.357 vs .44 For Deer Hunting

T

Tooltime 2

Member
My son want's to purchase a Ruger M77 in a .357 or .44 for deer hunting in Ohio. The question is what caliber the go with? He will be using factor ammo this year and the handloads after that.


JT
 
I use a 77/44 with a suppressor and handlods that are in the 44 Special range to keep things subsonic. They have worked wonders on every deer they have met. A full velocity 44mag would only be better.
 
If you son will always keep his shot less than 150 yards, with 100 yards being better, the .357 with 180 grain bullets will be fine. But if it were me then I too would rather have the .44 Mag just for that bit more oomph. He is planning on scoping, it, right? A nice Leupold 4X would be lovely I would think.

I just looked at one of those .357 Mag M77's are few weeks ago. Cute but...$800+? For real? That turned of any idea of me owning one right there.
 
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Rustydust, Yes he will scope it. LGS has them on sale. Wood/ blued $686...Synthetic/ Stainless $719... Synthetic/ Blued $649

Crosswire do you have your gun zeroed at 100yds? How much drop at 150-200?


JT
 
I zero at 50yds since that is the average shot around here. Definitely effective out to 150yds with my slow rounds. Could probably do 200yds effectively with full power 44.
 
Before he goes and spends his hard earned money he better read up on them....accuracy is terrible especially on the 44 Mag!
 
Originally Posted By: Tooltime 2My son want's to purchase a Ruger M77 in a .357 or .44 for deer hunting in Ohio. The question is what caliber the go with? He will be using factor ammo this year and the handloads after that.


JT

Check out the 357 max in the encore pro hunter setup. Thats what I use here in ohio and love the round. Very little recoil but hammers the deer like a sledge hammer hitting them. How far are your shots going to be? Here is a link to what I was hunting and shooting with last year http://www.predatormastersforums.com/for...083#Post2890083
 
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I had a lot of success hunting this past week using my GP-100 357 Magnum Franken-Ruger.
This revolver is stupid accurate.
I used Hornady Factory 158 grain XTP Hollowpoint.
MV was 1471 fps.
Even set up Thursday night to look for elk, but they didn't show.
Had a great time!

Monday early afternoon
189 yards sitting position with Bog-Gear


Last light Monday evening.
40-50 yards standing with the buck facing me.


Thursday morning
85 yards quartering shot, standing using Bog-Gear as a monopod...hurried shot


Thursday morning
99 yards double kneeling using Bog-Gear
 
Originally Posted By: VarminterrorIf you're not shooting a FrankenRuger, then 44mag hands down.
I have a Franken- Ruger and 44 magnum as well...
 
Well he pulled the trigger last night and bought a Ruger 77/44. A LGS(100 miles away) had them on sale for $649. So he gets an idea and calls Cabela's to see if they would price match the other shop and they did. So he only had to drive 25 miles and used his Cabela points.
I think it's going to make a great deer for him. Thanks for all of the replies and help.


JT
 
Remingtonman I would like to talk to you sometime about the .357 max.. That has been my dream gun on my Encore frame or get a Contender frame and setup a .357 max. 14" pistol.

xphunter...great hand gunning.


JT
 
A 357max will come real close to a 35 remington in a 14 inch contender. The the 158 to 180 xtp bullets work great at the increased velocity as fo others. 200 yards and closer is pretty easy with just a fixed 2x.
 
Remington
IMG_20160110_143006407_zpswocr6lnu.jpg


I put this together for my niece for this deer season 16 1/4" MGM 357Maximum its now wearing a 1-4 VX2 we've been shooting it quite a bit with 180 great XTP's over 1680 very little recoil and it will shoot under a 1" at 75 yards (as far as she will need to shoot) quite easily,
Very light and handy I may even have to give a try myself I have a 14" 357 max that I've taken a couple deer with the same load.
 
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Tooltime 2 said:
Remingtonman I would like to talk to you sometime about the .357 max.. That has been my dream gun on my Encore frame or get a Contender frame and setup a .357 max. 14" pistol.

Shoot me a pm would enjoy the talk. I love the 357 round. Couldnt be happier with it
Click to expand...
 
Originally Posted By: Rich44Remington
IMG_20160110_143006407_zpswocr6lnu.jpg


I put this together for my niece for this deer season 16 1/4" MGM 357Maximum its now wearing a 1-4 VX2 we've been shooting it quite a bit with 180 great XTP's over 1680 very little recoil and it will shoot under a 1" at 75 yards (as far as she will need to shoot) quite easily,
Very light and handy I may even have to give a try myself I have a 14" 357 max that I've taken a couple deer with the same load.

That is a sweet contender you have there rich. Makes me want to build another 357 rifle. What county do you hunt in?
 
Originally Posted By: Remingtonman

That is a sweet contender you have there rich. Makes me want to build another 357 rifle. What county do you hunt in?

I liked it so much I put one together with a 445 supermag 18" barrel.
I hunt in Lake, Geauga, Ashtabula in NE Ohio and Monroe in the southeast
 
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I'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 .
 


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