Whitetail load suggestions, RUger 77/357 please?

[Tallbald]

Did some trading around and ended up with a neat little Ruger 77/357 NIB. Mounted a vintage Weaver K-4 duplex scope I got at a hock shop around maybe 1980 while in college (been a shooter a while I confess, although I believe I still only look around 29 years old LOL).My thoughts are it will make a wonderful little deer rifle for me and my loving wife Miss Penny this fall. Kentucky deer in my area are usually about 100 to 175 pounds if I remember right, and I'm looking for suggestions for a deer buster for the rifle out to 125 yards. Factory loads are fine, but I am set up to roll my own if needed. Good shot placement we both understand. Better to use a hot 125 grain or a medium 158 grain HP? Or a hottish 180 grain? I think the twist rate is 1:18 in this little rifle, if that helps any. Thanks to all. Don

 

[JustsayMo]

Nice score. Great little rifle. I haven't managed to nab one yet but I'm working on it.

My preference is for JSP or WFN cast bullets on game. I'd experiment with the 158 and heavier and choose whatever shot best in the rifle.

 

[9x19]

I like the 158 JSP, the 180s work good too, but can be harder to find and give up a little bit in velocity.

 

[cruzerlou]

I'm with Mo on this one. Ether a hard cast or my bet would be a hot J.S.P. in the 180 Gr bullet weight range .If you go with the hard cast make sure you shoulder shoot them as the hard cast will not expand as much as the J.S.P. will .Bust that shoulder up and you still get some vitals and the deer ain't going to go very far if at all .if you heart shoot them, especially with the hard cast your going to get a through and through with out much hydro static shock and you may be in for some tracking .Not so much with the J.S.P. they tend to punch a bigger hole in them ,but give up some penetration . Ether will do the job within reasonable ranges I just prefer the J.S.P. or J.H.P's.I like the Hornady X.P.T. H.P's in my .44 carbine .With ether caliber the X.P.T. is going to bust 'em up good out to 100 yards .If you want to do a close as possable real world test, duck tape the snot out of a good sized pumkin and shoot one pumkin with each load and you'll see what I mean .
Lou

 

[Tallbald]

Hi again and thanks folks. I suppose the best bet for my wife and me would be a 158-180 grain JSP load, because Penny and I are disabled (her with heart problems and lymphodema of her leg, and me with arthritis, bad lumbar spine issues and a right leg that fails). Although we would be able to get help to track a wounded doe, it would be a challenge to participate, so a clean drop is necessary. Neither of us will surrender the hunt though, but will adapt to our issues as best we can until humane shots are no longer possible.
I really am excited to find this little 77/357 because Penny and I both are recoil sensitive since becoming ill. I hope the gun groups in the 1.5 inch range at 100 yards. Haven't found much on it out there yet. Don

 

[leon670]

I think you may need to be bit more realistic about the distance you should take a poke at a deer with this rifle. I'd try for 50 yards and certainly stay within 100. There's nothing wrong with the standard 158 gr. Jacketed soft point. Just drive it as fast as is safe. Personally, I would choose not to dance around on the fringe of what is an acceptable deer cartridge and considering your sensitivity to recoil, purchase a gas autoloader in .243 Win.

 

[9x19]

I wonder, just for the sake of argument, how many deer fell to the .38/40... you know, before we knew any better? :mrgreen:

Granted it was a .40 bullet, but loaded with 180 grain bullets at 1160 fps... and the .357 mag can do better than that from an 18" rifle.

 

[leon670]

Just for the sake of argument, how many have fallen to the .22 long rifle? Still doesn't make it the best tool for the job. I like to have the right tools but that's really my problem.

 

[Corbi]

Last season I shot 3 deer. For fun I used the 357 Marlin and my #1 RSI/243 on two of the deer. I was also going to use the 223 but decided not to go that small after I used the 243. I had not shoot a deer with either of these cartridges or rifles before. Range was short. Within 50 yards for both animals.

Long story short, I was not all that impressed with the 243. At the impact there was very little reaction from the animal, to the point where I thought I had missed, and no blood trail. I shot him low on the heart. He trotted off about 50 yards before piling up.

The 357 shot deer was also a heart shot. At impact she jumped and bucked (like I like seeing!) and ran maybe 40 yards before dropping. There was a visible entry wound. Even at fading light 50 yards and no scope. There was also a very good blood trail. The exit wound was uneventful with no blood.

I have two loads worked up for this rifle in 357. The 357 load I shot the deer with was a 158 grain Hornady XPT SP, Federal nickle brass, Winchester small rifle mag primer and Lil'gun powder. Max listed load I could find is with Winchester brass. I reduced a little as max looked a little hard on the primers with the Federal brass. This load chronographs at 1920 fps from my rifle. Shoots well in a 4" S&W too with surprising little flash/blast.

My second load is with the Lyman 358156 bullet. This weighs 165 grains with gas check and lube. Same powder charge/brass/primer and this bullet goes 1820fps from my rifle. I have not had a chance to shoot a deer with this load yet. I will next year..I hope. Another + with this bullet is it is very accurate seated long in 38 special brass.

