Author Topic: .357 Magnum (Read 3319 times)

Bearcat 74 · « **on:** December 12, 2007, 02:05:42 PM »

Guys I found a nice S&W 686 with a 6" barrel and I like it! I have honestly never fooled with a .357, only shot one 4-5 times always with no ear plugs and it just turned me off. I was dumber then. This will be a stupid question to a lot of you, but would the .357 loaded with the 180 Nosler's work for deer and hogs? I don't use a pistol a lot, but I do like having one. I have a Ruger Blackhawk .41 Magnum 4 5/8" it shoots great but I am intrigued by the .357 mainly because I don't own one.

Thanks!

LEO · « **Reply #1 on:** December 12, 2007, 03:45:13 PM »

I have no experience with the 180 grain Nosler bullet but I have killed several hogs (most 200 lbs or less) and a couple of deer with a 357 magnum handgun. Most were shot with a 4" Ruger Security Six revolver some were shot with a 4" S&W 686. The load most of them were shot with was 158 grain JHP although some were shot with 125 hollow points. Few were shot farther than 25 yards away. I was not hunting with the handgun but rather taking advantage of targets of opportunity when I was out and about. I had no complaints with the performance of either gun or load on deer or hogs. The 6" gun should give slightly better performance. I only took good shots,(broadside or head shots). I wouldn't hesitate to meat hunt with the 357 where the shots would be close and I could wait for the right angle. I don't know that I would carry it "horn hunting" where I might only get one opportunity during the season but if you are willing to pass less than ideal shots it should work for that to.

SuperstitionCoues · « **Reply #2 on:** December 12, 2007, 05:09:08 PM »

Works great on javelina, rattlesnakes and cans. 158 gr jhp is preferred.

Anything with teeth or an attitude, I have begun to carry a 44 Magnum. I really don't want to be bear bait or cat chow.

.357 shooter · « **Reply #3 on:** December 12, 2007, 07:20:24 PM »

I have killed alot of whitetail with the .357 and feel that anything bigger than 158 soft point is not needed. I feel this caliber kills better with lighter faster bullets. Lately I have been using .125 grain soft points and getting really good results. Now with that said I don't really care for hollow points on game deer size and up. I do not have experience with hogs but have shot 2 black bear with the .357 using 158grain soft points. I was not specifically hunting bear they were targets of opertunity one 250 bruin and the other a 150 sow. Both were within 40yards, both one shot kills behind the front shoulder. Neither traveled any farther than most of the deer I have shot after the shot. I feel I would have done just as well with the 125 softpoints. If you run run the 158 between 1200 and 1300 and the 125s between 1400 and 1500 you should have a dead pig, bear or deer with good shot placement. Now mind you I limit my shots on deer to 60 yards and bear at 50 and under. Bear is broadside or quartering away. Deer broadside, quartering away and towards me and frontal facing me.

Oh and all I use is a Ruger BlackHawk with a 4 5/8 barrel.

mcwoodduck · « **Reply #4 on:** December 12, 2007, 08:08:00 PM »

I have a S&W 686 Silhouette. It has a four position adjustable front sight. I use 158 grain American Eagle JSP in it. I have it set to hit targets out to 200 yards (#4 on the dial) and it will break a clay bird on the hill side. I have not hunted with it yet but I am going for Javilina this Spring.
I like the American Eagle stuff, it's Federal but cheaper. Meaning I can shoot more on my budget and be able to make the shots I want to take, or worse need to make. I usually buy 500 at a time. Reminds me, I'm down to my last 100 and need to order more. I first sighted the gun in on the Fiochi 148 Grain JSP stuff but my source for it dried up so I changed.
The 180's are great. I did try a box, but I can't afford them as my every day ammo. I don't keep someday hunting ammo for a gun. I also have a M29 6" for bigger things with a leg in each corner.
I also have a S&W M 28 4" that I keep for the house. It has 125 grain Golden Sabers. I do have some of the Remington 125 grain Semi Jacketed Hollow points as they are hotter then the Gold sabers for the trail. I feel good carrying them for any critter in the woods. In a self defense situation I would not feel under gunned against a hog with any .357 mag ammo. Deer usually run away, especially if you talk to it. If a deer keeps coming worry about what's chasing it. If the deer thinks it's a bigger threat then you, it most likely is! Get ready!

Mikey · « **Reply #5 on:** December 13, 2007, 12:21:48 AM »

I don't see any problem with that combination but unlike mcwoodduck and 357 shooter I prefer to stay away from light weight hollowpoints in a shorter barrelled 357. Mine is a M28 rebarrelled to 3.5" and both it and I prefer a 200 gn semi-wadcutter over a hefty charge of WW296.

