.357 Mag or .45colt Lever Gun Hunting

[Rube Burrows]

So....any of you guys use a .357 mag to hunt with? My son is nine and we are going hunting for thanksgiving on my fathers 250 acres in N. Alabama. He is finally getting big enough to use a gun with enough power to kill a deer. He will be getting a .243/20 Gage H&R for Christmas but till then he will have to use my .357mag Lever gun. Its light enough for him to carry and and he has shot it enough to be able to aim and hit what he is aiming at.

My question is bullet selection. I have a box of Lever Revolution 140 Gr FTX.
That would be good on a deer up less than 100 yards right?

I have never hunted with the .357mag.

I also have a 45Colt lever gun also but cant seem to find any good hunting rounds for it around here.

Any and all comments welcome.

[Hobie]

It should do. Placement is the thing.

[Rube Burrows]

It should do. Placement is the thing.

Nice. We have been practicing his shooting and shot placement. Maybe he will get lucky enough to bag him his first deer.

[Catshooter]

If he places the .357 correctly, it should do fine.

Allmost any flat-faced lead bullet in the .45 Colt at a velocity over 800 fps should do fine also. The .357 really wakes up in a rifle, but of course the .45 will hit harder given similar loading levels. Of course, it will hit harder at both ends.

Good luck to both you and your boy.


Cat

[3leggedturtle]

Lasr cast 200RFN at 1000fps hardly kicks in my 16" Puma 45Colt. Plus side is, in a hunting situation the noise wont blow your ears out either. Thats if you reload. Federal and PMC ( i Think) have 200 to 225 gr bullets at 950FPS either would do for deer too 100 yards. Of course it all depends which one your kid likes to shoot MOST

[tattoo13]

.357 will do just fine, I have hunted with guys who took deer at 75 yards with a 4" 686, so out of a rifle he will be just fine.

[new pig hunter]

I don't reload and am always looking for commercially available ammo for both hunting and target.

for the .45LC, here's some serious hunting ammo .... both in price and performance. (Both also have .357 ammo).

http://www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l=product_list&c=7
http://www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l=product_list&c=8
http://www.grizzlycartridge.com/-strse- ... gories.bok

Also, a new recently-discovered favorite of mine is Underwood Ammunition. I send him my .45LC brass and he reloads at a reduced price/box from his new ammo cost. Currently I shoot both his 250-gr & 300-gr Hornady XTP/HP +P ammo. I've shot several boxes of the 250-gr and am very impressed, I can move a bowling pin around the pasture at 100 yards using my Winchester Trapper.
http://underwoodammo.com/Pistol.html

Cheers,

Carl

[Old Ironsights]

I've taken four deer at ranges from 35yds to 110yds with my .357 Rossi using Buffalo Bore 180gr +P WFNs. They run out to 1800fps and will whollop a deer.

[Marlin32]

Many years ago I used the 357 mag on deer using the Federal 180gr HP. Works great at close ranges. I think the buffalo bore and grizzly stuff would work even better.

[HillbillyGadget]

There's a lot of good write-ups on both calibers for hunting on the articles page, Paco has some good stories for .357

[Rube Burrows]

I reload for the .45 Colt so that would not be a problem. I have not started reloading for the .357 yet. I need to but have just not got to it yet.

My son can hold the .357 rifle I have a little more steady than the .45 but both he can handle just fine.

[missionary5155]

I also have a 45Colt lever gun also but cant seem to find any good hunting rounds for it around here. [/quote]

Good morning
This is why reloaders and bullet casters are still around- I never lack ammo for any firearm, any caliber I decide to use. If I decide to roll out the 45-60 I have everything in hand.
Personally I would be hesitant to shoot a deer at 100 yards with any 140 grain bullet beyond 50 yards... Personally I would not shoot deer with a 140. A heavier 357 bullet (160+) will do the job past 50 yards but carefully placed. Plus this is his first deer and nerves are going to set in. I am 60 and I still get the twiges after dozens of deer stuck with arrows under 20 yards. I would be setting him in a place where 50 yards is it.
A good shot with a 357 works.. but how many deer every year run off with a blown shoulder or bleed out somewhere because a light bullet did not exit to leave a trail. A 160grain + will not do that... far better are the 180´s.
This is what I have seen over the years. Last thing you want is your son to pop a deer and then never be able to touch it.

[Rube Burrows]

I also have a 45Colt lever gun also but cant seem to find any good hunting rounds for it around here.

Good morning
This is why reloaders and bullet casters are still around- I never lack ammo for any firearm, any caliber I decide to use. If I decide to roll out the 45-60 I have everything in hand.
Personally I would be hesitant to shoot a deer at 100 yards with any 140 grain bullet beyond 50 yards... Personally I would not shoot deer with a 140. A heavier 357 bullet (160+) will do the job past 50 yards but carefully placed. Plus this is his first deer and nerves are going to set in. I am 60 and I still get the twiges after dozens of deer stuck with arrows under 20 yards. I would be setting him in a place where 50 yards is it.
A good shot with a 357 works.. but how many deer every year run off with a blown shoulder or bleed out somewhere because a light bullet did not exit to leave a trail. A 160grain + will not do that... far better are the 180´s.
This is what I have seen over the years. Last thing you want is your son to pop a deer and then never be able to touch it.[/quote]


I agree. I have been combing the area for some larger grain bullets or even to find some nice 45 Colt bullets. All of my 45 colt reloading so far has been 250gr RNFP for cowboy action shooting and plinking. That means I dont have any good bullets on hand and while I know deer have been taken with the same type of slug many moons ago I would like to give my son the best chance of getting his first deer should we get the chance.

[TomF]

I have taken deer with both. The 45 Colt was loaded with the LEE 250 and the the 357, Ranch Dog 190. I prefer the 45 Colt. My handload for the 45 was 9 grs Unique.

TomF

[tman]

.357 will do just fine, I have hunted with guys who took deer at 75 yards with a 4" 686, so out of a rifle he will be just fine.

+1 The .357 out of a 4" barrel has worked for me. I use 180 grain bullets and limit my shooting to 50 yards or less, mostly less.