Author Topic: .357 Maximum as a deer round (Read 2210 times)

jason280 · « **on:** May 01, 2005, 08:08:07 AM »

I just picked up a 10" .357 Maximum barrel for my Contender, and I plan on using it this deer season. I know a few of these questions were answered in the "cast vs jacketed" thread, but I was curious to see how it would apply to a smaller bullet. I'm probably going to stick with 180-200 gr bullets at around 1400fps. Would I be better off with cast bullets, or maybe a Hornady XTP or Nosler Partition? Also, any recommended loads to play around with?

Finally, this may be a foolish question, but I am fairly new to loading cast bullets. Is it possible to actually load a hard cast bullet faster than a jacketed bullet, and still maintain the same preccure levels?

Thanks!

Gregory · « **Reply #1 on:** May 01, 2005, 10:16:32 AM »

I've used my 10" 357 Max to take two small deer. I use the Hornady 180 XTP and Winchester 296 powder. This has turned into my favorite handgun for deer.

Winchester powder has data available online.

daddywpb · « **Reply #2 on:** May 01, 2005, 01:15:05 PM »

The .357 Max is a great, but almost forgotten caliber. I have a 10" bull barrel Contender with a 2x Leopold scope. I use Speer 180 grain .358 jacketed flat point Hot-Cor rifle bullets. Groups hover around 1" at 50 yards.

Mayor of Hobbs Knob · « **Reply #3 on:** May 01, 2005, 01:40:10 PM »

I have a Dan Wesson .357 SuperMag, his version of the .357 Rem. Max. What a great cartridge! Also have a 10" Contender barrel in .357 Max. Both are great shooter.

Mayor

jason280 · « **Reply #4 on:** May 01, 2005, 03:58:18 PM »

So, what do you think of this bullet as a whitetail round:

http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=149498

Do you think it would stand up to Max velocities and give ample penetration in deer. $9.29/100 seems like a good price, or should I stick with these two choices:

http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=827283

http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=552814

daddywpb · « **Reply #5 on:** May 01, 2005, 10:16:03 PM »

Cast Performance bullets are excellent. If they will shoot good groups in your gun, I would use them over a jacketed hollow point of any kind for hunting.

SLAVAGE · « **Reply #6 on:** May 02, 2005, 04:56:20 PM »

well i cant give too much of a review on this yet
but i do have a 10 bull 357max contender
its sports a 3x tasco pistol scope an i just got the brass anlong with a lee crimp die an 180 xtp's next week im going to get some powder an such
but the last year ive looking in to this round
an all were very very very good

dave

Mikey · « **Reply #7 on:** May 03, 2005, 02:43:56 AM »

jason280 - the 357 Max is a heck of a cartridge and is more than adequate for whitetail. I personally prefer the heavier bullets in my 357 bores and have gone with the 200 gn swc for a number of years. They are quite accurate in all my 38s and 357s and I understand they maintain their accuracy from carbine length barrels in the 357 mag. I would take this to mean they would maintain their accuracy in the 357 Max caliber and would hope they shoot well from your Contender.

The heavier bullets will penetrate the chest of a whitetail out to 100 yds from most 357 mag revolvers and will bust on through shoulders at shorter distances from the same. I would imagine that from the 357 Max caliber the bullet will perform better. I would go with the hardcast swc slugs to avoid deformation on bone structures and aid in penetration. JMHO. Mikey.

Catfish · « **Reply #8 on:** May 03, 2005, 12:38:49 PM »

I took a deer with my .357 max last fall. I used the 158 gn. XTP and it did a fine job. I hit one in the shoulder joint with the 180 gn. Serrias acouple of years ago and the bullet failed. I shot more Serria bullets than any other brand, and their 240 gn. JHC is my bullet of choice for the .44 mag., but in the .357 max. I like the Hornady XTP`s much better. I see no need for a bullet over 158 gn. for deer with this round. Heaver bullets will work just as well, but the 158`s shoot flater.

Bug · « **Reply #9 on:** May 03, 2005, 04:35:55 PM »

Catfish and Mikey bring up a couple of good points, in their disparate views on bullet weight. I hope they are up to being singled out. :?
One is, that there is a large pool of experience out there, for us to draw on. Most all of them vary, and seemingly similar situations may have widely separated conclusions.
Another, we all will draw our own conclusions, to a degree. And, seldom are they the same. We can share experience, but the choices remain your own.
My question to you, and it ties in with Jason280's,
Do you think it is better to sacrifice some velocity and trajectory, in order to use a heavier bullet?
Now I'm not trying to compare 125gr bullets against 200 grainers, but bullets that are similar in weight. Say 148gr vs 158gr., or 180gr vs 200 gr. I don't want to start any sort of argument, but I have been wrestling with this problem myself. I wanted to use a 180gr cast bullet in my .357 Herrett. It does better with the 200gr bullets, but sacrifices a little velocity. It gives up what I would call a significant amount of point-blank-range.
If I didn't want the extra velocity and flatter trajectory, I could have stayed with the Mag/Max. By using a heavier bullet, the vel/traj figures are the same as with the smaller cartridge, albeit with increased energy at all practical ranges.
I haven't resolved this issue to my satisfaction, yet. I would certainly appreciate y'alls input. And NO, going to the 358 JDJ isn't an option right now!

BTW, in answer to Jason280's second question: Yes, you can drive a cast bullet faster than a jacketed bullet, at the same pressure levels. BUT, everything has to be just right, and it won't be by any significant amount.

