6" S&W 41mag or 357mag for deer?

M

mossie

Inactive
For the last 20 years or so I have used a 6" Colt Python and 180gr. HP's for deer hunting and it has served me well; however I would like to retire the gun from further use and just keep it as a collectors item. I am thinking of buying a 6" Model 57 S&W 41mag. or a 6" Model 686 357mag. What opinions do you forum members who own these guns have about which one to choose? I will want to use 180grain .357 and 210grain 41mags. The gun will have to be very accurate or I won't own it very long. Please advise because I want to purchase one or the other soon.
 
Well, you have given us a real tough choice my friend! :D

While I currently own and shoot a 6" Smith & Wesson 686-5,
I have owned, shot, and reloaded for a 4" S&W model 57 .41
magnum. A 6" model 57 would be an ideal ticket for gaming
deer sized animals. Keep in mind that I'm NO expert, by any
stretch of the imagination; as I only shoot stationary targets.
On these, my 6" S&W 686 is very accurate. A well placed shot,
with the right bullet selection might prove to be all thats needed
from the S&W 686?


Best Wishes,
 
I tend to sway toward the .357mag just because I shoot it more often and it is a more common/cheaper caliber to find.

I have a 1995 686P 7 shot 6" barrel and it is very accurate.
 
Although I am a fan of the .41 mag the .357 180 gr is more than enough for deer, and as stated above it is a more common cheaper round. I really dont think you can do better than the 686+ it is a fantastic gun I cant say enough good things about it.
But then again using the .41 mag will be a fresh start with a new round and that could get interesting since you have been using the .357 for so long.
 
I like .41 Magnum a lot. I personally would rather use it for deer hunting than .357 Magnum. Heavier bullet with more diameter. Probably even more important to me, I don't have to push it as hard so there will be less blast.

What's the most accurate though? That's tougher. I think the title of "most accurate and most suitable for deer .41 Magnum" is probably one that is out of production. (Let's ignore the FA gun because I can't spend that much money!) There weren't any on gunbroker or auctionarms but I found a couple on gunsamerica. If I was going to hunt deer with a .41, this is what I would want to use! I've got to get one of these myself before they all disappear.

http://www.gunsamerica.com/guns/976378120.htm

(You could also get one of these but I have no personal experience with one: http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=28027880 )

Gregg
 
This is a really ignorant question on my part and I don't hunt. I am wondering, is there an issue w/ using a .44magnum for deer hunting? I shoot both and my 629 is dead on. Wouldn't that be a preferable hunting gun?
 
Actually, the .41 magnum will shoot a flatter trajectory than the .44
magnum. But, any of the three magnums (.357, .41, or .44) should
serve you well.

Best Wishes,
 
A long time ago Elmer Keith did significant research on the magnum revolvers .He found in actual use that the caliber counts and the 44 is about twice as effective as the 357. This has been shown again and again. I would recommend a 44 over a 41 since the the 44 has a greater choice of guns ammo and components.Whatever your choice practice a lot since accurate bullet placement is of utmost importance !!!
 
I don't doubt at all that the .41 mag or the .44 mag is a better cartridge
for deer. But if accuracy is a major factor, (and remember, the .44 was
not considered in the question) I would opt for the 686.
I have a 686 that will shoot one ragged hole at 25 yards all day long,
if you can hold it steady enough. It is the most accurate handgun I
have ever shot. My brother has a 657 that has never been able to come
close to the accuracy of my 686. We ordered both these guns at the same
time from the same dealer.
And it's not the operators. When he shoots my 686 he always outshoots
the 657 with me firing it.
One caveat: Both these guns have 8 3/8 inch barrels.
I am ordinarily an "auto-loader" guy. I prefer them, I carry them, most
of the handguns I own are auto-loaders. But I strongly believe the .357
Mag. is the most inherently accurate handgun cartridge there is.

Walter
 
A long time ago Elmer Keith did significant research on the magnum revolvers .He found in actual use that the caliber counts and the 44 is about twice as effective as the 357
Click to expand...

That is completely ridiculous every time I have hunted with .357 Ive dropped the deer right on the spot, how can you get more effective than that?
 
Can't ever have to many guns. Get both. I have a 627-0 with the unfluted cylinder and a 657-4. Both are good shooters. The only drawback if you don't reload the 57 is expensive to shoot. I don't hunt with handguns. But if I did I would go with the 357 mag. The only reason is it would be easy on the ears. Even my 657 is loud with a big fireball and thats in a 6 inch gun. It has more recoil than a 357 but less than a 44. Do you use any kind of hearing protection when you hunt?
 
I shot a great many deer with my old python and never had any of them go very far before folding up like a suitcase. I thought about a 41mag for a while but the 686 357mag seems to be the best choice for me. It would serve well for rabbits and chucks with 38's too! Im hitting 50 this year and my eyes are not quite as good as they used to be so I fiqure I won't be shooting much over 65yds or so in the all to near future. I really don't need more power than the 357 but I want a good accurate gun and the posts so far say the S&W 686 6" is a good choice. I never shot 38's out of the Python because people said it was not good for the cylinders in a Python; but I will shoot them in the 686. I love wheelguns!!!!!!!!!

Mossie
 
The .41 Mag is well suited for deer and with the proper loads even larger game. I've taken down a seriously pissed off boar with a .41 Mag so deer shouldn't be much of a problem.

The .41 magnum has some new factory loads out for hunting.

