cyberhick
On top of that a pistol is hard to aim compared to a long gun.
If that's all you have then look around the house or borrow a 12 ga shotgun and get some slugs. It will be far more effective.
Unless there is snow on the ground deer are hard to find after being shot. Some deer are hard to kill. Big old bucks are not that weak. Sure they die like everything else but a hit in a muscle with say a .270 could shock and deer and keep it down. A hit with a low energy load may just wound.
I had a Python in .357. The barrel split at the forcing cone. I took it back to Hartford and the forman put a new bbl on free while I watched. That was a long time ago. I still have the Herret grips for it.
A deer is no different than a human (similar sizes and weights) and the 357 is the king in that respect.
Just practice the distances you might have to make an off hand shot.
mike
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NRA Life Member
America, Love it or LEAVE IT!
If that's all you have then look around the house or borrow a 12 ga shotgun and get some slugs. It will be far more effective.
Unless there is snow on the ground deer are hard to find after being shot. Some deer are hard to kill. Big old bucks are not that weak. Sure they die like everything else but a hit in a muscle with say a .270 could shock and deer and keep it down. A hit with a low energy load may just wound."
Respectfull, what small load? What would you say if i was using a .358 Win with a 150gr bullet at 2900fps? A .35 caliber is still a good sized caliber, nothing changed between a handgun and rifle except velocity. I dont have any problems with aiming my Python, its just as easy with my other long guns. I have a 12 gauge slug gun and a .54 caliber muzzle loader, i just want to hunt with my Python. It has the power, it aint like deer are natures tanks. I've killed deer with .22 rim fires before. I think you're getting too caught up in numbers. Energy aint got any bearing on anything. Velocity is the key, and as long as my projectile is travelling over 800fps, it will reach the boiler room. Infact, if i do take a deer with it, i'll send you the autopsy photos. I personally dont like the .270, i think the bullet is too small. Now, does that mean that its any less of a deadly round, not at all, a .270 will kill deer as quick as anything else. If i only had a .270, then i'd use it, but rifles are illegal in Indiana. The bullets i use for my .357 are designed to expand all the way down to 600fps. With a BC of .172@1200fps, with a 50yd sight in, its down 3.5 inches at 100yds and has a velocity of 1050fps. This seems to be plenty to kill a deer. During spring break next year, i'm going to be in Louisana doing some hog hunting. I plan on taking my recurve bow, my slug gun and my muzzle loader. I'm thinking of buying some 170-190gr cast SWC's for them. With a healthy dose of 2400, they will go straight thru. The only thing i'm worried about shooting my .357 is making sure the loads are accurate. I wish i could have another pistol for hunting, the more guns the merrier. But, i'm just a poor college student, cant afford one right now, and i cant really afford slugs. Since i reload, i can shoot my .357 all i want and it wont put a dent in my wallet, but slugs do. As soon as i can, i plan on buying a Lee Load All shotgun reloader to make slugs, then i'll really have some fun.
Now as far as tracking, i know my area like the back of my hand. I do not mean to boast of myself at all, but i have not ran across a deer that has stumped me yet. Not to say that there wont be, but i've had some good teaching from my Granddad and Dad. I aint a superhuman, and i know i'll git stumped sometime, but its kinda easy to track them where i hunt because its really muddy. Also, its easy to look at tracks and see if the deer was running, especially thru mud. Guess i just got it better than them guys who decide to hunt in the corn field instead of the way the deer take to it. Oh well.
cyberhick
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My best friend died for me, but came back to life on the third day.
[This message has been edited by cyberhick (edited 11-20-2001).]
If you want to try a new load that really gets the ole' 357 humming. Try that same Sierra with W296 and Winchesters' Small Pistol Magnum primer. You can get the charge weight from Winchester or Sierra. I have shot so many rounds of this load that i have lost track of the number. IT IS A PROVEN WINNER ON GAME!! It has also proved to be very accurate.
mike
cyberhick
mike
# 2400 was pretty much the standard for "magnum" revolver loads. I used a lot of it along with H 240. They serve well but leave some residue in the bbl. That was never a problem at all. Those are/were very good powders.
I went thru that and the larger bores lead the bbl less and hit much harder. If a Keith type bullet is used with a large mepat it will be satisfactory even at less than full velocity for small game and target.
The place for the .357-.38 special is in medium and small frame guns for concealed carry protection.
If a .357 is too small, then that deer i SUPPOSEDLY killed with a .22 this summer is still living, all chopped up in my freezer!
A .35 caliber is a good sized caliber, more than capable of killing deer. I wonder where you git that notion, apparently not from fact.
cyberhick