Got him this morning with my 4" gp100 with 180gr cast and wc820. First shot was at 75yds and I center punched his shoulder. I expected him to fold at the shot but he ran off with an obviously broken shoulder. I gave it a few minutes And took up the trail expecting to find him piled up a short distance later. To my surprise, when I created a ridge he was bedded in a draw about 50yds from the shot. He was still very much alive and bolted as soon As he saw me! I let him get out of sight and made a big loop to get out in front of the direction he was headed. Slowly working my way back up the creek where he had gone, I heard him bump again. I gave it a few minutes and inched forward. I finally spotted him bedded just off the creek bed and worked into position for the finisher. The shot was about 65 yds and I placed the bullet well behind the right shoulder to angle into the vitals. At the shot he reared up out of his bed and fell straight over backwards. That one had done the trick. On the skinning rack I found that my first shot had in fact center punched the shoulder, but thats where to good news ends! After penetrating the shoulder blade, the bullet turned almost straight down and went into the brisket without exiting. IT NEVER PENETRATED INTO THE CHEST CAVITY! certainly not what I expected and it was an utter disappointment. On the bright side, the finished shot went through a couple feet of deer in a straight line but it too did not exit. Both bullets we're recovered under the hide. I have killed a ton of game with my .357's in the past but I am loosing faith. I believe I will start carrying my gp100 44spl....

Congratulations on the Deer. Sorry to hear about the bullets not performing to your expectations.

You did not say at what velocity you were running the 180s.

Don't think I ever chronoed these but I am pushing them as hard as I can in the 4"!
I'm thinking at 240 Speer deep curl at 1100fps out of my gp100 44spl will give me what I'm looking for.

That was some handgun hunt and with a 4" iron sight 357 no less....He is a beauty... sincere congratulations.....not many could do what you did

Great buck! Way to stay after him and seal the deal. Congrats!

You closed the deal!
Good for you and a nice muley.

We don't generally make them in Texas quite like you do in Wyoming!I guess EVERYTHING isn't bigger in Texas.....😁

Many thanks sir. Not quite like staring down black death though!

I bet the adrenalin was flowing- in you! Great write up. Mulies are decent size animals and .357s are not the biggest of guns/bullets. .44 Spl. sounds like a winner.

Great buck. Hate that the bullet didn't perform well, but now you know. Way to stick with it.

Outstanding buck. Strange bullet behavior for sure.

Nice buck! Using a 4" barrel, I'm in awe at that distance. Great hunting experience !

Congrats

Good HUNTING! You played that very very well!!! Good job getting that deer. Try some 158gr aframes and run em hot.

Nice story, and a nice looking buck.
I would have figured that the first shot would have went straight on through.
You stayed with him, and got the job done.

Bob Roach

EXCELLENT MARKSMANSHIP AND AN EXCITING HUNT THAT ENDED WELL.

I TOO HAVE EXPERIENCED SIMILAR DEFLECTION WITH A CAST BULLET. LAST SEASON A SHOT A LARGE WHITETAIL BUCK DEAD CENTER IN THE SHOULDER, WITH A 200gr WFN STYLE CAST BULLET OUT OF A 12 INCH CONTENDER IN 357 MAX, AND THE BULLET WNET THRU THE ON SHOULDER BUT THEN DEFLECTED STRAIGHT UP INTO THE BACKBONE. HE DROPPED BUT NEEDED A FINISHER. SEEMS TO ME THAT WHEN THE NOSE OF A CAST BULLET SMEARS TO ONE SIDE OR ANOTHER THAT ACTS AS A RUDDER THAT STEERS THE BULLET OFF COURSE. IS THERE ANY DIFFERENCE IN THE NOSE DEFORMATION OF YOUR TWO BULLETS?

Nice muley with a 4in .357 Mag.

I?m impressed.

As others have said, very impressive!

I?m shooting a load that clocks 1100fps with a 215swc in my Smith 69. Hope to take a hog or deer with it this year.

Great buck and shot, way to go!

Yes sir. One bullet is smeared much more than the other. Unfortunately I don't remember which is which....

Congratulations! Nice buck!

Congrats, nice buck.

Most Excellent! Very impressive indeed...

That is some very impressive shooting with a short barreled sixgun.

I am glad that you stayed the course, followed up, and finished the deal.

Congratulations on a fine deer and a successful hunt!

Very good with the 4" GP!

I am also a GP nut. My first one I got from a good friend. Took me a long time to get him to give in. Actually he is like a brother to me. Swapped a very nice Krag sporter for the smooth as glass GP, really we loaned them to one another.

6" 357 with an LBT 180 and a dose of WC820,AA9 or H110, this rig is not picky at all. It really likes 180s best and likes pushed to the max. I have lost count of how many deer he and I have taken with it. Iron sighted for a while and now it has a small red dot.
I am curious as to what bullet design you were using? I have a couple of FN customs and the LBT's. We have yet to recover a bullet. Shots have been at various angles as well. The extra speed of the 6" may well be part of it.

FYI, I pack a 4" GP a lot anymore. I actually shoot it better than the 6".

A good hunt for you for sure congrats again.
Jeff

Glad it all turned out for the best. Congrats