Author Topic: Why the 357mag in a Rifle?? (Read 1726 times)

McLernon · « **on:** September 13, 2007, 02:18:57 PM »

Please don't take this post the wrong way. I honestly don't understand why folks want a pistol cartridge in a rifle. What am I missing. Please help!

Mc

quickdtoo · « **Reply #1 on:** September 13, 2007, 02:26:09 PM »

Just one look at the price of factory 357mag ammo tells me it's even cheaper to shoot than the 223, for one, low recoil is another.

Tim

357mag ammo

38 Special ammo

McLernon · « **Reply #2 on:** September 13, 2007, 02:29:46 PM »

If you reload can you increase the charge in 357 that is for use in a rifle???

Mc

rbergum95 · « **Reply #3 on:** September 13, 2007, 02:37:17 PM »

in some cases yes. most load data books have rifle specific handgun data. in all cases wether pistol specific or rifle specific, ballistics are always better in a rifle. i have never shot a pistol caliber rifle that i wouldnt be willing to hunt with.

snmann · « **Reply #4 on:** September 13, 2007, 02:53:51 PM »

I am going to get a .357 mag. barrel for these reasons.

1) ammo prices
2) low recoil so the boys can practice lots
3) for us, deer are shot at under 100 yards

I don't reload so I buy factory ammo.

Buffalo Bore ammo: 158 gr. .357 2153 fps out of a rifle barrel
Federal 150 gr. 30-30 2390 fps

I assume you can shoot .38's out of it??

trotterlg · « **Reply #5 on:** September 13, 2007, 03:09:49 PM »

If you like shooting the 357 barrel you would love shooting my 30 Carbine rifle. Larry

burntmuch · « **Reply #6 on:** September 13, 2007, 03:44:03 PM »

Cheap to plink with. My girls are gonna learn with a 357max handi. Start with mag ammo then switch over to max. But mostly cheap to shoot. Jay

LEO · « **Reply #7 on:** September 13, 2007, 04:22:23 PM »

For me the 357 magnum Handi is about the perfect woods roaming cartridge. You can shoot a squirrel with light loaded cast bullets and only lose slightly more meat than a 22 solid and less than with most hollow points. With hotter loads it is entirely adequate for varmints such as coyotes, skunks and crows with in reasonable ranges, remember we are talking woods roaming not out and out varmint hunting. Where legal, I imagine it would make a fine turkey rifle with mild loads. Then with the proper loads, it is suitable for deer and hogs at woods ranges and while it is not ideal more than one black bear has fallen to the 357 round. It is dirt cheap to shoot, has almost no recoil and very little muzzle blast. It like a lot of other cartridges out there doesn't have a lot of flash and glamour but just keeps getting the job done time and time again. Contrary tp what the gunwriters would have you to believe, a whitetail deer is not that hard to kill if you put an adequate bullet in the vitals and inside 100 yards the 357 magnum with a good jacketed or hardcast lead bulllet is entirely adequate.

Mac11700 · « **Reply #8 on:** September 13, 2007, 07:15:27 PM »

Quote from: McLernon on September 13, 2007, 02:18:57 PM

Please don't take this post the wrong way. I honestly don't understand why folks want a pistol cartridge in a rifle. What am I missing. Please help!

Mc

Sort of hankers back to the olden days...being able to carry a six gun on your hip and shoot the same cartridge in your rifle...Use the pistol for up close varmints...and the rifle for those further away...

Mac

LaOtto222 · « **Reply #9 on:** September 13, 2007, 11:07:26 PM »

In Indiana this year pistol cartridges of 357 or bigger that have cases not longer than 1.650" are legal to shoot deer with. The only center fire rounds you can shoot deer with. They are fun to shoot. They make a cheap plinking round. They are easy to reload for. Did I mention they are fun? They have low recoil. When using 38 Special loads they are extremely quiet, almost like shooting with a silencer. They make just pluuu sound, much quieter than a 22 high velocity. They seem to be quieter than even a 22 rim fire subsonic.

hellacatcher · « **Reply #10 on:** September 14, 2007, 12:24:35 AM »

It is the only NEF I have or have had that shoots worth a dang.

Chilachuck · « **Reply #11 on:** September 14, 2007, 05:33:51 AM »

Because I lost enough hearing already.

The longest shot I've taken on a deer was about 75 yards, and that was in an unusual situation. The usual shot is only about 30 yards.

I've lost 2 deer out of 2 dozen, and the 75 yard shot was not one of them. A .357 mag is plenty.

burntmuch · « **Reply #12 on:** September 14, 2007, 11:49:19 AM »

Cause its one of the calibers I didnt have. I do some hunting out of a canoe & Im thinking a short little 357 max would work real nice ( recoil wont knock me out of the canoe. But mostley cause it was one of the calibers I didnt have. Jay

lik2hunt · « **Reply #13 on:** September 14, 2007, 01:56:32 PM »

35. cal bullets at velocities well able to penetrate deer hide. Known to be a quite accurate round from a rifle. Cheap ammo. Low recoil. 38 Specials and 360 DW can be shot also. Rat shot can be toyed around with for the varmints around the house, stray cays included (or the neighbor's cat). Good candidate barrel for several rechamber/rebore jobs. And also........not at all the least reason either.......because it goes BOOM and it's a Handi.