Winchester 240gr "Platinum Tip" JHP - 1250fps @ 833 ft-lbs of whomp-um.
Winchester 175gr Silver Tip JHP - 1250 @ 607 ft-lbs
Federal's 250gr Cast Core JSP - 1250fps @ 867 thud-pounds
Federal's 210gr Standard JHP - 1300 fps @ 788 ft-lbs.
PMC 210 JHP - 1289 @ 774
PMC 210 TCHP - 1300 @ 788
As published for a 6.5" vented test barrel.
 
:) I've got both, a 686+-4 and a Mod.57 (no dash). My 686 is a real tack driver, but I have to say...my 57 is astounding! I can almost just point out the target to the 57 and put it down, then let it punch holes in the bullseye by itself!

I am also amazed by how comfortable it is to shoot those 210 XTPs.

I picked up the gun cuz it was a really good deal (it was a project gun that needed new parts inside). I had never had a .41 before and had no real desire to have one (I'm a .45 Colt fan for big bore shooting).

My 57 has changed my mind though! I'm a real .41 mag lover now! This is just a great gun and the cartridge is a ball to shoot. To call it a tack-driver is a major understatement!

I would vote for the .41 now cuz they are harder to find. Get a 686+ later.

Infact, I would scope the .41 for longer range shooting and keep the 686 open-sighted for when you prowl the woods instead of staying in a stand.

I love wheel guns too. I got rid of the last of my bottom feeding brass pukers :barf: earlier this year.
 
I agree that the .41 may be a more reliable killer than the .357, but the .44mag with 180 grain HPs is supposed to be even better.

If you've never shot a Super Blackhawk and seen how accurate and comfortable they are to shoot, you have a treat coming. I've shot both the 7 1/2" and 10" models and they were unbelievable. We could group 6" from prone at 200 meters with a 10", using iron sights. That was on a ram silhouette, using home made hard-cast 240 grain gas-check bullets.

If you're sold on DAs the .41 Smith is more comfortable to shoot that the .44, but the Blackhawks are even easier on the shooter. The muzzle blast from a .357 out of a 6" barrel is objectionable to me, but the .44 mag in 7 1/2" didn't bother me at all. I think it may have been the lower frequency of the blast.

John
 
Seems like every other week we go through this. I started handgun hunting in 1956 with a then-new .44 Ruger Blackhawk......used the old #429421 and 2400 (ball-of-fire!) loads. Went through each change up to the last Super.......all we great do-it-yourself (final tuning) guns. During the same period, I also played with the .41 Mag.
Now.......Some years ago I to a bad fall while climbing and messed up various parts of my body......including a right hand that has ended up with more metal in it than bones. For the past 4/5 years I have used my tuned up S&W 686-3 6" and 175/178 bullets.
We kinda get carried away with paper ballistics and do not pay enough attention to what a shooter can hit best with......a higher power miss is just more noise!
It is a sad fact that many feel the big guns a macho. It takes practice and control in handgun hunting. It takes more as the caliber goes up due to recoil! It is easier to stay on top control with the 357. The new heavier bullets for handloading and the new factory 180's have moved the .357 up into the class of a fine hunting tool.............James@Dixie Slugs
 

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It is a sad fact that many feel the big guns a macho. It takes practice and control in handgun hunting. It takes more as the caliber goes up due to recoil!

For the past 4/5 years I have used my tuned up S&W 686-3 6" and 175/178 bullets.
Click to expand...


I would point out something that seems to have been overlooked here.

Not everyone believes bigger guns are more macho. Trying to hunt a large animal with a cartridge that is pushing it's limits and relying on a person's "accuracy" to cleanly kill an animal is more a "MACHO" attitude than using a larger caliber that will kill it cleanly and humanly instead. A good number of handgun hunters do not need to boost their ego by using big bad guns. The .41 and .44magnums have been killing game for as long as the .357 and in the hunting world are much more popular.

I would also point out that with the advent of large frame guns like the Raging Bull in .41mag, recoil has been mitigated quite a bit. A Raging Bull with Porting in .41mag doesn't kick any more than a medium frame .357 with 180 grain bullets. The Model 57 will kick more I would agree, but not enough to cause any issues, and you will have room to grow. With a 180 grain in a .357, you are pretty much at your limit ballistically. Good luck with either one. :)

.44mag


http://www.taurususa.com/products/product-details.cfm?model=416SS6&category=Revolver
 
Although I wouldn't be afraid to shoot a deer with a 357 it is not legal to use one here.I bought a smith 57 for hunting.A 41 mag because the recoil is less then a 44 and also has less drop at longer ranges.I had a scope with a B square no gunsmith mount,the recoil folded the mount up so I put the open sights back on.I was shooting sierra 210 sp bullets, I found that my gun at 100 yds shot h110 alot better than 2400.I shot an antelope at 100 yds with this load and thought the bullet to hard and heavy for this size game,If done again I would use a lighter hollow point bullet.Good luck,
44-40
 
Well........As I said in the start of this thread, I hunted with the .44 most of my life. The biggest problem with early cast bullets was not enough meplat on the bullet, over-penetration, and trailing up deer with dogs. A great deal of discussion can be aimed at which has the greatest lethal potential, but anothe factor is bullet design and bullet performance. The single most important factor is using what you can hit with! Quite frankly, on hogs and deer, I have seen very little difference in tissue damage between the three in question......44, .41, .357.....if the proper bullet was used.............James
 
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