Thoughts on the 77/357?

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dopar66

New member
I looked first to make sure this hadn't been posted. Hope it's not a repeat thread.

Initial thoughts on the 77/357? Too early to tell? I've long been intrigued by a lever or pump 357, not much thought on a bolt. I've just always used a bolt for the longer range, less need for a followup shot situations.

I wouldn't mind testing one out with the loads I've worked up for my revolver, though. 180 grain XTP's over 13.25 grains of W296. :D Ought to be a pretty good brush gun on these little white tails we have in the southeast.

God Bless.
 
Bolt, Lever, Auto, Pump, all up to the shooters preference. As to hunting with the 357? My father in law was also smitten with the 357 lever gun bug some years ago. He decided to hunt the tiny black tail deer we have here. He had a permit for a doe and filled his tag on one that weighed in at 90 lbs at the butcher shop, dressed and skinned. It took 9 rounds to put her down. All broadside all in the vitals. most did not penetrate enough to do the job at 65 yards. I would use something more powerful for deer if I were you. 44 mag as a bare minimum. The 357 is capable with perfect shot placement and bullet performance but not every shot is perfect and I feel we owe it to the animals to make it as fast and clean as we can. ( That was the last year the 357 lever gun went hunting; it is fun on tin cans though). Don't let me talk you out of buying it. It will save money in ammo vs. a high power rifle at the range and is more fun than a barrel of monkeys. It would also be good practice for function of the bolt especially if it is close to the one you hunt with.
 
hmmm

Yeah, there's another thread running.

My thoughts are similar, why a bolt? My logic is 'cause Ruger can, w/o much investment. They've got the 77/22/44 platform on line already. I'd sure like to see Ruger bring back that 96 lever and chamber it in .357 and .44. Some wholesalers were discounting the 77/44 not that long ago and I predict the .357 version will not last long, and I'd bet the 77/44 is not long for this world either.

I have no doubt that an appropriate .357 load will take a deer,and cannot imagine any 100 lb critter sustaining 9 good hits before going down.

Big Al what load was used in your story?
 
Big al hunter.... no offense intended but proper bullet selection would have dropped a 200lb. deer with one shot let alone a scrawny 90lb. deer easily with a .357 mag.
 
Have shot two mule deer with .357s one a cast rcbs semi-wadcutter and one with a jacketed 140gr jhp. Both dropped when shot, one needed a finishing shot, jhp did not expand. .357 is a dandy deer round.
 
My bad

Didn't do a "real" search, just looked at the forum titles. Sorry about the duplication.

Let's not go down the path of whether or not the 357 is OK for deer. That would most certainly be a duplicate...

:)

God Bless.
 
I dont know what it is with me, but I love the 357/38 special round. I would say most of my collection is 38/357 and have spent countless hours making loads for each of my guns.

To be honest, when Ruger announced the 77/357, I havent been that excited in a long time!! I WILL be purhasing one!! I cant think of any more fun at 50 yards at the range!!

FYI, I called a local dealer and he said that his distributor already has a SKU number for it. There is no word on availability, but the retail price from this dealer is $629.00

-George
 
I've shot almost fifty deer with the 357 (handgun) and seven with a Marlin 357 lever gun, and had no problems putting them down. Nine shots to do it? Where were they hit, in the foot? I've shot a couple over 100 yards with the handgun and they didn't go fifty yards after being hit. Caliber doesn't kill deer, bullet placement does. If you can't put them in the vitals, don't shoot.
 
no bolt for me

Hey, I like the .357 in a carbine, but a BOLT model just turns me off. Seems counter productive. But, there certainly seems to be an interest and different strokes for different folks, ya know. I just see it as another odd decision from an old company that, I think, has made a number of them
lately.

My Marlin lever ./357 has been a long time favorite,and I had an interest in the IMI pumps, though I never saw one.
 
for whatever reason I like the 77/357 but a .357 lever action isn't as appealing to me. to muddy the waters the opposite is true for the .44 mag. go figure.:confused:
 
Most of my gut and all of my heart tell me that .357's and .44's are for levers and pumps and the bolt action pistol caliber rifles are just wrong. WRONG I TELL YOU!!! But there is a part of me that would like to shoot a 77 in .357 to see how it does and all things considered I prefer hunting with bolt actions anyhow.

And just about any .357 bullet from 158gr on up is fine for deer. 9 shots? Here's your sign. .357 handguns are fine for deer in the right hands and in a rifle or carbine they basically duplicate .30-30 ballistics out to 100 yards and maybe a little more making them even more of a good thing. But the rifle still has to be in the right hands and some hands just shouldn't shoot.

LK
 
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Seems like it would be a fun little rifle to have to go along with .357 handguns one owns. With .38 special
It would be a great trainer for kids etc, and small game hunting, plinking. The 77/44 found favor as basis for suppressed versions as they were accurate and quiet, and didnt have the mechanical action noise of a semi auto.... And a heavy
Subsonic .44 slug still packs a good wallop. We will no doubt see a few of these offered by class 2 manufacturers, as well
 
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