Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles 357 mag for deer and elk?

I'd have no trouble hunting deer, big eared or not, with a 357 Mag rifle. My boys have shot 6 with one here in IN. None have made it 20yds from the shot, the furthest being 90yds. First one made me a believer. Shot at 30yds directly through the sternum and found the bullet under the hide of one of the hams. All were taken with 158gr Hornady XTP-HP

Who was it that said ( use enough gun ) Rio7

I don't see anywhere the OP mentioned Mule deer.

“I should have mentioned that this new hunter is cartridge restricted due to state law.”


How many times does the OP need to repeat himself?



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yet people will say a 223 with a 55gr ballistic tip is the best deer /elk /hog killing set up there is .go shoot stuff and make your on mind up

Even the whitetail does that I see almost every day here at home are bigger than any Collie that I've ever seen.

Although I have killed a number of both mule and whitetail does with .22 LR bullets (all one shot kills and NO losses), I would not recommend a .22 LR to anyone for hunting deer, nor would I recommend a .357 rifle for a new hunter for hunting deer, and definitely NOT for hunting elk.

I have a friend that kills his elk almost every year with his .44 mag revolver, but he IS NOT a new hunter. Many years ago I killed an elk with an arrow from a spot and stalk 10 yard shot. I'm sure I could have killed that bull just as easily with one of my .44 mag revolvers and probably with one of my .357 revolvers, but a .357 would definitely NOT be my first choice weapon.

Yes, a rifle will add 400 or so feet/second over the velocity of the same bullet out of a revolver, but IMO that still doesn't make a .357 mag a 100 yard deer cartridge, and definitely NOT an elk cartridge, especially for a new hunter.

Opinions vary and everybody's got one. The opinion of those who have actually done it are perhaps worth a bit more than those who have not. Notice everyone in this thread who has actually killed deer with a .357 carbine has been positive in their results. The extra 500 fps from a carbine virtually doubles the energy with 158 gr bullets and makes a big difference in bullet action and wound trauma over a 6" revolver.

What becomes most apparent is how utterly stupid state game and fish commissions are. Trying to protect against high performance centerfire overreach and forcing hunters into an inferior cartridge so game animals have a higher probability of being wounded and become some coyotes feast. Banning bottlenecks like a 30-30, 35 Rem or straight wall 375 Win or other straight wall tube feed lever cartridges makes zero sense. A modern shotgun rifled sabot or muzzleloader now has a 200 yard reach.

A .357 carbine is plenty of gun at normal woods ranges. Ballistics notably superior to my .50 cal. Hawken with 80 grs. of Goex black powder and patched round ball, yet few would argue the suitability of the .50 cal. ball on deer in the woods.

Not arguing the point of a 357 Mag or even 44 Mag just stating the state restriction is stupid regarding bullet reach when it comes to utilizing other shorter range more powerful cartridges.

Pharmseller, there are others .. Some new inventions, the older 38-55, the .44 mag. & the .45-70... I am not sure of all the new rounds that are straight walled. For deer at woods ranges .the .357 would be okay. I have killed several with it.. But when you through elk into the mix, it is a whole different ball game..

Agree some of the restrictions are rather stupid.

when I was in Alaska I was fishing with a friend. he decided to kill a small bull moose with a 38 special. which he did.. but he shot him 6 times and eventually the moose died.. but got swept away by a fast moving river, and he never got the moose... I had tried to stop him from shooting the moose but to no availe.. It broke up our friend ship and I never went with him anyplace again.. it was a terrible painful thing for the Moose case in point .. you can kill a moose with a 38, but not recommended.

Maybe a 350 legend? That is what it was designed for. And in an AR platform, should be easy for a kid to shoot well. I know Ruger chambers it.

450 bushmaster is another popular choice down there as well. The benefit as I see it for the 357 is that the young shooter has an almost identical 39 so they are very comfortable with the manual of arms etc. also cheap 38spl for lots of practice which is far more important than caliber choice imho

I’m gathering it would make a good deer/black bear rig but no dice for elk. Most folks never actually get after elk out this way anyways. It’s a tough tag to draw

Thanks everyone for the help. I must say...the thought of a 357 for deer in a light fast carbine sound sounds fun! I can’t imagine it would have any recoil. I kind of want one now lol

I’m thinking of 44 mag carbine would serve you better on elk.
357 on deer is fine
Just my humble opinion

Didn't read the thread but I have not been impressed by the 357 for deer and hogs and wouldn't even consider it for elk. But I have never shot an elk with one and probably never will. Have used a 45 Colt with hefty loads of 280-310 grain loads on some game and like it a lot.

+1!

My brother and I both started our daughters with .357 mag carbines. We also taught them how to shoot! My girl makes her own reloads and loves to shoot her Ruger 77. She's comfortable with her rifle and not scared of it. My niece is slightly older and has since moved up to a 7-08 shooting 130grn Speers, but I am completely convinced that the .357 carbines were the perfect starter rifles for them. They are a lot of fun to shoot and that encourages more practice.

My girl and I both shot bucks from the same treestand, one year apart. Both bucks walked out of the same tangled patch of brush and were standing within 10 yards of each other when shot. The shots were quartering away at about 40 yards, hit in the ribs and angled to the front of the off shoulder. Both bucks ran approximately the same distance and dropped. Her buck had a massive blood trail, mine never had a drop. Her 158 XTP exited. My 180grn Accubond from a .338-06 didn't!

Don't get caught up on what paper numbers say should happen. It doesn't always work out that way.

That’s why I said no to elk.



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