I've decided to buy either a 45 Colt or .357 mag. carbine. I've got a supply of Hornady XTP bullets for both and I'm considering buying gas checked cast bullets. For those of you who've used pistol caliber carbines for deer hunting, what do you prefer?
I used pistol caliber as a generic way of saying handgun cartridges in a lever action carbine. Yes, I'm looking at a Henry in either 45 Colt or .357 magnum. They have options with barrel lengths from 16.5 to 20 inches.
I'm well stocked to load for either cartridge, but I'm inclined to go with the 45 Colt. This will not be a primary hunting rifle, but it will get used when I get the urge and I'm hunting a spot that shots will be 100 yards or less. In our old age, my brother and I are having a ball going back to our youth with the lever guns.
I believe Brian Pearce wrote that he’s had very good success with 158xtp’s out of 357 rifles. I’ve shot several deer with 300xtp .452” bullets from muzzle loaders. They are extremely effective. But they are going probably 1800fps muzzle velocity. In 44 mag carbines I’ve had great success with nosler 240 soft points. My buddy uses 240xtp’s in his marlin lever action and it has been very effective as well.
Not a lot of experience shooting them out of a carbine but killed quite a few white tails with the 240xtp with a sabot in a muzzleloader. Always had an exit. In fact I shot one old doe and my feeder with the same shot! All the deer killed with the XTP ran but were easily recovered within 20 to 30 yards with a good blood trails. Since the bulk bullets we used to get from Remington are long gone I plan to load 158gr XTPs for my Rossi M92 in 357Magnum. If I do my part then I know that the bullet will do the same!
"I know you believe that you understand what you think that I said... But I'm not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant." ( A quote of my Father)
I found the Henry X model in 45 Colt at the Kittery Trading Post in Maine. I put a deposit on it and will drive up and get it tomorrow. I would have taken a .357 magnum if that's what was available.
Crazy thing is, I've been loading the 45 Colt for over fifteen years and I don't have one. My brother, uncle and SILs dad are all shooting my handloads. My turn now. I've got Starline brass, Hornady 250gr. XTPs and for powders, Lil Gun, H110, A#9.
125 grain JSP in my Ruger 77 has been deadly on Coyotes and deer out to 100 yards. My nephews shoot 125 grain JHP (Remington). Dropped some nice deer out to about 125-150 yards. All factory ammo and I don’t see much need to change.
In the 45 the xtp gives you the standard 250g option or the magnum 240g or 300g. My brother killed an elk at just over 200 yards with the 240g mag in a sobot from an inline ml.
In the 357 it look at the 180 xtp or the 158 xtp flat nose soft point. The flat nose handles rifle speeds better than the 158 hp. I load lots of 158 xtp hps for our handguns and like it but haven't driven them really hard. It's surprisingly good at slower speeds so I'd worry about it driven fast.
I've loaded up test loads for the 45 Colt with 250gr. XTPs using H110 and Lil Gun. I've got a Leupold 1-4x20 shotgun scope due in Tuesday. I should be getting the loads tested this week.
My brother bought the .357 carbine. I bought the 158gr. XTP-FP to load for him.
My 44 Mag Ruger Carbine sees the 250 gr Nosler Partition. I have used them on three hogs. I bought a pile of them on clearance from Mid-South when Nosler stopped making them many years ago.
I have been using the 240 grain XTP out of my .44 magnum revolvers and my old Ruger carbine for decades. Also loaded them for friends for their.44 mag carbines. I think they’re as good as it gets for either platform. The buck I killed with a 629 last Tuesday would probably agree.
I always thought that Hornady should make a 400 grain .458 version of the XTP hp for use in the .45-70, rather than dick around with light-for-caliber, pointy, plastic tip nonsense. Steve Hornady didn’t agree, however.
Between those two I'd take a .429 or .452 bullet every time. Not that the .357 won't kill deer, but the bigger diameter bullets really do deliver a lot more smackdown. From personal experience at carbine velocities, both .429 and .452 diameter XTPs just knock the stuffing out of deer-sized game. Cast bullets also kill well in those diameters, but I haven't seen them kill quickly as quickly as JHPs.
I love my Marlin 357 carbine but mostly got it for new/young shooters. For .357/.358 bullets on game I like to launch them at higher velocities, typically from a .358 win.
The 45 Colt will launch a 250gr .452 bullet at the same speed as the 357 launches a 158gr .357 bullet. Recoil is mild either way.
I've loaded 405gr. Rem. bullets for my 45-70s, but I'd sign up for a 400gr. Hornady.
TX,
I was locked in on the 45 Colt myself, but my brother wanted the .357. I tried to talk him in to the Colt. I think part of his thinking was a lighter recoiling rifle for the ladies and grandkids. I'm thinking the 158gr. XTP-FP will serve him well.
