I have hunted with a Ruger Redhawk for few years and have killed (6) deer with it. This year I have a strong drive to take a deer with my Ruger GP100. Does anyone have experience deer hunting with a 357 mag revolver?

I have had a tough time finding what I think might be good factory loads to hunt deer with locally. I have found some federal 158 gr sjsp and some Barnes Vor-TX 140 gr XPBHP which are all copper. I hunt deer in North Carolina where a big buck will weigh 200 pounds on the huff.

Which load would you choose?

Thanks for your help.

Michael

Michael

Can't help with factory fodder, but I load a Hornady 158 JHP in front of 17.5 grains of lil gun for hunting with my GeeP. I would lean towards the heavier bullet if it runs at a respectable pace.

Michael,

I hunted a good bit this past year running the 140 gr Barnes in the Federal factory loading, taking deer, hogs, and exotics with a 9" barreled .357. It's pushing a little bit faster than your GP due to barrel length, but I was impressed with the results.

Also took a couple hogs with the 158 JSP's in an 8 3/8" S&W - with a softer bullet, I approached it similarly to bowhunting. Wait on your shot angles and go collect your game.

Been wondering about the Barnes load myself. I just got a box but haven't had a chance to shoot them yet. I've had very good results with their rifle loads, very accurate and deadly on game.

Great advice SChunter. Do you think that the Barnes loading would have the same velocity as the Federal with the Barnes 140 gr bullet? Did you get thru and thru penetration with it? Did you get complete penetration with the 158 gr sjsp?

I have been a bow hunter since about 1967 0r 68 so hunting with recurves and longbows so I know what you mean about waiting on shot angles

Michael

I know the Buffalo Bore 180's work in a 6"S&W,also on black bear at bow ranges.

I have tried to find some Buffalo Bore ammo here locally but have not been able too.

Michael

Check midwayusa for the Buffalo Bores. The 180gr. and 158gr. both shoot well in my 4" GP. The muzzle velocity for the Barnes load is slower then the Federal load but I don't know the exact numbers.

Thanks Big Todd. I ordered some Buffalo Bore 158 gr from Midway just a few minutes ago.

Michael

Michael, the Barnes loading shows as slightly slower listed velocity than the Federal, but that could just be fluff. I did get exits with the Barnes bullets, even at distance, except for one on a woolly Mouflon that trapped it on the offside hide.

The 158's did not exit.

Thanks for sharing your experience. It really helps.

Michael

Glad you got your ammo. Now hurry up and go shoot it and report back.

I will as soon as I can. I hope to Friday.

Michael

Buffalo Bore also loads the X-bullet in .357 although a bit pricey it would probably be a great load as well.

It was the cost of custom ammo that got me invested in reloading. And that was waaay back when, when it was actually affordable. For about $150 you can be on the road to rolling your own, and have total control. Just sayin'

I've looked into reloading just no room in the house right now.

It really doesn't have to take up much room.

I know from experience that 125gr JSP's are not a good choice for deer. Please don't use anything lighter than 158gr.
Fred Eichler likes Hornady 158gr XTP bullets.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gPBKt3fFCw

Semper Fi.

You can buy a lee loader for thirty bucks on e-bay.Get a used scale for ten bucks. Set up a T.V. tray and load all evening while watching old westerns.

I have reloading equipment and was reloading a lot when I first started hunting with revolvers. Last April we had a storm blow a very large oak tree across our house and have been living in a small apartment since while waiting on our insurance to agree with our contractor about how to repair our house. I do not have room to reload while here plus all my equipment has been stored at Servpro and deer season is coming quickly. That is why I am interested in good factory loads for deer hunting.

Michael

As a hunter education instructor I speak with many handgun hunters about their experiences. The .357 magnum 125 grain load is great for wounding and losing deer. The 140 grain or heavier loads are good killers. Remember that the 125 grain load was developed as an antipersonnel load and works well. Humans and deer react differently to gunshots.

Well tried the Barnes load today and my GP didn't like them a bit. Shot a few more of the BB 180gr. Hard cast and they were spot on. Looks like I've found my load for this fall.

I got my BB 158 gr today. I hope to try them out Friday. I also plan to try the Barnes 140 gr I got a couple of weeks ago and some Federal 158 gr sjsp also.

Hope they all shoot well for you. Good Luck.

Thanks

What velocity do they advertise for that slug?

The BB 158gr sjhc is 1475 out of a five inch barrel.

They advertise 1400 fps for the 180 hard cast from Buffalo Bore. I get slightly over that in my 6" GP100. It's been a while since I shot them over my chronograph but I think I was getting right around 1425.

That is smoking in a 357 mag!

Have you shot any deer with that load?

That is one smoking load!

No I haven't shot anything but paper with them. Hope to try them on a black bear during our early season in Sept. I'll report back with a damage report should it happen.

Agreed! Has a good blast and pretty good recoil in a 6" 357. I can't imagine it's much fun in a 5-shot snubbie. It is still very manageable however, but I'm also used to shooting my +P 45 Colt.

BB bore 180's would be my choice. Federal Fusions look interesting.

The Lee whack a mole type loader is how I started and takes very little space.

I went to my friends house after work today to sight in my Ruger GP 100. I Took a box of Barnes 140 gr all copper hp, Buffalo Bore 158 gr sjhc and Federal 158 gr sjsp.

I got my revolver on the paper using 38 specials and then shot some of the Barnes. You could tell you were shooting 357 mag instead of 38 spec but it was very manageable. At about 30 yards they did strike four or five inches above the 38 spec.

I then shot a few of the BB 158 gr sjhc. These were hotter than the Barnes because they were tighter in the cylinder after being shot It looks like these may group tighter in my gun.

I then shot some of the Federal 158 gr sjsp. They grouped very good in my gun with the first two holes touching at about 30 yards. They did hit about 2 - 3 inches lower than the other two brands.

I wanted to shoot more to really decide which brand to hunt with but it started raining about that time and I had to load everything up and leave.

If the Federals do group like it looks like they do, would you use them or one of the other loads? They all hit about the same right to left but the federals did hit 2-3 inches lower than both the Barnes and the BB.

The recoil on the Barnes and the BB seemed to be a little stronger than the Federals but non of them matched my 44 mag or the 454 I once had.

I went back and measured the groups. The federal 158 gr put three shots inside of 1". The BB 158 gr put three inside of 1 7/8". The Barnes group was wider but I am not sure what the group size really was because I was still sighting in when I was shooting them.

The BB group printed 1 1/2 inches above the Federal group.

What do you think? Which would you use?

When I shot these groups I was sitting in a folding chair and propping the gun on my leg with it crossed like I do when I hunt.

If the federal were hitting 2-3" lower, they were probably traveling a little faster than the other two.
I'm waiting on the arrival of a GeePee myself and I'm planning on using some 180gr's at around 1300fps; if they shoot well.
If all the loads you tried are shooting equally accurate, I'd lean toward the Barnes bullet. I have no personal experience with it yet, but it's praised by many.

I haven't had a shot opportunity on deer yet, it's tough hunting public land blacktails in California when it's still 90* in late September. I will say from experience the 180 Buffalo Bore will penetrate lengthwise through a coyote. Presented a facing shot so I centered it in his chest and it came out under the tail and kicked up dust behind him. Kind of the reverse Texas heart shot ;-)

I hope to go back soon and really check out the Barnes to see how they group at 30 yards so I can decide which bullet to use hunting in about three months.

If they all group well enough which loading would you use, 140 Barnes all copper hp, 158 gr BB sjhc or the Federal 158 gr sjsp?