.357 kills....
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I've used a .357 for more than 30 years and have taken most everything that was huntable in my regions with one of one type or another. I'll try and list them cronologically.
My Dad's Smith and Wesson Hwy patrol 4 "- Michigan
3-4 coons 15-20 feet treed, Dozens of Squirrels, same number of Rabbits and Partriges sitting 25-30 feet + 1 rattlesnake at arms length. Yikes!!! All taken with 148 gr. wadcutters at around 1100 fps. All of them 1 shot kills.
1 140 LB Doe at about 20 yards broadside Just behind shoulder in the little swirl of hair. 158 gr JSP at 1300 fps. Stagered about 5 steps and died.
Smith and Wesson Model 19 Combat Master 6" - Michigan
1 160 Lb Doe at 30 yards broadside/front quartering 158 gr. JHP @ 1400 fps German rounds "Gecco", fell over right there. Bullet went all the way thru Blowing the heart into 3 pieces. 5 minutes later while standing over her 4 point Buck ~150 Lbs at 40 yards, straight on Chest shot. He ran about 70 yards right over to the trunk of my car and died.
Moved to South Carolina and got a 100+ lb hog on the Georgia border with the same gun only shooting 170 gr. hard cast semi-wadcutters at 1400 fps. Shot the hog just behind the shoulder from a tree stand angling down. He ran off into the thick scrub oaks about 35 yards and died there shortly there after.
Stupidly traded off the Model 19 for a Colt Anaconda in .44 mag 8" barrel. Dumb mistake. I can handle the big magnum recoils but I don't really enjoy it.
But got it to go to Colorado with.
Shot 1 Mulie Buck ~175 lbs at 25 yards 300 gr partition @1350 fps rear quartering shot. Deer ran 175 yards straight down to the bottom of the canyon bleeding out both sides before dieing. Oddly the bullet never hit a bone, sliced the liver and vaporized the lungs before exiting the other side.
Best trade of my life, Traded the .44 back for a .357, Dan Wesson pistol pack!
Living in Arizona now and have taken with the 8 " barrel:
1 couses deer 4 point ~100 lbs 50 yards broadside, broke boh front legs and died right there. Over my Backpack for a rest. 180 gr remington Express JHP bullet @1250 fps
3 Merriam Turkeys 25 to 75 yards off hand or leaned against a tree. 170 Gr. Hard cast wadcutter 1300 fps.
1 180 lb Mulie Doe 80 yards paced. Over a tree branch for a rest. 165 gr. Rem core lock bullet @ 1300 fps broadside head down feeding, she ran around in a 15 yard circle and fell down. Broke both front legs and recovered perfect mushroomed bullet weighing 147 gr under the skin on far side.
1 246 lb 5X5 Kaibab Mulie Buck 135 yards with a rangefinder, 165 gr. Rem core lock bullet @ 1300 fps. Over my hat pressed up against a tree. First shot Broadside seemed to have no effect he just trotted off a few yards and looked around a bit but then he looked behind him so I knelt and fired again. He nose dived then and I just waited for him to expire. Autopsy showed I didn't need the second bullet both rounds were kill shots he just hadn't realized it yet. Both bullets recovered, 1 @ 136 gr lost it's jacket and the other @ 151 gr.
1 more Mulie Buck 130 lb spike horn at 65 yards with 180 Gr. Winchester Partition Gold. Shot him off the back of the truck during lunch. He'd been laying down when we pulled over to make some sandwiches. Broadside rear quartering, no bullet to recover passed thru and got both heart and lungs.
Buffalo Bore ammo is only left off the list because I have no kills with it yet.
I know some may not agree with me but as far as I'm concerened my .357 is more than adequate for anything I may run into in the woods. I put 800 to 1000 rounds thru my gun in practice every year on the indoor range for close up speed drills and the outdoor range for long range metallic silhouette practice.
I am routinely in the woods with both Mountain Lions and Black Bears and do not feel under gunned in the least. Practice and knowing your weapon of choice intimately breeds confidence in your ability to get the first shot where it needs to be to do the job for you.
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