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MINSH101

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Seeking opinions for a question:

Which .357 Magnum ammo is best for wild animals?

I live in the Pacific Northwest and want to get out and explore the land, God's country. Black bears and mountain lions have been occasionally spotted in the areas I'm interested in exploring.

Someone who's opinion about firearms I trust said that high velocity FMJ ammo, 125 grains, in a 4 inch or greater barrel is best for the four legged threats in the woods. I've always heard a heavy, hard cast bullet is best under those given circumstances. Something like 180 grains.

I admit, I handle the 125 grains round better than 180 grains, but am confident I could could put rounds on the target, if needed, with 180 grain bullets. My concern would be under penetration with the 125 grain round and their ability to damage vital organs.

Thoughts on the type of round best suited for deep woods walks?
 
Any 357mag bullet will make a bear change its mind. A .22lr will make a bear change its mind. Bear spray will make a bear change its mind. I've had dozens of close bear encounters over the years and I have yet to have one attack. Bear attacks are very, very rare in the lower 48 from black bears. That being said, I do carry a handgun when out woods walking. Mostly for two legged critters and miscreants. Pick what ever bullet you like using the best. You're not talking about which bullet is best for bear hunting, you're talking about a bullet that will make an overly curious bear go away. Mountain lions are supposed to be relatively easy to kill. I haven't killed any, but I know several people who have and they claimed they are pretty easy to dispatch. I don't think any .357mag bullet would be a bad choice. FWIW, I've killed over fifty deer with the 357mag and have lost none with it. It's an adequate cartridge for self defense and pretty decent for deer sized game. I'd have no qualms about hunting a black bear with it. Your biggest threat in the woods is still accidents and man.
 
125-158 gr HP for 2 legged predators. You could do OK on the heavier side of that for 4 legged predators that typically weigh about the same as adult male humans. Actually most black bear would also be in that category. A 300 lb black bear is larger than typical.

For anything larger, 180 or 200 gr hardcast. The hotter loads by Buffalo Bore and DoubleTap are expensive, but offer impressive ballistics.
 
125 SJHP 357Bs for varmints of the two legged variety.

180 grain hard casts from Buffalo Bore for the four legged.

CCI .38/.357 shots shells for the no legged.
 
Buffalo bore sells an "Outdoorsman" line, the 357 is a 180 grain flat point hard cast, just what the Doctor ordered for bad 4 legged critters. Make sure your gun van handle their pressures.

Tim Sunddies has a great write uo about hard cast ammo vs animals on their page too if ypu are so inclined.
 
MINSH101 Seeking opinions for a question:

Which .357 Magnum ammo is best for wild animals?
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Minsh,
In the last 50 years I have hiked and back-packed all over the Cascades and Olympics. I have never had to fire against an animal. Having said that I always carried the same ammo that I used in Hunter's Pistol Metallic Silhouette. I use the Sierra 140 grain bullet with H110 because the 140 grain is the best compromise between weight and velocity. It shoots pretty flat to 100 yards and has more than enough mass to knock the metal targets over with authority. I have never felt under gunned in any circumstance. I have confronted a few black bears and even saw a cougar once but they stayed at a distance or moved away with nothing more than standing my ground, yelling and raising my arms.
 
Which ever type of ammo you choose, pick one that is not only suited for the job, but also one you can shoot well - quickly and accurately and maybe more than just one.
 
This is just my opinion, but it seems to me that the .357 magnum is underrated by a fair number of mostly younger shooters. Maybe because cartridges like the 10mm, .454 Casull, and .460 S&W as well as others came along and overshadowed it. After all, by the time those cartridges arrived the .357 didn't need an aggressive marketing campaign anymore.

I carried a .357magnum for many seasons in Northeast black bear country, doing nothing more than swapping my 125gr JHP's for 158gr JSP's at the trailhead. Still today, here in the deep south, I regularly carry a .357 into the field.

Personally, I don't feel any need for hard cast ammo short of going into big bear habitat.
 
"...confident I could..." Think you could recognise the threat, draw, aim and fire, accurately, in less than 6 seconds? That's how fast Yogi takes to cover 100 yards. Kitty comes from above and behind. Your chances are even less. And Kitty is regularly hunted with .22 Magnums.
Like ShootistPRS says, neither are the least bit interested in you. You smell of nothing but trouble to both of 'em.
Anyway, the best ammo is what you and your firearm can shoot best. Just don't expect it to make any difference. A jingle bell works as well to tell 'em you're there. They'll avoid you like the plague they think you are.
"...A 300 lb. black bear is larger than typical..." Not everywhere it isn't. Yogi can run 500 pounds, up here. Boar record is 816 pounds. Cindy goes to 300. Sow record is 454 pounds.
 
