.38 for deer hunting
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diamonback68
US Veteran
Way too small in my opinion. A full power .357 is consider the bare minimum. Why torture and animal if you don't have to. 
Under the conditions you describe, adequate if properly loaded and carefully placed (at least for most of the smallish deer we have in GA).
I'm thinking of a longer barrel and the Buffalo Bore +P loads or equivalent.
I'm thinking of a longer barrel and the Buffalo Bore +P loads or equivalent.
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My opinion - possible but not advisable. If you had a near-.357 load with a heavy bullet, preferably in a long barrel (6 - 8 3/8") and the field skills to get close enough...or maybe just use a more powerful gun, if you have or can borrow one?
Andy Griffith
Member
I've got a friend that swears by his model 16 in .32 Magnum- he has killed at least two dozen deer with it- all with cast bullets, and hasn't lost a one yet.
The fact is, there isn't a "magic" gun for deer, and shot placement is everything no matter what caliber is used.
One of the favorite legal deer guns around here is the .22 Hornet. I would have to figure, that a soft, nearly pure LSWHP in .38 Special would be more effective in dumping it's energy into a deer than the hornet.
The most favorite calibers around here for deer...killing...is .22Magnum followed by .22 LR.
I am not a deer hunter...too much work for me. I'm going to stick with squirrels.
The fact is, there isn't a "magic" gun for deer, and shot placement is everything no matter what caliber is used.
One of the favorite legal deer guns around here is the .22 Hornet. I would have to figure, that a soft, nearly pure LSWHP in .38 Special would be more effective in dumping it's energy into a deer than the hornet.
The most favorite calibers around here for deer...killing...is .22Magnum followed by .22 LR.
I am not a deer hunter...too much work for me. I'm going to stick with squirrels.
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Just to clarify I have a great deal of respect for the game that I pursue. The place I am hunting is a very dense new growth clearcut. There are several winding trails meandering throughout. The last 4 deer I have taken there were from 10, 12, 18, and 7 yards. Unless they are ontop of you you don't see them. The longest possible shot would be about 30 yards over a foodplot that is hunted by another person. I was just wondering what everyones ideas were on the .38. I have a great shooting model 10 with a 6 inch tube. At 25 yards I can put all six in a 3 inch circle.
Marshal Tom
Member
Unless that is your only choice I don't see why you would take less gun than advisable. Most would say that a heavily loaded .357 would be minimal for the purpose with a larger caliber preferable.
Tom
Tom
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I think that using less than a hot loaded .357 would not be fair to the animal. No animal deserves to suffer. You want a quick - clean kill. .357 or better IMHO.
olskool
Member
it's funny how people believe every thing they read and see on tv. i grew up here in s.c. with men that lived to deer hunt. we never listen to the so called experts, gun writers that never tried a smaller cal. or that may have never even went hunting tell us that a a 22lr or a hornet or 222 was to small for deer. we just thought that with correct bullet placement they would kill quick, and they did. i have saw my dad and his friend kill truck loads of deer in there lives with hornets and 22s i have skinned more than i can ever remember that have been shot with many different 22 cal. weapons from 22lr-220swift. a 22lr with a solid lead bullet at close range 50yds or so will break ribs and colaspe lungs. i have also saw deer hit wrong with a 30-06 never recovered. the bottom line all comes down to shot placement. with all that said i would not use a 38 if i had a 357 but if i did i would use a heavy cast bullet and know that i could put it where i want it to go. i know a 38 does not have the shock as a 243 ect. but the dia. of 357 is as large as a 243 will ever hope to expand.
David LaPell
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There is one .38 I would use, it's my .38-44 which was the forerunner of the .357 Magnum. The rounds for these are not +P though, they are +P+ and then some. The only guns you would want to fire these out of are the old New Service guns, the .38-44 guns like the Outdoorsman and the Heavy Duty, or of couse any .357 Magnum. The bullet also matters, I prefer the #358429 170 grain cast bullet. Will this round do it at 40 yards, yes it will. Keep in mind out of this barrel and this gun my load of 12.5 grains of 2400 is doing 1,200 fps, a good 400 fps better than a standard .38 Special.
mg357
Absent Comrade
use a .357 magnum it would be unfair to use an underpowered gun and cause the deer unnecessary suffering.
Shooting Padre
US Veteran
With that said, I guess it's up to what bullet you use and your own good judgement on range. I'd probably opt for the .357, but all I have are .38s so there I go. Sounds like you are a pretty fair shot!!
Jack Flash
SWCA Member
I have done a fair amount of deer hunting over the last twenty years and one thing I have learned is that deer move a lot. Often, they move just as you squeeze off a shot. You want a cartridge that will be adequate even if the shot placement, angle of entry, etc. are less than ideal.
Besides, you will be hunting in thick cover. IE, there may be brush, small branches, whatever, between you and the deer. These obstacles can deflect even large heavy bullets, causing a different point of impact. What do you think would happen to lighter bullets?
Sure, deer have been killed with .22LR rounds. I doubt that caliber is legal in your state, but regardless, I believe it is unethical, outside a survival-type situation. And keep in mind that a typical 22LR has more energy at the muzzle than a typical .38 Special.
Paper targets or coffee cups don't move and are not (usually) in thick cover. Lessons learned from shooting such stationary targets, probably under ideal ambient conditions, are highly suspect when applied to hunting in the field.
Besides, you will be hunting in thick cover. IE, there may be brush, small branches, whatever, between you and the deer. These obstacles can deflect even large heavy bullets, causing a different point of impact. What do you think would happen to lighter bullets?
Sure, deer have been killed with .22LR rounds. I doubt that caliber is legal in your state, but regardless, I believe it is unethical, outside a survival-type situation. And keep in mind that a typical 22LR has more energy at the muzzle than a typical .38 Special.
Paper targets or coffee cups don't move and are not (usually) in thick cover. Lessons learned from shooting such stationary targets, probably under ideal ambient conditions, are highly suspect when applied to hunting in the field.
tom turner
US Veteran
Sure, it will do the job with good shot placement. I'd use a HARD cast, flat nose lead bullet loaded pretty hot that will hit hard and leave an exit wound every time . . . for you'll be trailing a lot of game shooting them with a .38 Special.
I've got several .357 magnum revolvers but have never taken them to hunt deer. I prefer the .44 magnum, 6" S&W revolver for this duty, and I shoot a very heavy, hard cast flat-nose lead bullet, loaded hot. It hammers 'em every time, year after year. I HATE to track deer and I only fire when I know he's dead when I see the muzzle flash.
You can try it if you like with the .38, but I don't think you'll want to hunt with it once you do.
I've got several .357 magnum revolvers but have never taken them to hunt deer. I prefer the .44 magnum, 6" S&W revolver for this duty, and I shoot a very heavy, hard cast flat-nose lead bullet, loaded hot. It hammers 'em every time, year after year. I HATE to track deer and I only fire when I know he's dead when I see the muzzle flash.
You can try it if you like with the .38, but I don't think you'll want to hunt with it once you do.
