I bought my Dad a Blackhawk .357 Convertible years ago. He since passed and I got it back. I want to use it for whitetail deer hunting in Wisconsin but I seem to be reading more people saying its not enough for deer than are saying its powerful enough. Any of you use it for deer size game? I have a Super Blackhawk 3 screw model I use now but .357 always intrigued me.
I have killed 2 deer with my .357, one took 3 chest hits (heart &lung) before a broken fore leg put him down the other took 2 chest hits and went down with a broken leg. neither deer knew it was dead with the first shot. they still ran. now I use my .44 mag to hunt with. there is no question that a .357 will kill a deer but it is a marginal caliber. if you are going to use it, practice a lot.
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Personally, I feel it is not enough cartridge for the
game being considered. I would not hunt deer with a .357 magnum.
That being stated, I did have an uncle long since passed who used his six inch Colt .357 mag Python revolver to hunt deer. However,
Uncle Edgar was an excellent shot.
I have taken several deer with a 357. and with a 44. They all ended up in the freezer.
If you are going to hunt with a handgun, you need to practice a lot!!
Practice a lot more than with a long gun. No matter what caliber you use.
Practice, and shooting in different positions, with a good solid rest, and you will be a lot more likely to have a good hunt. Find your distance you can hit the kill zone in, and stay within that limit.
Good luck, and safe hunting. Practice, practice, practice.
Dan
I WOULDNT HESITATE using my 357 Blackhawk to deer hunt. Has 4 5/8 barrel and can hit soda cans all day at 60 yds with full house loads. 140 gr bullet is supposed to be most accurate for Blackhawk, a good heavy bullet can anchor a whitetail.
For long shots I have a Marlin lever action in 357.
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I would thing that it is enough as long as you put the bullet where it belongs. I personally use a 44 magnum in a 7 1/2" super redhawk, but that is just personal preference.
Keep your shots to bowhunting distances, and you should be fine. If an arrow can kill a deer at 40 yds, so will a 357 mag. I'd look at shooting some Cor-Bon loads or Garrett loads if they are available.
i have hunted and killed deer with a 357, and they didn't go far. what you have to do is make sure you keep your shots under 100yds, i have made myself a promise not to shoot past this mark. their is ammo out there for the 357 that will take whitetails out of a revolver, i was useing buffalo bore but this year i am going with the new hornady leverevolution ammo its made for lever guns and revolvers, gives rifle like performance in a revolver, plus it kicks less than the buffalo ammo. just don't try a long range shot with your handgun, while my gp100 i use will print groups good enough to hunt with past 100 yds, the 357's power ain't there. but keep it within 100 yds and the right ammo and your good to go.
A lot of people don't like it for deer. I've read a crap load
of negative stuff. But I've killed a couple with it. 158 gr.
and heavier hollow points will work ok. Full power loads.
I killed one with Hornady XTP 158 14.5 gr. H110. Worked good.
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I knew a guy that shot bear with his but thats pushing it I think. I would hunt with a 357 with the proper ammo. (If I could still hunt, too many things wrong with me these days)
I once read about a guy that would hunt elk with a 357. He'd get withen 20 yards and drop them on the spot. The 357 is under rated as a deer gun. As said above, practice, practice, practice; get in close and it'll do the job.
Teach
