Quote:
Originally Posted by white cloud
This has been a great thread so far. I have one real question. Why does it seem like a mid level 125 grain .357 is great for self defense but it requires a hot 158 grain .357 for deer? A deer is a herbivore that weighs about 150 pounds around here and is probably not on drugs. I have seen some 250+ pound meth heads on the local news.
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At the risk of thread drift, you ask a very legitimate question. In a defensive context most shots are frontal thus needing less penetration. In addition many are concerned about "over penetration" which IMO is grossly overblown since most defensive rounds miss their target and sail on with their velocity undiminished.
For the hunter, animals such as deer don't always offer a broadside shot and full perforation of the animal is desired. This is insure the bullet strikes as many vital organs as possible (double lung shot for example) for a clean, quick kill and to provide an exit hole to aid in a blood trail if the animal does not immediately collapse.