Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting 358 STA or 358 Norma Magnum for deer?

Which would be better for deer? Can I expect a complete pass through with the Norma? What about Texas Heart shots, which is better for these?

A 50 BMG would be better for those reeeeel tough deer in Georgia...............LOL!

The Norma usually exits on brown bears and moose! Load it down to 2100 fps with 225 sierra's for deer.(or less)

.358-378

jimmyp; Shoot a deer through the shoulders or with a Texas heart shot with a 358NM and post the results. I'd like to see that... I'd like to know if you'd still want to deer hunt with it.

Are you declaring war on whitetails?
There is no "better" in the equation with either.
Each will flat out turn a deer inside out - if you're into that sort of thing.

I think the OP is pulling our chains

Ha! I suspect you are correct...LOL!

Both seem pretty marginal to me, better step up a notch.

skane,

what do you mean turn a deer inside out? those two calibers are near the vaunted 375 H&H in terms of power. plenty of deer are shot with that one and with proper shot placement none are turned inside out. in fact, you could turn a deer inside out pretty easily by gut shooting one with a really high velocity round like one of the Weatherby offerings with a fragile bullet at close-to-the-muzzle range.

with the right bullet and proper shot placement i suspect you will find what other hunters find: two holes and a vary dead deer. end of story.

He wasn't talking about proper shot placement, he was talking about Texas heart shots; thus the implication of humor being involved.
I still want to see pictures before I make a choice.

what grain bullet is best for the Texas Heart Shot when using the .358 STA?

now dont i feel stupid.

i should have read the post closer. sorry guys!

As long as you are serious about this <grin>....a 225 gr Barnes TSX ought to go through a deer from any angle with as little damage as possible with either chambering. Not saying you won't damage some meat and make a mess though.

I also would like to see any pics of a deer shot from stem to stern with either package.

I think we would be talking about a 35 caliber 225TSX at about 3000FPS? I have to say if you could get that together with a 7.5 pound full up rifle with a 22 inch barrel, you would have something that would make things on both ends take notice. I think a 4X scope would be about right on this....

I'd shorten that barrel to 20" max and try to get the over all weight down to something like 6.50-7#.

Brush gun. The bullet weight is fine but I would want to run at least 250g.

I see you can get 2400FPS from a 310, probably good medicine should you have to shoot through a small pine tree to reach the vitals.

My current brush gun is a heavily modified pre-64 Winchester 94 chambered in 8mm Remington Magnum running 200g Partitions. Optics are an 8x56 S&B with a Swaro rail mount. All up she goes 6.5# on the nose. Camo paint, kelvar stock.

If I had it to do all over again I would definitely go to the 358 for the increased frontal diameter for more DRT action. The 310g @2400fps sounds like good advice.

May have to sell this one...

yes the 8mm might be a bit light for 160 pound WT deer. I mean a 200 is just 70 grains more than a 130.

Taint had a problem in not getting pass-through's with a 280.