.357 for deer
 

Am contemplating hunting deer with 357- will it work & what size/kind of bullets to use ?

RE: .357 for deer
 

In my opinion the 357 mag is to light for deer.I would go with the 44 mag, 454 Casull or the new 480 Ruger. I would keep 41 mag as a minimum cartridge for deer.Ruger Redhawk

RE: .357 for deer
 

I too feel that the 41 mag is the minimum for deer but I'm sure with perfect shot placement a 357 mag will kill a deer.

RE: .357 for deer
 

In the carbine it isn't to bad short range but not much in a handgun in my opinion .

RE: .357 for deer
 

if you reload get yourself some 180gr xtps from hornady (they provide good expansion and good penetration). also you need some 2400 and depending on what type of gun you have it depends on how much powder you put in there. ruger blackhawk and contender probaly work your way up to 15-16gr, slightly less in a gp-100. S&W and colts around 13-14gr.
if you havent bought anything yet though get a 44mag or a 45colt. i bought a gp-100 and now wish i would have done 2 things different, 1) bought a single action (double action is usless in hunting), 2) gone with the 44mag or 45colt
check out the paco kelly's writings on the .357 for hunting at www.sixgunner.com/backissues/default.htm you have to scroll down a little. good reading though, brought my hopes up about my .357.

if buying factory ammo, remington core-locts or if you have money to spend, winchester's supreme partion golds. stay with heavy bullets weights though for good penetration

RE: .357 for deer
 

Man some of you guys think you have to have a hand cannon to kill a deer. i have killed four deer in my life with a 357 mag. s&w 686 4" and a 6". 125 sp bullet. i will testify to it's lethality. one did a 180 and hit the ground. i have seen all fall. i have a 41 mag but havent hunted with it. i have a 44 mag dont hunt with it either. the fbi released a list of most lethal handguns for law enforcement several years ago . the 357 mag had the highest one shot kill rate of any other carried duty weapon. you say it was popular then ,no, more dept's carried 38 spl +p ammo in 357mags. a deer is about the size of a human (probably lighter than some)it doesnt take a cannon. what caliber has been responsible for more killed people? the 22lr. bullet placement means more than anything.i have seen deer shot with 300 win mags run for a long way from a poor shot. i will defend my favorite hand gun caliber, go for it coot. just practice and practice more.

RE: .357 for deer
 

The 357 is a great deer cartridge. when fired out of a 6" barrel, it generally has a range of about 50 yds. 125 gr. bullets are great for broadside shots, but often won't penetrate a shoulder bone.

Handloads extend the range of the 357 on deer sized game considerably. CorBon offers a 180 gr SP that is good on deer out to 100 yds.

357 carbines are about as effective as a 30-30 on deer inside of 125 yds. And in my mind, the 30-30 is one of the best deer rounds ever.

RE: .357 for deer
 

I agree with soarkrebel and ths78, the .357 mag. is fine for whitetails as long as you do you part. I've taken 6 N.Y. whitetails with a handgun ( 3 of them with the .357). I use factory .158 gr. JHP's in my .357 mag. which has a 6" barrel and open sights. Keep the shots under 50 yds.

RE: .357 for deer
 

I have shoot deer and hogs with my 357, I use my own loads with a 180grn xtp. Like others here have said I prefer my 44mag or 454. 44mag and 454 will give you more knock down power and a little more range. I have also used my 45colt but still I prefer the 44mag and 454.

RE: .357 for deer
 

.357 Mag is fine for deer if you concentrate on shot placement and limit your distance to under 40 yards. I have a question for you guys that say the 357 Mag is too light for deer, how many of you shoot at deer with a .22 cal centerfire rifle?