Grizz_ · « **Reply #14 on:** September 14, 2007, 02:26:31 PM »

It's a whole 'nother animal in a rifle. With 185g cast folks are taking deer, hogs, aligators, bears, etc. Check out the specs on Buffalo Bore's heavy .357. It's a great round in rifles..,

quickdtoo · « **Reply #15 on:** September 14, 2007, 02:32:18 PM »

Here's the BuffaloBore specs that Grizz_ is referring to...

18.5 inch Marlin 1894

a. Item 19A/20-180gr. Hard Cast = 1851 fps
b. Item 19B/20-170gr. JHC = 1860 fps
c. Item 19C/20-158gr. Speer Uni Core = 2153 fps---- Can you believe this?!!!
d. Item 19D/20-125gr. Speer Uni Core = 2298 fps---- Or this?!!!

http://www.buffalobore.com/ammunition/default.htm#357

Cabin4 · « **Reply #16 on:** September 14, 2007, 02:38:00 PM »

It can kill a deer... great gun for a youngster as is first woods deer rifle

Small very light weight, excellent as gun for a mountain lion or lynx hunt with hounds

safetysheriff · « **Reply #17 on:** September 14, 2007, 02:51:03 PM »

Quote from: lik2hunt on September 14, 2007, 01:56:32 PM

And also........not at all the least reason either.......because it goes BOOM and it's a Handi.

you just have to respect a man that can sum it all up so succinctly!

what more does one really need to know?

ss'

whiteoper · « **Reply #18 on:** September 14, 2007, 05:14:00 PM »

I am new here and can't comment on the 357mag specifically; however, I bought a 45 carbine because it shoots the same ammo as by Vaqaro. You haven't seen anything untill you see a six year old boy step up to the firing line at 25 yards and blow a can of pop sky- high shooting the little handi rifle off hand. His smile is worth every red cent spent on a handi rifle with a pistal chamber. Let us remeber the 44-40 and 38-40 were rifle rounds first.

Roscoe

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #19 on:** September 15, 2007, 10:45:09 AM »

If you have to ask, you just wouldn't understand.

McLernon · « **Reply #20 on:** September 15, 2007, 04:41:42 PM »

You're wrong Cat!!! As a result of this thread and all the great responses I now am suitably educated! Some very 'intawesting' comments. Thanks a bunch guy's That 45 LC is starting to come into focus now and I feel the urge to experience what you guy's have experienced.

Thanks again.

Mc

Uncle Ji · « **Reply #21 on:** September 16, 2007, 10:01:35 AM »

Good Article:
http://www.leverguns.com/articles/paco/357_magnum_and_the_literature.htm

handi243 · « **Reply #22 on:** September 16, 2007, 10:38:09 AM »

I think my question is why not.

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #23 on:** September 16, 2007, 11:33:44 AM »

Quote from: McLernon on September 15, 2007, 04:41:42 PM

You're wrong Cat!!! As a result of this thread ...

GOOD!

carp · « **Reply #24 on:** September 16, 2007, 11:40:39 AM »

A picture is worth a thousand words.

Ireload2 · « **Reply #25 on:** September 16, 2007, 05:44:52 PM »

I think it is the "F" word....

as in fun.....

McLernon · « **Reply #26 on:** September 23, 2007, 06:42:09 AM »

You see we in Ontario Canada have WISE gun laws that prevent me from roaming the woods with anything 0.275 caliber or more. This law was designed to assure safety of all people in Southern Ontario. We are inherently smart people us Canadians so our laws reflect this cleverness. We all know and accept that it would be dangerous to roam the woods with a 45LC or a 45-70 BPRC. It is far safer to allow people to carry and blast away with 270's, 260's, or 270 Weatherby magnums. What craziness, eh? But 275 is the limit nonetheless.

So while I would like to get that little 45LC all I can do with it is shoot it at the range or head to the nort-woods.( way nort)

Mc

dw06 · « **Reply #27 on:** September 23, 2007, 06:49:49 AM »

Good one Mc,and point taken!

McLernon · « **Reply #28 on:** September 23, 2007, 07:19:23 AM »

While I am on the topic of good governance, I should tell you " 'mericans ' that we also have a long gun registry requiring all long guns to be registered. These laws are so good that even the criminals have to get their guns registered. Canadian criminals being a 'cut-above' their American counter-parts I am sure abide by these laws.

Also, any sealed shipping containers are clearly marked " no guns allowed" so we don't have the problem of gun smuggling and that long border between our two countries is constantly patrolled by enough armed Canadians to ensure that no guns can come across the border from the U.S. These Canadians are space at equal intervals along the border within site of each other to prevent any illegal trafficking in guns. Unfortunately this only leaves a few of us to do the work of writing and distribution information on new gun laws. We are a fine people yes, but what about knives and blunt objects and heaven forbid, sharp sticks. And what about sharp words and anger. No we don't have such thngs, not in Canada.

Let's see now, sharp sticks are spears, right?

Mc

sanso1 · « **Reply #29 on:** September 23, 2007, 07:52:15 AM »

I had a marlin 357 levergun for years and loved it. heard all the endless opinions from everyone around me how I was shooting a pistol cartridge. fact is the 18" brrl marlin was shooting 125gr pills really well.
in fact at 100yds ANY critter under 200 pounds would be on my dinner table if so desired. it shot so well I put a scope on the rifle. eventually sold it and like most guns we sell, I'm REALLY sorry. the current owner handloads for it and claims 2000 FPS

absolutely if you are considering 357 out of a rifle, I couldn't think of a better platform than a handi + your own worked-up handloads.