rossi 357 magnum for close range deer

magnum1 · 10-31-2003, 05:49 PM

I purchashed A rossi single shot in 357 magnum for deer hunting out too around 75 yards. Anyone have any experince with these guns? What is your opinions of these guns? I do not reload but would like some advice on good factory loads for deer, and if anyone has personal experince with the 357 magnum on deer out of A rifle barrel. What kind of ongame performance did you get? I like the feel of the little rossi I am going to try it out tommorow on the range I will let you know how it does. Thanks for any advice and load suggestions.

propmahn · 10-31-2003, 06:53 PM

well i use a .357 revolver specifially the ruger gp-100. i hand load mine with a 180gr XTP HP and while you cant do that, thats the bullet weight id go with in a rifle. the extra velocity might can too rapid an expansion to get good penetration. I believe there are a couple factory loads out there in the heavier weight range. id try for a 180gr hollowpoint like the winchester supreme partition golds. then if you can find something that heavy remington makes a 165gr cor-lokt hollowpoint that you could use.
as a couple side notes to the ammo question. this is the bottom rung as far as deer cartridges go, so there isnt a whole lot of room for error. id go with double-lung broadside shots only. the bullet might not go thru the shoulder very well. as long as you accept the limitations of the cartridge then it will do a good job for you

sam 444 · 11-01-2003, 02:49 PM

I have killed 2 deer with my 357 handgun and my niece used my 1894 marlin in 357 magnum to kill her first deer.All of them were killed with a 140 gr hornady handload.If I were going to use a factory load I would use the 145 gr winchester silvertip hollow point.

oger · 11-02-2003, 04:56 PM

I used a s+w n frame to kill abuck a couple of years ago. I was useing 125gr UPC flat nose. The deer was 30 yards off, and the shot was just behind the shoulder. bullet was recovered from opposet side, pushing threw like a pimple. The bullet weight dropped to 123gr.

Duffy · 11-03-2003, 02:57 PM

Alberta used to have a law that forbade the use of a cartridge for hunting big game if the Empty case measured less than 1.75 inches. With the new " short magnums" coming out they just dropped the cartridge measurment law and now the only restriction is you cannot hunt with amunition less than .23 cal.

So I am interested in hearing about hunters using .357 mag or .44 mag rifles on deer.

I hunt deer with a bow on occasions and shots that I would not take with a bow at a deer at at 50 yards I thinlk I would take with a .357 rifle.

Robin

loghead · 11-04-2003, 05:17 AM

Duffy...if I get a shot at a deer this coming weekend or next week then I will let you know how a 44mag does. I will be using a 44mag rifle. I just got it and it shots great. I was holding 4" groups out to about 75 yards off hand. It' s a keeper.

Huntinbull · 12-17-2003, 12:32 PM

Magnum 1,
Hello again. I have used many rounds in a 357 rifle and for a non handloader would suggest a 158 gr soft point or semi wadcutter out to 75 or 100 yds. My uncle uses the 357 alot for bear and also for big UP Michigan deer. As long as the range is not longer than 100 or so and you can put one in the heart/lung area, you should be good to go. With the semi wadcutters and soft points we get better penetration than with the hollow points.
..
Huntinbull

wimp · 12-18-2003, 06:20 AM

duffy,
44 mag rifles are great on deer. Easy to handle and carry. They do a number on the deer. Finding the right bullet is important. The latest deer I shot was with a 240 XTP. I'd stay with something in the 240-270 grain range. Some guys like hardcasts for penetration, but what I've seen on some of the heavier constructed bullets is they blow thru with no expansion.

akbound · 12-18-2003, 08:10 AM

On deer size game out of carbines I found that in a .44 Magnum any of the expanding jacketed soft points between 240-250 grains work well. (I save heavy bullets or hard cast lead for game animals larger/heavier then deer!) Out of a .357 Magnum carbine I look for Jacketed soft points between 158-180 grains. Any of these used within their range/energy limitations should work well. (.357 Magnum 50 - 75 yards on deer size game. .44 Magnum 125 - 150 yards on deer size game.) Within these parameters these two cartridges have worked well for me. (Handguns need to have the range adjusted to reflect the user's capabilitiy.)

Good luck!

P.S. If you find that the .357 Magnum is not quite as effective as you'd like....it should be a simple chamber reaming job to open it up to .357 Maximum, (by any gunsmith with a little skill). The side benefit is that you should still be able to shoot regular .357 Magnums/.38 Specials through the same firearm. (Though because of the freebore it might be a little less accurate in the .357 Magnum. Sometimes it is....sometimes it isn't.) I'm not entirely positive the conversion is possible with the Rossi SS, but I believe it is. The .357 Maximum out of a carbine increases muzzle velocity by several hundred feet per second over the standard Magnum. And muzzle energy proportionately.

Stephen Grace · 12-18-2003, 07:45 PM

Federal american eagle 158 sjsp shoot good out of my revolver. And I used win 158 grain semi jsp on deer out to 40 yds with good results . They were the factory hunting load. A little pricey but great performance for hunting. Should work well in a rifle.