Is the 357mag..

[dad]

Is the 357 mag the do all rifle from small game to deer under 100 yards? Whats your experience?

[AJMD429]

I think it certainly is a candidate....!

The 44 Mag is another modern alternative, and then of course the tapered classics like 44-40, & 38-40.

I like the 'pistol' calibers for their ability to pair-up with revolvers, plus they are less likely than 'rifle' cartridges (or at least ones shooting higher-ballistic-coefficient bullets) to travel far beyond your immediate zone of a target is missed, so in many areas I think are safer for hunting.
(Of course a safe hunter wouldn't shoot without a safe, visible, backstop, but I've seen people shoot at deer on a hilltop with 30-06 or 7mm Rem Mag, so go figure.)

I would advise any of the four pistol cartridges for what you describe. It recoil is an issue, or small-stature or novice shooters will be involved, avoid the 44 Mag unless you will handload, or want to buy 44 Special factory ammo (which generally isn't going to have good hunting bullets in it).

The tapered-case cartridges theoretically feed better, but the straight wall cases like 357 Mag work pretty well anyway.

Think about what revolver you might want to have, and in what chambering, and strongly consider pairing the two. The tapered cases are probably going to be a little harder to find new rifles or handguns chambered in.

357 Mag has a tremendous availability of various factory loads ranging from 110 grain to 180 grain, plus like with 44 Mag also has the ability to use the shorter "Special" version of the cartridge if you want very light loads for practice or training a new shooter without having to reload your own ammunition. Even out of my lightweight Rossi 92 with only a 16" barrel, 38 Special loads are barely different than 22 LR in recoil or noise.

356 Mag easy and cheap to reload as well. A little Lee handloading kit you use with a wood mallet cost less than 20 bucks and is honestly all you need unless you get it into high volumes of reloading. The hand press or a small bench mounted turret press are even better, and still inexpensive. I use a Lee Factory crimp die but it is the rifle type rather than the pistol type so was a special-order item, but even that was only about $25. Cases seem like they last forever; I don't even count how many reloads I get from them but I think it would be at least 10. That depends on how hot your loads are, but I don't load anything particularly hot. I figure if you need more power than whatever cartridge you are normally comes in, then use a different cartridge.

A 4-6" barreled single-action revolver plus a 20-inch rifle would be the typical pair, but a 2 to 4 inch double-action revolver would make a better concealed carry handgun, and a longer barreled double-action would make a very good nightstand gun. And a 6-8" single-action is larger and heavier, but may feel like it is easier to aim due to longer sight radius, and will have the least felt recoil even with stout loads. Then you could get all exotic and get a Desert Eagle semi automatic in 357 Mag, or a Thompson Contender single shot in 357 Mag (or the longer 357 Maximum) with a 14 inch barrel and a scope, for even more variety out of the same cartridge. I have a friend with a threaded-barreled Contender in 357 Mag he runs a Mystic suppressor on and it gives him 1" groups at 75 yards so it is his deer gun.

With long guns, a little 16-inch lever action with a Marbles Bullseye rear sight is so handy and fast to bring on-target that it is just fun to carry when woods-walking, and on the other hand a 24-inch octagonal barreled lever gun with a tang sight on the rear and a Lyman Globe sight on the front is an awesome target gun. Or compromise, and just get a 20 inch Rifle with a Williams FP sight, or even a scope.

Granted, you could have pretty much the same wide spectrum of options with the other pistol cartridges, but 357 would probably be the cartridge I would stick with if I only had one cartridge to have all of my firearms in.

[FWiedner]

Yes.

The .357 Mag out of a rifle is the equal of the .30 WCF inside 100yds.

[Nath]

Yes.

The .357 Mag out of a rifle is the equal of the .30 WCF inside 100yds.

Yes but with better options than 30/30.

N.

[Pete44ru]

.

Just don't use anemic or .38 Special level loads on whitetails - I've had excellent results with hefty 158gr JSP factory loads.

.

[fordwannabe]

I think a 180grain 357 out of a rifle or carbine would be a deer killing son of a gun. I plan on proving this theory next year after my suppressor gets out of NFA jail.

[Rusty]

FWIW, Veral Smith of LBT MOULDS loads a 180 gr .357 in a Rossi levergun for his wife to use on her yearly elk hunt. Nuff said.

[piller]

There is enough proof of the .357's capability to handle the job that there should not be any further doubt. The ballistics, the pictures of harvested game, and the stories from people who are known to be honest and truthful are all plenty to show the abilities of the .357 Magnum.

[JerryB]

Right now my Rossi .357 SRC is loaded with 180 grain hard cast bullets that Tycer sent to me a few years ago. I can buy 178 grain bullets from a local caster but they are swc and will not work in my Rossi. My grandson has an early 1980's Marlin that will run them as fast as you lever it. There is not anything in Arkansas this to big for my .357 carbine