.357 Cast Bullet Performance.
This post probably doesn't belong in the handgun hunting forum as there was no hunting involved, however, I couldn't really figure out where else to post it. Yesterday afternoon, while showing two student the reserve, we came across a large but emaciated eland bull. On closer inspection it was discovered that he had a broken front leg.
I did not have a rifle with me but, as eland are not very mobile on three legs, I decided to get close enough to use my S&W mod 19, instead of driving home to fetch a rifle. This was not difficult, and I put two shots into his shoulder from ±30 meters. He staggered a short distance and went down, bleeding heavily from his nose and mouth. I killed him with a brain shot from very close range. The dressed carcass weighed 228kg, a bull of this size should dress out at, at least, 350kg. At a dressed weight of 228kg, live weight would have been in the 380kg - 400kg range.
One of the bullets hit thick bone, penetrated into the chest cavity, but did not reach the opposite rib cage. This bullet was lost during the butchering process. The other bullet penetrated through the shoulder muscle, hitting no heavy bone, smashed a rib, passed through the lungs, exited between two ribs and stopped under the skin of the opposite shoulder.
The load used, my standard .357 carry load, around the reserve, was a 158gr RNFP cast from a Lee Mold and launched at 1120fps from a 4" barrel. A rather mild load, I don't want to abuse my revolver, a S&W mod 19.
http://i1213.photobucket.com/albums/...psu9vwwqc1.jpg
http://i1213.photobucket.com/albums/...psqgn03y2m.jpg
Re: .357 Cast Bullet Performance.
good post for us, one of those rare opportunities to do that which would not usually have been done. Very nice to see bullet and read result etc, kinda makes you think " Ah - 357 4", all I need for rabbit to eland".
Did that bullet lose weight or just deform ?
Re: .357 Cast Bullet Performance.
Nice TStone.
Thanks for sharing.
Re: .357 Cast Bullet Performance.
sorry T only see weights in pic now.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
treeman
good post for us, one of those rare opportunities to do that which would not usually have been done. Very nice to see bullet and read result etc, kinda makes you think " Ah - 357 4", all I need for rabbit to eland".
Did that bullet lose weight or just deform ?
Re: .357 Cast Bullet Performance.
Re: .357 Cast Bullet Performance.
Nice read and good info, As much as the 357 is overrated and under rated it certainly gets the job done under the correct conditions.
Re: .357 Cast Bullet Performance.
Nice feedback, thanks!
This also illustrates typical (flat-nosed) cast lead bullet performance from a handgun. Not much a JHP can improve on, for hunting applications.
Re: .357 Cast Bullet Performance.
Thanks for sharing.
Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk
Re: .357 Cast Bullet Performance.
Good info, thanks.
Lead bullets tend to be underrated these days.
With the availability of monlithics and premium type this or that, we overlook that around subsonic velocities, lead is not so easy to improve on.
Re: .357 Cast Bullet Performance.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
414gates
Good info, thanks.
Lead bullets tend to be underrated these days.
With the availability of monlithics and premium type this or that, we overlook that around subsonic velocities, lead is not so easy to improve on.
Agreed, 414gates
