357 mag for deer

armalite

Senior Member
i tried a box of deer stoppers in my 586 shoot really good, but one problem. the primers swell back when fired and causes the gun wheel to lock down. guess i will have one shot.
 

Sargent

Senior Member
i tried a box of deer stoppers in my 586 shoot really good, but one problem. the primers swell back when fired and causes the gun wheel to lock down. guess i will have one shot.

Did this happen multiple times?

What length barrel?

I'd contact GA Arms if I were you.
 

JKump

Member
I have killed a lil' spike a few years ago using Federal Fusion 158 grain JSP. This spike dropped right there, quatering shot at about 25 paces. If you believe the packaging on the Fusions, these round are designed for deer. So you should not go wrong using them. They have worked for me.
 

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GunnSmokeer

Senior Member
158 grain

My cousin killed a few deer with an 8" barreled .357 magnum. He limited his shots to about 25 yards. He said it worked fine. They either dropped on the spot or ran a short distance before flopping over and dying. He used 158 grain bullets but I don't know the details. He was a bullseye and action pistol shooter and could keep a 3" group at 50 feet, maybe a 5" group at 25 yards.
 

Stroker

Senior Member
I have killed a bunch of deer with the .357 using the 158 SP Remingtons. My personal favorite is a Serria140 SP loaded to 1400 fps. The soft points will give complete pass through for a good blood trail.
 

deast1988

Senior Member
You can check midway usa in the caliber section of .357magnum and there are pages of bullets for sale. You can also read reviews of most. But iv seen the 180 a frames and 180 hardcast seems have alot of rave about performance on hogs and deer. I shoot the federal loaded 140 barnes x pistol bullet. Just because how versitile it is at different impact velocitys. I shoot a model 65 with 4in barrel of model 28 with 6in barrel whenever my .357s see the woods during deerseason. Also practice practice and practice somemore. Any bullet will kill aslong as its in the right spot.
 

biggdogg

Senior Member
how well does a 4" barrel work for deer? my father in laws gp100 is just sitting in my safe and i figgered it might be fun to try and get a late season meat doe with it. just not sure if it will generate enough energy.
 

Tomahawk1088

Senior Member
Biggdogg, I will reference 2 sources to answer your question. The back page of American Handgunner march/April 2012, there is a comparison of the .357 mag in different barrel lengths. The 4" barrel clocks about 20 fps lower than a 6.5" barrel, and the 4" barrel exceeded the velocity of the 6.5" twice, but not by much. On ballistics by the inch.com, a 4" S&W 686 was compared to a 6" Python. Differences in velocity again were negligible and the 4" clocked a higher fps over the 6" a few times. A 4" GP100 will retain enough energy to kill a deer at reasonable ranges.

Note: I didn't have the chart when I wrote the above. The 4" 686 gave higher velocities everytime over the 6" Python. I guess the 686 has a faster barrel than the Python, but the 4" GP100 should still do fine.

http://www.ballisticsbytheinch.com/357mag.html
 
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deast1988

Senior Member
Not sure how the 4in barrel will be have yet to shoot a deer with it all the technical data says it can and should kill deer all day long if hit properly. I carry the .357s occasionally due to the contender and .44mag seeing more time in the woods mainly due to there scopes. But i will be carrying them alot more this year do to the close quarters of the thick stuff il be hunting in this year.
 

021

Senior Member
Practice, practice, practice. Use properly constructed bullets. Limit the distance you shoot as energy and velocity shed quickly from a .357. Do this, and they will fill your freezer.
 

HandgunHTR

Steelringin' Mod
The biggest difference between barrel lengths on revolvers really isn't in velocity, it is in the ability to hit what you are aiming at.

With an 8 inch barrel you get twice the sight plane as with a 4". That equates to a more stable platform and more margin for error in sighting.

All of this is moot if you are using optics.
 

gtgeorge

Senior Member
I personally had only a model 66 with a 4" barrel my first 2 years back to hunting and put 6 in the freezer 1st year and 7 the 2nd. I did loose 1 and had to track most as I was using 158gr off the shelf JHP. None passed through but longest was shot at 90 yards.

Since then I carry it with me and have taken hogs and deer using 180gr XTP's. Last year one with a 158gr LRNFP and this year I hope to take a few hogs and deer with 190gr LRNFP.

So yes a .357 is more than adequate.
 

tbrown913

Senior Member
i have killed three in the last four years with a GP100 using leverrevolution bullets. had full pass throughs on all the deer, two ran less than 75 yards, the other fell where it stood. I love it, and saves me lots of money over using a $3 slug!
 

blocky

Senior Member
Don't know if it is still true but the regs used to require a 6 inch barrel.
 

Michael F. Gray

Senior Member
Several have mentioned 158 gr. projectiles of differing types. Years ago I carried a Smith & Wesson Model 19 2.5 inch tube as my off duty weapon. I still hunted in a well made elevated stand overlooking three well traveled paths. I have used that Model 19 on several occasions to take deer under my stand, or within 15 feet. All head shots, and never had to trail any of them. I'd be cautious using the .357 on longer shots.
 
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