357 carbine on real big game

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mickbr
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357 carbine on real big game

Post by mickbr »

in a pinch- political, economic or otherwise are there loads that if placed well enough take any game. I'll exclude african animals in the absence of many about here. :) And add the proviso for some game you cant expect to comfortably stop charges like you can with a 45-70 guide gun or 338 win mag....so the shot may need some serious preparation regards personal safety.
I havent shot big game with a pistol cartridge but my thoughts are a 180 hardcast at 1500fps+ and the right preparation(and followup ) puts about anything within range on the table. People shoot bison with arrows after all, admittedly I'm not sure how long they run around waiting for it to die though.
What are your thoughts folks?
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Scott Tschirhart
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Re: 357 carbine on real big game

Post by Scott Tschirhart »

I don’t know about anything bigger but whitetail deer fall very easily to that load
Bill in Oregon
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Re: 357 carbine on real big game

Post by Bill in Oregon »

I have no first-hand experience hunting anything but paper with the .357. But I would be sceptical about using that load on anything larger than deer unless a shot prepared with clinical accuracy was taken.
I think the .35 Remington, with a 200-grain bullet at about 2,100, would be a vastly better choice on larger game.
Waiting to hear more from the more experienced here.
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Tycer
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Re: 357 carbine on real big game

Post by Tycer »

Bill in Oregon wrote: Sat Sep 18, 2021 6:56 am I have no first-hand experience hunting anything but paper with the .357. But I would be sceptical about using that load on anything larger than deer unless a shot prepared with clinical accuracy was taken.
I think the .35 Remington, with a 200-grain bullet at about 2,100, would be a vastly better choice on larger game.
Waiting to hear more from the more experienced here.
Read the Linebaugh penetration tests. A heavy for caliber projectile at 1800 FPS is ideal. A couple of hundred fps on either side of that doesn’t make much difference.
Add a wide meplat and a .357” bullet will leave a clean .75” hole through meat and bone. I’ve seen it on 300# deer stem to stern more than once. I have never recovered a bullet in any animal: deer, elk, boar , red deer
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gcs
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Re: 357 carbine on real big game

Post by gcs »

Did you read the other 357 post below this one?, Seems like it would work nicely on most everything.
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Grizz
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Re: 357 carbine on real big game

Post by Grizz »

gcs wrote: Sat Sep 18, 2021 10:10 am Did you read the other 357 post below this one?, Seems like it would work nicely on most everything.
does that include Africa? is there a line you won't cross with the 357? not trying to be a smartass, I am genuinely interest in your experience
jmiller
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Re: 357 carbine on real big game

Post by jmiller »

The OP did mention “carbine”. He’s not asking about a handgun. I can tell you from forty+ years of dedicated .357mag handgun hunting for deer (over fifty with the revolver alone) that the .357mag is very capable in a handgun and even more capable in a carbine. I have owned one Marlin lever gun in the .357mag and a couple of TC Encores in .357max and got many deer with each. The carbine will get you close to 1800 fps with a 158g bullet. That’s more than enough to dump any whitetail you ever encounter.
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wvfarrier
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Re: 357 carbine on real big game

Post by wvfarrier »

I am sitting in the woods right now hunting black bear with a Winchester 92 in 357 mag. My load is an underwood 158 grain jsp that is rated for 1500fps out of a 5" barrel, so its scootin close to 2000 in my 20" carbine. When I tested this load at home I shot it at 30 yards. It penetrated a deer hide, 4" pack of bologna, a 3/8" piece of fiber board and then 3 milk jugs of water. Too put that in perspective thats the same penetration I got from my 30-30 using the 150 grain "whitetail" load from hornady.
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crs
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Re: 357 carbine on real big game

Post by crs »

Image
This .357 rifle/carbine with 20 inch barrel has taken hogs and deer with bullets above 2100 fps. Shoot them in the eye, they gonna die. Blow out a 6 inch exit hole, and it is Game Over!

