better gun type?

H

HunterGuy15010

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Ive been looking at a .357 magnum for plinking, hunting soforth...
but ive been wondering if a .44 would be better? ive had the chance to shoot a few .357 SA and DA pistols with reasonably soft recoil, would a .44 be much different? thanks
 
.357mag for plinking?! :confused:

what

Go try one out at a range or something (rental). .44s kick pretty hard by any standards, including that of a .357.
 
i enjoy the 357, i didnt notice the kick to be that bad, unless your talking a snub lol. But thanks for the advice on the .44 , im going to try one out this week maybe if i can get off of work
 
The .44 magnum doesn't always have to rear up and snort everytime you pull the trigger. You can load .44 spl cartridges in it and it's as mild as a kitty kat.
 
.44 ammo is kinda expensive (for me) to be plinking with. What kind of hunting are you planning on doing?

I vote .357- maybe one with a 6 inch barrel. Cheaper to shoot and can still take deer sized game.
 
I think either one can basically do the job of the other, here's my 0.02:

.357 Magnum:
  • Milder recoil
  • Available .38 Special ammo is the cheapest and mildest
  • Is better matched as a home defense round (more controllable for followup shots)
  • Is acceptable on deer

.44 Magnum
  • Is better for deer

I am sure these are the two most popular centerfire revolver chamberings and both have plenty of factory ammo options. To me, if you plan on doing much deer hunting with it, get the .44, else get the .357. Either way, get a 6" barrel - higher velocity, more practical accuracy with open sights, more controllable. The extra length is only a liability for a ccw.
 
If you are going with the .357 for deer, keep the quarry small, stalk REAL close, and take only broadside shots. One shot, one kill is the goal, and you don't have much margin for error for that with a .357....
 
Ive been looking at a .357 magnum for plinking
Click to expand...
What do you want to plink, tanks? :p

I've fired a S&W 629 6" and a Ruger Vaquero 6-7" .44 Mag. The S&W kick was at least as strong as any .357 I've fired. I think because the 629 has a heavy barrel and full lug, it was more controllable. The Ruger had a lighter barrel, and I had no chance of quick followup shots. With a .357, I can keep the barrel pointed towards the target. With anything but heavy (to me, unwieldy) .44 revolvers, the barrel ends up pointed towards the ceiling.

I'll stick with the .357 for now, and won't suffer much. I don't hunt, so it's not a worry. It's also less expensive to shoot if you want to plink with .38's.

If I could afford to fire it on a regular basis, though, I'd get that Vaquero. Would have been an attention getter at the indoor ranges. :D

jmm
 
I'm not a pistol hunter, but if he's going to hunt with this pistol, wouldnt' the .44 mag be a better choice?

To me the only big deal is the difference in price of ammo as both are fun to shoot. For plinking, I like the .357 because you can plink with dirt cheap .38's and still load up with .357 if you feel the need. If you get the .44 mag, however, you will probably not shoot quite as much -- which to me is another negative.

In fact ... given the difference in ammo price, it might be worth the investment to get one of each; a really nice .44 mag for hunting and a cheap .357 or even .38 (since you'll have a magnum anyway) for cheap plinking.

And can you ever really have too many guns?
 
The .357 Magnum does well on deer if you do your part--watch your range, pick your shot, put your bullet where it needs to go. I've put a few in the freezer with the .357 Magnum (first-hand experience--why I recommended the 180-grain Winchester Partition Gold). If you don't do that, it won't make any difference whether you're using or .44 Magnum or anything else.

Overall, the medium-frame .357 Magnums (King Cobra, GP100 and 686) are a lot handier than their .44 Magnum siblings. If you were going to buy a weapon strictly (or even primarily) for hunting, you'd be hard-pressed to beat a Super Blackhawk or Redhawk in .44 Magnum, but if it's going to be a general use weapon (carry, home defence, vermin/varmint control, plinking, fun, etc.), the .357 Magnum probably has the advantage.
 
I'll put in another vote for the .357mag for its versatility and low-cost use. For deer hunting I'd recommend a Ruger GP or one of the Sixes. They are built like tanks and will never wear out. .38spc practice loads are somewhere in the 9mm category for cost.
Now if someone wants to be a dedicated pistol hunter then I could see the .44mag, esp if taking game like wild boar.
 
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