I got a call from my friend Jack a few hours ago, he told me he got his first hog this season using a S&W 357 mag revolver similar to these pictures
personally Id prefer 1400 fps with a hard cast gas check bullet at about 175 grains cast from 95% Linotype and 5% pure tin, if I hand-load a 357 mag revolver for hunting,
but having shot completely through several large hogs and deer with my 8.375" barrel length, 357 mag revolver
13 grains of accurate #9 (work up to this slowly its a max load)a jacketed 180 grain maxs out at 11.7 grains
the mod 686 S&W with the same length barrel, also works
just a point worth knowing, a 8" barrel, 357 mag revolver loaded with hard cast bullets,
like the 175 grain bullet like the NEI design above over a stiff load of h110, accurate #9
or 2400 powder is remarkably effective.
(use a heavy crimp, and practice frequently)
shot placements critical , but don,t for an instant think a 357 mag is under powered in skilled hands, it does not pack the punch of a 44 mag or the larger bores buts is well documented in longer barrel lengths to be lethal.
https://www.luckygunner.com/labs/rev...s-test/#357mag
http://www.neihandtools.com/catalog/index.html
Id say that if your not killing what your shooting your simply not hitting the vitals
a load like that will certainly punch holes in any bears skull as it punches through and exits many hogs
and the chest gristle plate and breaking bones is rather tough
if you doubt the penetration, load some up with bullets youve cast and test them as listed
cast with that alloy and load some up for testing, compare penetration to anything else,
in a easily carried hand gun, the load easily out penetrates 200 grain 10mm in my glock
in this video he got full penetration of a bear skull with comparatively low quality ammo in the 357 revolver
, the hard cast hand load I suggested penetrates noticeably better and more consistently
https://cdn.gun-tests.com/media/pdfs...AL-DEFENSE.pdf
https://gunblast.com/MilesFortis-AKC...uffaloBore.htm
http://www.doubletapammo.net/index.php?route=product/product&path=125_179&product_id=336
have you considered a 44 mag or 480 ruger?
(an excellent choice if your convinced you need more than a 44 mag, would be the 480 ruger or 445 DWSM)
an keep in mind, a 44 mag with 310 grain hard cast bullets will kill anything in north america including the largest bears with decent shot placement and a knowledge of the games anatomy
I asked how it worked out, and Jack said he had no problem,
he had rapidly double tapped a large boar about 40 yards out, one shot hit the chest high over the heart,as the hog reacted, too the first bullet impact, the second hit angled in from the rear rib angling forward into a lung, the hog squealed and ran but dropped inside of 30 yards.
I asked what load he used ,
it was a common 10.4 grains of blue dot under a hard cast 158 grain bullet.
THIS is an exceptionally accurate load in my 357 mag
15 grains of 2400 powder guive you about 150 fps more velocity with the same 158 grain hard cast bullet but in my revolver the groups at 50 yards go from about 2" with the blue dot to 3" with the 2400, and I know jack had similar results (YOU MAY OR MAY NOT)
he said the only real difficulty was in dragging the hog over 1200 yards to a dirt road.
theres always a trade-off in easy handling and your individual ability to handle recoil, the 357 mag allows a practiced shot to hit rapidly in succession,and ammo cost allows a good deal of practice, use of a more powerful revolver, where you might not be able to duplicate that rapidity with something like a 454 casul or 500 S&W, but the trade-off is the larger calibers hit noticeably harder.
I know several of the guys I hunt with have tried the 44 mag and 454 cassul and reverted to their 357 mag revolvers, as they are much easier to hit accurately with in the hands of the guys that don,t want to practice constantly every month and yet they still get the job done remarkably well!
a good knowledge of a deers or elks anatomy is also mandatory ,
remember an arrow or revolver bullet kills by rapid blood loss and critical organ failure,so accurate hits are mandatory for rapid results
you can,t just slice, or punch holes in random parts of the games anatomy and get rapid kills.
https://www.midsouthshooterssupply....t-mould-number-358156-38357-caliber-155-grain
http://www.handloads.com/loaddata/default.asp?Caliber=357 Magnum&Weight=All&type=Handgun
BTW NEI makes a couple really effective molds for the 357 for hunting
158 grain
I prefer the 170-175 grain versions
I find them more accurate and cast from 95% lead and 5% tin they penetrate noticeably better
use 16 grains of H110 powder
On a recent trip to the local range I brought my favorite hunting handguns, I use for hunting locally,
at least to my way of thinking a handgun is an easy to transport, and holster compatible firearm,
that is not expected to be used at anything over about 150 yards.
these are very effective in dense cover where a rifle tends to be more difficult to use.
once your hand loaded ammo is easily able to penetrate big game easily from all reasonable angles and reasonable ranges,
with at least some consistent expansion and easily exit power increases give marginal improvement from what I've seen.
many people who are unfamiliar with handguns may be amazed at the effective lethality in skilled hands.
its been my experience, that if you hunt with a mag revolver, at closer ranges its a bit like archery hunting,
you can expect game to run when hit, but unlike archery, the distances are generally not great.
larger and heavier bullets may not be more lethal but you tend to get a faster reaction and less distance traveled.
and a friend brought his S&W 500 mag , all were loaded with gas check hard cast ammo I hand loaded
all the loads are well tested on game over the last few years and accurate in those revolvers
we generally sight in at about 2" high at 75 yards as thats about the max range we see in the thick brush in this area.
for the few guys that hunt with a 357 mag, revolver,
Ive very successfully, used a 357 mag with lyman 170 grain bullets over 13 grains of H110 powder.
but there's been an obvious difference
not in lethality,
a good hits almost certainly lethal,
but in many cases in how far a well hit deer or hog ran ,
hit a hog in the neck or head and it drops, heart/lung shots are lethal but you get a death run,
deer shot in the heart/lung area, generally, run but go nose first in mid flight, after a few seconds
after bullet impact, results very but seemed to marginally favor the heavier bullet weights
you rarely get instant kills, but most well hit game I've shot rarely makes it 20-30 yards
all these revolvers have the bullet mass and velocity to push a hard cast gas check bullet fast enough,
to be very effective PROVIDED you place your shots well and know the anatomy of the game.
once you get good with a 44 mag or larger revolver I don,t see a big advantage in going much larger,
the 44 mag and 445 DWSM easily shoot clear through most game and exit,
and while theres zero doubt a 454 cassul or 460 mag or 480 ruger or 500 mag hit harder,
I don,t see a big difference in lethality they all work .
for anyone who cares
in my 44 mag
I used a 21 grain charge of H110 under a LEE 310 grain hard cast 44 cal. bullet seated out to the lower crimp groove
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/5...cf-430-diameter-310-grain-flat-nose-gas-check
MOLD DC C 430-310-RF
the 44 mag silhouette with the adjustable front site and 10 5/8" barrel
YES IT REQUIRES a shoulder holster to use comfortably
Ive also used and own a 10" dan wesson 445 super mag
the same 310 grain lee bullet over 30 grains of h110 powder works rather well.
we found that a 20 grain charge of BLUE DOT powder under a lee 440 grain gas check bullet,
to give very accurate results in his 7.5" 500 mag and it certainly devastates hogs
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1010200848?pid=266944
http://www.neihandtools.com/catalog/index.html
http://www.guns.com/2015/10/07/is-the-357-magnum-enough-for-deer-hunting/
http://www.castbullet.com/hunting/th.htm
http://www.realtree.com/guns-and-shooting/articles/get-into-handgun-hunting
https://www.americanhunter.org/articles/2013/9/6/the-almost-forgotten-357-mag/