.357 Magnum

which bullet for hunting whitetail Deer, under 50 yards.

which bullet for 2 legged deer, causing trouble?

I use 125gr Speer gold dots for 2 legged and I use 180 grain hardcast for whitetail.

Anything that works on deer will work on bipedal bg's.

I'm partial to hard cast 158 gr swc ammo.

158 xtp max load of h110

Sent from my ME301T using Tapatalk

158 JHP will work for both.

158 XTP, 125 Sierra JSP.

A 158 grain hardcast lead bullet will handle all your needs in a 357 Magnum.

Those fancy store bought jacketed bullets are highly over rated.

I tend to favor a 158gr semi-jacketed soft point for deer. I hunted small Pa White tails with a 6" scoped 686 for several years/ currently have 2 .357 carbines a Ruger 77/357 and a Winchester Trapper( 1-3x20 Weaver scope). I've used the Ruger as a brush gun for the past few years with the .158 gr load.

For two legged varmints........I tend to favor a load that will allow me a fast double tap......... so more often than not my concealed carry load in a 3" 66 or 65 is a +P .38. That said when out and about in Penn's Woods my load is generally the .357 soft point.

I always thought our deer here in PA were a little larger than most places in the USA. Maybe my assumptions are wrong. Although, last year I landed a 175lb. doe. She was a biggun, but I used the model 70 308win, not my 6" Python that started the season.

When I did take the Python, I had 158gr XTP over 2400 and felt completely efficient out to 50-60yds.

For human defense, I carry 140gr XTP over 2400 for a manageable magnum load.

I agree though, a 158gr will serve both purposes well.

Not to start a debate, but I always find other folks desire to use 44mag, 454, 460, 500 for whitetail rather comical. Maybe 44mag, but the rest? I just don't like to inflict unnecessary pain and damage if possible.

Maybe they just seem smaller than in years gone by...... also smaller I believe than Western Black Tail/Mule deer.

Deer are no harder to kill than humans so you can use the same bullet weight. I agree a 140gr bullet will do both well but so will a good 158gr bullet.

The Hornady XTP bullet will work fine as will the Nosler Sporting Handgun bullet, the Sierra Sport Master and similar bullets from most other companies.

I have used the Nosler bullets in a .357 Magnum levergun with good success but they will also work in a handgun. The Sierra bullets are called Jacketed Hollow Cavity bullets and the folder boxes i have were marked for hunting and were available in 140gr, 150gr and 170gr among others. The 140s are still available but tge 150s are now 158gr. I like them best but they are expensive.

__________________
Freedom is never free!!
SWCA #3437

158 gr JHP will work on both.
Edit: Realized oneounceload beat me to it

Same here except I use W 296.

I get complete penetration on broad side shots out to 50 yards using a 6" barrel.

I like to use fn/swc bullets in the 170gr and up weight range for hunting in the 357.


And hp's in the 150gr and up weight range for everything else.

The best .357 projectiles intended for hunting deer will be designed for more penetration than the best projectiles designed for SD/HD in .357. Sure, one designed for one will work for the other, but odds are, they will not have the best terminal performance. For SD/HD in .357, I prefer 125 gr JHPs, for hunting deer, I prefer 158 JSPs. Still, in a pinch either would work for both, with the 158s having the better chance.

I hard cast bullets for both 9mm .38/.357 and I'm not sure they would be well suited for self defense.
The first time I cast the 9mm I though I'd do a milk jug test just to see what happened. I set up 6 one gallon jugs fired the shot it penetrated all 6 and didn't stop.

Picking just one, any good 158gr jhp, double lung hit, gtg.

__________________
NRA Cert. Inst. IDPA CSO

About 35-38 years ago I loaded up the maximum amount of IMR-4227 under Hornady's 180 grain hollow soft point. This was intended for a Marlin 357 Lever action. In the 16" barrel it out preformed the WW296 load. About a year or two later I was using it in my 4" Model 28, It may have not been the most powerful load but it knocked the snot out of anything it contacted 2 or 4 legged! I never went after deer with firearms (I bow hunted) but lots of rabbits and ground hogs fell to that load! Rabbits were usually sitting in my garden, but ground hogs were taken sitting or running about to 60-70 yards with the 28 or 686 and to about 175 yards with the Matlin with open sights. I never needed to hits, just sometimes 3 shots to make that one hit!

Ivan