Best bullets...

[wisconsinteacher]

for a .357 Mag revolver for deer hunting would be what? I would not shoot more than 50 yards but would someday like to shoot a deer with my revolver. I know this is not the handgun section, but there are more eyes here than on that page. Thanks.

 

[FOTIS]

158 HPs should do well. Just limit your distance. In WY you can not use it. Minimum is 41 Mag

 

[brianwyo]

158 HPs should do well. Just limit your distance. In WY you can not use it. Minimum is 41 Mag

POP,

Talk to Mike @ Double Tap he can set you up with a legal load for your 10mm :grin:

 

[FOTIS]

158 HPs should do well. Just limit your distance. In WY you can not use it. Minimum is 41 Mag

POP,

Talk to Mike @ Double Tap he can set you up with a legal load for your 10mm :grin:

I have one already Bri!!!!! :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

 

[JD338]

IMHO, the 357 Mag is on the light side for deer and I favor a larger caliber shooting a heavier bullet.
Not sure if you can find them, but Nosler did offer a 180 gr Partition bullet. I would use the heaviest bullet you can find with the 158 gr as a min.

I hunt behind my house with a S&W 629 Classic 44 Rem Mag. Last year, I shot this doe at 60 yds with a 240 gr JHP. A double lung hit slightly quarting away did the trick, she ran about 40-50 yds and piled up.

JD338

 

[wisconsinteacher]

Well the .357 was a gift from my parents so I have no plan on selling it for something bigger and I don't plan on getting anything bigger for a while. What if I kept my shots inside 30 yards? I have some Speer Gold Dots and can use them at the range if they are not up to par for hunting. I think it would be cool to shoot a deer with a handgun.


JD, that picture makes my mouth water for some reason and it is not the .44. Backstraps!!!!!

 

[C.Smith]

I think you would be fine shooting out to 50 yards as long as you put the bullet where it belongs.

Corey

 

[velvetant]

Load up a 180 Hornady XTP with a stiff charge of H110 and you're good.
Practice until you can keep all your shots inside an 8" paper plate at a range you feel comfortable shooting. Out to about 75 yards max.
I grew up in a wooded area and back then all my deer fell to a handgun, 357 mag, 41 mag, 44 mag and various contender chamberings.

Randy

 

[1Shot]

"Load up a 180 Hornady XTP with a stiff charge of H110 and you're good.
Practice until you can keep all your shots inside an 8" paper plate at a range you feel comfortable shooting."

I agree with you 100%. I have killed a few with my T/C Contender with 13.5 grs H-110 and the 180 XTP out of a 10" barrel which pushes it quite a bit faster than a revolver can but I have killed deer in the 100 to 110 yards range away and it did great. If you have 158 gr Speer Gold Dots 50 yards and in put them in the boiler room and you will be eating venison. It is all about bullet placement.

 

[SJB358]

Like Randy said, if you put the 35 Caliber bullet where it belongs, it will take deer fine. I would look at the Beartooth bullets hardcast in the 180gr range WFN's. I am pretty sure one of those over a stiff charge of H110 would be plenty for deer. If you could find some of the 180gr PT's, those would be pretty sweet also! Scotty

 

[JD338]

I think 50 yds would be fine with your 357 mag. The key is shot placement and lots of practice.

JD338

 

[BK]

Like Randy said, if you put the 35 Caliber bullet where it belongs, it will take deer fine. I would look at the Beartooth bullets hardcast in the 180gr range WFN's. I am pretty sure one of those over a stiff charge of H110 would be plenty for deer. If you could find some of the 180gr PT's, those would be pretty sweet also! Scotty

Man, I think we share the same brain. THAT is the exact recommendation I was going to give. Well, and maybe add W296 to the options, but since H110 and W296 are for all intents and purposes the same, I guess I'll just shut up.

My parents were up visiting a friend in Post Falls, ID. I was trying to talk my dad into making a run to Dover to pick me up a couple of hundred WFN bullets (and a Ponsness/Warren shotgun reloader from Rathdrum) but he thinks I spend too much money on guns and doesn't want to make things worse.

 

[HeathSexton]

16.5grs H110 + Starline Brass + CCI 550 + 158gr XTP-FP + Lee FCD 1 full turn = super accurate from my 686.


Also, don't overlooked heavy cast like a 185gr WFNGC from beartooth bullets.

 

[kendog]

When I was a young fella I had a M29 S&W with a 8 3/8" tube that was deadly, shot it lots. One day I decided I wanted some venison so I grabbed the trusty 'ol M94 32 Sp and with three rounds hit the bush. Out walked a nice 7 point buck, long story short the sights got bumped somehow, rifle on the ground and fetched the 44 out of my shoulder rig with the buck closer than it was with the rifle (50 yeards, tops) and let cut. Deer was un-hurt. I swore up and down I fired 2 shots with the 44, opened it up and 3 primers busted, .
Got a new box of shells for the 32, got her lined up and while I was doing that set up a couple clay pideons at 50 yards and smacked them with the 44 no probs, yeah, buck fever.
A week to the day I found that little buck and shot him with the 32 Sp broadside and when he wheeled and ran off I racked another round and shot him as he ran away, take that.
I sure would have loved to have seen that little whitetail cartwheel from my 44 mag handloads.