.357 vs .44 For Deer Hunting

Originally Posted By: jbenettiI've got a 357 maximum barrel on my encore and it is a deer killing machine.I load 158 &180 Remington bullets and lil gun powder and they print the same at 60 yd and less than inch difference at 100yd. 180 come out the size of a quarter and larger.Easy to hit filled soda cans at 150 yd with good rest.No recoil .

Who did you get your max barrel from and what length is it? Any picts?
 
I have a 77/44 also and killed 4 deer with it. All of them were 1 shot kills and absolutely plastered their insides. Farthest one was about 90 yards away. I wouldn't hesitate to go 150 yards+ with mine. I use the Hornady 225(?) g flex tips.

Best thing besides accuracy is the gun is super light, easy to carry and move around for quick shots.
 
I have owned 2 77/44's and the shots will go wild after 2 or 3 shots when the barrel heats up.I sold mine and opted to go with a marlin 44 mag.and never had any regrets.
 
Many years ago I shot a nice sized Iowa buck (225 lbs) with a 160 grain jacketed soft point at around 20 yards out of a 6 inch revolver. The bullet went in, cut the aorta out of the top of the heart and went out without expanding. The deer ran about 110 yards and dropped dead. I would recommend the .44 only for the ability to put a larger hole in the deer without the need for expansion. If you decide on the 357 make sure you get a hollow point that has been tested to expand as designed.
kwg
 
Killed a small whitetail doe 2 years ago with a braztech 357 lever action carbine shooting 158 jhps. She went maybe 40 yards before expiring. Also have lent the rifle to friends with young kids for youth hunts. I feel it definatley has its place to fill certain rolls
 
I use a Marlin 1894 Carbine in 44mag shooting 240gr Winnie white box.....works great...
No experience with a 357 but with the right load it should suffice....

Pick your poison....
 
Originally Posted By: Tooltime 2Well....The new Ruger 77/44 done the job today. My son got a nice 10pt. @ 168yds shooting a Hornady 240gr. XTP bullet.

JT
Congrats to your son. Sounds like he had his new rifle dialed in well.
I've been using a Marlin 1894 carbine in .44 Magnum for the past several years for deer. Every deer I've shot with it have been one shot kills and none have gone over 50 yards. I shot a nice sized buck with it last year at about 35 yards. The bullet went straight through the bucks heart and ended up under the hide on the off side. The 240 grain Hornady XTP had expanded to .55 diameter. The deer went over a spoil pile and crashed within 40 yards. About a month later I shot a large doe from the same stand with the same load of 20 grains of 2400 under a 240 grain Hornady XTP, with my 4 inch S&W 29-2 revolver. She went about 35 yards and was dead when I found her. I've used .44 magnum revolvers and the Marlin 1894 to take many deer, and think the .44 magnum is a great deer cartridge.
 
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