My "small" rifle experiment/experience, arugably, is limited to two deer. I was very happy with the 357 at 50 yards and plan to use it again.

My advice is to go with Lil'gun in either 180 grain or 158 grain. It gives the highest velocity with lowest pressure. I also tried 2400. I got good velocity but poor accuracy with loads exceeding 1600fps. 296 rendered poor accuracy as well at max loads (frommy rifle).

Hope this helps.

I might add, the 357 sure will spoil a person on recoil. :lol:

Corbi

 

[5of7]

My thoughts on the 158/160 gr. bullets is that they are fine for broadside or full frontal shots, but for a quartering away shot at ~ 100 yds, I think that one would be much better off with a 180 grain bullet.

Penetration being a little more important with a shot like that. 8)

 

[Tallbald]

I appreciate all the comments folks. After reading them though, I'm beginning to fear I might have made a mistake choosing this particular little rifle for a disabled person-friendly whitetail hunt. We sure don't want an inhumane kill. We want a doe for meat to supplement our fixed income. I myself feel a measure of remorse when I shoot an animal, and I always say a small prayer on its behalf-maybe I was native American in a past incarnation. Perhaps Penny and I should limit this little rifle to plinking and varmints. It hurts to say folks, but speaking as a disabled man who can no longer tolerate the larger calibers, and speaking about my disabled, loving God's- gift- to- me- wife, much of our hunting is hopeful thinking only. But happy anticipation is what keeps a lot of us going. Thank you again everyone. Don

 

[leon670]

Tallbald, I tend to be on the conservative side when it comes to deer rifles because like yourself, I am a sensitive man and hate to make anything suffer. Another option to consider might be the reduced recoil loads by Remington that are chambered for standard deer calibers. They have been reported to be quite effective at reasonable range. It is generally considered that an adequate deer cartridge will produce 1000 foot pounds of energy at the farthest range you are likely to shoot. You may read many stories of long kills with inadequate cartridges but following this simple guideline will help you to rest easy that you have the right tool for the job according to those who have shot more game than most and carefully recorded the results. I had a neighbor once who killed a moose with a .22 but that hardly makes it a good idea to try it. Ultimately, the decision is yours and I admire your determination to do it right or not at all.

 

[Cooperhawk]

For me the .243 or 6mm Rem were very accurate and sure killers for white tail. Never had a deer run more then 100 yds. While the .357 does have more ooomph in a rifle, I still think the range is limited.

I did get tired of all the ruined meat when the bullet hit bone and exploded, so now I use either my 7x57 Mauser or .308.

 

[tdubb]

Don't think that humane kill means they drop dead in their tracks. Even with a heart shot from a .308 some deer will run pretty far. They are dead, they just don't know it yet.

Hornady's 140 gr FTX LeverRevolution would be a good off the shelf round.
Out of an 18 inch barrel: fps/ft-lbs
muzzle: 1850/1064
50 yds: 1643/839
100 yds: 1458/660

 

[Kanook]

I used a 158xtp and a full charge of #9 to drop a doe this past season. She was about 35yds away, went 30yds downhill, Left a trail a blind man could follow.

If you can let a deer walk without taking a shot, the 77/357 is "the right tool for the job" for you.

If you get trigger happy and can't wait, a 50bmg isn't enough.

A sharp pointy stick harvests deer every year. It's all about placement and patience

 

[Tallbald]

Thanks again for the input and kind thoughts. As weather warms and Penny and I can get to the area we hope to hunt (a friend's farm), we'll have a more clear idea of the range at which we may be shooting. 150 feet, it seems to come down to, would be the outside limit for a clean, humane shot with our skills. We'd both rather eat store-bought burger than step outside our abilities. But in the coming months, we expect to have fun with this little rifle punching paper up the road at Rockcastle Shooting Center in Park Mammoth, KY which we will be joining soon. Later all. Don

 

[Rockrat]

As a nice bullet, possibly the Hornady Single shot pistol bullet might work, otherwise, I would look at the Hornady XTP 180gr bullet. With the velocity increase out of the rifle, I would think that you could easily extend the range to 125yds.

 

[Buckeye!]

I hunted with the 357 mag for a few seasons.. with a Puma Lever gun with a 16in barrel...I had great luck with PMC 158 gr. JSP... these are tuff bullets ...held together wonderfully...

 

[cruzerlou]

Don,I admire you and your wife's concern for clean human kills on the game you'll be hunting .Given the distances you've described your 77/357 should be plenty of gun for the job.As I stated earlier,I'd stick with the 180 gr bullet loads .Take a look at the Hornady factory loaded X.P.T.'s .I think these will get the job done just fine with proper bullet placement .
Happy hunting !
Your Friend,
Lou

 

[9x19]

I hunted with the 357 mag for a few seasons.. with a Puma Lever gun with a 16in barrel...I had great luck with PMC 158 gr. JSP... these are tuff bullets ...held together wonderfully...

I like the 158 JSPs myself and still have a few boxes of those PMC loads, haven't had any failures on game or varmints with them.