Fish4bass101
Member
I recently bought a 686-4 with 6" barrel to hunt whitetail and black bear this fall. What ammo does everyone recommend?
357 Hunting?
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squidsix
Member
In this area, a decent black bear is 250 pounds. 158 grain jacketed soft point kills them just fine.
For bear:
357 Magnum 180 Grain Lead Flat Nose Gas Check – Underwood Ammo
For deer:
357 Magnum 158 Grain Jacketed Hollow Point – Underwood Ammo
But either would probably serve both your purposes.
357 Magnum 180 Grain Lead Flat Nose Gas Check – Underwood Ammo
For deer:
357 Magnum 158 Grain Jacketed Hollow Point – Underwood Ammo
But either would probably serve both your purposes.
cowboy4evr
Member
I would use a 173 gr swc or a 180 gr RNFP cast bullet . Heavier bullets can yield better penetration . Regards Paul
Black bear? .44 Magnum with a 240 gr JSP or 250 gr cast SWC with
full power handloads or good factory loads.
full power handloads or good factory loads.
Not a bear hunter, purposefully myself, but have a close aquintence who is/has. Both black bears small - 150 lbs. Both shot at roughly 30 yards over bait. First bear takes a hit from 45/70, bleeds massively and still runs an easy 100 yards before laying down. Easy track. Giant hole. But definitely not what one would expect.
Second Bear, 35 Whelen, same distance, same small bear, it makes sad- face and goes to sleep in place. Why?
Who knows.
Second Bear, 35 Whelen, same distance, same small bear, it makes sad- face and goes to sleep in place. Why?
Who knows.
one eye joe
US Veteran
IN .357 MAGNUM, I WOULD CHOOSE THE UNDERWOOD 180 GR. LFN AMMO MENTIONED ABOVE. THAT HEAVY BULLET SHOULD PENETRATE WELL, AND BE ADEQUATE FOR DEER, BLACK BEAR, AND EVEN BOAR......
FOR HUNTING OR PROTECTION AGAINST LARGE DANGEROUS ANIMALS, LIKE BROWNS, GRIZZLIES, MOOSE OR ELK---I WOULD STEP UP TO HEAVY, FLAT NOSE, HARDCAST LEAD BULLETS IN EITHER .44 MAGNUM, OR .45 COLT+P. THAT AMMO WILL RELIABLY PENETRATE DEEP, AND SMASH LARGE HEAVY BONES.......
IN ANY EVENT, I WOULD STAY AWAY FROM HOLLOW POINT AMMO, WHICH IS PRIMARILY DESIGNED FOR SD, AGAINST HUMAN THREATS.....
I HAD SOME ANXIOUS MOMENTS STOPPING THE ANGRY, ILL INTENTIONED CHARGE AT ME, OF A 300+ LB BOAR, USING 158GR, SWCJHP .357 MAGNUM AMMO ! ! !
THAT WAS THE ONLY AMMO AVAILABLE AT THE GENERAL STORE NEAR OUR CAMP. I HAD TO CHALK IT UP TO LACK OF ADEQUATE LAST MINUTE PREPARATION, FOR THE HUNT ON MY PART.......
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You may want to look into this: Federal Ammunition - 357 MAG 140GR BARNES X
squidsix
Member
Lots of people have told me that .223 wasnt enough for deer and that .357 wasnt enough for bears, but I have never had to chase one down after I shot it. In fact the last bear I killed was in NC and 158 grain Federal JSP dropped it within about a foot of where I shot it. Weighed 265. Great Dismal Swamp is just full of them.
dsink
Member
158 gr XTP for me out of a 6" barrel. So far I have not had a problem getting it to punch all the way through a broadside heart and lung shot out to 50 yards. Judging by the exit hole, the bullet is opening up nicely.
Doug M.
Member
I cannot think of any use for which a jacketed soft point is even close to the first choice. For hunting, I would go with a heavier hard cast SWC. This is especially true of the bear you mention.
In my younger days when I ran the hills with a rifle and a S&W
M19-5 on my hip with a 6" barrel, I carried the Speer 160 gr
SJFP with a full load of Unique, to take down Large Mule deer in
the 220 to 277 pound class, inside of 100 yards.
