Range of .357 rifle

[flounderjig]

What is the ethical range of a .357 levergun? 158 grain jacketed with 13 grs. 2400.

[TedH]

I'm assuming you are talking about deer hunting, but whatever the animal, your ability in putting the bullet where it needs to go is going to be more of a factor in determining your ethical range.

My 357 rifle load generates considerably more oomph than the load you mentioned, but I limit myself to think woods hunting where a long shot would be 100 yards.

[Buffboy]

I'm assuming deer as your intended hunting target. It depends on how accurate your rifle is with that load. "Your" most ethical range is the maximum range you can consistently place the bullet in the kill zone of the animal from a hunting position.

Figuring the bullet is starting at 1500fps with your load, as the pistol bullet is still moving at 1100-1200fps at 150 yards(that is approximately the muzzle velocity of a pistol at the muzzle). Figure a pistol is good for 50 yards for a total of 200 of the bullet getting the job done with enough penetration. With a 100 yard zero you are 6-7" low at 150 yards and 200 will add another 12"+/- low so you'd have to have your range very effectively judged to make a shot that long. Practically, figure 150 yards as a limit and you should be good, assuming accuracy of the rifle/load is in about the 2-3" category at 100 yards, though it still always comes down to how well you can place it at any range up to that point.

[Old Ironsights]

I'm assuming deer as your intended hunting target. It depends on how accurate your rifle is with that load. "Your" most ethical range is the maximum range you can consistently place the bullet in the kill zone of the animal from a hunting position.

Figuring the bullet is starting at 1500fps with your load, as the pistol bullet is still moving at 1100-1200fps at 150 yards(that is approximately the muzzle velocity of a pistol at the muzzle). Figure a pistol is good for 50 yards for a total of 200 of the bullet getting the job done with enough penetration. With a 100 yard zero you are 6-7" low at 150 yards and 200 will add another 12"+/- low so you'd have to have your range very effectively judged to make a shot that long. Practically, figure 150 yards as a limit and you should be good, assuming accuracy of the rifle/load is in about the 2-3" category at 100 yards, though it still always comes down to how well you can place it at any range up to that point.

+1 ... assuming 180gr. Not so much with 158s.

I'm comfortable with a 100yd shot using 180gr Buffalo Bore @ 1800fps. I've done Steel Rams at 200 with a decent holdover, and it will knock them down most of the time, but not well enough to make me comfortable shooting 4 legs at that distance. 2 legs, yes. 4 legs no.

[AJMD429]

A sort of 'generic' answer would be:

• First time novice deer hunter - 50 yards
  Seasoned hunter with lots of .357 Range time - 150 yards
  The rest of us - 100 yards

This is also contingent on proper BULLET selection; some wimpy hollowpoint pistol bullets that make great self-defense loads may not do the job if at 150 yards they hit a thick bone; the deer may ultimately die, but you'd have some tracking to do and/or some wasted meat filled with bullet fragments.

[El Chivo]

consider those Barnes XPB bullets, they should expand well down to 800 fps, and at 140 grains would have more velocity. Jason W. found them to be the best penetrator out of the bullets he tested. For longer shots they might be the way to go.

For short shots, at high velocity, you might lose some petals or the petals fold back for a smaller wound channel, but still, great penetration.

I haven't managed to take any game with them but they might be worth checking out if you want to take the .357 a little farther out.

[Tycer]

A sort of 'generic' answer would be:

• First time novice deer hunter - 50 yards
  Seasoned hunter with lots of .357 Range time - 150 yards
  The rest of us - 100 yards

This is also contingent on proper BULLET selection; some wimpy hollowpoint pistol bullets that make great self-defense loads may not do the job if at 150 yards they hit a thick bone; the deer may ultimately die, but you'd have some tracking to do and/or some wasted meat filled with bullet fragments.

+1

[Alan Wood]

This topic leads me to raise a rather odd question.

Do pistol cartridge carbines have a longer ethical range than common hunting cartridges due to hunters being able to practice more with the pistol cartridge carbines?
Granted I do unabashadley admit that one hunters ethical range with a given cartridge has little or no bearing on another due to skill issues.
Alan Wood

[Malamute]

This topic leads me to raise a rather odd question.

Do pistol cartridge carbines have a longer ethical range than common hunting cartridges due to hunters being able to practice more with the pistol cartridge carbines?
Granted I do unabashadley admit that one hunters ethical range with a given cartridge has little or no bearing on another due to skill issues.
Alan Wood

I would say no. Practice with anything will help your ability to use a particular instrument, but the trajectory difference would be rather difficult to overcome. I also feel that any tigger time is valuable. Practice with a pistol calber carbine still adds to your general shooting abilty with whatever else you pick up. Knowing your trajectory is the only difference. If you're talking someone that only has one gun to use and practice with, I'd say the flatter shooting gun still has some advantage that is hard to overcome. I'm not saying someone can't shoot well with a pistol caliber gun without practice, but if I was to go out hunting meat, I'd likely want to shoot a pistol caliber gun more before using it right before hunting with it, and still have less practical range. I shoot bolt guns some all year, but feel confidant that I can pick up the scoped '06 sporter, make perhaps 3-5 shots to confirm zero, and be certain of 1rst round hits to a bit over 300 yards. I'm confident with an iron sighted 94 (30-30) to around 200 yards without recent practice. I would shoot both a fair bit farther with the same amount of practce I'd feel comfortable with to use a pistol caliber gun at 200. I wouldnt likely stretch the pistol caliber gun farther than that for hunting purposes.

Even talking all iron sights, Sore Shoulder and I were shooting about 500 yards one day, he with his Marlin 357, and I was shooting an iron sighted 03-A3 Springfield. He could lob them in and whack a rock now and then, but the Springfield makes it look just plain easy.

[flounderjig]

Thank you Gentlemen. I appreciate your expertise. I had a shot at 170 yards, but did not feel comfortable with that kind of range. These were deer. I settled instead for a 40 yard shot at a sow hog, it traveled a good 10 feet before collapsing. I really wanted a deer but there is nothing wrong with good hog meat. I figure to keep my shooting at a max. of 100 yards. I get 2-3 inch bulls at 100 yards now.

[stretch]

Sounds like you're doin' fine at 100 yards.

Just curious - have you tried 14 gr. of 2400 for accuracy at 100 yds?

-Stretch

[flounderjig]

Not as of yet. I will give it a try and see what happens. I use the Lee dipper for most of my loads and lucked into this present load thru looking at others' data. It hits the same as my cast GC load, Skeeter bullet, with same dipper of 4227.