.357 magnum & deer

[Mr. 16 gauge]

Can't get over the prices of lever actions nowadays.....used to be some pretty good bargains out there, but now.....Jeeeezzzzzz!

[PJgunner]

I don't have a .357 mag. rifle, at least one that I've shot. My Ruger #1 in .357 Mag. is too valuable as a collector pirce topossibly take out and get banged up. However, I have shot handguns in .357 mag. and can address the bullets I've used on game.
1. The .38/44: This cartrisdge was the forerunner to the .357 mag. and shot a 158 gr. bullet at a bit over 1150 FPS. Just a very hot loaded .38 Spl. I used one around 1959 IIRC to kil a Black Bear. The gun was a Smith & Wesson 38/44 Ourdoorsman. I was not hunting at the time and the gun was used to stop a bear attack on a woman in the group I was camping with. Two fast shots behind the ear did the trick.
The gun was loaded with my handload consisting of a heavy charge of Hercules #2400 powder and the Lyman #358156 cast bullet.

2. Back in the mid 1960's, I was doing a bit of free lance photography. My next door neighbor raised and train Redbone and Bluetick hounds for hunting purposes. he was wanting to make up a brochure adverising his dogs on hunts and gave me the job. I loaded up my camera and gear and strapped on a Smith & Wesson 4" Highway Patrolman (pre-number gun) and we went down into Big Sur on the Californis Coast. it wasn't long before the dogs picked up a trail and soon had a nice hog cornered. Well, so far things were going along just fine. I focused the camera and hit the shutter. The clackety clack of the mirror in that single lens reflex camera got Mr. Piggie's attention and he quickly forgot the dogs. I guess he decided I was the sole source of his misery and wanted to discuss the mnatter with me. Two fast shot as very close range took care of that problem. Again, the gun was loaded with my handloads using that same Lyman #358156 cast bullet.
Seems like when I carried a .357 Mag. out in the boonies, I had serious encounters with grumpy game. When I started carrying a .44 magnum though, nothing ever happened. Knock on wood.
I guess you know which bullet I would prefer for a .357 mag. rifle. I still shoot that one in my current 38/44 and .357 Mags.
Paul B.