A 6" 686 should do just fine with 180s. JMTCW. Mikey.

StrawHat · « **Reply #6 on:** December 13, 2007, 02:06:52 AM »

Quote from: Mikey on December 13, 2007, 12:21:48 AM

. Mine is a M28 rebarrelled to 3.5" Mikey.

Mikey,

I don't want to steal the thread but I sure would like to see a photo of that.

Perhaps a seperate thread.

Thanks

Bearcat 74 · « **Reply #7 on:** December 14, 2007, 03:23:14 PM »

Thanks for the info guys, I would limit shots to under 50yds as I am not real confident in my abilities. I will roll it around some.

Thanks again

Mikey · « **Reply #8 on:** December 15, 2007, 01:24:25 AM »

Strawhat: That revolver started life as a 6" Highway Patrolman. After a bunch of years I sent it back to S&W to have it rebarrelled to 4" but they were out of 4" tapered barrels so I agreed to let them install a 3.5" barrel from a Model 27 and blue everything else to match. As soon as I can figure out how to (1) take a picture and (2) how to post it here, I will do so. Mikey.

Catfish · « **Reply #9 on:** December 15, 2007, 06:14:59 AM »

Like abt. everyone else, I think that anything over 158 gn. is to heavy for the .357 mag. I like the Sierra bullets and also think the for anything larger than deer you should use the JSP or hard cast gas checked bullets on.

Old Griz · « **Reply #10 on:** December 16, 2007, 05:45:21 PM »

Quote from: Bearcat 74 on December 12, 2007, 02:05:42 PM

I am intrigued by the .357 mainly because I don't own one.

I was just the opposite. I started out with .357s and then bought a .41 [S&W 57] because I was just intrigued by it. I love the .41 and personally would always use it on deer rather than a .357, however, the .357 will do just fine. Especially within the 50 yard range you are using. As old as my eyes are, 50 yards is as far as I like to shoot anything with a handgun without a scope on it.

Bearcat 74 · « **Reply #11 on:** January 09, 2008, 01:28:58 PM »

Guys, I just traded and got the 686, it came with a b-square scope rail and a red dot, the rear sight is gone and that's what I want to shoot, open sights. Where can a man get a real sight assembly for a 686?

Thanks

Mikey · « **Reply #12 on:** January 09, 2008, 03:04:58 PM »

Bearcat 74: call Smith and Wesson - you can get the number from their website - and they should ship it directly, screws and all. HTH and good luck. Mikey.

warrior1 · « **Reply #13 on:** January 09, 2008, 04:55:17 PM »

bearcat, go for it. there's alot vension being eaten that was shot with the 357. dan

grhornet · « **Reply #14 on:** January 10, 2008, 10:58:59 AM »

I agree with 357.shooter. Lighter bullets are best. I have a friend who use's nothing but 125 grain speer's, and gets his deer every year, and I cant tell you how many woodchucks.
I use speer's 140, and 16.5 grains of 2400. I also use a ruger 45/8th barrel Rich

Bearcat 74 · « **Reply #15 on:** January 10, 2008, 02:16:28 PM »

Thanks for the replies fellas. I will give Smith a call and see what they say. A friend has mentioned that lighter 125's, 140's, and 158's may do better than 180's. He has also talked about an accurate 110gr load that was around 2000fps for varmints, that is fast!

Bearcat 74 · « **Reply #16 on:** January 10, 2008, 02:33:08 PM »

How would the Smith handle cast bullets? Would there be a problem with the thinner rifling?

Thanks

jcn59 · « **Reply #17 on:** January 10, 2008, 05:26:35 PM »

I've bought S & W rear sights from Gun Parts Corp. recently for $15-$20 bucks each less the screws.

Bearcat 74 · « **Reply #18 on:** January 12, 2008, 01:35:02 AM »

Checked e-gun parts and the sight was $55, I had my gunsmith check and he was $46, so I am getting one from him.

Thanks

begeberg · « **Reply #19 on:** January 13, 2008, 05:40:54 AM »

I shot my Buck this year with a TC 10 inch and 180 grain Federal HPs. 55 yards off a rest shot him first in the head, entered at the corner of the eye went thru the head but did not exit! Finished him with a side shot behind the shoulder and it did not exit either! It weighed around 170 so not a monster. I will most likely use a 158 jacketed soft point driven to max velocities next year. I was really surprized that Federal load didn't exit.

