158 gas checked 357 swc for deer

[catncarp]

I was planning on using this bullet a 357 158 grain swc gas checked in my 357 max, do you think it would be ok for deer.

I have no trouble getting whatever velocity would be needed

[Lefty SRH]

I don't see a problem especially coming from a maximum.

[Wadestep]

Just cast at a bhn that gives controlled expansion.

[x101airborne]

Most any 357 will do for deer. I wouldn't even worry about really pushing them fast.
Use a good boolit and hit em right. It will work well out to about 150 or so yards (at least on our deer, they weigh around 120 pounds live weight.)

[pls1911]

Should be fine, or you could use a heavier slug intended for a .35 Rem.

[quilbilly]

That exact load works fine in my T/C carbine and gets 2" groups at 100 yds with a peep sight. As noted, you don't have to push it that fast either. An muzzle velocity of 1700 is more than adequate out to 150 yards on deer. It will also work fine on black bear up to 150# as well out to 50 yards. At that velocity it is pleasant to shoot in that light rifle due to less vibration and recoil. At higher velocities and heavier boolits, I found I had to regularly tighten screws on my Lyman peep sight due to the excessive vibration. For plinking and small game, I found the Lee plain base 150 gr RN was also quite accurate at an MV of 1250 and the point of aim was similar.

[wolfe28]

That exact load works fine in my T/C carbine and gets 2" groups at 100 yds with a peep sight. As noted, you don't have to push it that fast either. An muzzle velocity of 1700 is more than adequate out to 150 yards on deer. It will also work fine on black bear up to 150# as well out to 50 yards. At that velocity it is pleasant to shoot in that light rifle due to less vibration and recoil. At higher velocities and heavier boolits, I found I had to regularly tighten screws on my Lyman peep sight due to the excessive vibration. For plinking and small game, I found the Lee plain base 150 gr RN was also quite accurate at an MV of 1250 and the point of aim was similar.

Care to share the load you are using? I'm waiting on that mold, and plan on loading it up for my Max as well.

D

[leftiye]

You can do much better. You might get by with those boolits and velocities, but heavier loads won't have any down side, and would make me much more comfortable at longer (past 100 yds) ranges. The .357 mag. is marginal on large mulies, especially beyond 100 yds. See some of 357maximum's threads and posts on the .357 max. In my H&R, with a 200 to 225 grain RNFP boolit, I use 300 MP and run in the 1900 - 2000 fps range. Sweet little gun!

[Rooster59]

Enough is only enough. More than enough is always nice.

I've used a 357 mag to harvest deer with factory rounds which are lower powered than a typical 357 max but precision bullet placement is always the first rule of the day.

[reloader28]

A friend of mine shot a mulie doe at around 40yds this fall using the Lee 158gr RF and straight WW.
Drops from my mold at 165gr. 1850fps from the rifle and very accurate.
Worked AWESOME.

[Larry Gibson]

Just cast at a bhn that gives controlled expansion.

+1.

I'd have no qualms at all with that combination.

Larry Gibson

[DIRT Farmer]

Same boolit T_C 35 H, per book 2000fps I have shot 1 button buck just behind the shoulder at appx 50yds, deer stiffened a few seconds, then colasped.
FWIW.

[quilbilly]

I am using about 17.5 gr of 2400 for the hunting load and about .9cc of Unique (not at home so can't remember the # gr.) for the RN load. I forgot to mention, since I do all my deer hunting with either a 45 or 50 cal muzzleloader and patched round ball, that 17.5 gr load is roughly equivalent to the 50 cal PRB but the SWC-GC retains velocity much better than a PRB after 50 yards and I know what PRB's do out to 150 yds

[1bluehorse]

I am using about 17.5 gr of 2400 for the hunting load and about .9cc of Unique (not at home so can't remember the # gr.) for the RN load. I forgot to mention, since I do all my deer hunting with either a 45 or 50 cal muzzleloader and patched round ball, that 17.5 gr load is roughly equivalent to the 50 cal PRB but the SWC-GC retains velocity much better than a PRB after 50 yards and I know what PRB's do out to 150 yds

Are you shooting that load in a 357?? I tried the Lee RNFP bullet at 160gr. in a Puma 92 and only got to 14.5gr of 2400 and got cratered primers...however 16gr. H110 works fine..

[quilbilly]

Contender carbine in 357 Max. I used a chronograph to verify velocities. I have been as high as 19 gr of 2400 without signs of high pressure but the carbine is so light weight and the vibration seemed to rattle the filling in my teeth that I backed off. Because that carbine is so light weight, I really enjoy carrying it on the mountain bike during bear season.

[PS Paul]

Hey, Quil. That sounds like a good load to me. To the OP, I believe you'll have good deer-slayin' setup there. I live out West, but I hear the Penn deer aren'tas large as some of the monster mulies we get out here? Either way, you're on the right track and I wouldn't let anyone tell me otherwise, presuming you CAN place the shot where it counts?

Good luck and keep us posted next fall!
Paul

[TXGunNut]

You can do much better. You might get by with those boolits and velocities, but heavier loads won't have any down side, and would make me much more comfortable at longer (past 100 yds) ranges. The .357 mag. is marginal on large mulies, especially beyond 100 yds. See some of 357maximum's threads and posts on the .357 max. In my H&R, with a 200 to 225 grain RNFP boolit, I use 300 MP and run in the 1900 - 2000 fps range. Sweet little gun!



FWIW a 200 gr 35 cal boolit of proper alloy @ 2000 fps is very similar to a 35 Remington. I was a big fan of the 35 Rem in my Contender years (OK, decades) ago and nowadays I'm a big fan again with cast boolits in my 336. I don't think it gets any better for white tail deer, even flattened a pretty big boar for me a few weeks ago.

[reloader28]

Are you shooting that load in a 357?? I tried the Lee RNFP bullet at 160gr. in a Puma 92 and only got to 14.5gr of 2400 and got cratered primers...however 16gr. H110 works fine..

Thats strange. For what its worth, we're running 15.5gr 2400 in 357mag Puma and it shoots good and accurate.

[Foxcatcher]

Had a buddy back home in Florida that used a SWC bullet in .357 max. We slipped up on a sounder of hogs in the 200lb range. I shot a good one with a 30-30 lever gun. He made one shot and killed two nice hogs with the .357 max.

Pass through on the first hog and penatration on the second hog was great.

[quilbilly]

Had a buddy back home in Florida that used a SWC bullet in .357 max. We slipped up on a sounder of hogs in the 200lb range. I shot a good one with a 30-30 lever gun. He made one shot and killed two nice hogs with the .357 max.

Pass through on the first hog and penatration on the second hog was great.
You wouldn't per chance know his load. I am impressed. Maybe I could take a shot at a bigger black bear.

[Foxcatcher]

Unfortunately I was too young to realize what I was wittnessing so I didn't ask.

I know he loaded his own and that it was a SWC. I asked why a SWC and he stated that it cut a hole instead of pushed the flesh aside. Sounded like good logic to me.

I was still in the jacketed hollow point daze.

Don

[PS Paul]

Man, all this talk about deer and hogs is MAKIN' ME HUNGRY!