357 mag for black bear?

[The deerslayer]

Just wondering could I kill a bear with a 357mag? I will use the ammo that gives the most energy and penitration.

[Black Jaque Janaviac]

I don't have any experience as such, but it doesn't seem recklessly dangerous to me.

I look at pistols as sort-of short range muzzle loaders.  I don't think anyone would bat and eye at shooting a blackie with a .50 caliber roundball (except for those who make money off of in-line sales).  The .50 roundball is 177 grains and can leave the muzzle at 2000 fps.  However more realistic impact velocities are probably between 1000 and 1600 fps.

So anyone using a .50 to whack a blackie would be hitting with similar energies capable in the .357.

Not to mention, our forefathers were popping black bears with regularity using .44-40 lever actions.  I doubt those could put any more hurt on than a .357 with the proper slug.

[Geno]

http://www.graybeardoutdoors.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=17065

All the bears I've shot have been with handguns. In my opinion, I wouldn't even consider or attempt it with a 357. the 357 is arguably quite capable of performing, but there are two many variables in the equation when it comes to big game, especially big game that can hurt you. Also, I think the animal is owed more respect than to chance wounding it . I've seen what appears at times to be little more than a stunt to see how small or ill-advised cartridge is capable of taking game. Best I can say is, read JJHacks link above, decide for your self, best of luck to you and the bear.

[Lloyd Smale]

I have some buddys up here that bear hunting with dogs is there passion. All they use is .357 revolvers. Granted there shooting treed bears. There major consern is not getting attacked themselves but the fact that there dogs can. There is a group of 4 of them that do this and to a one they swear by there .357 I tease them all the time about hunting with those pop guns but they claim they work and with as much money tied up in there dogs as they have i guess they wouldnt be doing it if they were worried. One of them does handload 180s for them all though. Me personaly ive taken deer with one and it did fine and from what ive witnessed with rifle bow and handgun a black bear is usually no harder to kill then a deer. I guess if faced with a choise of hunting bear with a .357 and facing a angry man with one in my hand id take the bear everytime and the police faced many of angry men with them.

[Robert357]

I'll add my 2 cents. and comment on Lloyd's information.

From what I have read some of the best hunters that use dogs to go after mountain lions, use 22 caliber  (22 Bee) handguns to shot treed cats.  The idea is that the bullet goes throught the cat, that cat feels safer staying in the tree and it bleeds out up in the tree, dies, and fall to the ground.  The use a 22 keeps the cat from attacking and hurting the dogs.

I would assume (assuming is very dangerous to do) that a treed bear is similar.  So what is good for shooting a treed bear may not be the same as what you would use to shoot one that is on the ground.

I feel that a 357 Mag is a formidable firearm, if given the proper handloaded ammo.  I have some 357 Mag hunting ammo for a Ruger Blackhawk that is well above published max loads, but was carefully worked up to and not "overpressure" in that particular revolver.

The 357 Mag has been used to hunt all kinds of things.  I would also say that there are black bear and black bear.  Most of the black bear I have seen in clear cuts out in Western Washington are small and not too much bigger than a very large dog.  I would not have any qualms about being able to stop one of them with a 357 Magnum.  

Then again, there are remote places I have been to, like parts of Alaska and the Montana Rockies, where some of the black bear get a bit bigger and stronger, that I would feel a 357 Mag is better than throwing rocks if cornered, but I wouldn't use it to go after a large bear.

[Graybeard]

Back in the days when the .357 Mag was new and the most powerful round about it was used on everything and I do mean everything. Folks went out shooting black and grizzly bears, moose, elk and all such with it. Mostly with satisfaction. However those who misplaced the bullet a tad sometimes were not so satisfied. BUT ya gotta understand the .357 Mag of then and the .357 Mag of today are two totally different rounds.

Back then the factory specs called for a 158 grain bullet at 1550-1600 fps. When I first started to shoot this round you could still find factory ammo moving the 158 grain at 1550 fps and load data to do the same. Now most factories max it out about 300 fps slower and few if any reloading manuals have data to push them that hard.

But also remember back then the ONLY gun made for it was the strong N frame S&W. Now it is available in the smallest of the S&Ws the J frame as well as other such small guns.

I've never even used it on deer as I have other more appropriate in my mind at least guns for the job. I keep saying I'll try it one day as those who I know personally who've shot deer with it seemed satisfied with the results of properly placed bullets.

I'm a firm believer that muzzle energy, kinetic energy or "paper energy" as I choose to call it plays little to no role in the killing of game.  You need adequate penetration and tissue damage. Game is killed when the CNS is damaged or via blood lost which shuts down the CNS. Don't matter if it is a broadhead tipped arrow, spear, knife to the heart, bullet or a hammer to the head. All kill either via direct CNS damage or by shutting down the CNS via blood loss.

IF and that's a HUGE if I were to use a .357 intentionally to take a bear or hog for that matter I'd use a hard cast bullet with the widest meplat I could get and weighting at least 160 grains and preferably about 180 grains. I feel you lose too much velocity to the 200s especially in shorter barrels of revolvers for me to use them. Just my opinion and you know what opinions are worth.

GB

[CJ]

Whenever this subject comes up, and it seems to pretty regular everyone seems to concentrate on the gun third and leave out the bear third. Im blessed to hunt PA, and bears range from 150 pounds and under to 300 to 400. The record was poached and was 700+pounds. It can be seen at the Cabelas in Hamburg PA. IN season, I would HATE to see an animal like with "only" a .357 in hand.  Of course the third part is the hunter. How good can you really shoot under field conditions and how much self control can you exert under pressure. No knocks on the .357, I love mine, but for bigger game I'm gonna use a bigger gun.

[Zeus]

357 is fine and dandy but there are so many better choices for bear.  I personally wouldn't try it.  Sure its been done and all that but it is MARGINAL in my opinion.  Don't load the small gun up, get a bigger gun.  The 44 or 45 would be better in my opinion.  454 or 475 with heavy cast slugs would be my choice though.  I have a 335 that pushes 1550 out of my Freedom Arms 454 that I would love to try out on one.  Good luck with whatever you decide but remember to respect the game.  GS