Author Topic: .357 mag. rifle vs. 44 mag pistol (Read 2872 times)

Britt · « **on:** January 02, 2003, 06:03:19 AM »

I dont get it, people say that a 44 mag in a hand gun is more than enough energy to take down a deer, yet the 357 mag is under powered as a deer rifle. The energy a 357 rifle produces is close to a 44 mag if I am not confused. At under 100 yards wouldnt you be just fine.

Graybeard · « **Reply #1 on:** January 02, 2003, 06:15:14 PM »

Forget paper energy. It don't kill animals. The .44 Magnum in a handgun has been proven adequate for every animal that walks the earth to include the great bears and elephant and cape buffs. The .357 Mag. is a pipsqueek by comparison. The bullet weight and diameter just aren't there. Still in a rifle I'd not be concerned about it not being enough for deer if the user is both a hunter and a shooter. If he knows how to get close and place the bullet the round will do.

GB

Britt · « **Reply #2 on:** January 03, 2003, 04:30:19 AM »

That makes good sense to me, thanks for clearing that up. I will be using it as a close courters Blacktail gun, 50 yards and less. Thanks

Butler · « **Reply #3 on:** January 07, 2003, 04:45:16 PM »

I worked with an Indian in canada who only ever hunted with a .22 LR.He used it on deer, moose and black bear..Stupid if you ask me but he always had meat..For close shots on deer the 357 should be fine with the right shot.

Dogshooter · « **Reply #4 on:** January 09, 2003, 06:12:33 PM »

They actually legalized the 357 for deer and elk here in Wyoming and I know a guy (real rocket scientist) that bought a lever action (Rossi I think) and went elk hunting this year with it. He got a young cow with it and told me he had to shoot her 6 times to get her down. He was less than 50 yards away. Some people...........

Flatlander.54 · « **Reply #5 on:** March 06, 2003, 01:54:15 PM »

In response to the post of the Indian fella who hunted with a .22....Alot of people may think it stupid and unwise to carry a .22 on a hunt, and Im not condoning this in any way shape or form...but during the depression my Grandfather fed his family (8 kids and a wife) a regular diet of venison with only a .22 rifle using .22 lr and .22 shorts when they were all he could find or afford.
40 grains of lead will do the job when you put it in the brain. If I were put in a situation where I had to feed my family by any means possible, I wouldnt feel at all undergunned with a .22lr

John Y Cannuck · « **Reply #6 on:** March 07, 2003, 12:53:18 AM »

Similar situation?
Consider the 30-30. Pipsqueak as a rifle round, Hand Cannon/Elk fodder as a pistol round. Go figure!

Black Jaque Janaviac · « **Reply #7 on:** March 14, 2003, 05:16:16 AM »

Energy figures are a part of the key - not the whole story. Bullet weight and construction have as much to do with it.

A .50 caliber roundball from a muzzle loader weighs 177 grains and goes about the same speed as the .357 from a rifle. The .50 is considered adequate for deer out to 100 yards. I don't see why the .357 mag shot from a rifle wouldn't be.

As for bullet construction: A .357 soft point is better than a .30-06 FMJ for deer. The FMJ is an extreme example, but it illustrates how KE alone doesn't tell the whole story.

Likewise KE IS valuable. Nobody in their right mind will tell you the .44 mag has it all over the .30-06 because the .44 launches a bigger, heavier bullet.

It ain't the size of the bullet - it's the size of the wound channel. PERIOD.

I think the difference between .430 and .357 in terms of lethal effect is balogny. If the .357 is merely making a .357 diameter hole something is seriously wrong.

I suspect that for hunting deer, the .357 from a rifle will be fine IF YOU CHOOSE THE RIGHT BULLET. Don't use home or personal defense loads! That's when you're flirting with the possibility of blowing away the shoulder but not penetrating to the vitals.

The bottom line is, know the limitations of the gun. Of course the .357 will have more limitations than a .44 will - shot from the same gun.

Desperado357 · « **Reply #8 on:** June 23, 2003, 12:10:51 AM »

Corbon makes a 200 grain penetrater and hard cast flat point that are supposed to be used as bear protection in side arms they also make a 180 grain bonded core soft point thats perfect for deer id go with penetrater its the most powerful of the three

kciH · « **Reply #9 on:** July 03, 2003, 06:35:21 AM »

Proper bullets selections will be the most important factor with the .357, right behind shot placement. As with all "marginal" rounds, bullet placement and construction are of the utmost importance. A hardcast, heavy for caliber, bullet would be the answer here in my opinion.