Badnews Bob · « **Reply #10 on:** May 10, 2005, 01:12:40 PM »

The cast performance bullets work very well, I use them in my .357 max rifle and I am getting over 1900fps out of the 180gr WFNGCs. Big cast bullets work very well on whitetails. Just ask that one I've been eating all this year.

oso45-70 · « **Reply #11 on:** May 10, 2005, 06:18:26 PM »

Jason,

My thoughts on the choice of bullets Is,,, Take a sack of the two bullets that you think you might like to hunt with and go to the woods and give both bullets a chance and no one will have to tell you which one to use.
I prefer 180 or 200 gr. cast bullets myself, But like i said you will know which one you like the best, Shoot as much as you can, That is the most important part of handgun hunting. Good luck,.........Joe............

Mikey · « **Reply #12 on:** May 11, 2005, 01:44:07 AM »

Bug: Ya'll asked "Do you think it is better to sacrifice some velocity and trajectory, in order to use a heavier bullet?"

Actually, I don't think you sacrifice much velocity, if any at all. The 180 gn slug is fairly new to the 38/357 lineup, comparatively speaking, with the 200 grainer being a longer used slug (more years, only). The initial results on some of the factory 180s were not that impressive and I decided to stay with the 200 grainers. Do I lose trajectory - maybe, but I can still dong the gon at 200 yds with a 4" 357 using those slugs and a factory charge of WW296, with open sights (er, at least I useta be able to do that (lol)).

And, I have always wondered just how much velocity is really lost. Heavy slugs carry penetrability more than the lighter wieght slugs do and part of that is due to some maintenance of velocity - which makes me wonder if the heavier slugs don't retain more velocity, especially on the downside of the trajectory than the lighter weight slugs do.

I didn't understand what you meant by the 200 gn slug giving up a significant amount of point blank range - coould ya'll enlighten me - thanks. Mikey.

jcunclejoe · « **Reply #13 on:** May 11, 2005, 07:56:26 AM »

I took a large Blacktail buck this past year with my Ruger 10" 357 Maximum. I was using the RCBS 35-200FN gas checked bullet crimped over the front driving band. I'm not sure of the velocity but it was around 14-1600fps. The shot was at about 80 yards open sights resting my elbows on the outside of my knees, Keith style.
He was around 200 lbs on the hoof with a nice 3x4 rack. This is the biggest buck I have ever taken with any weapon.

The first shot was centered from the front of the body to the back and from the top to the bottom. I mistook him for a silhouette target and made the centerpunch. I shot this pistol for several years in silhouette.
He got real sick, since (fortunately) the liver is right there. The next shot was low in the chest, grazing the bottom of the heart and the third one broke the big bone in his upper rear ham, as he turned to return to his bed.
I think it worked quite well as a deer cartridge. Full penetration with each shot. The only thing I might do different is to trim some cases back so I can crimp in the groove. I know I will be hunting with that combination again this year.
Good hunting and good luck.
Joe

kciH · « **Reply #14 on:** May 15, 2005, 01:15:43 PM »

I've had pretty good luck with the Hornady 180gr SSP bullet in a 14" max barrel on my Contender. I'm pretty close to 2000 fps with that bullet. You'll have to work on data though, most of the bullet is outside the case and leaves more powder space than your typical 180 gr revolver style bullet. Works very well in the .35 Rem XP-100R also, but it should at factory rifle level velocity that can be easily attained in that action.

In the 10" I'd use something like jcunclejoe mentions. You can find a good selection of bullets at this web address, good quality bullets at reasonable prices. http://www.beartoothbullets.com/bulletselect/index.htm

Dont overlook Lil'gun when you're trying powders, it works well. You can get some data from Hodgdon if you give them a call.

fennell · « **Reply #15 on:** June 01, 2005, 07:25:46 PM »

My mother of 79 years has dispatched many deer and hogs with this round in a 10 in Contender all with one shot kills. I loaded the 170 gr Serria HP behind H110 in it with good results on everything she has shot. She has been shooting it for about 5 years and it is her favorite round. Hope this helps.

fennell :grin:

Remember one shot one kill!!

Mongoose · « **Reply #16 on:** June 13, 2005, 01:44:03 PM »

I would use the Nosler 180 gr Partition HG, the Hornady 180 gr SP SS/PB or the Hornady 180 gr HP/XTP. All will perform extremely well in the 357 Max. I have done up loads in my 35 Rem with all of them.

S.B. · « **Reply #17 on:** June 19, 2005, 08:25:19 AM »

I don't mean to hijack this thread but, does anyone here know if the T\C in this caliber have the same problems with the bore errosion as the revolvers do?

jason280 · « **Reply #18 on:** June 19, 2005, 09:10:50 AM »

I don't think it was as much a throat erosion problem as flame cutting of the top strap on revolvers, which is a non issue in Contenders.

poncaguy · « **Reply #19 on:** June 19, 2005, 11:30:41 AM »

I have noticed none in mine......................

22KHornet · « **Reply #20 on:** July 06, 2005, 06:10:20 AM »

You will be surprised how well that 180 grn Remington will work. I have 3 maxes and pretty much just stick with the 180 xtp or the 180 Remington (max blackhawk doesn't like pointed bullets). I did do some penetration test into wet newsprint and both worked great with the remington actually getting a little better penetration than the xtp. Try the lil gun powder I have switched to it over the win 296.

357max = loud blast and dead deer.

P.S. I also tried the 180 from cast performance. While it had "NO" expansion it penetrated far enough to go through two deer.