I'm going to deer hunt with my 4" .357 Magnum

R

ReefBlueCoupe

New member
I am going to the range to get some more 50-75yd practice with my S&W 686 4" .357 Magnum. I have decided to try handgun deer hunting and this will be new to me. I have been shooting handguns for a while and am familiar with shooting long distances. I am going to go to the range for the next few weekends to get even more long distance shots off to keep my practice up. I will be shooting out of the box Remington 158gr JSP. From articles I've read and posts I've read here, these will give the compromise between expansion and penetration needed when hunting deer with a relatively low velocity (compared to a rifle) gun. The woods here are fairly thick so I probably won't see a shot past 50-60 yards. It's going to be fun.

Here's the gun I am going to be using: www.lxcoupe.com/images/357.jpg

If anyone has any tips or experiences with handgun deer hunting, I'd love to hear them.
 
I am also hunting wooded area for deer with a 4" 357 mag, a Taurus Tracker with ported barrel. I am using Federal Fusion 158 grain ammo. So far this year took a little button buck at about 30 yards. Put the shot into the chest, the deer was facing me. It dropped right there. With this weapon I would not try shooting over 40 yards or so. Good luck and hopefully we should hear of kill shortly.:)
 
Since it will be my first time I will probably limit any shots to 30-40 yards as well. Maybe once I get more experience at it I will try them farther out, but for now I'll only take the shots I know I can make.
 
i've killed a few with my 6" 357. I strongly reccomend buffalo bore ammo in 170 or 180 grain bullets. Standard 357 ammo is a little light for deer hunting. They(lighter ammo) will kill the deer but they wont leave an exit hole consistently, which makes for some damn hard tracking jobs. If you cant find buffalo bore, find some other 180 grain hunting ammo. And be sure to hit them broadside BEHIND the shoulder.
 
I shot a buck last year with my 480 Ruger SRH with a 2x Leupold scope. I didn't have a rifle with me at all. Woods shot; one shot, about 50 yds. Hit heart lung area and deer ran about 50-60 yds.

Choose your shot carefully. You still can't shoot through brush. Practice out to 50 to 75 yds. You'll see quite a difference in your shooting abilities after you get past 25 yds. Clay pigeons work for "plinking". 6" paper plates with a big black "X" work for targets.

For me, I am going to be carrying a monopod (Stoney Pt, Polecat, Expediton model) this year as I need a rest to shoot with the scope unless I take a really quick shot. Hunting with a handgun is a whole new deal and fun. Enjoy. It will be like your first deer all over again.
 
i've never shot any ammo over 158 grs. in my 6" .357 revolver... how much more recoil do you feel with 170-180 gr bullets at magnum velocities?


LIFE IS SHORT..........
 
Description: WIN .357 Magnum SUPREME PARTITION GOLD
Count: 20
Cartridge/gauge: .357 Magnum
Weight: 180gr

+1 on this ammo suggestion by Capp35


Recoil is not much different from other magnum rounds but the results are much better. I use a Ruger GP100 6" with a red dot scope. I don't take shots over 40 yards.
 
JJ,

I shoot 180 gr. hardcast bullets at 1350 fps out of a GP100. Haven't used them hunting yet, but will this year on hogs.

Yes, they recoil. Yes, you absolutely will know you pulled the trigger on something special.

But no, it isn't painful. I shoot around 50-75 of them in a session and they aren't bad. Just a nice, solid whack to the palm, but NOTHING like a .41 mag or .44 mag.
 
I'm trying Speer gold dot 170gr. Yes there is a difference in recoil, but nothing to be alarmed about. Good luck.
 
125 grain bullets in .357 for deer?

I cannot understand why most shooters are recommending 158-180 bullets in the .357 for deer. I always shoot behind the deer's front shoulder where the deer has very little mass to protect his vitals (heart, lungs, liver) from a bullet. It seems logical to me that due to the minimum barrier to a bullet that the rib area presents, a high-velocity (125gr.) bullet would be more distructive to the vitals than a slower, heavyer projectile. Have you guys just assumed that the heavyer projectile would be more effective, or have you had failures with the 125's that have led to the conclusion that heavyer is better?

I cannot buy the argument:
...158-180 bullets are insurance that if you hit too far forward and connect with the shoulder bone, your results will be better.
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If you hit too far forward, you are just as likely to hit too far back...with unpleasant results. If you practice to proficiantcy, keep range short enough to insure proper bullet placement, you will not hit too far forward or too far back. It is called being a responsable sportsman!

Any thoughts?

Regards,
dahermit
 
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Most sportsman grew up hunting with high power rifles or atleast shotgun slugs where the position of the game at the time of the shot isn't so critical. Granted that shot placement is always key, hunting with a 357 requires that one be patient and wait for a better than "normal" shot. If you wait for bowhunting type shots that avoid shoulders/angled shots your chances of sucess are better. I have had problems with lighter bullets not exiting the deer. They are just as dead, but hard to track.
 
Have you guys just assumed that the heavyer projectile would be more effective, or have you had failures with the 125's that have led to the conclusion that heavyer is better?
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Nope, I haven't had any failures with the Winchester 180-grain Partition Gold and see no reason to mess with the 125s. I know the 180s work (and with considerable less muzzle blast). If it ain't broke don't fix. FWIW, it's my experience (and particularly with the revolver I use for hunting) that heavier bullets (158-180 grains) are more accurate--and particularly at longer (typical) hunting ranges.
 
I have had problems with lighter bullets not exiting the deer.
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Can you give the details; how many times this has happened, what weight and brand of bullet, what range?

...it's my experience (and particularly with the revolver I use for hunting) that heavier bullets (158-180 grains) are more accurate--and particularly at longer (typical) hunting ranges.
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Just how far away are you shooting at deer?
Regards,
dahermit
 
I have never had anything less than 170 grains exit a shoulder, even with buffalo bore ammo. The doe I shot a few days ago was hit a little higher and more foward than I liked, grazing one shoulder, and smashing the other with a 180 gr B.B. cast bullet. The deer went down, but dot up and made it about 40 yds before collapsing. I did have an exit wound, but I didn't have a good blood trail, I think because I hit her higher than normal. I did have one exit with a perfect broadside with a 158 gr buffalo bore hp at 30-35 yds. When I first started hunting with a 357 I was using the 180 grain winchester partition gold, because thats all I could find in stores around here, and never got a exit wound of any kind(3 times). I will admit that I wasn't as picky about my shots then as I am now. If you want to take any kind of angled shot, better shoot a hot hard cast bullet, and be fairly skilled at tracking.
 
Okay, here it is...I shot my first deer with my .357mag. It was a 125lb buck. It was running toward me head on. I shot first about 70yds. and missed. I then shot again at about 60yds or so and I I hit it in the chest. It did a flip forward and came crashing down. So there it is...one shot in the chest at
60yds with a 170gr bullet, dead deer, no tracking! Man that was cool!
 
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