I'll be hunting this year with a handgun for the first time. I've got a great gun I've been shooting with, a Dan Wesson .357 Mag w/ 8" barrel and a good scope.
The best ammo I can find locally is Winchester 158 grain jacketed hollow point but it is intended for "personal protection" not necessarily hunting.
A local gun smith (whom I did not buy the ammo from) said it should be sufficient for hunting Whitetail Deer and that the JHP was the more important aspect of the bullet. Your thoughts???
Also, what would be the maximum range for this bullet to be deadly? I'm zeroed in with 2" group at 50 yards.
I'm a fan of the .357 mag in a wheelgun. It's about as much recoil as I can comfortably handle. I don't hunt deer with it however due to the fact that I'm an abysmal handgun shot. Congrads on being able to get such groups at 50 yards. Most people who talk about hunting deer with the .357 mag recommend that range as the upper limit for the cartridge. I would look into buffalo bore ammo. They are turning out some incredibly hot handgun ammo that isn't rivaled in any other factory ammo that I'm aware of.
I'll be carrying a S & W .357 Mag with the same 158gr JHP, in addition to a .270. I haven't shot a deer yet with the .357, so can't help with any info, but i'll let you know next week how it performed (hopefully).
If a deer comes in within about 30-35 yards, i'll use the .357, otherwise it's the .270
Good luck, have fun and be safe!!
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Question 357 Mag 158gr JHP
