357 mag for deer

[shooter444002]

What Jerry said!!!! It does kill clean.

[Jim Stacy]

Not trying to inflame this discussion, don't you hate it when some one says that because they are always trying to stir up more trouble. All of us who hunt with a pistol , per the rifle hunters don't use enough gun! If you want an adequate round load a 30/06 with a 150 grain bullet @ 3000 or so and keep your shots to 100 yards then you will probably have "enough gun" ! I've been told that I like to do things the hard way and I guess I do! If I were only after meat I would got to the store and buy it for $$$ per pound. I hunt with a pistol or a bow and enjoy the cahallenge. Do I think the 357 is the best revolver round for deer --no . Do I think it will do in the hands of a skilled hunter --yes. We all share the same love. Just get out and enjoy yourselves in the woods , it's about hunting not just about killing. If you are compentent with a 357 by all means use one if the mood strikes you. If you are not use sometyhing else or get a rifle. The most important thing is keeping our sport alive and well and teach our kids and grand kids, they are the future of handgun hunting we are already there so pass it on!!

[Cabin4]

I always enjoy debating things like this because when it comes to bullets and there performance on game, there are so many variables. In your example about load a 150 grain bullet to 3000fps and keep the shots under 100 yards, well, this may actually be way to much gun for thin skinned game such as a deer. Depending on the bullet choice at that speed on a thin skin game sounds like the perfect 30 caliber hole punch to me.

What is needed is a bullet that expands properly and pass's thru. Weather it does this at 700fps or 3000 is totally irrelevant. Speed does not kill, bullets do. And speed or more speed does not in itself produce clean kill. In fact, many test will show that slowing a particular bullet down can actually improve expansion and penetration on thin skin game. Anyone who hunts with a revolver knows that speed is not your asset, but your bullet choice is and a well matched bullet to game to speed is the formula for success. What bullet works on a large bear may in fact completely fail on a deer as the deer may not provide enough mass/resistance to allow the bullet to expand, as an example.

Thats why I try to stay away from speed as the primary issue but put more focus on proper bullet to game match. And when I hear, 357cal in 180 grain proven performing bullet, I like what I hear. What speed to me is here is only a limitation on distance.

Of course, proof is in the freezer !

OK nuff said.

[Jim Stacy]

cabin I agree we are going to agree! You points are well taken and I only used the 30/3000/150 with good bullet expansion to illustrate the the precieved power difference between what some people consider "enough gun" and many pistol bullet performance. Speed to a degree does kill because and velocity in excess of 2200 FPS on impact causes a hydrostatic shock effect and a sine wave of energy not created below that velocity level in water bearing tissue , like animal or human. The velocity is not the only killer in high velocity it just helps. You have to create temporary and permanent wound chanels as well as expansion and tearing of tissue and pneumonothorax in the chest cavity. You can use big bullets to make the big temporary and permanent  wounds or smaller high velocity rounds. The shape of the projecticle plays a big part unless the bullet fragments and releases all of it's energy in the target.
You points about improved bullet performance andf matching your bullets to you game are right on target , no pun intended, because I've seen cottontails hit buy 250 /452/RN @800 FPS that showed no more effect than a 22 LR stinger on the same size animal, desert cottontails to be specific. Ballistics has a lot of variables but bullet placement and performance and the most important. Jim