357 mag vs 44 mag for hunting

bucksnort13 · November 4, 2014, 08:52 AM

I Want to get a single action revolver for deer hunting I know I want a Ruger now I am trying to decide caliber. My long time hunting buddy says to get a 44 mag but I have always like the 357 mag because I can put 38s through it and practice for cheaper. I am wondering will the 357 be the better choice because I can practice more or should I get the 44 for the extra power.

mega twin · November 4, 2014, 09:35 AM

I will go against the grain,and say 357.
Even though the 44 is a better hunting round power wise,the 357 will get the job done,if you pick your shots,and use the heavier bullets.
Plus,I think most folks will shoot the 38/357 more than they will the 44,and get more proficient with it.My opinion,bet you get many more

rocket12 · November 4, 2014, 09:57 AM

with the 44 mag you will have the better hunting round, and you can always download it to 44 special to practice with for less money than the 44 mag

Bob Wright · November 4, 2014, 10:03 AM

Both are pretty good white tail rounds. My nod goes to the .44 as it simply opens up a larger wound channel.

Further, if distance becomes a factor, the .44 retains more ooomph! down range. And the cost factor is not that much different for components.

Bob Wright

diggler1833 · November 4, 2014, 10:58 AM

Both will work, but the 44 will work better.

You can download the 44 Mag to comfortable levels, or shoot 44 SPL. The only thing that the .357 has going for it is cheaper ammo/cheaper to reload.

Colt46 · November 4, 2014, 10:59 AM

Hunting with a handgun will limit your range to 50-75 yards(unless you use scope). At that range a .357 or .44 bullet won't make much difference if you put it in the right place.
With the .357 you really need to select a proper bullet. The .44 won't be so picky.

Snyper · November 4, 2014, 11:56 AM

The 44 is a far better choice for a hunting round

salvadore · November 4, 2014, 12:30 PM

The 44 is the better round for deer, but the 357 is easyer to practice with. I've taken two deer with 357s and both were dead when I got to them. Here's one I shot in '75 with a 2nd gen. Colt in 357. I stopped hunting when I realized you didn't get much shooting and dragging deer corpses out of the mountains wasn't all that much fun.

Toney · November 4, 2014, 02:38 PM

44mag is better. Much better.
I seen a deer in early spring limping around that I was sure I'd got a perfect hit with a m28...

Super Sneaky Steve · November 4, 2014, 04:25 PM

.44 may have you flinching. My vote is for .357.

Mike / Tx · November 4, 2014, 05:18 PM

Well I am biased of sorts, I have both of them and a 41, and a couple a little bigger than the 44.

For starters though do you load your own??

If so then I would say pick up something you like in the 44 and go merrily along your way. There are loads from mild to wild for it and bullet weights, and styles, enough to make you sick of looking through them. Go with the 44 and pick out something in the 240-260 grain range, along with a powder that will give you a wide range of loads like 2400 or similar. Or if your the experimental type pick up some Unique, some 2400 and some 296 and you will be set for any occasion.

I'm not saying that the .357 isn't capable of hunting with, but with the heaviest bullet weights your simply just getting started into the light weights for the 44. Trust me when I say, pushing a 180gr .357 to top end, you will still not be getting much, if any more performance than with a .240gr 44 running right around 1000 fps. Then figure you can bump that 240 on up into the 1500fps range and you can start to see where it might be a bit more flexible.

The added weight, and diameter, coupled with being able to push them faster gives you more energy to use on the intended game. Add that to being able to load from light target loads up into full blown magnums, and there really isn't a downside.

Like I mentioned above though, I have them both and several others as well so I am somewhat biased. Even so I enjoy shooting them all, and quite a bit at that.

briandg · November 4, 2014, 08:40 PM

The simple fact is that a .357 is capable of killing average sized deer. It is probably pushing your luck to try a big mule or elk. If you cannot bring yourself to use a .44, or even a .45 colt, go ahead and use the .357 and make sure that you don't make any mistakes.

