Three inches or four? Or six?

[birddog10]

Anybody out there hunt deer with a revolver? I'm looking at buying a .357 revolver and can't decide on what barrel length. I don't want a 6 inch incase I want to "carry" it. On the other hand, I've found a nice Ruger with a 3 inch barrel (Michigan doesn't have barrel length requirements for hunting big game) but I'm not sure I should use a 3 inch barrel for deer hunting. But I can't find the one I'm looking for in a 4 inch barrel (and the 3 inch barrel would definitely be easier to carry). And I'm not talking about popping deer at 60, 70 + yards. I'm talking 30 yards max. So have or would any of you use a 3 inch barrel .357 to hunt deer?
Thoughts?

Thanks for the advice.
Jim

[Boo]

I bought a FA 454 in 4" and practiced for 40 yard shots and eventually sent it in to have a 6" bbl installed. After shooting it with the new bbl I installed a 2X EER scope because I just couldn't keep 100% of my shots in the kill zone. After that even running shots at 40 yards was very doable.
I don't know how big of a revolver you plan on using but I found carrying even the 4" on my hip a pain so I went to a bandoleer style (across the chest) and became a happy puppy!
Happy hunting!

[ranger]

I had a 6" 686 Smith for deer hunting then upgraded to a Smith 629 44 mag Deer Hunter.

[steve rodo]

Just buy a Ed Brown 10mm and be done with it ,it will do what you want and then some ,It;s also a excellent carry ,it's what i carry here in ga everyday ,Don't leave home without it .
It will slap but a deer down out to what you want to shoot ,I also shoot hogs with it in the head behind the ear ,they fall right over .

[Riflemanz]

I have a Ruger super redhawk in SS 6" barrel with leupold pistol scope.The longer the barrel the better accuracy down range.

[RexKay]

I have the Ruger Super Redhawk w/9 in barrel. Can't "carry" it. Strictly deer gun. 44 mag. 2xfixed Leupold. I too strap across chest. Frees me up. The holster goes around shoulder and waist. Stays put. Pretty good too 100 yds. Once hit a bud can on a fence post that far on sand bags.. ...it did take 4 shots

[chicotrout]

I've been hunting with revolvers for a long time and started hunting with a S&W 686 .357 magnum with an 8 3/8" barrel in the mid 80's. Since then I realized that the round was marginal at best for hunting deer and later upgraded to a FA 454 Casull and a S&W 500 magnum which downed plenty deer and elk for me. (I reload all of my hunting ammunition and I also hunt with a single shot TC Encore chambered for 45-70 and a single shot Lone Eagle chambered in 30-06.)

The .357 will take game down but I wouldn't buy one again with that purpose in mind. I know you want a double duty gun so I would look for one but nothing shorter than 6". The standard acceptable norm for taking deer sized game, in most circles, is a round with 1000ft lbs of energy at the animal and a store bought box of .357 mag rounds will give you 500 to 750 ft lbs of energy at the muzzle depending on weight and load. You could do better than that if you hand loaded and had a longer barrel. Just so you know, the 1000ft lbs of energy is just starting point to compare apples to apples. You will put deer down with much less if it's a perfect shot, like a head shot, a spine shot or a vitals shot provided nothing goes wrong. Start adding steep quartering shots, shoulder shots, small branches you didn't see and the round starts to fade quickly.

I hope that helps you one way or another. Either way...good luck!

[flightattendant100]

The longer the barrel the longer the sight radius.Most short bbl. revolvers are very capable of shooting very good groups, even at longer ranges, but the short sight radius handicaps you as a shooter some. If you are going to scope it this does away with the sight radius problem but makes it all but impossible to "carry". Kinda of a catch 22. Most all compromises give up something in at least one aspect.
With all that being said, a 6" bbl. is much easier to shoot and would be my choice as a hunting sidearm. There are ways to carry it but you are not going to hide it with shorts and a t-shirt.
Our deer in Texas are pretty small body wise, but a .357 works fairly well.Got my first "pistol" deer in 1975 or 1976. A S&W Mod. 28 in .357. with Remington 125 gr. factory HP's. Broke two ribs going in, broke two ribs coming out and was mushroomed just under the skin on far side.Little buck went about 25 yrds. At the time I thought I was bueno pistolero.
Oh, and S&W used to make the Mod. 27 in a 5 inch as well to further the confusion.Some thought 5" was the perfect length for PD to carry. ( a compromise between 4 and 6 )

[frisky]

I have a scoped S+W model 29, 44 mag, 6inch barrel. I use a hip holster, little hard to "clear leather" but it is doable. Most if the time I carry it in my hand. I use it in shotgun areas, much more accurte than my shotgun. With sand bags 100 yards are possible but my limit 30 or so yards.

[birddog10]

Thanks all. Great advice and good collection of knowledge and experience coming from you guys who have "been there/done that". Yeah, it really is confusing, especially when I'm trying to purchase a "do all" type of gun. My wife keeps asking, "why do you need it, what are you going to use it for?" so being able to use a fire arm for more than one thing, helps me justify the purchase.
Thanks,
jim

[Cossack]

I used to hunt (pre crossbow) with single shot hand-cannons (Thompson Contenders), scoped and 14" barrels - except for a 10" 30/30. Carry 'em in a shoulder harness holster that hangs in front. One of the wildcats I shoot has a 9x scope and is good out to 200 yards if I do my job. The most extreme is a 45/70 in 14" barrel and a 300 gr slug. THAT ONE you know it when you let one loose. 357 is ok out to about 50 yards, but I'd go with a 6" barrel, esp if open sights. Longer sighting plane.

[birddog10]

Just buy a Ed Brown 10mm and be done with it ,it will do what you want and then some ,It;s also a excellent carry ,it's what i carry here in ga everyday ,Don't leave home without it .
It will slap but a deer down out to what you want to shoot ,I also shoot hogs with it in the head behind the ear ,they fall right over .

Yeah Steve, I looked into the price of such. I'm trying to justify to my wife why I need to spend $700 on a revolver, and use suggest an Ed Brown. Thanks!
They looked awesome though, but out of my budget range.

[DaveShooter]

For what its worth I like 6" or better for a hunting weapon. Not that 4" or shorter barrel won't take game, but with a longer barrel better sight plane and a slight tad better bullet speed and accuracy etc. Also check in with your state game laws on what is and isn't allowed to be used to hunt with-Again just my 2 cents

[yooper_man]

The 357 Magnum will take deer no problem with a well placed shot and proper bullet construction. A 3 inch barrel is too short for my liking.

I personally only use hard cast lead bullets in revolvers for big game. I currently load a 310 grain LBT design hard cast lead bullet in my Ruger New Model Blackhawk in 45 Colt with 5 1/2" barrel. I don't purchase factory ammo, so these are my hand loads using H-110 powder. My personal limit for taking big game with my setup is 50 yards and its fully capable in doing so, only if I do my part.

If you don't reload I suggest a 44 Magnum for big game and use a well constructed bullet for the job. I wouldn't go any less than 4 inches in barrel length and 6 inches is better.

Andrew