.357mag vs. .44mag

[James R. Burke]

I never done it. But my cousin has. She has both but use's the carbine for deer. After I started reloading for her, and having her practice before season with the .357 carbine she started scoring ever time. Before that she wounded a few. Wrong load, and no confidence because of not enough practice. Before season I load a bunch up for her, and we go out three or four times. Probalby shoot a total of around 500 or so. You can see the confidence in her now. She now will leave a buck walk if the distance is to far or she cant get the placement. I dont think its the pefect caliber for deer or the 44 Mag, but they will work. But those folks know what there doing, and do it good even with the pistol. They shoot alot, know there gun inside and out, and have the confidence needed. Everyone has a favorite for whatever reason and you can't knock that if they know what they are doing.

 

[bamaranger]

Distances/ability

I think everybody shoots a carbine better than a handgun, especially at distances past 50 yds. The exception might be hand-rifles, ie scoped handguns. There's no mention of sights or hunting conditions in the OP.

For me, handguns wear iron sights and handgun range is bow range (under 50, ideally, under 25).

If I just had to kill a deer, my choice would be with the .357 carbine. For sport, I'd set the .44 hunt up like a bow hunt.

 

[vranasaurus]

rifle > handgun

This is the correct answer. As long as the cartridge is up to the task, and a .357 mag is, then you take the rifle.

The ability to place accurate shots, for most average shooters like myself, is so much greater with a rifle that it far outweighs the difference in power between the .44 and the .357.

For most people handgun range is the equivalent of bow range.

 

[Legionnaire]

Lets say you have the chance to deer hunt in an area were the longest shot would be less then one hundred yards.

Just because a 100 yard shot presents itself doesn't mean one would have to take it. I often hunt with a revolver where I can see deer out much farther than 100 yards, yet I still choose to hunt with the revolver. More of a challenge. I know my limitations, and I won't take a shot I can't make. I'll grant that I can probably hit more accurately out farther with the .357 carbine, and that would be the prefered option if I'm trying to maximize my range. But by electing the revolver, I've already decided to limit my range.

rifle > handgun

This is the correct answer.

Not necessarily. Depends on how you interpret the original question. Seems to me the question really is either "Which do you prefer, and do you know your range limit with your selected firearm?" versus "Which of the two lets you take a deer ethically at the greater distance?" Different questions, different answers.

 

[Slamfire]

Having shot thousands of 44 Magnum rounds through my Super Black Hawk, and hundreds through my M1894, there is one choice, the rifle.

Ethical hunting is not about proving yourself, or just “hitting” the animal. Its about a clean kill. If a pie pan represents a heart lung target area, I can reasonably hit a pie pan most of the time at 25 yards with a pistol, I can do that every time at 100 yards with the carbine.

 

[crghss]

maybe for you...

For most people handgun range is the equivalent of bow range.

For me the pistol way out distances the bow.

My max bow range is 30 yards, MAX.

My Scoped Super Redhawk .44 mag with 9.5" barrel can easily reach out to 90 yds. three times the distance.

Both take practice. The Bow a lot more.

Note: Well in all fairness I'm sure some people out here can hit deer at 40 yds with a bow confidently. But still my SRH can hit a 9" pie pan at 80 yds easily. Twice the distance.

 

[bamaranger]

Dad's Super B

My dad had a Ruger Super B w/ the 10-1/4" bbl. He put a Bushnell Phantom on it, 2.5x I think. Off sandbags, we could break clay pigeons w/ it at 100 yds.
Consistently. Off bags. But I never thought of Dad's "Pecos Bill" revolver (my Mom named it!) as a true handgun, not w/ the optic on it and the mega bbl.

In the field, in a braced position, it would be a formidable deer slayer in the right hands. Dad could never get the accuracy from the pistol I could, 60 yr old eyes v. 30 yr old eyes, and I suspect he was yanking the trigger too!

With iron sights, w/ a portable and conventional bbl of 4-7 inchs, I would be happy if I could break a clay consistently at 50 yds these days, and would need a bench again to do it.

Wish I had dad's Pecos Bill gun.