357 carbine for pa deer

[a357lever]

I just was wonering I am going to N PA this fall what ammo should I bring for whitetail at ranges under 100 yards , more like 50 to 75. how about bb 180grc or 158 jsp?

[Tycer]

180 grain WFN cast really shines in a rifle. There is a good chance the JSP handgun bullet will not perform admirably at carbine velocities. See JasonWs post.

http://www.carbinecountry.com/.357%20Ma ... Tests.html

[dkmlever]

I would check with their DOW. I lived there years ago, they had a minimum foot pounds and at that time the 357 w/factory ammo did not qualify.

[FWiedner]

I've shot maybe a dozen deer with my .357 using factory 158gr JSP out of my Marlin 1894C. Most every bullet expanded like I was taking pictues for a gun-porn advertisement. Admittedly, these were whitetails from the N. Texas grasslands, upper weigh maybe 160lbs, and inside 100yds, and not one of those big N. PA hoss critters.

One shot per deer, and all of them stayed dead the entire time I was watching.

[Goat]

I would not hesitate to shoot any deer alive that presents a broadside or nearly broadside shot with a 357 carbine loaded with 158gr JSP. I have only taken one deer with a 357 carbine and that was years ago. It was a running doe shot at about 40 yds with a Speer 140gr HP. The doe dropped on the spot with complete penetration of the chest cavity and a quarter sized exit hole. The bullet broke ribs on entry and exit and did substantial damage inside. I now have another Marlin in 357 that really wants to kill a deer this year but it will have to wait until the 38/55 speaks first. The 357 is loaded with 158gr RemingtonJSP in front of L'il Gun powder. There is a guy on the Marlin Owners website (I think) that has shot a lot of deer with the 158gr RemingtonJSP and has been very pleased with the results. I would shoot what you are comfortable with but I am confident that the 158 JSP will do the job.
Goat

[rjohns94]

180 grainer, and Remington 158gr lrnhp. .357 is my primary deer rifle in Penns Woods.

[2X22]

A firm believer in the 158gr JSP here! It has taken many a deer for me with clean 1 shot kills.

22

[OI phones in...]

I prefer the cast 180 WFN @ 1800 in case I run into a 200+# bruiser or a mean feral hog, (it's also more effective out to/past 100 yds) but I would not hesitate to use a 158 JSP that perfoms the way Jason's demonstration showed ...

[Tycer]

I stand corrected! The only experience I have with 158s is with Georgia Arms grain Speer GDs in water jugs and they all turned inside-out with large loss.

[tman]

i shot a pa. deer years ago with a .357s&w 180gr. remmington factory load from a 4" barreled revolver. the range was like 50 yards, maybe a little less. the 170lb buck, estimated live weight, drop in it's tracks with a neck shot. not an expert, just my experience.

[O.S.O.K.]

If you handload, a 158 grain Speer Gold Dot at max speed (1800 fps) will do the trick handily. Ditto on the Hornady XTP.

That's 1137 foot pounds muzzle energy FYI.

[shooter444002]

Me,my wife and kids have killed a train load of deer and hogs with the 357(perfect kids gun) and 158gr jsp's at 1925fps and I cant remember recovering a bullet. Always have an exit and lots of blood if they arent laying there on the spot.