.357 load for deer

[boatbum101]

180gr rather JHP/JSP or WFNGC out of a 16 - 20" kills faster , has better penetration , will take out shoulders etc. 357 IMHO needs all the help it can get . In my much younger days I've taken them with a pre 23 ODM 38 with Uncle Elmers 2400 load & his 358429 . It can be done but bullet placement & limiting range are vital .

 

[bmcgilvray]

.357 Magnum can work well on deer. 158 grain Sierra jacketed hollow point over 15.0 grains of 2400 at 1406 fps muzzle velocity entered this doe's right front shoulder, centered the heart, and exited near the back left rib as the deer was standing quartering toward me at 39 paces. The Smith & Wesson Model 27 6-inch recoiled and when it settled the deer was lying on the ground motionless. Stayed motionless too.

Only deer I've taken with a .357 Magnum.

 

[GypsmJim]

As a teenager I used a 12 ga shotgun slug. Effective out to 50 yards, partly because of trajectory and partly because you can't see further than that in my woods. Every deer I ever shot dropped in his tracks.

When handguns became legal I started with a .357. The first deer I shot ran and I had to track him. It was a 25 yard shot. The deer succumbed for sure, but not before he ran 100 yards.

Switched to a Blackhawk .45 Colt with Ruger only loads. Now he only ran 20 yards. Then a .41 Magnum S&W and the drop was shorter yet. Now I shoot a .308 Winchester thru a Thompson Encore and I'm back to my shotgun experience.

Unless you have Elmer Keith's proficiency, you need a bigger gun. And, of course, that's just my opinion.

 

[Greyman50]

Back in late 70's loaded some Speer half jacketed hollow points, IIRC they were 147grns over original Unique. Killed a deer with a first M-19 6" with neck shot at about 50 yds, took out a whole vertebra . Would have to dig through boxes and boxes to see if any left. Carried it when hunting in Blue Ridge of Va. too but rifle was enough.

 

[beagleye]

That sounds like some mighty cool adventures.

 

[Ethang]

How did all of those deer, bears and elks get killed by the such rounds as the 44/40, 32/20 or 25/20's? What about all of those Muzzleloading 32's, 45's and 50 calibers?

Did they not know they were getting killed by rounds that were inadequate? Good thing nobody told them...