Henry 357 deer, grouse, in Adirondacks?

[Elbow]

My henry bbs carbine, 357 with 2400 and a lee 158 flat point shoots great to 100 yards with a peep sight. Looking for ghpughts on ising this in adirondacks for deer season, diring which you can also shoot grouse, snowshoe hare, coyote and bear. Figure i can carry a lot of rounds in my pocket while i roam the north woods, forage w the 357 carbine on the way. Thoughts? Ive killed a lot of game, nothing with a 357 cast. Thanls, Craig

[stubshaft]

I've used my Marlin .357 carbine to take hundreds of hogs (been doing hog eradication at two local ranches and a local college for years) with some sheep and goats thrown in for good measure. With a well placed shot it kills disproportionately to it's minimal size. I'd still be shooting it if my Boy hadn't begged and pleaded with me to give it to him...

[725]

I used to tromp those Adirondacks as a kid. That carbine will be a treat to carry, and if your hunting area is anything like mine was, it will be perfect.

[outdoorfan]

Love the .357 carbine! Mine is a 16" rossi trapper. Speaking of grouse, I also have developed a quiet load for small game at short range (40 yards on in), using a 125 gr lead hp with around 1 grain of Reddot, with cream of wheat as a filler. Makes as much noise as clapping your hands. Quiet!

[mnewcomb59]

Full power magnums with softer alloy are almost too much for squirrels.

The Ranch dog 135-rf in 2-2-96 alloy weighs 140 grains and at a muzzle velocity of 2000+ fps it mushrooms to 60 cal with 99% weight retention.

Recently I headshot a squirrel with this load and it gutted him and blew out a nickel sized hole behind the rib cage. Thankfully the meat wasn't ruined or even bruised. I almost left the squirrel as coyote bait but I'm glad I didn't. Best guess is that a hydrostatic wave or air bubble got forced down his throat.

Another half grain of 2400 and it might've cooked him too.

For an all purpose load, your 158 @ 1750-1800 fps might be better. This was my first squirrel with a "high powered" rifle, but i have shot a lot with 38 and 9mm loads in rifles. I would bet that with 2400 and even a rock hard bullet, you wouldn't wanna shoot any edible small game in the body. At 22lr speeds you can shoot them in the body but don't hit the shoulders. Low and back on the ribs is instant death and great eating quality.

Right after deer season I sight my 357 rifle in for 1250 fps loads with a 158 which is a nice middle ground between the 32-20 and a 44-40 for an all purpose round.

[GhostHawk]

I'm with outdoorfan. Small cast bullets with 1-4 grains of Red Dot will give you reasonably quiet grouse, rabbit, etc killers without the noise of a full house load.

For deer and larger it would be hard to beat the Lee 200 grain gas checked RCBS clone. Over your choice of powder.

If you keep the speed down you don't get that supersonic crack that carry's so far.

Lots of room for lots of experimenting. Have fun

[runfiverun]

3grs of red-dot and a 125 in the 357 case should let you pop the head off a grouse no problem.
I carry a handful in my pocket when I have the 357 with me, I just slip one in the gate and rack the deer round into my hand, and I'm ready to take small game.
if there is more than one bird I put in more than one round obviously.

[44 flattop]

I packed a .357 Marlin around the PNW for a decade. Used only 1 load then, still use the same one now. A 158 grain cast using @296 at 1770 fps. Super accurate, killed quite a few deer, a couple bear, rabbits, coyotes, and shot the heads off a whole lot of grouse.

[Elbow]

My liad is the lee 158 flat nose, no gas check, stiff charge of 2400, out of my henry carbine. Deadly accuarte and ive killed a lot of deer. Ut none with cast or 357. My bullets are 5050 wwpb lubed with alox, no leading at all. What do you guys think of this setup for deer and bear up to 100 yards, lile i said killed a ton of deer but not with 357 or cast

[44 flattop]

My liad is the lee 158 flat nose, no gas check, stiff charge of 2400, out of my henry carbine. Deadly accuarte and ive killed a lot of deer. Ut none with cast or 357. My bullets are 5050 wwpb lubed with alox, no leading at all. What do you guys think of this setup for deer and bear up to 100 yards, lile i said killed a ton of deer but not with 357 or cast

It will work fine.

[runfiverun]

yep.
wait until you don't have an XTP open and compare the results to a cast bullet.