Quote Originally Posted by okie john View Post
The 357 Magnum is a lot more capable in a long gun than it is in a revolver, and can handle deer. I'd call the limit about 100 yards since trajectory and power fall off pretty quickly after that.

To make the 357 work for deer, you have to match the bullet construction to the game. Articles by Jim Taylor, John Taffin, Ken Waters, and Paco Kelly explain how to load the 357 to its potential in a lever gun, but you'll probably end up with a heavy hard-cast bullet with a flat point and a gas check over a stiff charge of slow powder. At that point ammo commonality exists in dimensions only, as rifles and revolvers need different loads for each to reach its potential. The 30-30 will have roughly double the energy at 100 yards that the 357 does at the muzzle, plus almost double the reach in the same sized rifle, so it starts to make a lot more sense.


Okie John
With a 125 yard zero 150 yard shots are still within the vitals of a deer 2-3" low iirc. With both 158 and 180gr jacketed loads. Both will still expand and drive 15-20".

I keep my cast loads relatively mild. 158 wn-swc over 13.5gr 2400 is as warm as i currently go but dont need gas checks. I want to try some 170gr keith bullets that should be fine as well.