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Post by armentroutlucas on Aug 9, 2011 13:01:46 GMT -5
who agrees that the .357 mag is a marginal gun for deer hunting? i hear yes and no and good arguments from both sides,(.357 mag and .44 mag) who has experience with them and do they have the punch needed to take down deer, without trailing them for miles.
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Post by HuntMeister on Aug 9, 2011 13:17:27 GMT -5
I only have limited first hand experience with the 44MAG and I feel it is an excellent round for deer hunting, folks out west kill Elk with them all the time.
IMHO it all comes down to shot placement and not trying to do something beyond the capabilities of said round. If you make a poor shot or take a shot beyond the effective range of the round you are going to be dissatisfied with the performance of the round everytime.
If given the option between using a 357 or a 44 I will take the 44 everytime. Again IMO, there's no such thing as being overgunned.
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Post by gobblerstopper on Aug 9, 2011 13:44:52 GMT -5
...and do they have the punch needed to take down deer, without trailing them for miles. They are just like anything else. Shoot one in the vitals and it will die quickly, shoot one in the butt and it will run for miles. There's deer killed every year with a lot smaller guns. |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 9, 2011 14:55:33 GMT -5
It's(357) too light in my opinion. The 44 has a lot more bullet choices and will do a lot better job.
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Post by hornharvester on Aug 9, 2011 15:43:59 GMT -5
Use the right bullet and the .357 mag are easily a 100 yard gun. 158 grain soft points and a broadside double lung hit equals a dead deer.
.44 mag is one of the best PCR's for the average deer hunter. Lots of killing power at minimal recoil and cost. h.h.
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Post by MuzzleLoader on Aug 9, 2011 16:03:44 GMT -5
I bought the .44 mag Handi Rifle last year for the kids to use. It is a great gun for them, little recoil and a lot of punch. It just fun to shoot and take in the woods or creek for some plinking.
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Post by jajwrigh on Aug 9, 2011 19:28:39 GMT -5
who agrees that the .357 mag is a marginal gun for deer hunting? i hear yes and no and good arguments from both sides,(.357 mag and .44 mag) who has experience with them and do they have the punch needed to take down deer, without trailing them for miles. Are we talking rifles or handguns? For the .357 this makes a big difference. The .44 is more than adequate for deer in either option and the .357 is better served in a rifle, but I wouldn't hesitate to use it in a pistol either. Its about choosing the right load and knowing your personal limitations with the caliber. The .44 allows more room for error and the .357 requires a bit more precision to get the desired results. |
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Post by HighCotton on Aug 9, 2011 19:38:08 GMT -5
I'm with Gobblerstopper here. Put it in the vitals and you're fine. I shot a doe last year with my Ruger GP100 (.357) and a 4" barrel. Not exactly the best deer gun in the world but I know the gun well and my limitations with it. I shot the doe at 20+ yds and she crumpled about 20 yds later. Obviously, the shot was dead on. Had I been a bit amiss, I might have been kicking myself wishing I'd gone with the .44 rifle instead.
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Post by armentroutlucas on Aug 9, 2011 21:39:30 GMT -5
talking about pistols, probably should've said that earlier.
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Post by dbd870 on Aug 10, 2011 4:31:52 GMT -5
Make a good hit with the proper bullet and it will work.
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Post by hornharvester on Aug 10, 2011 8:03:48 GMT -5
Make a good hit with the proper bullet and it will work. Agree! h.h. |
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Post by hookeye on Aug 24, 2011 23:26:35 GMT -5
Hot handload in a rifle is a lot different than a new style factory load in a revolver.
Bud took a 225 # dressed 12 pt with his Marlin, has maybe a dozen kills with it now. Loves it but says he passes on quite a few shots, won't take movers or stuff past 100 yds.
I think the .44 mag better but still nothing magical.
Having said that, I'll be taking my .357 revolver (old Colt) out for a doe hunt, as I have never taken a deer with that gun. One and done. I'll get another Smith 629 for general duty and occassional deer hunting.
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Post by coyote6974 on Sept 1, 2011 20:14:41 GMT -5
I've taken deer with handguns in both .357 and .44 magnum. All deer taken have been inside 40 yards. I've taken two does with the .357 both at about 25 yards. Both were shot through the lungs, and both ran in a circle then fell over and died within sight of my stand. I've killed two 170# bucks, and 9 does with my 6" 629. Most of these deer have been knocked down then immediatly shot again. One of the bucks ran about 50 yards then layed down and died. I shot a doe with my Marlin 1894 in .44 magnum. It was shot through the heart at 20 yards and ran in a circle until it fell dead at the base of my stand tree.
I lost one buck that I shot with my 629. It was the first year that handguns were legal, and I was using the wrong ammo. I shot this good 8 pointer with a 180 grain HP at about 25 yards. The shot knocked the deer down on the spot. It thrashed a moment then layed still. Thinking it was dead, I got up and started out of the blowdown I was sitting in. I made some noise and the buck jumped up and ran. Bloodtrail lasted about 3/4 mile before I lost it and the deer. Wasn't the guns fault. I learned then to use heavier controlled expansion HP, or cast or softpoint penetrating bullets on deer.
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Post by tenring on Sept 2, 2011 6:32:24 GMT -5
Make a good hit with the proper bullet and it will work. Agree! h.h.  |
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Post by hookeye on Sept 2, 2011 7:04:07 GMT -5
I've killed maybe a dozen deer with my .44 mag wheelguns. Three have fallen at or within a step or so of where shot. One was spined (treestand shot 20 yards)). One was hit along edge of both shoulderblades (double lung) at 85 yards and another shot almost straight down at the base of my tree. That one indeed buckled at the shot but got up and ran 50 yards and fell over.
I normally run 180 or 200gr JHP's (XTP or Nosler) on max + charges of WW296. When I started I used hot loaded 255 gr cast bullets (the only knockdown i've seen at impact that wasn't spined- but shot was close to spine and hit rib right along it).
That hard longer bullet actually exited quite a bit off intended line.
IMHO the .44 works but it doesn't have really any room for error.
.357 in wheelgun ? Might be iffy even with good placement. I'll pop one with the Python and then go back to .44. Add: I'll be using my .357 at bowhunting distances, antlerless tag (not on anything big).
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Post by mrfixit on Sept 7, 2011 5:31:42 GMT -5
Way back when people killed plenty of deer with the .32 - 20. The .357 is leaps and bounds above that.
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Post by hookeye on Sept 9, 2011 14:08:04 GMT -5
How many were lost to .32-20 bullets?
I bet in those rifle areas pressure was lesser and the tracts bigger too, so there was less risk of a 200 yard pop to flop distance making for a deer riding home in another's pickup.
IMHO when it comes to serious deer hunting with a wheelgun, it pretty much starts with the .44 magnum.
.357 max might come into play, but the .41 and .357 standard stuff, nah...........too risky.
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Post by mrfixit on Sept 9, 2011 18:50:18 GMT -5
Dunno how many was lost but I'm quite positive there was aplenty killed. By the turn of the century there was nil to no deer left here in Indiana.
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Post by danf on Sept 9, 2011 20:21:11 GMT -5
It's all about shooter ability and shot placement. That much can NOT be denied. The .357 mag is more than capable enough in the right hands, hands that have the ability to: A) put the shot where it needs to go, and B) not take a shot that is too risky because of angle and/or distance.
A guy on Specialty Pistols has taken many elk with a .41 mag wheelgun. He has the above abilities though, so don't paint a certain caliber/chambering with a wide brush.
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Post by dbd870 on Sept 10, 2011 7:24:44 GMT -5
Agreed 100% Dan.
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