I preferred inside of 75 yards if possible, if breathing hard getting
myself into a shooting lane, since I do not tree stand or blind shoot my deer.
I did get lucky and have an Antelope walk within 22 yards of me.
I felt sorry for the Buck being hit with that HUGE Bullet, for its
little 98 pound frame.
Placement is everything !!
I try for a lung/heart combo if possible..........
or behind the ear to save meat, if the shot is doable.
Tight groups.
M19-5 on my hip with a 6" barrel, I carried the Speer 160 gr
SJFP with a full load of Unique, to take down Large Mule deer in
the 220 to 277 pound class, inside of 100 yards.
I preferred inside of 75 yards if possible, if breathing hard getting
myself into a shooting lane, since I do not tree stand or blind shoot my deer.
I did get lucky and have an Antelope walk within 22 yards of me.
I felt sorry for the Buck being hit with that HUGE Bullet, for its
little 98 pound frame.
Placement is everything !!
I try for a lung/heart combo if possible..........
or behind the ear to save meat, if the shot is doable.
Tight groups.
HamHands
Member
Both pills you recommended are great loads. However, I'd use the 180gr "Keiths" that you recommended for bear hunting for deer as well. That large flat Meplate busts thru bone like no other and crushes soft tissue so well and superior to any Hollow Point I've ever tried; that a Hard Cast Keith is all I use in the woods and for defense and hunting now. YMMV of course.
Ol' Elmer found that a Meplate of 65-70% of the original bullet diameter stays nose forward when plowing thru bone, tissue, sinew, and gives outstanding terminal results.
Nothing wrong with a nice .357 for woods protection/hunting. I just can't seem to shoot them well. And after trying to shoot them well for 20 years I've decided it is an anomaly since I shoot virtually every other handgun caliber exquisitely!
So my Woods Gun is an M29 with Underwood's 255 grain Hard Cast Keith @ 1000fps in the South East. I'm experimenting with Underwood's 305 grain Long Nose "Keith" Hard Cast rated @ 1325fps as of recent in anticipation of a Pacific North West river fishing trip with buddies in the future. Both would/will put the big hurt on a brown bear but I feel more comfortable with the heavier hard cast @ 1300fps.
I've been using a Federal 158 grain jacketed hollowpoint. It's been plenty for any whitetail or black bears in my area. I never had a problem killing both with a bow and arrow. The 357 magnum certainly does the job as well.
HamHands
Member
The Nantahala National Forrest is full of them too! We've got a rather pi$$y one in particular that is tearing up our 2nd home and isn't afraid of us nor our GSD's.. I've got to replace our garage door because of it trying to pry inside to get at the Weber Grill after we grill brats and steaks. And I clean it immediately after using it at that!
squidsix
Member
Sounds like a bear that needs shootin. Good luck!
When I was a high-school and college kid back in the late 60s/early 70s, I killed six deer with a Model 27 6.5". It was my only gun, my dad gave it to me for Christmas in 1966. I used a fairly stout load of 2400 and a hard cast 160 grain SWC with a gas check. He used to cast them and they were a very hard alloy. They worked great.
one eye joe
US Veteran
I AGREE---BUT IIRC,THERE ARE CERTAIN FIREARMS THAT ARE DEEMED UNSUITABLE FOR SHOOTING THIS LOAD. IT VERY WELL MAY BE THAT IT WOULD NOT BE SAFE TO FIRE IT IN AN OLDER M29.....
HamHands
Member
Thanks brother!
It's a sneaky ******* for sure! When "Ripley", (our 2 year old German Shepherd Dog), suddenly gets an instant mohawk raised-up between her shoulder blades and starts patrolling room to room checking on things.. I know thix sneaky sh^t bear is prowling close. Then it waits until dark to start scratching, rubbing, prying, & dropping deuces by our Rubicon to annoy us. One of these days, me and Smokey Bear are going to mix it up. And I'm annoyed enough over the last 2 years of his/her shenanigans to do what needs to be done! I'll be sure to document/post pics here when it happens.
HamHands
Member
My .44Mags are 3" barreled M629-6 and an M29-3. They have been rock solid, handle these loads very well, and are still as tight locking as the day I got them.
I agree though, I would never put anything more than mid-grade .44Mag thru a wonderful classic like a no-dash, a dash -1, or even a dash -2.
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