A .357, IMO, had better get a solid hit through heart or lungs. A .44 magnum isn't much larger in diameter, but there is a huge difference in both weight and energy, and hence, bleedout capacity.

rob-c · November 4, 2014, 09:36 PM

i am going after white tail with my 357 Blackhawk this year. I have 180 grain rim rock hard cast gas check bullets (buffalo bore uses these bullets) loaded over 13.5 grains of 2400 and shot over the chronograph - low 1290 to mid1300 fps. this is more than enough for deer at 75 yards and down... if you don't reload look up the 180 grain 357 buffalo bore ammo, tons of positive reviews on it for deer...

Auto5 · November 4, 2014, 10:48 PM

.44 will do it better and is not unpleasant to shoot in the big Rugers. You won't save much money shooting .44 Specials however.

olddav · November 4, 2014, 11:38 PM

Buy the 44 mag! Both the 357 mag and the 44 mag has a pronounced percussion when fired. The 44 mag will retain its engery over a greater distance and create a larger wound channel and if you purchase a heavy revolver the recoil will be very manageable. I own one of each and I will pick up the 44 mag every time (for hunting that is).

Noreaster · November 5, 2014, 01:15 PM

I had bad results with high speed middle weight JHP 357 magnum rounds on deer. I switched to 170-180 grain JHP and never got a shot before moving up to 44mag. With the 44 mag I've had good results with even cheap WWB 44 mag ammo. If was going to use the 357 again it would be a tough choice between heavy jhp or hardcast. Probably be ok with a perfect shot but when hunting you can't always get a perfect shot. The 44 mag is much more forgiving, never had to do a finish up shot with the 44.

damienph · November 5, 2014, 10:51 PM

I like the .357 (and have four) but I prefer the .44 Magnum for hunting whitetail. I use two Ruger Super Blackhawks, one scoped, one not. I have had the most success with the scoped one; usually with 300gr Hornady XTPs.

With good shot placement, the .357 is adequate but the .44 is excellent.

TraumaRN · November 6, 2014, 12:09 AM

I say go with what you shoot the best. In my case it's a .357 using either a 180 JHP or Hardcast. .357 is less expensive to buy factory or to reload and as already stated shoots the cheaper .38 Special.

Forty41 · November 6, 2014, 09:10 AM

A .357 is plenty for deer as it doesn't lack in penetration with the right loads. A 158gr JHP will dig in deep and a 180gr hardcast even deeper. The 357 will be easier to shoot too and while the 44 is probably better as an all-around hunting cartridge, with proper shot placement the .357 won't let you down.

That said, I love the .41 Magnum and .45 Colt Ruger single actions. You can get a .45 Colt Blackhawk convertible that shoots .45 Colt and .45 ACP that way you can have mild recoil with the ACP or cowboy level .45 Colt or if you want something more stout buy higher end .45 Colt ammo that can shoot a 325gr bullet over 1300 fps.

The truth is they'll all work very well with proper shot placement, deer aren't armor clad tanks and they're not hard at all to kill.

Guv · November 6, 2014, 11:21 AM

Not hard to kill, sometimes, tell that though to the ones that ran off after a 270 blew out their lungs. Their toughness and ability to absorb punishment needs to be respected.

buck460XVR · November 6, 2014, 11:54 AM

Quote:

Not hard to kill, sometimes, tell that though to the ones that ran off after a 270 blew out their lungs.

Any deer with it's lungs blown out with a high powered rifle, will not run off very far and will leave a blood trail a blind man could follow. If they are not found, how does one tell where they were actually hit?

That said, a .357 will work well on deer as long as the shooter knows its and their limitations. While I prefer a .44 over a .357 for the increase in range, I have taken more deer with a .357 than a .44(handgun that is).

Guv · November 6, 2014, 12:26 PM

In heavy brush or wet conditions, there is no set rule as to how far they can go. Just because they go aways doesn't mean their not tracked and found.

buck460XVR · November 6, 2014, 02:52 PM

Quote:

In heavy brush or wet conditions, there is no set rule as to how far they can go.

