357 Mag for ?

Casey · 07-23-2009, 12:45 AM

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.

Youngbuck · 07-23-2009, 01:00 AM

I dropped a fork x Spike a year ago with a .357 w/ 6" barrel... Load some Hollow points in it! and your good.

blaster · 07-23-2009, 09:36 AM

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.

nathangdad · 07-23-2009, 03:04 PM

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.

danvilleusa · 07-23-2009, 04:02 PM

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

ALR · 07-23-2009, 09:48 PM

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.

TeeRex · 07-23-2009, 09:58 PM

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.

dmsbandit · 07-23-2009, 10:49 PM

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.

old fart · 07-25-2009, 08:12 PM

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.

roverboy · 07-26-2009, 08:30 AM

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.

jerry · 07-26-2009, 08:46 AM

I carry my .357 Blackhawk for back up w/ Speer 170 grain Gold dots

As mentioned, bow hunting ranges and very good shot placement.

roverboy · 07-26-2009, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jerry

I carry my .357 Blackhawk for back up w/ Speer 170 grain Gold dots

As mentioned, bow hunting ranges and very good shot placement.

Yeah bow hunting ranges. I killed both of mine at 40 yards or less.

madcratebuilder · 07-28-2009, 08:11 AM

The .357 has been taking deer for what? Eighty years? If you place the bullet in the correct location a .22lr well take white tail.

DaTeacha · 08-06-2009, 06:48 PM

.357 is the legal minimum handgun caliber for deer in Ohio. Our whitetails can hit over 200 lb dressed if you find a big one.

big boomer · 08-06-2009, 07:47 PM

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)

10/22fan38 · 08-07-2009, 09:07 AM

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.

Pumpkinheaver · 08-07-2009, 09:41 PM

I use 180 gr bullets when hunting with a .357 but I'm sure a 158 will work too.

07-23-2009, 12:45 AM	#1
Casey Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 73	357 Mag for ? 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.

07-23-2009, 09:36 AM	#3
blaster Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: big pine key, florida Posts: 1,294	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. __________________ peace through superior firepower

07-23-2009, 03:04 PM	#4
nathangdad Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 5,164	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.

07-23-2009, 09:48 PM	#6
ALR STAIN'ALIVE,STAIN'ALIVE! Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: St Charles MO Posts: 901	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. __________________ AGENT ORANGE The last ghost of Vietnam ATF- Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, where are the chips?

07-26-2009, 08:30 AM	#10
roverboy Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Moss,Tn. Posts: 1,588	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. __________________ A redneck boy can survive.

07-23-2009, 01:00 AM	#2
Youngbuck Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: San Jose Posts: 20	I dropped a fork x Spike a year ago with a .357 w/ 6" barrel... Load some Hollow points in it! and your good.

07-23-2009, 04:02 PM	#5
danvilleusa Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 206	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

07-23-2009, 09:58 PM	#7
TeeRex Senior Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Central, OH Posts: 339 Images: 1	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.

07-23-2009, 10:49 PM	#8
dmsbandit Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: upstate New York Posts: 528	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.

07-25-2009, 08:12 PM	#9
old fart Member Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 29	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.

07-26-2009, 08:46 AM	#11
jerry Short Time Shirt Join Date: Mar 2002 Posts: 13,228 Images: 9 Blog Entries: 1	I carry my .357 Blackhawk for back up w/ Speer 170 grain Gold dots As mentioned, bow hunting ranges and very good shot placement. Last edited by jerry; 07-26-2009 at 08:49 AM.

07-28-2009, 08:11 AM	#13
madcratebuilder Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Northern Orygun Posts: 2,395 Images: 3	The .357 has been taking deer for what? Eighty years? If you place the bullet in the correct location a .22lr well take white tail. __________________ Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.

08-06-2009, 06:48 PM	#14
DaTeacha Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: near Funk, Ohio Posts: 2,913	.357 is the legal minimum handgun caliber for deer in Ohio. Our whitetails can hit over 200 lb dressed if you find a big one. __________________ Teach NRA -- If you're reading this, you should be a member. United, We Stand.

08-06-2009, 07:47 PM	#15
big boomer Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Minn. Posts: 2,306	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)

08-07-2009, 09:07 AM	#16
10/22fan38 Member Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 91	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.

08-07-2009, 09:41 PM	#17
Pumpkinheaver Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Missouri Posts: 1,733	I use 180 gr bullets when hunting with a .357 but I'm sure a 158 will work too. __________________ Just because your paranoid doesn't mean they aren't out to get you!