Hunting with the 357 Mag

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bearhunter338-06

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I have a Ruger M77/357. I was thinking of using it for our whitetail doe season this year. Yardage will be no more then 100 yards. Bullets will be ether the Barnes XPB 140gr or 180gr hard cast lead.

Anyone else hunt with the 357 Mag. rifle, what are your thoughts.

Thanks
 
I think you should keep the shots very close, like as a dogging rifle in the bush for 20 yards and under.
 
Plenty of deer has fallen to the .357 in revolver for decades in the states. Considering a rifle will boost fps anywhere from 150 to 500 fps, I'd feel pretty safe. So safe in fact that starting late spring, a marlin 1984c is becoming my go to rifle.
 
Gatehouse said:
I don't think he wanted to know how well it would work if he shot it in the ass. ;)
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Wasn't really talkin' to the OP necessarily.

About 25 years ago a well known/well respected outdoor writer wrote an article published in a National Outdoor magazine about the "Femoral Artery Shot"... I don't know how many animals were shot in the ass as a result of that single assinine report... but I have done my little part ever since to rectify that journalistic travesty!
 
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158gr 357 mag from a 18.5" barrel clocks at about 1800fps
that's plenty for whitetails within 150m
just make sure you know the impact point at various distances. The trajectory is a bit of a rainbow.
 
legi0n said:
158gr 357 mag from a 18.5" barrel clocks at about 1800fps
that's plenty for whitetails within 150m
just make sure you know the impact point at various distances. The trajectory is a bit of a rainbow.
Click to expand...

Our's chronoed at 1700 fps with 158's and max H110, outta 18" barrels... should notta sold em'!
 
mine does 1800 fps with Lee 358-158gr hard cast bullets on top of 15gr Alliant 2400
factory American Eagle Jacketed Soft-Points clock at 1850fps.
That's in August at about 30ºC

I wonder what velocity can one get with a 180gr bullet.
I tried 200gr and it was disappointing mainly because of the low case capacity left.
 
I've shot a couple of deer with a 16in bbl lever that went down every bit as quickly as the many previously shot under similar circumstances (range/shot placement etc) with my 3030. The energy is there, just need to use the appropriate bullet and of course keep the range sensible.
 
The one deer that I have shot to date with the .357 Magnum and a hard cast bullet dropped quickly with one shot through the lungs, a shot taken at 75 yards. I would be very happy to use it up to about 100 yards.
 
legi0n said:
mine does 1800 fps with Lee 358-158gr hard cast bullets on top of 15gr Alliant 2400
factory American Eagle Jacketed Soft-Points clock at 1850fps.
That's in August at about 30ºC

I wonder what velocity can one get with a 180gr bullet.
I tried 200gr and it was disappointing mainly because of the low case capacity left.
Click to expand...

Have you found the .358's shoot better in your ruger too? Which lee bullet are you using and is it gas checked?
 
I love hunting with the 357, I did it with pistol in the states but up here for bush pushing I use my marlin and for bush and open to 125 yards or so I use my ruger 77/357 I haven't had any issues with either for taking deer.
 
It may do the job but if you have something bigger and better why mess around? I hunt with the ruger 77 in .44 magnum. (and a semi. 44 carbine). Clobbered a 150lb doe this past season at 45 yards. Wouldn't feel as confident with the 357, but it probably will get the job done at close range.
 
I have installed a Bushnell 4 power wide angle scope on the Ruger M77/357 Mag. When I was at Bass Pro I picked up some 140gr Barnes XPB's for the 357.


From Barnes:

140gr XPB
Enforcer powder 13.1gr @ 1377fps 14.5gr @ 1530

And that"s is from a 10" barrel. I should be pushing close 170 fps (8.5" X 20fps) faster (more or less) with the added 8.5 inches on the Ruger barrel.

Now I need to find some of this powder, or something similar to it.
 
For those who have not tried it yet, take a serious look at Hodgdon's Lil'Gun.
Great velocity at very decent pressure levels in the 357 Mag.
Regards, Eagleye.
 
The online reloading data at the Hodgdon website is showing a little over 1700fps from a full load of H110 and a 158gn jacketed and still managing to keep the pressure within the max allowed. And there's a few other loads that push to over 1600 fps.
 
neal said:
Have you found the .358's shoot better in your ruger too? Which lee bullet are you using and is it gas checked?
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I'm shooting the Lee 358-158-FN bullet cast at a hardness of 18bhn.
I sometimes gas-check them (I have a custom made gas-check maker) and sometimes not. Less leading with the gas check.

BCRider said:
The online reloading data at the Hodgdon website is showing a little over 1700fps from a full load of H110 and a 158gn jacketed and still managing to keep the pressure within the max allowed. And there's a few other loads that push to over 1600 fps.
Click to expand...

I tried H110's twin, the W296 and had to increase the charge to 16.6gr to attain the velocities listed in the book for 16gr.
And since I can't reduce the W296 loads, I decided to stay with A2400.

edit: we're talking about full-loads 357mag here
 
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