357 rifle for deer

[bayouvol]

Is this ok for deer out to one hundred yards? New to deer hunting so I was just wondering.

[xd shooter]

Nope you should give it to me & get a real rifle!!

 

Na just kidding your good. Me personally would keep it below 100. I'll have mine in the woods sometime this year! :)

Edited November 25, 2013 by xd shooter

[Sidinman]

Yes, I've got a Puma with a 24" octagon barrel, that I have taken deer with, got one with it year before last right in the 100 yd. range. Shot right in the neck and he was down right there. It was the first time I had hunted with it and I was tickled, to say the lest. Was also one of my own handloads, what a feeling. 

[bayouvol]

What is a good round to buy for hunting and what scope, if any, would you use?

[xd shooter]

I don't know wich rifle you have but my Marlin shoots AWSOME without a scope.

[xd shooter]

I don't know wich rifle you have but my Marlin shoots AWSOME without a scope.

[Sidinman]

No scope on mine either. But I would say a 4x32 of some kind should be find.

[I_Like_Pie]

I have found that Hornady XTP Flat point 158 grainers ahead of a healthy charge of 2400 (13.5-14.5 grains) is about the best hunting bullet for .357 that has ever been made for deer.

[Smith]

.357 out of 18 inches of barrel or more with a hotter load is ballistically the same as a 30/30, so yes it is just fine for hunting at the same ranges as a 30/30.

[dcloudy777]

With a decent load (hardcast FP lead or expanding jacketed), the .357Mag, especially out of a rifle barrel, will do the job on TN deer out to past the distance you can reliably hit it from.  :2cents:

 

Some years back, I watched a buddy take a ~160lb Sitka deer (game farm in Missouri) with a  .357Mag 180gr Fedral CastCore hunting round out of a 12" revolver.  The shot was about 40 yards, straight frontal shot.  The bullet entered the upper chest, and exited right next to the deer's tail.  It literally drilled all the way though the deer... the long way.  :up:   Deer jumped in to the air, ran about 20 feet, and was stone dead. 

[gregintenn]

What is a good round to buy for hunting and what scope, if any, would you use?

Most any jacketed soft nose or hollow point ammo should work satisfactorily. If you're hunting with a lever rifle, I's suggest a Williams foolproof receiver sight in lieu of a scope. The lever action rifles are so much handier without a scope.

[deerslayer]

 

.357 out of 18 inches of barrel or more with a hotter load is ballistically the same as a 30/30

 

 

That sounds like a bit of a stretch. 

[nightrunner]

That sounds like a bit of a stretch.

Its pretty close when using 180gr+ either buffalo bore or maximum handloads

[broylz]

357mag will get to the lower end of 30-30 power levels. easy to look up the ballistics.

 

I would vote for a good peep sight in the rear and keep it scope free. this will help force you to keep it within a good safe range.

 

I really want to pick up a 20" rossi 92 in 357...

[roverboy]

I've been wanting a .357 rifle for some time. I'd like to have a barrel from NEF to go on my SB1 receiver I already have.

[deerslayer]

Hmmm...Hodgdon site says 1381 max velocity for .357 mag/180 and 1757 max for 158.  My Sierra manual says 1400/1800 (rifle section for both sources).  That doesn't compare well to the .30-30, which is listed in both of these sources as 2300+ being easily achieved with a 150 grain bullet and 2100-2300 with a 170. 

 

You fellows must shoot some wimpy .30-30s. 

[broylz]

buffalo bore claims 158gr at 2153fps and 1623ft/lbs from an 18" barrel.

 

hornady lever evolution ammo with a 160gr bullet 2132fps and 1615ft/lbs from a 16" barrel according to "the truth about guns"

 

I think up close, within 100 yards or so, most wont tell the difference but I can see where the 160gr hornady bullet might do better at distance due to bullet shape.

Edited December 6, 2013 by broylz

[deerslayer]

The only .357/158 load I found on their website was a pistol load @1475 fps.  I found no .357 rifle loads.  They did list a .30-30 with a 190 gr bullet at 2100 fps.  This load and your .357 rifle load both seem a bit optimistic.  I guess a chronograph would end any debate. 

 

I'm not saying that a .357 is too weak for deer, but I still don't believe it is a .30-30 class round. 

[Smith]

The only .357/158 load I found on their website was a pistol load @1475 fps.  I found no .357 rifle loads.  They did list a .30-30 with a 190 gr bullet at 2100 fps.  This load and your .357 rifle load both seem a bit optimistic.  I guess a chronograph would end any debate. 

 

I'm not saying that a .357 is too weak for deer, but I still don't believe it is a .30-30 class round. 

It's listed under their pistol rounds. He list the velocities out of his Marlin 1894 with an 18" barrel underneath the description in bold print.. Real world chrono BTW not some 20+" test barrel the manufactures use.

[deerslayer]

Ok, I see where you're talking about--I didn't actually click on the round.  I still disagree with whomever I disagreed with above.  Buffalo Bore's .357 still doesn't match their .30-30.  If I had a .357 rifle, I'd be tempted to buy some of this stuff and find out for myself.  2100+ is hundreds of fps faster than anybody else's.

Edited December 7, 2013 by deerslayer

[Smith]

Ok, I see where you're talking about--I didn't actually click on the round.  I still disagree with whomever I disagreed with above.  Buffalo Bore's .357 still doesn't match their .30-30.  If I had a .357 rifle, I'd be tempted to buy some of this stuff and find out for myself.  2100+ is hundreds of fps faster than anybody else's.

No, a hot .357 will not beat a hot 30-30, but a hot .357 IS ballistically similar to a standard 30-30 which is what has been stated. Maybe you need to just buy one and try it out ;)

[221 Fireball]

Ah, ballistics, the never ending debate...lol. :pleased:

 

How about ask the deer? Dead is dead if you put it where it needs to go. I have a Marlin .357 and a Win 94 30-30...without a mathamatical calculation hoe-down, I can tell you my "thurty thurty" kicks a hell of a lot more with a 150 grainer vs my 1894 Marlin with a 158 (my favorite .357 load). Either will take deer, but the fact is ...for me anyway...I leave them both in the safe and take the ol' 7/08 when I want to lay one down...heh,heh :up:

 

I do agree with those above though....no scopes on those lever guns...they're made for fast, short shots! Nothing feels quite as balanced as a good lever gun....John Wayne knew his stuff! :usa:

 

BTW - did you know the lever action is the only American rifle action we can claim as our own design? Yep, that Oliver WInchester was sure a smart feller.

[deerslayer]

 Maybe you need to just buy one and try it out ;)

 

Doesn't seem worth the effort to lose ~150 fps.

[nightrunner]

BTW - did you know the lever action is the only American rifle action we can claim as our own design? Yep, that Oliver WInchester was sure a smart feller.

I assume by "smart", you mean smart as in manufacturing John Browning's design.

[221 Fireball]

I assume by "smart", you mean smart as in manufacturing John Browning's design.

Yes, Browning was the design genius, but Winchester was the marketing genius. From what I've read, they had a 20+ years working relation. As far as inventing the first, I believe it was Mr Spencer (can't remember the first name), he of course invented the Spencer repeating carbine in 1860 which was actually used in the Civil War. About the same time, Mr Henry came out with one also. The first Winchester I believe was the 1866, and I believe they were all Brownings design...I know the 1892 was, which was my favorite.

 

All those lever guns will always be in my heart, they were my earliest 'gun addiction' as I watched TV Westerns every Sat morning in the 60s. Guys like Chuck Connors, aka The Rifleman, was just plain badass back then. :pleased: