S&W 686 .357 Magnum for deer/black bear?

[The Old Man]

I've hunted deer with a .50 cal flintlock pistol, and successfully harvested a doe with one shot, and a 50 yard "track" that was a no brainer since it ran straight to me after the shot.


What I want to do now is use my .357 Mag pistol for a whitetail. That's the easy part. The hard part is black bear have moved into my hunting area, and I want to carry the magnum as a just in case during bow season. I worked up a load using H 110 powder/Magnum primer, and a hard cast 180gr gas checked bullet last season, which turned out to be most accurate with the max allowed load. Do you guys think this handload would be enough to stop a medium sized black bear? I sold my 629 44 magnum when the arthritus in my hands caused more pain to me than it did to the deer. The .357 is now what I have.

[Graybeard]

I feel your pain on the recoil. I sure can't handle the recoil these days I used to be able to handle.

I've never shot a deer with a .357 magnum and I guess I kinda consider it on the minimum end of enough. Still long ago Jerry Lester used to post here and it was his favorite round for deer hunting. As I recall he used both revolver and rifle so chambered and his choice was a 158 grain JSP.

I'd sure want more in my hands than a .357 if an angry bear was trying to have me as his supper. Still if you are going to use one I believe the load you have chosen is as good a choice as there is in that chambering.

Have you thought about using heavy loaded .44 Special ammo in that .44 magnum? I'd trust the old Skeeter Skelton load of 7.5 grains of Unique under a Lyman 429421 aka Keith bullet far more than the .357 and recoil shouldn't be any worse.

Back when S&W first came out with the M69 I picked one up. It's chambered to .44 Magnum and I have tried full magnum loads in it but I am not up to that level of recoil these days. It only weighs 37 oz and full magnum recoil is way more than this old handgunner wants anymore. But my version of the Skeeter load uses 7.8 grains rather than 7.5 grains of Unique and I can easily deal with that.

I call it my bear gun not that I'm in bear country or am likely to ever be. But if I were it's what I'd be toting. I bought it primarily as a .44 Special gun but liked that it could take the .44 magnum, problem is I can't these days, not in that light gun.

[The Old Man]

I considered loading the 629 down to 44 Special velocities, but it wasn't appealing to me. Couldn't really trust itI guess.


I was hoping one of the guys here would have used the .357 for bear successfully, and would share it. Actually, the chance of the bear spotted in the area coming face to face is slim, but I just like to  have something to defend myself if it should happen. I've read stories of a bear being killed with a 9mm, and one unbelievable story, documented, where a Brown bear besting the world record was taken with a .22 rimfire, shot behind the ear I believe! The .357 just might be enough.......maybe.


Thanks for the thoughts.

[Lloyd Smale]

never killed a deer or a bear with a 357. Never had to as ive had proper guns for the job.  Have killed bear, pigs and deer with 44 keith level special loads like a 250 at around 900 fps and it kills like theres no tomorrow. Would a 357 kill a black bear? Sure it would. Ive killed bear with bigger sixguns, rifles and even bows and in my experience there no harder to kill then deer (im talking black bear) Matter of fact a well hit bear tends to run about half what a deer hit the same will. Deer seem to run as much out of terror as they do pain. Bear seem to feel the pain and want to lay down as soon as there out of sight. Lots of bear hunting around here. LOTS of dogs running bear and the biggest bunch I know that use dogs to hunt with do it with 357 handguns and carbines. They all use 357s so in a pinch they all use the same ammo. But there shooting treed bear and have dogs to protect them. My opinion is big game handguns start with the number 4. Id much rather be armed with a 44 spec 41 mag or even more so a 44 mag to hunt bear. Heck even deer. I know if I shot one and in his panic he decided to run my way id much rather plant a 429 240-300 grain bullet in him to stop him then a 158 grain 357 cal bullet

[The Old Man]

That's some of what I was looking to find out, and it's got me feeling a bit better about my .357. The 44 Mag I sold would have been ideal for my purposes, excepting for my hands and wrists hurting for days after a few rounds. The .357 is much esier on the arthritus, and at least now I know there's a group of bear hunters who find it acceptable for black bear.


When you mentioned the 41 Magnum you got me to thinking. That round falls pretty much between the 44 & 357, does have a decent reputation for killing power, and it seems like a viable alternative for bear as well. I've never owned a 40 cal anything, so I don't really know if my hands could take the recoil, but if someone down at the gun club has one one day, I may ask if I can try it.


It's a good thing I married a good woman who understands the concept of never having all the guns you need!

[Dee]

I've never shot a black bear, but I've got several decades worth of experience with the 357 mag in all kinds of loadings. I would feel well armed with your 357 mag load, however for protection against bears (any bear), I'd rather have a 12 gauge with slugs.


But that wasn't the question. Your load oughta do it.

[The Old Man]

I've never shot a black bear, but I've got several decades worth of experience with the 357 mag in all kinds of loadings. I would feel well armed with your 357 mag load, however for protection against bears (any bear), I'd rather have a 12 gauge with slugs.


But that wasn't the question. Your load oughta do it.

Thanks Dee, I'm a bit more confident carrying the 357 through archery season, your post definately aided in that.


We're going to be moving to bear country in thhe near future, (we've had enough of the protests, rioting, and looting), and the 357 will end up as my carry gun, at least until we see how often we're visited by the local bruins.

[northwoodneil]

Maybe I missed it but you didn't say what type of bear. Black bear, I think 357 would be doable, griz or brown I wouldn't want to bump into without a rifle. You know -to slow to run, to old to fight.

[Dee]

Yeah, black bear was in his post. And although I haven't shot a grizzled either, but having seen them I wouldn't want to  try one on with a 357, OR a 44 mag.


I'd carry my 1100 with magnum slugs.

[rustic bob]

I have been using a Contender 10" .357 for deer the last three years. 158g Hornady XTP over 20g of W296. Three shots, three deer, two dropped in their tracks, one went less than fifty yards and died on his feet. Can't pull my bow anymore so am really enjoying hunting with the pistol.

[The Old Man]

I know this is off topic, but back when I had my heart valve replaced pulling a bow back wasn't going to happen for a long while with my breast bone cut in two. My son and wife conspired to get me a crossbow, nothing fancy, just a Barnet Wildcat. Let me tell you rustic bob, the Xbow let me hunt that archery season, and since Xbow was allowed during gun season as well, it helped me enjoy my deer hunting that year. Still use it today.

Might be an idea to get you back in the woods for archery season.

[rustic bob]

I know I could use a xbow during archery season, but
i hunted with a recurve for over thirty years and just cannot bring myself to use anything with wheels on it. We have a 12 day firearms season, and then another 12 day pistol season in December, that gets me out in the woods quite a bit.

[Bullseye]

So buy the brand crossbow (I forget the brand) that has recurve limbs and no wheels.

[The Old Man]

I see rustic bob's point, somethings in life need to be left as we love them most, and I think that's the way he feels about the recurve. Hard to verbalize, but I believe I understand. That wa a pretty good suggestion though, Bullseye.