Nomercy448

A 22 long rifle pistol will kill a deer too, but there are better options. I've killed over a dozen deer with a 357mag revolver over the years, my wife even took one with a 2 1/4" Ruger SP101 a couple years ago. Shot placement and terminal killing power, that's all that matters. The 357mag is obviously a far better choice than a 22 long rifle, and if you OWN a 357mag, then there's no reason not to use it, but if you're BUYING SOMETHING NEW, then a 44mag or 41mag is a far better option.

When comparing the 45colt and the 357mag, one distinction I might make: Bullet weight and diameter matters. With the same, or even a bit less energy, bigger, heavier bullets will hit harder.

Comparatively:

357mag load: 158grn at 1250fps
548ft.lbs. kinetic energy
28 lb.ft./sec Momentum
10.1 in.lb.ft./sec Taylor KO factor

45Colt load: 225grn at 1000fps
499ft.lbs Kinetic Energy
32 lb.ft/sec Momentum
14.5 in.lb.ft/sec Taylor KO factor

So even though it has about 10% less energy than the 357mag, the 45colt carries over 10% more momentum, and has a 40% higher TKO factor!!

Then if you consider that Ruger revolvers can take advantage of "higher pressure" loads, like that from buffalo bore or reloads that push a 250grn bullet to 1000fps (tier 2) or a 300grn pill to 1200fps (tier 3), you're talking about a serious advantage for the 45colt.

If you're looking for a new revolver, a 44mag, 45colt, or 41mag would be my recommendation, in that order.

EDIT: I was chatting with a buddy this evening and this thread came up... My buddy, who required a ride home after one (or three) too many while we BS'd in my shop, said it this way, which I thought was particularly astute for him in general, let alone in his current condition!

"It's all about circumstances. Under the right circumstances, I can kill a deer with my pocket knife. But there are a lot more "circumstances" where I can kill a deer with a rifle."