357 magnum domestic bull buster boolits

[Hog Farm]

I learned today while picking up deer from the processor, he sometimes uses his 357 magnum to put down big bovine. Apparently some have not been one shot kills with factory loads. I told him to put em in the ear. He said not an option with his set-up. Has to shoot them head on.

He isn't going to buy another firearm. Sticking with 357 mag loaded to factory length, what do you suggest? What weight? What hardness? If the alloy is too hard, will they shatter and not penetrate the skull of the beast?

Thanks in advance for all your thoughts!

[376Steyr]

Did he say what ammo he is using now? I suspect a 110 or 125 JHP wasn't getting the job done consistently.

[Wolfer]

I believe any 158 gr cast from AC WW or even 50/50 at 1000 fps or so will penetrate a bulls skull. Having never shot one I could be wrong, I often am.
These boolits in solid form penetrate well and won't shatter IMO. Woody

[seaboltm]

I would think that working at point blank range a 148 grain wadcutter or a 158 SWC made out of wheel weights and moving at 38 special velocity will certainly do the job. I can't imagine that 357 velocities are needed, but if so, the same bullets listed above will certainly do the job.

[bhn22]

Butchers have been killing beef with calibers like 22 Shorts, & LR, 25/20, 32-20, 41 Short & Long Colts, etc, forever. For a contact shot, the 357 may actually be needlessly powerful. A plain old semi-wadcutter should be plenty.

[LUCKYDAWG13]

when i was a kid my friends dad just used a 22 lr on their beef bulls at point blank range
most were one shot kills. not all but most of them

[Wolfer]

We never butchered beef at home when I was young. Butchered lots of hogs. With them feeding on the ground a 22 at a point 2" above centerline of their eyes worked every time.

Now I have a friend that butchers his own hogs and uses a 22 pistol. He told me while back when he makes his head cheese the bullet is always laying right against the skull. It knocks them cold and he sticks them immediately.

[Hog Farm]

He said he sends his daughter to town to buy ammo. I'm sure with all ammo being scarce, jhp and light weight could be the main problem. I myself have had 22 not kill a cow that was down, shot straight on. Back when farmers got together and killed hogs around here, they used 22 shorts. There was a large one the 22 didn't phase, and I think someone produced a 32 and it did the trick.

With all my usual sources being out of stock, I did find some Double Tap loaded with 180 grain cast at midway. I would almost pay $25 for a box of twenty rounds to let him try em out. But then I may be tempted to buy a $75 mold to duplicate them if they work.

[dubber123]

Ross Seyfried wrote an article years back about using a .38 snub with jacketed 158+P's to try and put down a wounded elk. It almost got him gored. The +P's barely broke 700 fps., and actually mushroomed quite widely on a frontal head shot, even though they were a FMJ design. He solved it by handloading a hard cast 158 gr. SWC, and says it worked wonderfully, far out penetrating the factory load. It would be super easy to match .38 snub performance in any .357 mag.

[tuckerdog]

On the kill floor we used a metal stud propelled by a 9mm blank worked well on everything. Every now and then one would suspect what was going on and we used a stevens model 15 and what ever lr ammo was on hand. it did just fine. .357 158grn swc should turn the trick.

[Stephen Cohen]

I killed a large bull 2yrs ago with standard velocity .22 round frontal head shot at point blank, I have never seen an animal drop faster or more dead. I suspect if he is not getting kills with 357 he is not hitting the right spot. No offence intended but 357 is a lot of gun up close.

[Hog Farm]

I have a Lee 140 grain SWC mold and may have to load some up and see how many pieces of one inch plywood one will penetrate.

He did say these were 1800-1900 pound bulls. I guess they are so heavy they are hard on the cows.

[FergusonTO35]

Cattle skulls are really not that thick. As a kid I used to encounter carcasses freshly picked clean by buzzards and use the bones for .22 targets.

[725]

Glenn Frye mentioned butchers using "the bullet for all seasons" in one of his LASC articles. A little research on that title should bring up the article. 220 gr SWC for the .38. Even had load data. Meplat, heavy & long for caliber, soft cast would be big medicine for up close dispatching.

[leadman]

I tried the Lee 158gr RFN in my J frame 38 spl. on the skull of an elk I had shot to see what it would do. It penetrated one side and broke the skull on the other side but did not exit. This is at about 750 fps with air cooled wheel-weight alloy.

[wlc]

We always used a 22 or 22 mag for cows, the hogs a 22. I would hazard a guess that he aint hitting the right spot if he can't get it done with a 357. Draw an X from ear to eye diagonally. Aim just an inch or two above the crossing point of the X. That's the spot. The shot needs to be pretty square on regardless of what you shoot them with.

[JHeath]

Glenn Frye mentioned butchers using "the bullet for all seasons" in one of his LASC articles. A little research on that title should bring up the article. 220 gr SWC for the .38. Even had load data. Meplat, heavy & long for caliber, soft cast would be big medicine for up close dispatching.

Good tip, I found and read it:

http://www.lasc.us/FryxellLyman358627.htm

Makes me wonder about the .38-200. Enfield revolvers have been available cheap lately. The top break is handy, and they're not as loud as a .357. I can't think of a better use for them than this, and they are too good to throw away.

[Mallard57]

I dropped a steer like a rock with a 95 gr. Fmj out of my .380 AMT Backup. I think hitting them in the right spot is the most important part.

[MtGun44]

Federal Cast Core 180 gr, PN F357J.

Fairly expensive these days, but should do the job.

Bill

[Hog Farm]

Thanks everyone for your thoughts. JHeath thanks for the link. I read the article and thought great, this mold would be useful in my 35 Whelen as well. Let me see if midway has it in stock...

I guess the mold is discontinued?

I would pick a flat base mold over a gas check mold if given a choice.