To hunt with a .357 Magnum

[David LaPell]

While I am down and out recovering from my latest surgery (and will be like this for a couple of months) I am thinking about next deer season since this one didn't happen. I have a .38-44 Smith & Wesson Outdoorsman but I can only get so much power out of one of these guns with the bullets and powder, roughly about 1,250 fps with the 6 1/2 inch barrel. I am thinking about picking up a Blackhawk either a 4 5/8 inch barrel or 6 1/2 inch barrel and warming up those same #358156 Hollowpoints up to 1,500 fps with Skeeter Skelton's .357 loads. I know I should use a bigger caliber, but I only have the one good arm and the .357 and .38-44 I can shoot well one handed off shooting sticks or a rest. Plus I have tons of brass and the moulds and bullets for those two calibers and I really don't want to switch to something else. Does anyone else use a .357 revolver to take out deer and what have you had success with?

 

[Cracker-American]

I used one in the late 60's before I learned that they were not enough gun for whitetails. Killed several deer and hogs. I was not reloading then so I used both factory Rem 158 gr soft points and Super Vel 125 grain HP. The former for hogs and the latter for deer. When I had a choice. Sometimes targets of opportunity required I mix and match.

I would love to own a S&W 38-44 Outdoorsman. I would wear it out hunting it.

 

[98Redline]

Can't say as I have killed any deer with my .357 but as long as you are careful with your shots you should do just fine.
Deer are not that thick skinned or heavy boned and pushing a .357 at the velocities you mention should be no problem.

That being said, when you start launching lighter bullets at the neighborhood of 1500 fps the recoil is really not all that much different than a standard loaded 44mag. In fact, depending on your particular revolver the recoil from a 44 could easily be lower than a comparable .357.

Just for comparative info, here is what I came up with:

44 Ruger Super Blackhawk (7.5" barrel)
Weight 3 lbs
240gr slug @ 1100 fps
Recoil Impulse in (lbs sec): 1.35
Velocity of recoiling firearm (fps): 14.48
Free recoil energy in (ft/lbs): 9.76

.357 Ruger Blackhawk (6.5" barrel)
Weight: 2.8125 lbs
158gr slug @ 1500 fps
Recoil Impulse in (lbs sec): 1.37
Velocity of recoiling firearm (fps): 15.70
Free recoil energy in (ft/lbs): 10.76

As you can see, all of the recoil calculations show the 44 as the softer shooting gun.
I would also trust a 240gr slug @ 1100fps to knock down any deer in the woods.
The other thing to consider is that at those velocities, your .357 is close to max loading. The 240@1100 is just getting started in the .44

I certainly understand the desire not to add another caliber to your loading bench, however I don't think the .357 offers better recoil characteristics, in fact I am pretty sure it is the other way around.

 

[Lee Martin]

I prefer 41 and up on game, but if I were to take deer with a 357 I'd go heavy. Maybe a 200 grain soft cast GC slug going 1,300 fps. A full case of H110/W296 will get you there. It'd sort of be like a 35 Remington Special.

 

[DeletedMember275]

As I recall a gentleman named Wesson, who was instrumental in the introduction of the cartridge, killed a polar bear with an S&W Registered Magnum. I'd say that the .357 would anchor a deer, assuming correct bullet placement.

 

[Jayhawkhuntclub]

Deer aren't that tough. The key is getting a projectile that will create enough damage to bring them down quickly.

 

[timnc]

No personal experience;but, once knew someone who hunted deer in SC with 4' Security Six. He hunted from a tree stand and only took shots @ 25-30 yds. One shot kills. Dick Metcalf wrote article years ago in which he said the .357 mag was suitable for anything East of the Mississippi as long as range kept to 50 yds. He definitely has the experience.

 

[Olsherm]

There has been a lot of them killed with the "old 22 Long Rifle".I know a couple of boys when they were about 12 to 14 years old killed a ten point buck one day with the 22.I would not be afraid to hunt with the .357 if I was a good shot.

 

[David Bradshaw]

1500 fps with a hunting bullet from a .357 is easily arranged when the revolver is a .357 MAXIMUM. (The Freedom Arms .357 mag is so tight it treads into .357 Maximum territory.) For cleanly taking deer, velocity and bullet weight are critical .357 performance. Latitude of fast-acting loads is much greater with the .45 Colt and .44 magnum. The .41 magnum shares stage space with the .44 and .45, as it is much closer to the .44 than it is to the .357.

Lee Martin calls for a heavy .357 bullet of lead, soft enough to upset, even if only enough to act as a wadcutter. I won't put words in Lee's mouth. Nor will I put words in the mouths of the many IHMSA silhouetters who have used the .357 Maximum/.357 Super Mag to effect on deer and larger game. I would, however, limit the .357 mag to .44-frame revolvers for deer and medium hogs, and stay away from black bears.

You WANT to hunt with the .357 magnum. Therefore, it behooves you to up-load with punching bullets of 180 to 200 grains which offer the best chance for PUNCH with full penetration. It does no good to achieve full penetration without deflating the animal. Small bullets require smaller targets.