RE: .357 for deer
 

Okay guys everybody has different opinions about the 357 Mag and deer.I'm not saying it won't kill a deer. I just think it's a little light.With proper shot placement it's deadly.If you keep within the limitations that's fine..the question is will you keep within your limitation?I doubt it,you'll try to stretch it.I know the 22 LR has taken allot of deer. That goes back to shot placement. frizzellr No,I don't use a 22 centerfire for deer.I know there are many who do. I'm not saying you have to have a cannon.I want to make the cleanest humane kills possible. With the smaller caliber if you miss with your perfect shot placement there is allot better chance of losing the deer then a hit with the larger caliber.Whatever you choose to use it's your business. soarkrebel, maybe I'm not as good a shot as you, I better stick with my Casull. Ruger Redhawk

RE: .357 for deer
 

Ruger i have a feeling your a pretty good shot, but if you need any help just ask. it is the same with rifle cartridges. everybody has to have a magnum, ultra magnum. people say a 243 win is weak ,yet lots of deer have been taken with them.they think your inferior if you hunt with an old slow 270 or a 308. i am sure a casull can injure a deer and it can get away as easy as a 357.i believe practice is the key. as long as the bullet does massive tissue damage it will work. shut the pump house down and you will have deer steak. and by the way massive tissue damage doesnt mean you have to blow the shoulder off<img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>

RE: .357 for deer
 

Federal makes a very effective factory load 180 grain cast bullet.You CAN hit em on the shoulder!

RE: .357 for deer
 

Ill be the first to admit it, I like the cannons because there cannons ohohoho(I cant put what Tim Allen does in words). I like the power and fill of the big guns. I fill a 357 is a good gun just like people have said here. Just like a 30-30, 243, and the other smaller guns, I have never lost a deer with any. Agian I like my 30-06 because it has More Power and I didnt even have to rewire it. Call it what it is, Testostirone. My father inlaw uses a 30-30 and has not ever lost a deer. Its all in what you like or fill comfortable with. Shoot placement is always the key.

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RE: .357 for deer
 

go to corbon.com and look at their 357 offering. I think this should solve the debate. With proper shot placement, they have 2 rounds capable of taking deer ethically out to 100 yds. Their ballistics are from a 4&quot; barrel. With a 6&quot; barrel you will get approx. 100-150 more fps, and more energy too.

RE: .357 for deer
 

Coot-I don't know what state you're going hunting in ,but the 357 is not legal in MD. to hunt deer with. Check the laws first.

RE: .357 for deer
 

soarkrebel, Thanks for the offer if I need help shooting,I'll let you know.I'm by no means a great shot but I can hold my own.I'll just keep plugging away with my tiny little 454 Casull. Ruger Redhawk

RE: .357 for deer
 

ruger , you know i want one them little 454's. but the 357 is my favorite. on auction arms someone has a s&w 627 model of 1989 for sale . i always wanted one but i am poor. i should have been a enron executive.

RE: .357 for deer
 

soarkrebel, I can relate to being poor.Had a case of it once and got a severe relapse with no cure insight.I know if you want a little 454 Casull you'll find away of getting it.Anything worth having is worth waiting for.Make do with what you have. Better days are coming? Ruger Redhawk

RE: .357 for deer
 

take your rifle and your pistol thats what i say if its a long shot use the rifle if its coming in close use the pistol or just use the pistol if you end up shooting all your rifle shells and have no more or if to finish off the deer <img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>

RE: .357 for deer
 

Pabuckhunter has a good Idea. That is how I get all my pistol shots. I always carry a side when Im rifle hunting and like he said when they come in close I use my pistol. I have shot a few deer with my pistol that I would have never had with a rifle. I do a lot of still hunting and when a deer walks up on you and you have no cover a pistol is heaven sent to have.

RE: .357 for deer
 

I like to still hunt when I hunt with a handgun ( I use a S+ W .44 mag ) not that I don't think a .357 wont get the job done it's more that I Like the .44. The idea of still hunting to me is get into what would be considered bow range 20 - 40 yards. If this is what you were thinking a .357 would work fine. I find it much easier to still hunt with a handgun too.

