with the longer barrel. I use the 8" on my Dan Wesson and a 158gr.HP hand load.
    Check your state laws, a 4" bbl. might not be legal.
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  • beantownshootah
    First of all, because of the cartridge inefficiency, there is a HUGE difference in power between a .357 from a pistol and a .357 from a rifle.

    The most powerful .357 rounds from a rifle approximate 30/30 ballistics. Now that may not be the "best" round to hunt a deer, but I don't think anyone really thinks it isn't enough!

    So bear that in mind.

    There is also a huge difference in size between a 60 lb Florida Key Deer and a 250+ lb Maine buck. So that's a factor too.

    Is a .357 pistol enough? Depends on the deer, depends on the shooter.

    People successfully hunt deer with bows and arrows, and even with atlatls. A .357 from a revolver "should" be enough to stop an intoxicated 250lb felon. So I don't see why it can't be enough for just a "deer" assuming the shooter places the shot correctly and judiciously.
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  • MrGunz22
    Im a bowhunter and would limit my shots to "bow type" shots or less. Im confident with my Mathews out to 40yards all day long. The woods I hunt is thick. The longest shots out of some of my stands are only 20-25 yards. These are the kinds of shots I would be taking. So I guess we are in agreement that a properly placed shot at 25 yards from a .357 should be adequate. As long as I do my part I should be ok. I really prefer the 357 over the 44 not because of recoil but because of size and weight of the gun. If im gonna carry some giant handgun I might as well just carry a rifle. I like the feel of the 4", but I think your right about going atleast 6 inches.
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  • bpost
    Shoot the deer through the rib cage, hit both lungs and hopefully the heart it will die, caliber is not all that important. I would avoid standard lead nosed hollow points, sticking to soft points or premium homogeneous defense bullets just in case a rib or shoulder gets hit.

    You want holes in both lungs and or large blood vessels disrupting blood flow to the brain.

    Deer hit there don't know if it is a 357 mag or a .499 Super-Duper ultra magnum Extreme Tacticool.

    Dead is dead, holes in both lungs and heart will kill it.
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  • 44shotdoctor
    Placement is everything. However I would check to see whats legal. A 357 pistol may not get the job done in certain states. As a rule a rifle will produce about 300fps more than shooting it out of a pistol. It takes a pistol round and converts it into something greater than ever thought of. Myself I have a 44mag lever and pistol. So I can get about 1800pfs out of a pistol round. wow!!
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  • templin9
    I would go for the 6" barrel. I have a Taurus in .357 and think the 4" barrel is too short for going after deer. A buddy has a S&W (I think it is an S&W) and he uses it for deer and says it does well. One of the guys I teach hunter Ed with uses a Ruger (I don't remember if it is a Blackhawk or Super Blackhawk), but it is .44mag and he loves it, so I would recommend the 6" barrel.
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