What kind of bullet did Douglas Wesson use?

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MidRoad

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Just wondering if anyone knows what kind of bullet Major Douglas Wesson used in his exploits taking game across North America with the .357 in the magnum back 1930's. I've read loads back then from an 8.75" barrel were 158gr going 1500 fps or so.

The exploits I'm referring to include:

• Antelope - 200 yards (2 shots)
• Elk - 130 yards (1 shot)
• Moose - 100 yards (1 shot)
• Grizzly Bear - 135 yards (1 shot)

The Antelope was hit the first time at 125 yards. It ran, stopped and was shot the second time at 200 yards. The second shot killed it.

The Bull Elk was killed with one shot through the lungs.

The Moose was shot in the chest near the base of the neck. It cut the 2nd rib, passed through both lungs, sheared the 8th rib on the off side and stopped just under the hide. No follow-up shot was required.

These animals were taken on a Fall hunt in Wyoming, near the West entrance of Yellowstone Park. The Grizzly was taken later in Canada.

The above game was taken using factory loads which were a 158 gr. bullet at 1515 fps from an 8 3/4" barreled S&W producing 812 ft. lbs of muzzle energy. (S&W later shortened the barrels to 8 3/8" as we have today)

Info pulled from here
http://www.leverguns.com/articles/taylor/357magnum.htm
 
I remember reading about him years ago and I'm pretty sure his bullet of choice was a lead alloy SWC. I don't remember if it was a HP or solid and I don't think they ever specified what alloy was used.

Dave
 
and elmer was a bit taken aback that db wesson didn't use his 160 grain creation. classic elmer keith.

that website has a lot of excellent "elmer keith" articles. I've spent a lot of reading time there.

murf

p.s. did you notice the 1500 fps they got out of that load!
 
If it does all that with a handgun just think about the extra boost you get when firing the 357 round from a handy little carbine. And thats why my Marlin 357 levergun is my favorite gun of all the ones I own.

You can spend a long rainy day reading there on the leverguns forum.
 
I had some correspondence with the late Phil Sharpe who described much of the development of the .357 Magnum cartridge. I believe he was in on that hunt with Doug Wesson. Also some good info on alternate cases used.

Bob Wright
 
I had some correspondence with the late Phil Sharpe who described much of the development of the .357 Magnum cartridge. I believe he was in on that hunt with Doug Wesson. Also some good info on alternate cases used.

My grandfather worked with Phil Sharpe on the 7x61 Sharpe and Hart round. I have a couple of letters from Phil Sharpe talking about brass problems with the Norma brass they were using. IIRC they are dated around 1955.
 
Thanks! So if I'm reading those right ,it sounds like a 158gr LSWCHP?
On the third page, in the right column, in the second full paragraph, it says that for big game either the factory bullet or Elmer's 160 grain hollow base bullet would be better than any hollow point bullet.

This tells me that the factory bullet was not a hollow point. That jibes with what I've read before - the original bullet for the 357 was a 158 grain lead semi wadcutter. And it was too soft for the speed it was driven at, since it leaded like a sonuvagun.
 
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