I believe our state laws call for 1000lb for a rifle and 500 lbs for a pistol. However pistol cartridges legal on thier own are legal in rifles as well. All of the rifles that I use for deer have well over 1500 lbs ME and I would only use a 357 Mag as a back-up or finshing touch gun. AK is correct though when you paste Magnum on the end of a gun, then it now has magical powers.