.357 for deer
Does anyone here use a .357 Magnum revolver for hinting deer? If so what type & what loads?
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Yes, Eastern Whitetail Deer. Dan Wesson Mdl 15 HV with 10 inch bbl. Used in heavy brush where sight distance is limited to about 50 yards tops. I used the heaviest JSP load I can find, usually my 165 gr handloads. Your max range would be however far you can put all rounds in a 5 inch paper plate using the same shooting position you would use in the field.
DO check your state game laws to see what is a legal firearm where YOU live.0 -
I've taken several deer with a 4" barreled Taurus .357 magnum
158gr SJHP
I've taken them out to about 60 yards.0 -
Thanks for the info. It's legal in AR to hunt with a .357, so I might just do that. I too have a 4" Taurus, I'm glad to hear someone else has had success with the same weapon.
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I use a 8" DW with my 158gr.HP loads. I don't know about AR but here in OH we have to have at least a 5" barrel for handguns. 0 -
I have gotten very good results with the Remington Golden Sabres on deer if they exit they have been massive exit wounds and the bullets I have found back have been perfect mushrooms and the insides of the deer looking like soup 0 -
There used to be a regulation in one of the states I've lived in that required handguns produce a certain amount of energy and for a 357 to qualify, it had to be in an 8 3/8 or longer barrel. 0 -
hi; i have taken quite a few deer with a colt 357 with 4in barrel all were 1 shot kills; 125 grain hollow points; non had to be shot again all were dead on the spot 0 -
I've never actually done it, but if I had to use a .357, I'd feel pretty comfortable with my 6" bbl Smith 19 and 158 grain hollowpoints.
In practice, I have a .44 mag with a longer barrel, so I'd use that instead. Its not because of the extra power (which can't hurt, though its probably not necessary on a small deer), but just because I'd prefer the longer sight radius and extra weight of the gun.
In general, while a 4" bbl is adequate, I do think the longer the barrel the better, since you get both more power and generally better accuracy as the barrel length increases.
In terms of power, remember there are different kinds of whitetail deer. A 300 lb Maine buck is a different sort of animal than a 40lb Florida key deer, and I think you need to consider what size deer your game is when you are picking a load.
For a small deer, pretty much ANY .357 magnum load with appropriate bullets ought to be plenty of gun.
If you look at these "super-premium" loads (which are about the most powerful commercial loads available) they claim a chronographed 1600 fps with a 125 grain jacketed hollowpoint from an ordinary 4" bbl revolver, or nearly 1400 fps from a 180 grain bullet from a 5" bbl.
http://www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=102
http://www.doubletapammo.com/php/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=21_27&products_id=338&osCsid=bhp8cqu6iv3g52c00t54udoh97
Either of those loads ought to be good enough to take even the largest deer with good shot placement.
For Rsnyder, I don't know exactly which state and which regs, but if you check the above ballistics charts, these "super-premium" 125 grain bullets are putting out about 700 ft-lbs of muzzle energy putting them in the ballpark of weaker .44 magnum loads.
I think even from the shorter 4" tubes, they're putting out energy equivalent to ordinary factory rounds from longer barrels, so I'd *hope* that these would be ok for regular hunting.0 -
If I remember correctly, I believe in Colorado, you needed 550ft/lbs at 50 yards. I looked at charts and saw I needed an 8" barrel to make the energy with the loads back then.
In the 70's, I I believe CA had the same type of laws regarding minimum energly levels for handgun hunting.
Laws change and products change, so this may no longer hold true.0
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