It always amuses me to read the comments of those with no experience with a subject ---they can be so sure of themselves and convincing.
That is, until a person with real experience enters the discussion. Thanks Tycer and Joe for reporting your experience on the subject.

This behavior is prevalent on an African hunting forum that I frequent. The bias against lever guns is astounding and with no real experience! I will not bore you with the details, but I have had to explain the facts of ballistics and proper bullets on several occasions.
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wvfarrier
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Re: 357 carbine on real big game

Post by wvfarrier »

Here ya go. Bear weighs 252#. One shot, dead right there. 158 grain jsp.
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mickbr
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Re: 357 carbine on real big game

Post by mickbr »

Great pics there.
Bill in Oregon
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Re: 357 carbine on real big game

Post by Bill in Oregon »

I am surprised at the reported capabilities of the .357 carbine. Might have to add one to the gun safe.
Part of my "no personal experience" opinion was based on Bob Milek's reported experience with the .357 in a handgun. He didn't have much use for it on big game. Always thought he was a good writer.
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Sarge
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Re: 357 carbine on real big game

Post by Sarge »

Bill in Oregon wrote: Sat Sep 18, 2021 6:56 am I have no first-hand experience hunting anything but paper with the .357. But I would be sceptical about using that load on anything larger than deer unless a shot prepared with clinical accuracy was taken.
I think the .35 Remington, with a 200-grain bullet at about 2,100, would be a vastly better choice on larger game.
Waiting to hear more from the more experienced here.
I've got a 35 load that scoots the the Sierra 200 SP to 2159 from an old ballard rifled 336T. I like the the 38/357 in revolvers and lever actions, but I'd grab the 35 for anything sizable.
People were smarter before the Internet, or imbeciles were harder to notice.
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wvfarrier
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Re: 357 carbine on real big game

Post by wvfarrier »

Sarge wrote: Sun Sep 19, 2021 7:49 am
Bill in Oregon wrote: Sat Sep 18, 2021 6:56 am I have no first-hand experience hunting anything but paper with the .357. But I would be sceptical about using that load on anything larger than deer unless a shot prepared with clinical accuracy was taken.
I think the .35 Remington, with a 200-grain bullet at about 2,100, would be a vastly better choice on larger game.
Waiting to hear more from the more experienced here.
I've got a 35 load that scoots the the Sierra 200 SP to 2159 from an old ballard rifled 336T. I like the the 38/357 in revolvers and lever actions, but I'd grab the 35 for anything sizable.

I wont argue that the 35 is more powerful however that 357 has virtually no recoil with that max loading. Even better is that due to the barrel length all of the muzzle blast is directed away from the shooter and it holds 14 rounds :-)
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Sarge
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Re: 357 carbine on real big game

Post by Sarge »

If you stop and think about, the 38/357 combo in rifles and revolvers give you essentially 22 S-L-R to 22 Mag versatility, in the 35 bore size and the heavier bullets it will handle. And you get to do all that w/o the need for spare cylinders or a second rifle. One box of shells and set of dies feeds everything. That's all pretty hard not to like.
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Bill in Oregon
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Re: 357 carbine on real big game

Post by Bill in Oregon »

Charles mentions the African forum where we are both long-standing members, and yes, levers get little to no respect there, although the BLRs do have a small following because they chamber familiar bolt-action calibers.
I have always enjoyed Charles's reports from the field using the 1895 in .405 and the 86 in .45-90.
When my brother and I ventured to Namibia for plains game hunting 14 years ago, we brought two rifles: a CZ 550 in 9,3X62, and a Savage Model 99 in .300 Savage. When we uncased the guns upon arrival for field accuracy testing, our PH and his tracker lit up with big grins when we pulled out that Savage. They had not seen one in the flesh before.
I just wonder what the reaction would have been if we had uncased a little Winchester or Rossi 92 in .357 with 180-grain cast handloads. 8)
ethang
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Re: 357 carbine on real big game

Post by ethang »

how did all of those deer, elk and mooses fall to such lowly calibers as the 44/40, 38/40, 32/20, or even that pipsqueek 25/20? Good thing nobody back then posted on the internet...
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