Marlin 357 vs whitetail

[badguybuster]

Well, I was scouting out a new bedding area for my son to hunt in. Of course, I had my trusty marlin with me for safety. As I was exiting the area this fella hobbled out. I saw him walking out along a well traveled trail but he was moving really oddly. The area is pretty heavily wooded so I stalked him for a bit. I was wearing blue jeans and a black jacket. No camo. I got to about 55 yards before it was too open. His left rear leg was broken at the knee pretty badly and I just couldn't leave him to suffer. It was a fresh compound fracture. Still bleeding. Anyway I took the shot. I was loaded with 180 grain xtp's with 16.5 grains of Lil gun. The shot was a little lower than I had anticipated but was still a double lung punch. Blood trail was extremely good. He ran about 100 yards and laid down but it still took him another 10 minutes to expire. The bullet performed very well. The entry wound was small but the exit was quarter sized. It opened well from what I could see. I had perfect floret cuts through both lungs. I will post pics after skinning. I had to drag the bugger a long way so he is hanging til tomorrow.

http://i712.photobucket.com/albums/ww121/badguybuster/19361ec3-13e5-4254-9145-00e8d95aaf44_zps4d8fe717.jpg

That's my son in the pic

[dnepr]

Nicely done, you ended his suffering and filled the freezer at the same time.

[harley45]

I will always say the Marlin .357 is one of the best all around deer guns out there from kids to senior citizens. It is wasy to load for accurate and in the carbine version light for all day carry!

[northmn]

Interesting. On the Marlin Forum I one time asked what one would consider the "minimum" deer rifle cartridge. My conditions were for a rifle that one would use without extra precision as in head shooting like with a 22, etc. and for "normal use" I picked the 357 as a choice for myself. Your post kind of backs it up. Looks like a good eater.

DP

[osteodoc08]

I'm glad that you were able to end it's suffering. Better to die by 357 than weather, infection or coyote.

Any idea how he obtained the broken leg to begin with?

[badguybuster]

Ya. We have an issue with feral dogs. They chase anything that moves. I've already popped two out of the pack.

[TXGunNut]

Good job and good eating, doesn't get much better than that.

[FergusonTO35]

Nice! I hope to hunt deer with my 1894C next year. That deer was likely full of adrenaline from whatever mishap he had just gone through, it's not surprising he went 100 yards after a fatal shot.

[missionary5155]

Greetings and Congradulations !
That would be a nice blessing to receive. Three legged corn crunchers are in for a world of suffering.
The 180 grainers are the route to go with caliber .357. My marlin shoots 180's as well as any boolit. Only thing better would be a 190 grainer. Do not here about many lost deer punched with the 180's. I lost count on the 158 grainers that did not exit so no trail to follow.
Pop all the 4 footed wild dogs and cats you see. If it has no collar it should not be there. There are packs down here also in the desert. When I see one within 30 yards or so it is terminated. Here they prey on goats and yound LLamas or guanacos. Have 44 WCF's here and that really rolls-em.
Well again thanks for the photo and story !
Mike in Peru

[FergusonTO35]

Come to think of it I have a full box of 180 grain Hornady XTP's. Hmm, wonder what a good load with H110 would be?

[badguybuster]

Here is the recovered bullet. The remaining weight is 176.6 grains. Perfect expansion. Very impressed. The bullet went clean thru and hit the shoulder on the opposing side bounced off and went up into the neck coming to rest against his trachea about half way to his jaw

http://i712.photobucket.com/albums/ww121/badguybuster/20131114_152919_zps0379ec24.jpg

http://i712.photobucket.com/albums/ww121/badguybuster/20131114_152910_zps7136fbb3.jpg

[harley45]

Great pics of the slug!

[JayinAZ]

Looks like an ad for XTPs :)

That bullet did its job.

[Rodfac]

Good that you put him out of his misery...I've got a question...In KY, we're required to wear hunter orange on the chest, back and a hat that's visible from all angles, even on private land...your post says:
I was wearing blue jeans and a black jacket. No camo. ...

What's the story? Rod

[CastingFool]

For some reason, the picture doesn't show up in my computer.

[izzyjoe]

The 357 will do the job, as long as you don't try and stretch them out past a 100yds. And use the right boolit. I use the RD 190's over a stiff charge of 2400' ain't had a deer complain about it yet!

[northmn]

One thing also I wll point out is that deer tend to run a ways with a low hit like pictured from about anything. Very common with that shot placement and not so much determined by caliber.

DP

[OverMax]

It's always good to take a busted up one. Regardless of size or gender. I applaud your decision & effort Sir.

[badguybuster]

My neighbor shot one with his bow that had a nasty rusted broad head lodged in the shoulder. It was so rotten the dogs wouldn't eat it

[johnme]

Just finished my deer season with a doe. I used my Henry 357 and reloaded 158 gr. cast. Shot came in at 84 yards. Left most of my gear at another stand and walked the yards off. The cast 158 gr. went clear threw just missing the spine and missed the top of the liver. The deer made a 180, very slowly jumped a fallen log and all hell broke loose ! must have hit an artery. Blood everywhere , dropped in 30'. with no meat damage. two thumb size holes. Inside of 100 yards the 357 can get the job done. Used skinner sights and that brown on brown is though with no snow.

[19112TAP]

I took two doe's yesterday with my Marling .357 shooting Ranch dog 359-175 GC over AA#9 both doe's were shoot inside 100 yds with one double lung going 50 plus yrds and the other heart shot going 80 yds both fell with in view. My son was watching as I hit the first one and was amazed at the bullet impact.

[TCLouis]

I picked up my Rossi 92 yesterday and imagine my disappointment today when I found it would not chamber a round with the RD or LAR45 180 grain RNFP GC boolit.
358429 chambered and I am assuming for now that the 358156 will chamber also.

I am out of 359429s so 358156s will have to do unless I lower myself to coated projies.

Firelapped the barrel a little today so should be ready to go with real loads for the weekend and hunting loads for Sunday.

20 firelapping rounds down a NEW barrel and NO lead when I used the brush after the little shooting session.

Firelapping round gave 7" of penetration in consolidated damp clay in my berm this afternoon with about a 1' hole at the point of impact with 0.3 CC grains of PROMO and GB 160 RNFP boolit. from 50 yards. Wonder how hard I can push that boolit before I have issues.

I wish I had a 170 - 180 grainier with that profile.

As I learn about this gun, boolits are working that I could not get to work before. Ranch Dog or Lar45 along with the 358429 maybe 358156 too will duke it out and likely best accuracy will be the determining factor of who goes hunting next year.

If the 360-160 RNFP from the Group Buys will shoot accurately (as it has been in limited testing) I will use it to get a few hundreds of rounds down range out of this gun for practice before next season.

Hope to make everything except 25 and 26 caliber lead boolit only for next years season

[FergusonTO35]

Johnme, what load are you using? I like the sound of that performance.

[Lever-man]

Interesting. On the Marlin Forum I one time asked what one would consider the "minimum" deer rifle cartridge. My conditions were for a rifle that one would use without extra precision as in head shooting like with a 22, etc. and for "normal use" I picked the 357 as a choice for myself. Your post kind of backs it up. Looks like a good eater.

DP

I got my Marlin 357 in 1979 about the 2nd year that Marlin brought this caliber back into production. It is my favorite deer rifle. I've been told from the time I bought it that it was too little to be used on deer, but every time I shoot one with it I have meat on the table!!! I do limit my shots to 100 yds or less....... most average about 50 yards. This was back before 180 gr bullets were available and I was using 158 gr sp over a max charge of Blue dot because that is what I had on hand.