RE: .357 for deer
 

In North Carolina, .357 was the minimum. However, there was a 6 inch barrel mininmum as well. In New Hampshire, there are no restrictions (&quot;Live Free or Die&quot;)

I personally consider the .41 Mag a minumum. I've shot several small - medium game animals with a .357 and many required an additional shot if not two. For Deer, I like me .44

RE: .357 for deer
 

Unless you are talking a short range shot, I don't think I would try it. You want something that will put the animal down as fast as possible.

RE: .357 for deer
 

I've used 170 grain JHP's out of both, my scoped Dan Wesson with 8 inch barrel and my Marlin rifle. Yes, I limit my shots to around 75 yards or so (first off, it's usually less distances due to where I hunt, and second, it falls within the same distance as shotgun ranges that I'm used to). I worked up a relatively stout load using 296 powder that offers good power and accuracy.

In Georgia, where I used to live back in the 80's, there's a minimum energy requirement that basically would only allow very few commercial 357 loadings, hence the foray into reloading.

RE: .357 for deer
 

I've hunted with a Ruger GP 100, 357 Mag using 180 gr Winchester Partition Gold. I've shot 357 Mag for the last 30 years simply because I enjoy shooting this caliber during deer season and all year round. I've probably shot 30,000 rounds through my GP 100 and it performs just as good as the day I bought it. When I'm hunting, I carry a rifle and a 357 Mag. If the range is within 50 yards, I take the deer with the 357. I only use open sights. I find it much more challenging and exciting to take game with a good handgun.

RE: .357 for deer
 

The daughter-in-law got her first deer with a 357, 6&quot; bbl. Sitting in the crotch of a tree. The 6 point crossed on her right side, and using a 12ga. as a primary weapon couldn't get on him, pulled the 357, 3 shots, 2 hits, one in the boiler room. We later found that the 3rd. shot hit a limb as the deer crossed in front of it. He did travel 80 yds across an open field. Her husband was quite proud,(and a little jealous.)

RE: .357 for deer
 

Wow how did I miss a handgun hunting question. Well yes it will work but try to keep your shots to under 75 yards and use heavy bullets like 180gr xtp and push them to about 1100+ fps and you will be fine. Yes there are better cartridges out there but it can be done and has been done many many many times with the 357mag. Good luck and have fun and by all means practice practice practice and practice some more.

Brian

RE: .357 for deer
 

.357 in Indiana. It will work.

RE: .357 for deer
 

I have killed two deer with my 357 magnum using hornady's 140gr XTP bullets.one deer was at 40yds and the other at 55yds both deer dropped with in sight.

RE: .357 for deer
 

IN WASHINGTON STATE IT IS ILLEGAL TO HUNT DEER WITH THAT LIGHT IF A PISTOL CALIBR, GO FOR SOMETHING HEAVIER. GOOD LUCK

RE: .357 for deer
 

Since Iowa started allowing handguns to hunt deer with we have been using them to back up our muzzleloaders. I use a Ruger Blackhawk in .357 and have had the same results that most of the people here have stated. If you limit the range to about 50 yards (not that they will not kill past that) then you have a very lethal gun. I have killed four deer with it in the last 5 years. I have yet to have on pass completely through a deer even with three broadside shots right through the rib cage at less than 50 yards. With that being said I also have yet to have a deer get up after being shot with this gun. I think it is great. Practice is the key.

&quot; I do not hunt to kill,but rather kill to have hunted&quot;(quote)

RE: .357 for deer
 

A cousin of mine took 4 deer last year, ranging from 150# dressed doe to a 210# dressed buck, all with a .357 mag revolver. I think his is either an 8 or 10&quot; barreled colt, but he claimed they dropped like he'd shot them with a rifle. HOWEVER, with that said, he hunted like he had a bow in his hand, not a gun. The longest shot he took with it was on a doe that was running across his lawn, at about 45 yrds. Other than that, he had them all within 30 yrds. He allowed that if he couldn't get them that close, he wouldn't shoot, mostly because he doesn't trust the accuracy of hanguns for much past 50 yrds, like most people shouldn't.

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RE: .357 for deer
 

THINKS FOR THE UPDATE MARK, I STAND CORRECTED.