Well I have an Elk tag....357 Herrett experience

[NVScouter]

I got a cow elk tag and I really want to use my 357 herret in a 10" contender. Last year the only shot I got on a buck was 240y so I used my rifle. I had my Blackhawk but I'm only solid to about 150y with that. But this year I think its Pistol or nothing. I may bring my 45colt levergun with my 340g casts but that would be my only rifle.

I developed a really nice 180g condom load with the Sierra tourniment master on for my last hog hunt and it shoot great to 200y. I'm going cast and looking at a few 180-200g moulds.

Ranchdog's 190 is at the top of the list since i want a wide front section. Mountainmoulds are a possibility too but that lead time is cutting it close.

I know I can get 1950fps out of a 180g Tourniment master, and 2000+ with an equal cast.

I'm starting to hate the TKO calculator that shows this load only dropping 8" at 200 yards but losing 50% of its energy. I know what a 180g core-lok does to a 6x6 bull at 1200fps. Its broke two veribrea, drove another 15"+ and lodged someplace in the guts. TKO says this much energy is only good for coyotes So I'm not doing the math any longer and hoping some of you have shot Elk with a 357 Herrett. What ranges, shot types, moulds, etc.?

I've had the barrel about 3 years now and its my favorite even over my 7-30 barrel. It loves 125-225g. I shoot it quite a bit so I wont be shy about shots in the 150-200y range if the enrgy is there. After I get a load together I'm goig to take a stack of phone books out for testing and cap my effective range. I just need to settle on the mould.

Thanks guys.

[singleshot]

TKO calculator is worthless IMHO. A high SD subsonic boolit of appropriate design will do ALOT more damage than any of the formulas suggest.

I use the Ranchdog .35 in my .35 Rem. Doesn't matter the cartridge...anyway, that boolit at 1200 fps through the boiler-room will result in a dead elk. You might be surprised to find that boolit does more damage than the core-lok at that speed.

[singleshot]

Commence testing and prove it to yourself!

[sixshot]

What really makes a cast bullet shine on big game is that big flat nose bullet, but unfortunately that flat nose can cause problems at extended distances. I also shoot cast & I've had a couple of 357 Herretts in the past.
You might have to work out a compromise of sorts, that is, use a 200 gr RN jacketed to shoot flatter or stay with the flat nose cast & give up some range. Shots on elk can be on the long side in many western states so you'll need to zero at perhaps 1" high at 100 yds for a starter & then shoot your handgun at 75, then 150, then 200 & see if you are happy with the results.
While I never took an elk with one of my Herretts I would have no problem using that 357 of yours after some load development. I think you would be fine out to 150 or so, beyond that I'd be very careful.
You don't want the midrange trajectory to be very high, so the old 3" high at 100 yds is most likely out of the question with your Herrett. Good luck.

Dick

[NVScouter]

Thanks.

I started using the TKO calculation around 8 years ago and really liked the formula. Its down and dirty and exceptional for solids, but the more I shoot game with it the more fault I see. It doesnt take bullet performance into it or as Singleshot said anything subsconic. It just puts doubt into my brain at 2am about a wounded elk

I've played with 124-250g in my herrett and with the 10" barrel the sweet spot is 180g for velocity and energy. The 250g J-bullets I shot didnt expand at 200y and the 225g were almost as bad. The 180g load I use is 3" high @50y, zero @100 and around -8 @200.

The two Ranchdog moulds look super close just a 180 and a 200g same style. Plus a 6 banger would be nice.

[TCLouis]

used 140 grain HP coated bullets in the 357 when developing the 357 Herrett forelk hunting from what I have read . . .

Yep surprised me too, but it worked so yours should be MO BETTER

I have yet to test Ranch Dog's 180 or LAR's in the Herrett.

How about the 200 grain FP GB mold?
Comes to about 220 grains all lubed and gas checked up in my alloy.
My alloy is typically about 14.5 bhn.
I have shot up to 21.5 grains of Milsurp 4759 with pistol primers lighting it off.

If worse comes to worse, you may have to lower yourself to use the 180 SSP bullet.

[ammohead]

NVScouter,

Where is your tag for?

[Screwbolts]

This is a good thread to read, link is to an elk killed with hard cast in a 357 mag, I believe Verel Smiths wife hunts elk with a 357 mag in a lever rifle. IMHO,your Herret is up to the task if you are. Hard cast, NOE 180 FN and it will drive straight threw. accuracy in my mags is outstanding.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...t=48098&page=7

[725]

Following this thread with great interest. Just about to start with the .348 "Plinker" of group buys past, paper patched, for my .357 Herrett. Comes in around 190 grs. patched and lubed. Good luck with load development, keep us posted, and good hunting. Hope to be able to drive the softish PP boolit at top speeds with good accuracy.

[DanWalker]

I punched a ranchdog 190 from a 35 remmy levergun through a warthogs shoulders last month. He went down in a pile. I'm sure your elk will do the same. My boolit was cast from ACWW and lubed with liquid xlox. MV is right at 2000 fps. Range was 65 yards.

[NVScouter]

I got transfered to Utah from Nevada. I wasnt here for the draw but I got my 6 months residency right before they sold the left over tags. I got a cow tag up by Duchenes UT. Its a great Elk area but its riddled with reservation land so I have to be super careful where I'm at and moving through.

I bought the NOE 180 4 cavity duel HP/solid but I need to have Al take a look at the one I got. I found out NOE was about 20 miles from me and Al let me check out his shop. The NOE does need to be seated to the crimp groove to chamber. Good news if I set a 357H too far I can set out the boolit too far and fake the headspace to salvage the brass.

[TCLouis]

Thanx for the referral to an earlier thread.

As long as there are different outcomes to the "same" hunting situations, it appears that we will have different "OPINIONS" on the boolit performance.

The problem is we only control boolit shape and velocity, the other variables e do not especially have any idea about.