Regardless of how brushy or how wet it is, a deer with it's lungs "blew out" will only go as far as the remaining oxygen in it's brain and muscle tissue will allow it to. On hilly ground I've had them slide downhill after they died farther than they ran after being shot. Didn't make them any harder to kill. One reads posts all the time about folks that claim to have "double lunged" a deer only to trail it a 1/4 mile before loosing blood. Ain't gonna happen. Physically impossible. Any deer with it's lungs "blew out" is an easy kill and an easy find.

madmo44mag · November 6, 2014, 04:41 PM

I have hunted with both in Ruger SBH.
Hands down the 44 mag is the better choice IMHO.
More than once it took a follow up shot with the 357 mag.
The 44 mag with a 300 grain JSP bullet is a great round out to 125 yards.
Now days there are better bullet choices.
Now if you hot load a 180 or 200 grain JHP they are deadly out too 150 - 175 yards.
You have to make up in velocity what you lost in weight and mass to get the same penetration of the heavy 300 grain.

briandg · November 6, 2014, 05:02 PM

Just an aside, lest there be any doubt, the .357 is capable of a lot. a grizzly attacked my father in yellowstone, and since the bear was in a very populated area, they didn't have time to bring in "swat." The guy at the local station went in to check out the situation, and when that big SOB charged him, he dropped the bear with 6 rounds of .357 fired into the front end. Lead 158 grain bullets.

I'm sure he would have preferred to wait for the special unit with the rifles, but the thing was only about 100 yards away from a crowded area, and it had already attacked one person.

November 4, 2014, 08:52 AM	#1
bucksnort13 Member Join Date: October 29, 2014 Posts: 51	357 mag vs 44 mag for hunting I Want to get a single action revolver for deer hunting I know I want a Ruger now I am trying to decide caliber. My long time hunting buddy says to get a 44 mag but I have always like the 357 mag because I can put 38s through it and practice for cheaper. I am wondering will the 357 be the better choice because I can practice more or should I get the 44 for the extra power.

November 4, 2014, 10:03 AM	#4
Bob Wright Senior Member Join Date: July 10, 2012 Location: Memphis, Tennessee Posts: 2,989	Both are pretty good white tail rounds. My nod goes to the .44 as it simply opens up a larger wound channel. Further, if distance becomes a factor, the .44 retains more ooomph! down range. And the cost factor is not that much different for components. Bob Wright __________________ Time spent at the reloading bench is an investment in contentment.

November 4, 2014, 10:59 AM	#6
Colt46 Senior Member Join Date: November 25, 2002 Location: Campbell Ca Posts: 1,090	not too much difference Hunting with a handgun will limit your range to 50-75 yards(unless you use scope). At that range a .357 or .44 bullet won't make much difference if you put it in the right place. With the .357 you really need to select a proper bullet. The .44 won't be so picky.

November 4, 2014, 11:56 AM	#7
Snyper Senior Member Join Date: December 16, 2013 Location: Eastern NC Posts: 3,047	The 44 is a far better choice for a hunting round __________________ One shot, one kill

November 4, 2014, 05:18 PM	#11
Mike / Tx Senior Member Join Date: April 8, 2000 Posts: 2,101	Well I am biased of sorts, I have both of them and a 41, and a couple a little bigger than the 44. For starters though do you load your own?? If so then I would say pick up something you like in the 44 and go merrily along your way. There are loads from mild to wild for it and bullet weights, and styles, enough to make you sick of looking through them. Go with the 44 and pick out something in the 240-260 grain range, along with a powder that will give you a wide range of loads like 2400 or similar. Or if your the experimental type pick up some Unique, some 2400 and some 296 and you will be set for any occasion. I'm not saying that the .357 isn't capable of hunting with, but with the heaviest bullet weights your simply just getting started into the light weights for the 44. Trust me when I say, pushing a 180gr .357 to top end, you will still not be getting much, if any more performance than with a .240gr 44 running right around 1000 fps. Then figure you can bump that 240 on up into the 1500fps range and you can start to see where it might be a bit more flexible. The added weight, and diameter, coupled with being able to push them faster gives you more energy to use on the intended game. Add that to being able to load from light target loads up into full blown magnums, and there really isn't a downside. Like I mentioned above though, I have them both and several others as well so I am somewhat biased. Even so I enjoy shooting them all, and quite a bit at that. __________________ LAter, Mike / TX

