# 357 hunting bullets?



## ac700wildcat (Oct 30, 2006)

Any suggestions? I have a 6.5" Ruger Blackhawk that I would like to work some loads up and take a doe with next fall. I know theres a lot of people that will say that a 357 is marginal for deer, but I'd like to see if I will really like to hunt with a revolver before I purchase something bigger. I already picked up some Alliant 2400 to load with, because it seems to be pretty versatile the in the 357. I'm just not sure what my bullet choice should be. I was kinda thinking a 158gr soft point or a 158gr cast bullet might do the trick inside 25 yards. Any help would be great.

Thanks
Matt


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## Fallguy (Jan 23, 2004)

Sorry I can't be of any help, but I will say that I am looking forward to your results.

I would like to get a 357 Magnum eventually and use it to take a does also.

Good luck!


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## Big A (Mar 28, 2008)

158gr seems to be the magic weight. Pick a quality bullet that offers some expansion and a stout load of 2400 and put it in the boiler room. I had this question a few years ago and a trusted friend in the reloading business said go with 158 XTP(good bullet-reasonably priced) and shoot-shoot-shoot. So far four does and two bucks from stands -ranging from 10-47yds. With the mentioned above- put it in the right spot and its over. Have a good fourth. a


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## Deserttoad45 (Jul 6, 2009)

There are two bullets that work well for hunting with the .357. The Hornady 158 gr XTP and the Remington 158 gr JSP. As for powders, there are many. I use an 1894C rifle and while H110 is the choice for many Hodgdons Lil'gun is well worth a look. It is almost the perfect powder for my .357. For some great info go to marlinowners.com. I don't want to lead you away from this forum but they have many people there who hunt with the .357 Magnum. If you like hunting with a pistol caliber you might someday look towards an 1894C for hunting purposes. It is the best utility arm I have ever owned. I had a scope on it but it threw the balance off so I put a peep on it with a fire sight insert on the front. For deer up to 140 pounds it will drop them like a bad habit out to 100 yards. The 18 inch barrel turns this pistol caliber cartridge into an all together different breed of polecat. It works great on meat hogs to 100 pounds and never was there a better javalina gun Without the scope it has become a great home/farm defense gun. I have a .357 revolver but after getting the rifle I gave it up for hunting. Hope this ramble has helped.


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## Sasha and Abby (May 11, 2004)

I've taken a few deer and trainloads of hogs with a .357 with 125 and 158 JSP's. Either one will work well if you put it where it needs to be.


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## mudfish45 (Jun 29, 2009)

WHEN I WENT FROM RIFLE TO PISTOL HUNTING I WENT WITH THE SAME STYLE OF BULLET IVE ALWAYS USED NOSLER PARTITION.THEY DO REAL WELL ON THEM BIG OLD BOARS


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## hogcaller (Dec 13, 2007)

I read an article by Steve LaMascus in Texas Fish and Game last month on using the 357 mag for deer. He used 2400 powder and 160 gr cast bullets with gas checks moving along at a little over 1,300 fps. Said the short, stubby bullets got great penetration but tended to stray off path when they came in contact with bone. The reason they did stray was because they were not your typical longer, slender bullets and wouldn't stabilize as well. All in all, he stated that he has taken many small bucks and does with his 4" barrel S&W. Sorry, can't recall the model. Hope this helps a little. :wink:


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

I have shot deer with a 357 in a Smith 66 and 686. I have used 125 gr and 158 gr and I will say the 158 did a better job. I have also used the Keith style hard cast. 
I would say the 158 XTP over 2400 should make a good deer load.

On deer I have had poor penetration with 125 gr hollow points. That said one day my brother-in-law asked me to shoot a hereford cow that had a huge cancer on it's head. Evidently it was getting into the brain and this cow had started going berserk over the past two weeks. All I had was 125 gr bullets and a Smith 66 with a 2 1/2 inch barrel. I crawled over the fence into the small pasture and was walking with my head down not particularly liking the chore at hand. All of a sudden I heard this crazy bellering and looked up to see her steaming at me full speed at about 15 yards. A quick snap shot took her between the eyes and about two inches high. She dropped immediately and apparently stone dead at about five yards. There was little movement which wasn't right, so I put a second to the head from about one foot. I'm not sure if she was dead from the first shot, but the second definitely did the trick.


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## People (Jan 17, 2005)

Plainsman I have to ask. Did you yell "Look out its comming right at us!" before you shot?

I could not help myself. Yes I have been watching too much South Park.

Chuck Norris doesn't play god. Playing is for children.


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## ac700wildcat (Oct 30, 2006)

Well as of right now, all I could get my hands on was 500 laser cast 158gr lswc's. I'm working up a load with them and getting quite a bit better with the Blackhawk as I go. I have three more different powder charges loaded and ready to test out in the next couple days. I wanted to try some of the 158gr xtp's, but I have only been able to find them once and then they were just the plain hollow point. I decided to at least try them and went back to the store they were at and they were gone.


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

People said:


> Plainsman I have to ask. Did you yell "Look out its comming right at us!" before you shot?
> 
> I could not help myself. Yes I have been watching too much South Park.
> 
> Chuck Norris doesn't play god. Playing is for children.


  Nope, I didn't even have much time to think or I may have stained my pants.  In truth it happened so fast I don't remember thinking anything. Perhaps lucky it was fast or the adrenaline would have kicked in and messed up the shot. One second she was wild eyed and headed my way and a fraction of a second later dust was boiling up where she hit the ground. One of those cases of God watching over the not to bright. It was a stupid thing to do.


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