357 AMMUNITION FOR DEER HUNTING

I have ordered some Grizzly ammunition for my Ruger Blackhawk 357 mag to deer hunt with if it shoots good in my gun. Has anyone used Grizzly 357 mag 180 grain Cast Performance Lead Wide Flat Nose Gas Checked ammunition to deer hunt with? If so how do you like it?

Opinions vary on using hardcast bullets on thin skinned game like deer. There are pros and cons.

I use 185 grain Beartooth WFNs in a 10-inch Contender. I have killed 3 deer with this load. I like it because it shoots fast and flat and increases the effective range. I am 3 for 3 with this bullet.

I can say, however, that in two of the three cases that I had nil for a blood trail because of the lack of expansion. The deer with a decent blood trail was losing out of her nose. In every case it was complete pinhole-like pass through except there was a quarter sized exit hole. None of them ran far at all.

As in any case, shot placement is the key. I plan to stick with them. I like the ability to take shots at angles I would not take unless I was using a really good jacketed bullet. That where I still see an advantage with the WFN in that they cost considerably less than higher end jacketed bullets.

My son zipped one of these through a cow elk. It worked like a charm.

I have in the past also taken deer with a 686 using 158 grain FP/XTP at closer ranges on broadside shots. That said, I am hanging with the Beartooth bullet for reasons I have stated.

I killed a doe at 201 yds. with a 160 gr. Kieth SWC. Did a rectal shot and got the bullet from under the chest skin. Undeformed. Could shoot it again. Shot several deer with the same bullet on broadside shots. Most ran 75-100 yds. with good hits.
On the otherhand I went four years in a row and killed nice 8 points from 50-90 yards with Sierra 158 gr. JHCs. None ran more than 10 yards.
Casts work OK as long as you hit bone. If you don't have some good walking shoes. The 158 Sierra is all I use on deer in my Pythons.

I don't see why they would not work, I shot and very big 4.5 year old doe with my 357 Blackhawk at 50 yards and she ran maybe 50 and piled up.my loads were a 180 grain rim rock hard cast gas check with 13.5 grains of 2400 running around 1300 fps, the one thing with the 357 and hard cast is go for the shoulders I hit her in the close side shoulder and it just obliterated it.

The velocity with the Grizzly 180 grain cast is 1350. I also thought it would be fairly flat shooting.

This exact load works out well for me in a 10" T/C Contender with open sights. I have not had a chance to use this beyond 50 yards though.

MOHUNTER, what type of shots are you taking , shoulder or behind the shoulder and how does it work. Does it kill quickly and leave a good blood trail?

I hunt from the ground and tried to aim for the shoulder area. So far I have two deer with this load. They were both complete penetrations. One was at 10 feet (big button buck, thought was a doe in the low light)and above and behind shoulder,the deer dropped in it's tracks. The other was close to 35 yards, this young 5 point was hit behind front shoulder and hit other side shoulder. This deer jumped at the shot and was down within 25 yards of the shot. I know 2 deer doesn't give you too much information but this load killed as well for me as jacketed bullets with less meat damage. Both deer had .357 sized holes going in and about 2" holes on off side.

Thats my experience too with the WFN in my .357. Not much of a blood trail, but deer didn't go far at all.

I am loading a 158 XTP in the 357 with a stiff charge of lil gun, and my target is the vitals area. If I were loading a hard cast bullet, the high shoulder shot would be my choice.

I don't reload anything cast for my 38s and 357s except DEWC 148 gr. I do have a supply of Magtech 158 gr "SJSP Flat"
Do they offer any increase in wound channels compared to cast LBTs or SWCs?