November 4, 2014, 09:35 AM	#2
mega twin Senior Member Join Date: August 15, 2006 Posts: 434	I will go against the grain,and say 357. Even though the 44 is a better hunting round power wise,the 357 will get the job done,if you pick your shots,and use the heavier bullets. Plus,I think most folks will shoot the 38/357 more than they will the 44,and get more proficient with it.My opinion,bet you get many more

November 4, 2014, 09:57 AM	#3
rocket12 Senior Member Join Date: November 20, 2005 Location: ohio Posts: 148	with the 44 mag you will have the better hunting round, and you can always download it to 44 special to practice with for less money than the 44 mag

November 4, 2014, 10:58 AM	#5
diggler1833 Member Join Date: October 6, 2014 Location: NC Posts: 56	Both will work, but the 44 will work better. You can download the 44 Mag to comfortable levels, or shoot 44 SPL. The only thing that the .357 has going for it is cheaper ammo/cheaper to reload.

November 4, 2014, 12:30 PM	#8
salvadore Junior member Join Date: January 1, 2007 Location: Idaho Posts: 2,282	The 44 is the better round for deer, but the 357 is easyer to practice with. I've taken two deer with 357s and both were dead when I got to them. Here's one I shot in '75 with a 2nd gen. Colt in 357. I stopped hunting when I realized you didn't get much shooting and dragging deer corpses out of the mountains wasn't all that much fun.

November 4, 2014, 02:38 PM	#9
Toney Senior Member Join Date: August 17, 2005 Location: Stillwater Oklahoma Posts: 790	44mag is better. Much better. I seen a deer in early spring limping around that I was sure I'd got a perfect hit with a m28...

November 4, 2014, 04:25 PM	#10
Super Sneaky Steve Senior Member Join Date: August 9, 2011 Posts: 1,250	.44 may have you flinching. My vote is for .357.

November 4, 2014, 08:40 PM	#12
briandg Senior Member Join Date: May 4, 2010 Posts: 5,468	The simple fact is that a .357 is capable of killing average sized deer. It is probably pushing your luck to try a big mule or elk. If you cannot bring yourself to use a .44, or even a .45 colt, go ahead and use the .357 and make sure that you don't make any mistakes. A .357, IMO, had better get a solid hit through heart or lungs. A .44 magnum isn't much larger in diameter, but there is a huge difference in both weight and energy, and hence, bleedout capacity.

November 4, 2014, 09:36 PM	#13
rob-c Senior Member Join Date: February 27, 2013 Posts: 151	i am going after white tail with my 357 Blackhawk this year. I have 180 grain rim rock hard cast gas check bullets (buffalo bore uses these bullets) loaded over 13.5 grains of 2400 and shot over the chronograph - low 1290 to mid1300 fps. this is more than enough for deer at 75 yards and down... if you don't reload look up the 180 grain 357 buffalo bore ammo, tons of positive reviews on it for deer...

November 4, 2014, 10:48 PM	#14
Auto5 Senior Member Join Date: March 18, 2013 Location: Chicago suburbs Posts: 662	.44 will do it better and is not unpleasant to shoot in the big Rugers. You won't save much money shooting .44 Specials however. __________________ At the young age of five, a bear told me that I was the only person who could prevent forest fires. Why I was chosen, I'll never know.

