« previous next »
Pages: [1]   Go Down

Author Topic: killing range  (Read 1009 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline barber

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 334
  • Gender: Male
  • lilke hunting with handguns, metal detecting,
killing range
« on: July 11, 2007, 05:57:59 AM »
How far is the reasonable range for deer hunting with a .357 Max, Contender with 10 inch barrel, for a reasonably proficient shooter, , about 200 yards?  or less?
Logged
barber

Offline Ken ONeill

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1259
  • Gender: Male
Re: killing range
« Reply #1 on: July 11, 2007, 11:31:43 AM »
100-125 yds. if scoped, and a very proficient handgunner.
Logged

Offline Lloyd Smale

  • Moderators
  • Trade Count: (32)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 18278
Re: killing range
« Reply #2 on: July 11, 2007, 01:36:11 PM »
ill go with ken on this one
Logged
blue lives matter

Offline Hooker

  • Trade Count: (2)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1581
Re: killing range
« Reply #3 on: July 11, 2007, 01:37:25 PM »
100-125 yrds sound about right. I've taken deer with my 357 mag and iron sites at 70-75 yrds.

Pat
Logged
" In the beginning of change, the patriot is a brave and scarce man,hated and scorned. when the cause succeeds however,the timid join him...for then it cost nothing to be a patriot. "
-Mark Twain
"What country can preserve its liberties if its rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms."
-- Thomas Jefferson to William Stephens Smith, 1787. ME 6:373, Papers 12:356

Offline Grumulkin

  • Trade Count: (33)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2028
    • http://www.orchardphoto.com
Re: killing range
« Reply #4 on: July 11, 2007, 04:05:51 PM »
The way to find out is to shoot your gun at whatever range you wish to take deer at.  If, at that range, be it 50 or 200 yards, you can keep all shots within 6 or 8 inches from the position you'll use when hunting, then the gun will be OK to use at that range.

I shoot a scoped 357 Herret which has just a little bit better performance than the 357 Maximum.  With that gun, I'll take an off hand shot at up to 50 yards but want a good rest such as shooting sticks or the prone position for shots longer than that.  I've never shot it at a 200 yard target so wouldn't want to bet it would be accurate enough at that range for hunting.

With handguns, I've seen bullets that would give excellent (1 or 2 inch) groups at 50 yards that would only group 6 or 8 inches or more at 100 yards so don't assume good groups at 100 yards mean acceptable 200 yard groups.
Logged

Offline barber

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 334
  • Gender: Male
  • lilke hunting with handguns, metal detecting,
Re: killing range
« Reply #5 on: July 11, 2007, 07:00:19 PM »
Thanks fellas, I thought I was prob'ly  over estimating  the practical range.  And I'm assuming it would be about the same for a .44 mag  with a 10 or 14 inch barrel.
Logged
barber

Offline Lone Star

  • Reformed Gunwriter
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2359
  • Gender: Male
Re: killing range
« Reply #6 on: July 12, 2007, 03:45:40 PM »
Bullet performance can be just as important as bullet placement.  A 125 HP .357" bullet at 200 yards might not penetrate well except on broadside lung shots. I've killed deer out to 200 yards with my .300 Savage Contender, but that was with a good rest at stationary deer.  Bullet performance was excellent at that range too - 150 BTips.  But I knew both the pistol's and my own accuracy potential at that range - I'd been shooting top-class longrange silhouette for years out to 220 yards.  Not everyonoe can do this even with the right handgun and load.

Bottlenecked cases like the Savage and Herret shoot flatter than a .44 Mag or big .357, and they usually have better long range accuracy.  Due to the limits of bullet drop/range estimation, 100-125 yards is probably a good limit for most hunters with the straight cases.

.
Logged
Pages: [1]   Go Up
« previous next »