H&R 357 mag deer hunting question

[Milsurp Junkie]

I agree, and I have several rifles that will do 2-4" groups no problem at 100 yards (mosin nagants, 30-06, and even 30-30), but this rifle just suckered me in with its accuracy potential. I am in the process of working up a 357 mag or max load that would be a better choice. I guess that I will relegate the 357 mag 125 jhps for varmint hunting (which is fine by me, because the ammo is so cheap!).

I would like to that all those people that posted on here, as I respect the wisdom that you possess. That is why I asked the question here!

Thanks again and happy holidays!

Milsurp Junkie.

[FergusonTO35]

The Hornady XTP 158 grain flat point is an excellent j-bullet designed for use on deer size game. They're very accurate in my Marlin 1894. I used to shoot them over a near max charge of Hodgdon 4227 and a standard SP primer. As I recall they were getting around 1750 fps out of the carbine barrel and had no trouble making a nice big hole through a seasoned 8" log. It was a very pleasant shooting load, about like a 20 gauge trap round.

[BAGTIC]

I am assuming this is a single-shot rifle. I would try a 180 grain seated out as far as practical. The heavier bullet will have a little lower muzzle velocity than a 125 reducing its chance of blowing up but it will have more velocity down range ensuring more energy and more penetration. It is the traditonal load for low velocity guns, heavy high SD bullet. I have several .357/.357 Max single-shots and LA and I would never use less than 158 grains for deer in any of them.

[Milsurp Junkie]

I am going to the range w/ an assortment of bullets in both 357 mag and max this week. I will see if I can find an acceptable higher grain bullet (158 and 180 XTP, 140 grain Leverevolution, and even some Barnes solid copper). I also grabbed a box of Remington 357 mag 125 grain JSP bullets. I just wanted to see if this gun just happens to like lighter bullets. I would expect that the jacketed soft point would hold together much better than the JHPs. If all else fails, I will relegate the 125 grain JHPs to varmint rounds.
Has anyone here done any jug/ballistic gel or wet newspaper tests with the JSPs?

Thanks again for all the information all you guys have given. I believe that the animal deserves the quickest, most humane kill possible. I doubt that the 125 grain JHPs would provide that unless I had a high head/neck shot, and I am not willing to take that unless the animal is not moving around a lot.

[jburris2001]

at the range you expect 25-75yrds. you should be fine with a heart/lung shot.

[DIRT Farmer]

My only experience with the 125 JHP was one deer my son shot with a Ruger Blackhawk, 5 times and finished off with a 38SPL WC. I worked a shooting as an EMT/P where the man who was shot (Smith 4 in barrel) took one in the sternum which richoetted down and was found in the pelvic area the only damage was to the diphram. Round #2 went into the 4th rib 2 inches right of the left nipple richoetted off exited in the left frontal side of the chest striking the bicep and lodging aginst the bone in the upper bone without breaking it. He was definatly stopped but was breathing and talking to me, left the hospital three days later. I switched to 158 grn JHP for my duty gun on the PD.
I shot one deer with the 357 Herriot loaded hot and the Lyman 155 GC cast. The deer went ridged on impact then colasped with a hit to the chest. The lung were mush.