.357 Rifle for Deer: prefer 158 gr JSP or 180 gr. XTP?

[John in MS]

Hi, folks,
I'm curious to ask those who've used either 158 gr. JSP (not HP) bullets or the Hornady 180 gr. XTP on deer from .357 Magnum rifles about your experiences and preferences. Cast bullets are interesting, but I'm really most interested in these jacketed bullets, as I'm about to place an order for some.

Thanks much,
John

[Savage99]

I shoot the 180's in my puma....

[John in MS]

Savage99, any reports on how they performed on deer?
Thanks,
John

[Old Savage]

I have no personal experience but it seems that when this comes up the 180 is preferred by more.

[El Chivo]

I read about this guy named Andy, he's a Brit who hunts in Africa with a Marlin 1894c and scope. He uses lighter rounds I believe, maybe 158 or maybe 125 grain.

I haven't hunted with my .357, but I don't like to shoot the 180's because of bullet drop. An extra 3" or so at 50 yards. I know you can compensate for it, but I like the way the 158's shoot. They are heavy enough to be stable and true, but still have enough velocity to be fairly flat shooting. I sight them in at 75 yards and am pretty good out to 125. For me, the lighter bullets seem to fly all over the place, and the heavier ones sink like stones.

Also, the Winchester 180 grain hunting ammo I bought seemed to be pretty high pressure. The primers were smashed flat, and the firing pin dimples were small. I like to stay away from higher pressure if I can.

I have no experience with any game with this round, so I can't comment on its performance. But plenty of game gets taken with 150's so why feel you have to go with a 180? Either way it's a short range situation. While a 180 retains its energy better, it also will drop 2-3 feet at distance. Good luck calculating that under pressure. If you hit something with a 158 at short range, call your wife and tell her to light the charcoal.

Sorry I'm going on and on about something I haven't experienced personally, but these are my thoughts. You have to shoot what's best for your gun, and when you hit it right, the game will go down.

[cecil]

While have not shot a deer with 357 mag rifle, would give consideration to Speer's 170 GDSP, over Lil-gun.

[JimT]

Andy Law from England used his .357 in Africa on Plains Game. He used factory 158 gr. ammo .. http://www.leverguns.com/articles/357_magnum_safari.htm

The deer I have seen taken with the .357 rifle were taken with the 158 gr. JHP. Our deer are not huge and the shots are close. The load gave complete penetration on side-to-side shots.

[John in MS]

Thanks very much! I appreciate the help!
John

[Jeff Pitts]

For 25 years or more I"ve used the Remington 158 gr JSP with 17.1 grains of W296 @ 1730 fps out of my wifes 1894. Groups are usually 1 1/2" for 3 shots at 100 yards. Between my wife and I we've taken a 1/2 dozen deer with it from ranges of about 40 yards to the farthest of about 140 yards. They were all 1 shot kills and the deer either dropped at the shot or didn't go more than about 30'. I'm pretty sure we recovered every bullet, not one exited but were pretty little mushrooms!

Jeff

[GANJIRO]

I've shot mainly wild goats with my 357 rifle using 158 gr. JHPs. These goats are comparable in size to small deer maybe 100 lbs. max and the 158 JHPs drop them with no problem.

[Old Ironsights]

I shoot 180gr Cast - mainly for the sectional density & BC - but the 158 if driven fast enough it works just fine on deer (under 200lbs anyway).

[pharmseller]

Here's another resource:
http://www.leverguns.com/articles/paco/ ... rature.htm

Quinn

[nemhed]

Hey, long time lurker first time poster here. This was the first season I've hunted with my 1894c. I shot two deer using Magtech 158gr. SJSPs. The first was a small button buck hit broad side at 25 yds. The bullet blew out the top of both lungs and passed cleanly between ribs on each side, he ran about 100yds, blowing blood the whole way until he collapsed. The second deer was a medium sized 8 point, again a broad side shot slightly quartering away, at 30yds. This time the bullet hit ribs and shoulder muscle on both sides, blew out his lungs, and stopped just under the skin on the far side. He ran about 75yds (took him about 6 seconds), and dropped dead within sight. I had to field dress him in the dark, so I didn't recover the bullet. I had originally sighted the little carbine in with Remington Express 158gr. JHPs, which had superb accuracy, but I could only find the Magtechs right before the season started. I wonder if the hollow points would have performed any better, but I can't really complain.

[jschance]

I haven't used the 180 grain bullets, but I did use the Speer 170 grain GDSP bullet over a good charge of Lil' Gun powder, and am entirely pleased with the performance. I shot a small doe (about 100 lbs) at between 50 and 60 yards with this load broadside and it dropped at the shot. I did fire an insurance shot, but it was not needed as the first bullet had taken out a rib on the way in, got lungs and heart, and exited the opposite side. The insurance shot was down between the shoulderblades and it took out the spine and the large blood vessel that runs along it.

I was pleased enough with the performance that I went out and bought another box of the bullets just to ensure that I had an adequate supply for next year.