What seems to be the best hunting bullet in the 357?

[BOOM BOOM]

HI,
Iwill be shooting the bullet out of a Ruger Redhawk 5 &1/2 ", will use 2400 most likely , or possibly WC 820.
I have & like the Seaco cast #354, it is a 180 gr. gc. bullet, my practice load with it is 13grs. of WC 820, which is fairly hot. Do not know what my velocity is but it should be more than 1200'/s.

I would like a JHP type , other hunting bullet that would shoot to near the same point of aim.
That Lyman 358429 170gr, looks very good , it has a bigger medplat than my current bullet.
The Hornady 180gr. XTP might be just the ticket.......HAS ANYONE USED IT IN GAME?????
If so please let me know your experance with it.
Or any other factory loads, or reloadible 180 gr. J-bullet.
I think Remington makes a 180gr. JHP, has anyone used it on game??????????

[Cayoot]

Groo here
The main purpose of an expanding bullet in a handgun is to limit the depth
of the hole[defence], Just remember that when you deform [expand] a bullet
that the energy used is NOT applied to the target,but to the bullet[that is what
expands it] so a cast flat nose may put more energy on target than a jsp
or jhp [try to flatten a jhp jsp or cast bullet in a vice to the size you want it to expand on game and see howmuch ump it takes]

Groo, excellent point! Sometimes we get so into the technical side of things that we forget or ignore basic truths!

Just another reason that I love Cast boolits with big meplats!

[leftiye]

Excellent point, but maybe a little slanted? The purpose is not to limit penetration, but to transfer more energy/damage to the target animal/ person. Yes damage to the boolit does absorb energy, but did you forget what the boolit expends that energy into in order to deform? (Newton = equal and opposite reaction) Also another purpose of hollowpoints is to make bigger holes (after being expanded the boolit presents a larger face to the medium it is traveling through = bigger hole). Not to mention further increased energy continiung to be depleted into the medium.

[BOOM BOOM]

HI,
As we know cast bullets tend to penatrate deeper (better) than j-bullets of the same wt.
My concern is that I have had 158gr. Pb cast go all the way through the shoulders, ribs, & even hips of deer at 25yds & less.
When a bullet exits the animal, you are just wasting energy on the hillside.
My 180gr. cast would surely do this, I shoot 99.9% cast, but am a meat hunter & do not want the animal to suffer or chance loosing a wounded animal.
Don't get me wrong I believe cast will do the job, I am just looking for the most effective 357 mag. hunting bullet. I was hoping that you all would post actual expierances with the 357 on game.

[GSSP]

I would choose an LBT FN design. Weight is up to you but make it at least 160+

[20nickels]

HI,
As we know cast bullets tend to penatrate deeper (better) than j-bullets of the same wt.
My concern is that I have had 158gr. Pb cast go all the way through the shoulders, ribs, & even hips of deer at 25yds & less.
When a bullet exits the animal, you are just wasting energy on the hillside.
My 180gr. cast would surely do this, I shoot 99.9% cast, but am a meat hunter & do not want the animal to suffer or chance loosing a wounded animal.
Don't get me wrong I believe cast will do the job, I am just looking for the most effective 357 mag. hunting bullet. I was hoping that you all would post actual expierances with the 357 on game.

Perhaps you could softpoint that 158 grainer. I've never done it, maybe someone has experience with this.