357 mag for Cowboy Rifle

[krgriggs]

Thinking of going with a 357 mag for big bore silhouette. For those that are using it, do you use 158 grains on the rams or do you go to the 180 grain bullets? Do you ring any rams?

[ppkny]

krgriggs, I know there are some people doing it so you are going to get some rebuttals to my comments but I tried this for a year thinking I could shoot the 357 for PC and CLA. When you try to get a 357 bullet out to 200 meters the arc (elevation above the target from the muzzle) you’re just kidding yourself if you think it’s a repeatable scenario. Buy yourself a 30-30 with a 24 or 26 inch barrel and be done with it. With the right loads there’s no sight adjustment required from chickens to rams.There's other calibers that work also but the 357 isn't one of them.
ppkny

[Tlee]

158gr bullets out of the 357, at any speed, aren't enough to reliably take down Rams, period.

While I've had days that 1500-1600FPS 180gr bullets took down every Ram I hit, I've also had days that hits from the same ammo didn't take down half of them (Same gun, on the same firing line, using the same animals).... Wind conditions, angle/placement of the hits, etc, all play a part as to whether the 180gr bullet is enough.

I'm now experimenting with a 200-205gr bullet, but probably won't know if it is enough until I've shot it in a diverse set of conditions.

my .02,

-Tim

[ppkny]

When I did use my 357 for the CLA game I wound up with factory loads of Fiocchi ammo 125gr with a muzzle velocity of 1650. The only time I rung a ram (if I hit it) was with a dead center belly hit. I really don't think you can get enough enregy out of a 357 pushing a 158 gr bullet at that distance. The 125 gr/1650 V seem to still have enough push even though the weight wasn't there.
ppkny

[krgriggs]

Thanks for the input, sounds like I might be wasting my time! I ve got 45-70 that feel kick to much, and a 38-55 's I have I might try.

[ppkny]

Griggis, There are lots of guys using 45-70's and with the right loads they don't kick that much. Ask about some loads and I'm sure you'll get some good starting points.
ppkny