Henry 357

[JEBar]

For you guys that hunt deer with a .357 magnum, what is the maximum distance at which you would consider shooting a deer, for a clean kill? Shot placement and ammo type, of course, being important.

both of our sons have taken deer (one shot clean kills) at 50 +/- yards with their Ruger GP100's w/ 6" barrels .... they were using our reloads which were made using a max load of W296 pushing 158 gr Nosler bullets .... given that the longer barrel of a Henry 357 will add considerably to the muzzle velocity I would anticipate the effective range to being considerably longer .... I'd be inclined to let my maximum range be determined by the results of spending time punching paper to determine accuracy at 100 yards (just to pick a number) and additional penetration test

[Deadwood Dutch]

Thanks.

[PT7]

I'd say a comfortable max for me would be 75 yards. Out to 100 yards, I think it is stretching it too much.
You mentioned shot placement being important, Dutch. My good friend I hunt with suggests to me that a headshot is the way to go, but I've read several articles/commentaries on that, and most folk don't like that approach. The preference of more hunters is the body (heart/lung) shot. But wouldn't the head be a really clean kill, although maybe a little tougher shot? The deer would surely drop fast...

How have you humanely taken your clean harvest, Dutch? I know from your excellent hunting stories that you've had much experience in the woods!

[Deadwood Dutch]

I have shot deer with my Remington 760 Gamemaster .30-06 using both 150 and 180 grain Remington Core Lokt and most, but not all were shot in the heart-lung area. I would estimate that none were taken past 75 yards. I have been fortunate to not to have tracked any that I shot with the .30-06, as far as I can remember. The nicest buck that I shot with it was shot on the run, from a tree stand, with open sights. It was a nine pointer. I missed with the first shot, but got him in the spine with the second. This was at about 35 yards. As far as the Marlin 1894 .44 magnum I have shot deer with both Hornady LEVERevolution 225 grain and the Remington 240 grain. All taken at under 50 yards. All but one dropped in it's tracks and that one ran in a circle and fell over. I have also missed my share of both buck and doe, for various reasons. Some, I couldn't pick up in the scope. I have actually killed more with open sights in the Pa. woodlands and the terrain where I have hunted since 1969. I lost count but I think it is somewhere around 34. I have missed more buck than doe. One time the rifle jammed on the first shot and the deer just walked away before I could get another shot off. Also, one time after shooting and walking up to where a deer had been, I saw where I had shot a nice hole through a young maple tree. And some I just missed because of being in too much of a hurry, I suppose. Buck fever? I actually started in 1964 with a Winchester Model 94 .32 Winchester Special but I never hunted that hard back then until I got out of the Navy in 1969. I have never made a head shot, either heart-lung area, dead center in the chest as the deer was coming towards me and one right up the rear and into the vitals as it was walking away from me. I don't push like I did when I was younger. And, the deer are not there in the numbers in the area where I hunt as they were years ago. But that is another whole story. I'm just glad to be there and enjoy the woods.

[clovishound]

I would have to qualify that with what sights you had on it. With non magnifying, I would be reluctant to exceed 125 yds with a stationary target. I missed a shot (as in didn't get the rifle up quickly enough to take the shot) on a hog at the end of the special hunt season in March. I was glad I didn't have the chance to take it, as the distance was over 150 yds, and I was using a non magnifying red dot scope.

[bandit1250]

I'd say a comfortable max for me would be 75 yards. Out to 100 yards, I think it is stretching it too much.
You mentioned shot placement being important, Dutch. My good friend I hunt with suggests to me that a headshot is the way to go, but I've read several articles/commentaries on that, and most folk don't like that approach. The preference of more hunters is the body (heart/lung) shot.

The head shot may sound good if "EVERYTHING" goes just right. It can turn out very bad if the deer moves it's head just as you shoot and you take off the jaw area and it gets away to die a very hard death from starvation and no water. We put a deer down in muzzleloader season one year that had it's lower jaw area blown off from rifle season that had got away from some one. That deer looked like a skeleton with hair on it from not being able to eat. This was 2 weeks after rifle season had ended so imagine what that poor critter was going through. These guys that say they shoot deer in the head to save meat are taking a chance losing a whole deer to get a couple more burgers from their harvest. I have more respect for the animal to take the chance on something dying a slow painful death. Some people only talk of the successful shot and not the ones that failed. The right cartridge with the right bullet for deer size game in the lung area and you will be dragging out your deer and not lose any meat to talk about. A hundred yards with a good 158 or 180 JSP would not be out of the question if you picked your shot well and you know the accuracy of you and your rifle. I don't like hollow point or plastic tip bullets on deer and only use JSP. A good cast lead bullet would be good also. A rifle picks up a lot of velocity over a 6" barrel hand gun.

[JEBar]

A rifle picks up a lot of velocity over a 6" barrel hand gun.

as I've noted, in August we plan to order a Henry 357 for our grandson .... I look forward to getting out our Chronograph and seeing just how much difference in muzzle velocity there is between it and a GP100 with a 6" barrel

[bandit1250]

A rifle picks up a lot of velocity over a 6" barrel hand gun.

as I've noted, in August we plan to order a Henry 357 for our grandson .... I look forward to getting out our Chronograph and seeing just how much difference in muzzle velocity there is between it and a GP100 with a 6" barrel

I don't remember the exact figures when my brother clocked his 44 Mag. Marlin 20" carbine with the 240gr. loads for his S&W 29 with a 5" barrel using a stout load of H110 but it was almost 500fps higher. It was even more difference with his 3" 29 Smith. Quite a difference in energy with a gain like that.

[JEBar]

I don't remember the exact figures when my brother clocked his 44 Mag. Marlin 20" carbine with the 240gr. loads for his S&W 29 with a 5" barrel using a stout load of H110 but it was almost 500fps higher. It was even more difference with his 3" 29 Smith. Quite a difference in energy with a gain like that.

500 fps can make a significant difference in trajectory and impact force .... I plan to do the same with our Henry 44 mag and Ruger Redhawk .... the Ruger has a 7.5" barrel .... it will be interesting to see the difference