Mythbusted! .357 Magnum 125JHP on Deer
- Thread starter Super Sneaky Steve
- Start date
Super Sneaky Steve
New member
Here we go again! I love proving every year how a 125gr .357 Magnum bullet out of a rifle isn't only OK for deer, but it is the BEST for deer!
This year I shot a very big doe. She was facing me at 50 yards. I had maybe a minute of daylight left.
She was below me so I had to shoot on an angle. I placed the bullet square in her neck. The bullet traveled into her chest. Into and out of her heart, into and out of her liver, then broke a rib on the other side just barely staying inside her.
I have never had to track any deer with this load. When I took this shot she flopped right on the ground. Didn't even take a step.
If you're in an area where you're forced to use a straight walled pistol cartridge and want the BEST cartridge rifle combo. This is it.
This year I shot a very big doe. She was facing me at 50 yards. I had maybe a minute of daylight left.
She was below me so I had to shoot on an angle. I placed the bullet square in her neck. The bullet traveled into her chest. Into and out of her heart, into and out of her liver, then broke a rib on the other side just barely staying inside her.
I have never had to track any deer with this load. When I took this shot she flopped right on the ground. Didn't even take a step.
If you're in an area where you're forced to use a straight walled pistol cartridge and want the BEST cartridge rifle combo. This is it.
bamaranger
New member
another
Another deer for you .357. Good for you. Is that a soft point 125? Who makes that slug?
Another deer for you .357. Good for you. Is that a soft point 125? Who makes that slug?
shootniron
New member
Those are NOT JHP's...as you state in the original post.
Super Sneaky Steve
New member
In my original post I used a Hornady XTP hollow point.
They make very robust hollow point bullets and I had a full pass through when used.
I have since switched to Remington soft points because they are cheaper and I have them in bulk.
They make very robust hollow point bullets and I had a full pass through when used.
I have since switched to Remington soft points because they are cheaper and I have them in bulk.
Congrats on the deer and thanks for the write-ups!
I have long felt that the JSP would maximize the pistol cartridge rifle for hunting deer size game. You would not have gotten near the penetration with a JHP of any type. I've seen JHP fail too many times when the going gets tough.
I have long felt that the JSP would maximize the pistol cartridge rifle for hunting deer size game. You would not have gotten near the penetration with a JHP of any type. I've seen JHP fail too many times when the going gets tough.
Art Eatman
Staff in Memoriam
Ah, the thread that would not die!
Having grown up in Texas where most idiots...err....people seem to think a 270 is minimum for the 100# doe I roll my eyes where I hear sentiments like that about 357. The 357 is considered one of the aboslute best man stoppers bar none. A deer is about he same weight and thickness of a human. Nice catch.
I have never been against using a 357 for deer, but I have said for years and still believe that the 44 Magnum makes a better choice for hunting with a pistol cartridge, same as my belief that a 260 Rem or 6.5CM makes a much better low recoil rifle cartridge then a 243 for the same application. I know plenty of people who deer hunt with 223s, 357s, 30 carbines, even a 9mm carbine and they all swear they work, but I don't like extended tracking jobs so I stick to firearms that make north of 2,000 ft/lbs with fast expanding 120gr+ bullets and I have never tracked anything (that I shot) more then about 40 yards in my 30 years of hunting.