Bearcat 74 · « **Reply #20 on:** January 18, 2008, 04:38:33 PM »

How heavy of a crimp do you guys use?

Mikey · « **Reply #21 on:** January 19, 2008, 01:46:50 AM »

Bearcat: all I shoot in my 357s is cast bullets. I mentioned previously that I prefer a heavy slug from a short barrel on the 357. The additional weight gives it more 'carry' over the velocity loss.

That being said I had hoped Jerry Lester would have responded. He is really the Graybeard 357 Guru. Jerry prefers a 357 carbine and a 6" (I believe) revolver. I believe he also prefers the 125 gn hollowpoint from his carbine and possibly the 158 gn soft point from his revolver. I do not believe he ever loses a deer.

But, when you talk 'bear and hog', you are talking about different critters than a whitetail. Both bear and hog have heavier bone structures and lots of fat and grizzle that will keep most light weight hollow points from getting to the vital area. Most folk I know who hunt either of those two critters with a 357 prefer hard cast and heavy for the bore bullets to get through and through penetration - better to have the nasty ones leakin' from two holes than one. Yes, they can be had with the 158 gn weight slugs but I prefer heavier loads.

The accuracy of cast bullets continues to surprise me. I can take that short(er) barreled 357 to the silhouette range and, as long as I take enough front sight (I'm too lazy to raise and lower my rear sights these days) I can ring the gong, gig the pig, dong the gong or make the porker sing at 200 yds with that revolver and 200 gn cast slugs.
JMTCW. Mikey.

.357 shooter · « **Reply #22 on:** January 19, 2008, 03:03:15 AM »

First off let me clear one thing up. Nowhere in my above post did I state hollowpoint anything. Matter of fact i stated I do not care for hollowpoints for hunting no matter what caliber. Now a good stout soft point is another story. With alot of the good technology today with bullets, you get some good exspansion with out compromising pentration. You get a good combination of both. Out of the bullets I have tested from the main manufactures Rem., speer, win., fed., magtech. All 125 SP's to 158SP. All worked on deer total penetration, with just enough bullet upset to create extensive damage on vitals. I have tested hard cast also getting great penetration but I did not get the vital damage I got with soft points. Deer just went farther with casts then they did with softpoints with the same vital hits.
Mikey, no direspect but you keep comparing silouette shootingat 200yards to hunting. If you shoot an animal at 50 60 yards that animal will not know whether you shot him with a 200 grn bullet or a 125 grn bullet at that range as long as you put the bullet where it needs to go. Maybe if you hit shoulder a slight advantage might go to the 200grn, but my exsperience has yet to see this, because I have hit shoulder with 125s and 158s at these hunting yardages and still got plenty of penetration and dead animals.

Now as far as hogs. I have never hunted. But I firmly believe that if you place a good soft point in the vitals of a pig no matter what size and lets face it from what I hear is very few wild pigs get over 250. It will be dead...

Bearcat 74 · « **Reply #23 on:** January 19, 2008, 06:15:24 AM »

Thanks for the replies guys.

I had 25 or so Sierra 158gr JHP's laying here so I loaded them up. Max by Hodgdon is 16.7grs of H110, accuracy was good, I only shot at 25yds, but they were accurate, velocity was 1220fps. Cases were easy to extract, no primer signs. The factory stuff I ran through it was a 158 JSP@1280fps. With the 16.7 of H110 I had powder in the case and in the barrel, is that normal? I am new to pistols and reloading in general. I used a Lee Factory crimp and with a light crimp accuracy was good velocity 1200fps, hard crimp 1280fps. What loads are you guys shooting, velocity and what crimp are you guys using? This will not be a primary hunting gun, I will hunt with it but not all the time. I have a 41 Mag also if I want to go higher. In all honesty, pigs would be very rare to get a shot at. I will try 180-200gr cast at some point, but right now I am going to play with the 158's. The JHP's will be paper punchers and varminters.

Thanks

Bearcat 74 · « **Reply #24 on:** January 26, 2008, 09:00:01 AM »

I loaded up 16.5grs of H110, 158gr XTP-Flat Point, a CCI 550M primer, and a heavy crimp with the Lee factory Crimp die and tried it out. Velocity average was 1241fps. The group was at 25yds, I am new to pistols but I figure this is a pretty good group, I was resting on sand bags. The flat point is supposed to penetrate real well, so I think this will work for a hunting load. When the weather clears up I am going to try it at 50yds.

Velocity sound about right at 1241fps? I see figures from 1100-1500+?