Did I say to practice?
David Bradshaw

 

[DGW1949]

Back in the early 80's, I cleanly killed several deer around the Austin area using an old 4-5/8" 3-Screw and department issued Remington 125HP ammo. I've also killed a few down in Liberty County using my 152 LSWC/Unique handloads. I can gaurantee you that neither ammo runs anywhere near the 1500 FPS that you are speculating on. Heck, I doubt that my handloads even touch 1200.

What I'm saying is that me thinks that if you can shoot, you'll do fine with either a 357 or your old S&W.

DGW

 

[Lee Martin]

Well said David. And like you I have a real affinity for those old 357 Maximums. A full case of AA1680 and a 200 - 205 gr hardcast slug is quite a combination....on game and on 200 meter targets.

 

[sp327]

I took a few deer with a 357 mag. years ago before the internet and people used what they had. Practise and hunt like your bow hunting, you'll have no problem. I used 158 gr bullets, they went through on broadside shot. Seems like now days, everybod's so hyped up on speed and new bullets. I've never had a problem shooting deer with a muzleloader shooting a slow speed chunk of lead. In fact they seem to go down faster and leave a better blood trail. Just seem like if you hit a deer, where you should, it's going to go from 0 to about 50 yards before it realizes it's dead.

 

[DGW1949]

I took a few deer with a 357 mag. years ago before the internet and people used what they had. Practise and hunt like your bow hunting, you'll have no problem. I used 158 gr bullets, they went through on broadside shot. Seems like now days, everybod's so hyped up on speed and new bullets. I've never had a problem shooting deer with a muzleloader shooting a slow speed chunk of lead. In fact they seem to go down faster and leave a better blood trail. Just seem like if you hit a deer, where you should, it's going to go from 0 to about 50 yards before it realizes it's dead.

True that.
I guess that I've been lucky in that the deer 'n hogs that I've kilt was too dumb to know that the equipment I've used all these years aint up to internet standards. :wink: .

DGW

 

[David Bradshaw]

DGW1949.... To clarify, 1500 fps referred a perfectly comfortable velocity for the .357 Maximum. Dangerously unrealistic with a heavy bullet in the .357 mag.

To speculate, I suspect your Rem 125 JHP would measure about 1450 fps from your 4-5/8" Blackhawk. And more like 1100+ fps, as you indicate, with your cast SWC over Unique. Sounds like you had it under control, which I emphatically respect.

I, too, have enjoyed hunting whitetails in the environ of Austin. The deer were plentiful and small and provided wonderful eating. I once did a comparision of the .357 mag and .44 mag with 180 grain bullets:

* Colt Python 6" .357, Federal 180 JHP @ 1100 fps: lung shot deer act for a moment like they haven't been shot. Then, trot or bolt, generally not far. Effect undramatic.

* Ruger Redhawk 5-1/2" .44, Federal 180 JHP @ 1610 fps: lung shot deer drop, or jump and drop. Effect dramatic.

The difference becomes more dramatic as the deer grow in size and the opportunities for perfect shot placement diminish. Anyone who hunts with a handgun must take practice seriously, and hold their fire when a shot doesn't feel right.

This season I've heard too many stories of wounded and lost deer----the majority with bow, the rest with rifle. None lost to handgun, thankfully. Upsets me to hear tales which indicate a lack of practice, multiplied by poor judgement.

Four things become extra-critical when setting out to take deer with a .357 magnum:
1) size of deer.
2) style of hunting.
3) load selection.
4) marksmanship.

David Bradshaw

 

[exlogger]

Never took down a deer with a 357 (I use my Redhawk), but I've shot several wounded deer with my snub sp101.

I like 158 XTPs with 14.0 (14.5 max) gr. of AA#9. I haven't found better ballistics from any other combination. Neither has the 4 edition Hornady reload manual. This will give you roughly 1400 fps from a 6" (give or take 50).
Like I said, I've never "took down" a deer with this load, but I've been thinking about it since my 6" Security Six is significantly lighter than my 44 Redhawk.

 

[rob-c]

i am just getting into hand gun hunting and next yr will be my first season packing a pistol.i am going with a 357 myself (first hand gun ever) i have done a ton of research online and i think that the bullet selection for 357 hunting rounds has come a long ways.do a search on the buffalo bore,corbon,double tap 357 heavy loads for deer hunting and you will see lots of good comments on them. i have been a bow hunter for many many yrs so keeping my pistol shots at 50 yrds and down is no problem...

 

[glenkans]

Redline,( launching 357 lighter bullets at approx.1500fps recoil impulse similar to standard 44 mag recoil ) you're kidding right?

 

[David Bradshaw]

Main motive for the .357 Maximum (the name comes from Bill Ruger, Jr.) was to bring the ram-toppling power of a .357 closer to that of the .44 mag, without the recoil. Hunting factored into the development of the Maximum. In the course of testing, we fired some stout stuff. When I think back to quantities of ammunition fired in a single day, my carcass would not have enjoyed the same amount of .44 magnum.

