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.357 magnum hunting ammo

WoundedWolf
I've never been hunting, so I am pretty ignorant about it. But I'm curious what kind of .357 mag would work best for hunting? The little research I have done seems to point to jacketed soft points. What about lead round nose or regular round ball full copper jacket? Are hollow-points legal to hunt with? Would you want hunt with hollow points or would that just tear up the meat?

I have a Marlin 1894 and I don't plan to go hunting anytime soon, but, just in case, I thought I should have some hunting ammo on hand. What are your recommendations?

-WW

"History will look upon the act of depriving a whole nation of arms as the blackest." -Gandhi
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3 comments

Date Votes
  • Laredo Lefty
    WW... The Marlin 1894 being a lever action rifle would be an OK choice for small to med game out to about 75 yds or so.

    I would use a 158 grain bullet for best penetration, with a jacketed hollow or soft point. Using FMJ (full metal jacket) or round nose bullets will only serve to limit the effectiveness of the bullet.

    Shot placement is vital, so zero your gun with the ammo you will hunt with and consider using a scope.

    "Brain" shots are difficult and usually not attempted by most hunters. Since the brain is usually protected by skull the bullet is likely to be deflected unless you can put one in an eye or ear.

    Iam going coyote hunting next weekend. Iam taking a .223 rifle for distant shots and a .357 mag Smith model 19 loaded with 158 grain jacketed hollow points for close up shots.



    "Never let school interfere with your education"
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  • Snellstrom
    The 357 although fairly powerful as a handgun is quite limited in power as a hunting cartridge,(compared to the 30/30 and up). If I were using it to shoot deer I would limit myself to under 100 yards or whatever distance under 100 where you can keep all your shots in a good group. I would prefer a 158 grain soft point bullet and steer away from hollow points. Because of it's limited power you will want as much penetration you can get and a hollow point will expand rapidly and inhibit penetration. Do not use non expanding or FMJ bullets, they are illegal to hunt with in most states that I know and they won't expand at all, sometime passing right through an animal with minimal shock, only to let it bleed to death later.
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  • grdad45
    I have taken three whitetails with a Marlin 1894 357 mag. rifle. All were 1 shot kills at less than 75 yards. I handloaded my ammo with 150 gr. hollow points at near maximum velocity using the Hornady loading manual. The importance of bullet placement cannot be ignored! The 357 mag is BARELY powerful enough to take deer-sized animals, so practice, practice and practice some more. Good luck!



    Never corner anything meaner than you.
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