"Any 357mag bullet will make a bear change its mind. A .22lr will make a bear change its mind. Bear spray will make a bear change its mind."
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Bear thinking "I'm going to go another way and leave that guy alone."
Guy sees bear and shoots be it pepper spray or 22.
Bear changes her mind "Dangnabbit now you made me mad, ITS ON LIKE DONKEYKONG!"
:eek:
 
The common 125grJHP is essentially optimized for defense against humans. Cats are quick, but not tough, heavier slugs are better for bigger tougher animals, though I see no reason one needs a 180gr, the 158gr managed quite well for many decades and still will today.
 
Which ever type of ammo you choose, pick one that is not only suited for the job, but also one you can shoot well - quickly and accurately and maybe more than just one.
Click to expand...

The common 125grJHP is essentially optimized for defense against humans. Cats are quick, but not tough, heavier slugs are better for bigger tougher animals, though I see no reason one needs a 180gr, the 158gr managed quite well for many decades and still will today.
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+1 to both of the above. For black bear and smaller, a 158gr JSP or Hardcast will do anything a 180 or heavier will do, as long as you can do your part and hit the target where it needs to be hit.
 
Aftermath

Shooting a wild animal is a great way to ruin a pleasant hike.

Shooting a bear "In Defense of Life or Property" (in Alaska) is legal, but brings with it a whole raft of responsibilities.

If you wound an animal, and are not incapacitated yourself, you are obliged to report the existence of a dangerous situation and morally bound to track the animal and dispatch it humanely.

If you kill the animal, you are obliged to report it, conserve the meat if possible (for donation to charity) and turn the hide and skull over to Fish & Game (after you have skinned the carcass).

All in all, a good reason to also carry bear spray and use it in preference to your firearm.

Lost Sheep
 
"Mountain lions are supposed to be relatively easy to kill. I haven't killed any, but I know several people who have and they claimed they are pretty easy to dispatch."

Pretty easy to dispatch when they're far enough away that you can get a good shot. Not so much during a sneak attack by a 150 pound male gnawing on the back of your neck. :eek:
 
Pretty easy to dispatch when they're far enough away that you can get a good shot. Not so much during a sneak attack by a 150 pound male gnawing on the back of your neck.
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If they are stealthy enough to get you by the back of the neck, nothing in your holster is going to help at that point. :rolleyes: I know one person who's shot two with a shotgun while calling coyotes in Az.
 
All these 'it won't help, you'll never make the shot/see them coming' posts make me wonder:

You're going in to country with lions and tigers and bears (oh my!)...there have been a few, scattered attacks. When you set out, your guardian angel breaks the rules and whispers that you're scheduled for one of those attacks today...

Other than NOT going out, is there anyone here who WOULDN'T pack a gun? Who would just say, 'oh, hell, I'll never see them coming, and if I do, the shot will be far too hard for me to make'?


Personally, when I among things that *might* want to hurt me, I try to prepare to defend myself. Might work, might not, but I plan to try....


Larry
 
I don't feel like writing the whole story again,but I got a whole lot of posie sniffer BS advice about how I should not worry about packing iron in Alaska because all of the bears have had Walt Disney training and are quite civil.

Fortunately I ignored the advice and I had my Win 97 with me.

200 Yukon River miles from the nearest road my former spouse and I met an illiterate bear that did not read the right book.

We were asleep in my brand new Moss 4 lb tent which had never had food in it. Mr Bear decided to mash down on her with paws and take a bite of her butt.
I unzipped the tent door,he stuck his face in and I gently whacked him across the face with the shotgun.Probably not the best idea,but waking up to Mrs saying "Don't let the bear bite me again" I had not had coffee yet.He did retreat a bit.
But he was not leaving. Shots in the air did not make him flinch. Totally ignored.
He had his eyes on me and he was just ambling "casually" closer. There was a vacant focus on me that told me I was dinner.
We already had one hurt and we were far from home. I did not come there to shoot bear but this one was not leaving,so I killed him.
I have seen video found in the camera of people killed by black bear. Same motion.Same eyes..
Its true the head and hide must be turned in. This bear,nose to tail was 6 ft 6 before skinning.On the way back we gassed up at Tanana,then made it to the haul road bridge. Big hovercraft bridge there,and a trailer café.. 7 or 8 hours of washboard road later,we were back at Ft Wainright.
Here in Colorado,I have seen a lion from about 150 yds. He ignored me a while before walking away. From then on I packed a 5 shot snub 44 spl. I wsn't going hunting.
No,I don't want to shoot a lion.I have no interest in hunting them.

You listen to whoever you want. I go in the bushes armed
 
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