Hunting Mulies in Idaho--what pistol caliber?

[1894c]

Hi--haven't posted allot lately, been busy, any way, I live in the Pacific North-West. Usually my buddies and I have been hunting Mulies in Eastern Washington, but this year we decided to hunt Mulies in Idaho (change of scenery). I've been hunting with a .357 Mag and I presently own a Marlin 1894c (vintage JM). I keep my shots within 100+ yards, I use a Williams receiver sight and I've been shooting 170 jacketed or 180-gr hard-cast bullets with copious amounts of H-110 or 2400.

Like most of you, I was wondering if I should increase the size of my projectile to either a .44 Mag or a .45 Colt or simply stick with my .357 mag gear? I've would like a second levergun and have been looking at the new Henry's Big Boy Steel with the 16" barrel (https://www.henryrifles.com/rifles/henry-big-boy-steel/) as an option. Or I could try to find a new REM-Marlin 1894 or pay through the nose for a vintage "JM" Marlin? I tried the Rossi M92's for awhile, but didn't like messing with all of the pieces-parts. I'm looking for some input and opinion--I want to thank you in advance for your answers... :)

H012-Large.jpg

PS--my buddy, who lives back-east, just bought a Henry Big Boy Steel in .41 Mag, he says it shoots well, handles well and he doesn't miss the loading gate. I should mention that all he owns and hunts with are .41 Mag S&W N-frame pistols and a vintage Marlin 1894 chambered in .41 Mag.

[tman]

The .357 will definitely work.

[AJMD429]

We used a Speer factory load in 357 Mag on large whitetail with great results. It was a 180 grain flat point jacketed bullet.

[octagon]

Get a bigger gun. 44 or 45 would do nicely.

[Pete44ru]

.

Mulies are about the same body size as Northern Whitetails, which we've (my annual Maine hunting party) had no problem taking over the last 45+ years , with the .44 Magnum.

My friends & family have plenty of experience with the .44, and no experience with .357 hunting, so I'd recommend a .44 Mag or a handloaded .45 Colt.

With a non-resident hunting licenses costing as much as they do, I'd hate to chance loosing out on an untried (by me/us here) cartridge.



.

[jmiller]

I've shot over fifty white tail deer with the .357mag and found that it works very well even on the largest white tail here in NYS. I need to add though that that is based on always taking a heart/lung shot and not relying on penetration alone for effect. I've shot deer with larger handgun calibers too. I've shot several with the 44mag, 7tcu, 30-30, and a few others in my TC Contenders. If you can put the bullet on target and keep yourself from shooting at bad angles, the 357mag will work very well. If I were hunting truly big bodied deer such as found in Manitoba, etc, I'd opt for a larger caliber like the 44mag and still try for the right angle and distance. You can't go wrong with larger calibers and it's always a "good" reason to get another gun.

[BigSky56]

Doug Wesson in 1935 took all kinds of biggame in the US and Canada with a 357 pistol 8"+ bbl 158 gr & 173 gr cast SWC pushed with 2400. forget jacketed bullets use a SWC or a LBT hard cast bullet. HCFN bullets in pistols out perform jacketed SP & HPs, Ive seen it first hand. The cavitation bubble that a HC FN or a Jacketed TC bullet makes when it hits flesh and blood does the same damage as a SP bullet but with out losing penetration. I have gotten over 4 foot of penetration on a cougar chest shot exiting his rump with a 357 HCFN 180 buffalo bore round out of a pistol. danny

[Blaine]

One of those 16.5" big loopers in .357 is in my future, for sure.
I have a JM MicroGroove 1894 44mag that I'd trade for one.

[Old Ironsights]

Use a hot 180gr WFN (like Buffalo Bore) and you may as well be shooting a .30-30.

Keep it 100 or less from the Marlin and you've got dead deer.

[Bullard4075]

Doug Wesson in 1935 took all kinds of biggame in the US and Canada with a 357 pistol 8"+ bbl 158 gr & 173 gr cast SWC pushed with 2400. forget jacketed bullets use a SWC or a LBT hard cast bullet. HCFN bullets in pistols out perform jacketed SP & HPs, Ive seen it first hand. The cavitation bubble that a HC FN or a Jacketed TC bullet makes when it hits flesh and blood does the same damage as a SP bullet but with out losing penetration. I have gotten over 4 foot of penetration on a cougar chest shot exiting his rump with a 357 HCFN 180 buffalo bore round out of a pistol. danny

+1 , what he said.

[tman]

Doug Wesson in 1935 took all kinds of biggame in the US and Canada with a 357 pistol 8"+ bbl 158 gr & 173 gr cast SWC pushed with 2400. forget jacketed bullets use a SWC or a LBT hard cast bullet. HCFN bullets in pistols out perform jacketed SP & HPs, Ive seen it first hand. The cavitation bubble that a HC FN or a Jacketed TC bullet makes when it hits flesh and blood does the same damage as a SP bullet but with out losing penetration. I have gotten over 4 foot of penetration on a cougar chest shot exiting his rump with a 357 HCFN 180 buffalo bore round out of a pistol. danny

+1 , what he said.

+1+

[tman]

Use a hot 180gr WFN (like Buffalo Bore) and you may as well be shooting a .30-30.

Keep it 100 or less from the Marlin and you've got dead deer.

+1!