Lower recoil was a specific reason for some silhouetters using the .357 mag. Bullets of 170 and 180 grains immediately took over. The .357 Maximum/Super Mag is much superior to the .357 mag with 180 grain bullets, and vastly superior with 200 grain bullets.
David Bradshaw

 

[DGW1949]

Hello David....just to address your points from the previous page;
I mostly agree, meaning that I also belive that there are better calibers for the job than the OP is considering, and that there are many variables to the whole hunting thing. That said though, those weren't the questions at hand.
Just to coment on your comments though, I'd say that regardless of my past experience with the .357, my all time favorite revolver cartridge for hunting deer has turned out to be the 45LC.....which I don't "hot-rod" neither.

I reckon that if I had to pick the most important attributes to having a successfull deer hunt though, feildcraft and shot placement would rank far ahead of how fast/hard to push any certain 36-Cal revolver, or even a big-bore.....but that's just me.

No disrespect intended.

DGW

 

[bailebr3]

i have owned several single and double actions in .357.....along with 44s and 45s. but where i hunt and what i hunt is the whole reason i love the .357! my favorite is the 6" GP100. i have taken 2 bucks, 3 does, and 2 hogs with it. all game was taken with 158gr. jsp, except for one buck that was taken with a 180gr. cast load. my closest shot on game has been 8yrds and my furthest has been 55yrds....all one shot kills. just choose your shots carefully and dont try to break any shoulders and you will be a happy hunter:)


opening day 2011

opening day this year

 

[Mike Armstrong]

I've killed three whitetails and a mule deer with the .357 handgun and consider it fine for woods hunting. I used factory Gold Dot 158 gr. softpoints for all four, the whitetails with a 7 1/2" Ruger Bisley, and the muley with a 6" GP-100. Switched to the GP when I decided the Bisley was so heavy I might as well carry a carbine as it! had to shoot one of the whitetails twice; the rest were one shot. Whitetails were from tree stands, the muley was in heavy brush. No shot over 40 yards.

 

[flatgate]

Well, IIRC, the .357 magnum is not permitted to be used on Deer here in WY.

So, one should do his homework prior to setting out in the field.

JMHO,

flatgate

 

[Groo]

Groo here
We just got a deer about a week ago.
Dad hit her with a lever evolution factory that stopped here in her tracks [ out of a TRR8 with a red dot ]
Then ask me to put in another just so she would not get away.[ he is 80, has bypases ,stints, a pace maker , and on o2]
Mine was a 41 mag 200 gr hp at 1300fps. There was more damage but the observed effect was about equal.
Use a good load that shoots, use an expanding bullet [ heavy hard cast are just not needed on deer,they arn't big enough for the bullet to work on]
and put it in the right place and you will do fine...

 

[Nowata]

Just to throw a monkey-wrench into the mix: A moderately loaded 44sp.(240gr. SWC at 1000fps) will kill out past 50yrds., recoil is less than a hot .357, and it leaves bigger holes. I hunt with a .44mag. Bisley Hunter, but a 7.5" 44sp Bisley with a 35-45oz. wt. would be dyno. A 250gr. WFN at 1000fps kills really good, leaves big holes, recoil is like...not!!

 

[Revolver-Time]

I have posted this before and I will do so again today. I have shot a few deer with handguns. The ones that didn't take but a step or two were all shot with a very mild 44mag. or 45colt moving at less than 800 fps. The big slow heavy movers work the best for me. For a easy shooting killing revolver, the 45 Blackhawk with a 7 1/2 inch barrel is great. A big mass bullet that puts all of its energy in the deer is better than a fast mover that puts its energy in the ground after it passrs thru the deer. That is my experience.

 

[MaxP]

I will only suggest this: .45 Colt

Loaded down, it won't beat the shooter up and won't be hard to control, but it sure will put deer down with aplomb (assuming goo placement -- which applies to every and any caliber).

 

[sbyrd]

I would say the .357 mag. would do fine on deer but bullet placement and bullet type are key I would not try to go though the shoulders I would keep my shots to broadside and though the ribs heart and lungs as for bullet if you reload I love the 158gr. Honrady XTP i've shot and recovered this bullet from balistic gel and it has controled expansion and very good weight retinsion I don't have my load book handy but my load was .5gr under max of H110 shootin out of 6.5in. blackhawk at 50yds I was getting 15-18in. of penitrasion in the gel with a great wound cavity I would say it would be very lethal on deer at that range.
Scott

 

[9638]

I am going to hunt deer in the alternate methods portion of the Missouri season next week. My choice of caliber and bullet are a newly aquired 6 1/2" Blackhawk with a Nosler 180gr. partition. Hopefully, results will follow.

 

[Machado]

My favorite .357 load is Lyman's # 358429 170 gr (in my alloy) hard cast sized .357" and pushed to ~1400 fps out of a 10" TC Contender. Recoil is not objectionable. A BH will handle it with ease. It will punch through any deer shot broadside. I prefer the shoulder shot. Little meat damage.
Machado