November 4, 2014, 11:38 PM	#15
olddav Senior Member Join Date: December 21, 2008 Location: Lower Alabama Posts: 727	Buy the 44 mag! Both the 357 mag and the 44 mag has a pronounced percussion when fired. The 44 mag will retain its engery over a greater distance and create a larger wound channel and if you purchase a heavy revolver the recoil will be very manageable. I own one of each and I will pick up the 44 mag every time (for hunting that is). __________________ Never beat your head against the wall with out a helmet

November 5, 2014, 01:15 PM	#16
Noreaster Senior Member Join Date: January 30, 2011 Location: New England Posts: 1,449	I had bad results with high speed middle weight JHP 357 magnum rounds on deer. I switched to 170-180 grain JHP and never got a shot before moving up to 44mag. With the 44 mag I've had good results with even cheap WWB 44 mag ammo. If was going to use the 357 again it would be a tough choice between heavy jhp or hardcast. Probably be ok with a perfect shot but when hunting you can't always get a perfect shot. The 44 mag is much more forgiving, never had to do a finish up shot with the 44.

November 5, 2014, 10:51 PM	#17
damienph Senior Member Join Date: September 6, 2011 Location: Kansas Posts: 319	.357 vs .44 I like the .357 (and have four) but I prefer the .44 Magnum for hunting whitetail. I use two Ruger Super Blackhawks, one scoped, one not. I have had the most success with the scoped one; usually with 300gr Hornady XTPs. With good shot placement, the .357 is adequate but the .44 is excellent.

November 6, 2014, 12:09 AM	#18
TraumaRN Member Join Date: June 27, 2014 Posts: 46	I say go with what you shoot the best. In my case it's a .357 using either a 180 JHP or Hardcast. .357 is less expensive to buy factory or to reload and as already stated shoots the cheaper .38 Special.

November 6, 2014, 09:10 AM	#19
Forty41 Junior Member Join Date: November 5, 2014 Posts: 7	A .357 is plenty for deer as it doesn't lack in penetration with the right loads. A 158gr JHP will dig in deep and a 180gr hardcast even deeper. The 357 will be easier to shoot too and while the 44 is probably better as an all-around hunting cartridge, with proper shot placement the .357 won't let you down. That said, I love the .41 Magnum and .45 Colt Ruger single actions. You can get a .45 Colt Blackhawk convertible that shoots .45 Colt and .45 ACP that way you can have mild recoil with the ACP or cowboy level .45 Colt or if you want something more stout buy higher end .45 Colt ammo that can shoot a 325gr bullet over 1300 fps. The truth is they'll all work very well with proper shot placement, deer aren't armor clad tanks and they're not hard at all to kill.

November 6, 2014, 11:21 AM	#20
Guv Senior Member Join Date: February 24, 2012 Location: South Texas Posts: 2,126	Not hard to kill, sometimes, tell that though to the ones that ran off after a 270 blew out their lungs. Their toughness and ability to absorb punishment needs to be respected.

November 6, 2014, 12:26 PM	#22
Guv Senior Member Join Date: February 24, 2012 Location: South Texas Posts: 2,126	In heavy brush or wet conditions, there is no set rule as to how far they can go. Just because they go aways doesn't mean their not tracked and found.

November 6, 2014, 04:41 PM	#24
madmo44mag Senior Member Join Date: December 29, 2008 Location: Ft.Worth, Texas Posts: 1,522	I have hunted with both in Ruger SBH. Hands down the 44 mag is the better choice IMHO. More than once it took a follow up shot with the 357 mag. The 44 mag with a 300 grain JSP bullet is a great round out to 125 yards. Now days there are better bullet choices. Now if you hot load a 180 or 200 grain JHP they are deadly out too 150 - 175 yards. You have to make up in velocity what you lost in weight and mass to get the same penetration of the heavy 300 grain. __________________ Texas - Not just a state but an attitude! For monthly shooting events in DFW visit http://www.meetup.com/TexasGunOwner-DFW

November 6, 2014, 05:02 PM	#25
briandg Senior Member Join Date: May 4, 2010 Posts: 5,468	Just an aside, lest there be any doubt, the .357 is capable of a lot. a grizzly attacked my father in yellowstone, and since the bear was in a very populated area, they didn't have time to bring in "swat." The guy at the local station went in to check out the situation, and when that big SOB charged him, he dropped the bear with 6 rounds of .357 fired into the front end. Lead 158 grain bullets. I'm sure he would have preferred to wait for the special unit with the rifles, but the thing was only about 100 yards away from a crowded area, and it had already attacked one person.