Hunting handgun .357 magnum or .44 remington magnum?

Question

I am looking for a hunting/backup revolver while hog and deer hunting. I really like the Ruger GP100 .357 mag and the Ruger Super Blackhawk .44 mag. Which is the most durable and has the most factory hunting ammunition.

I frogot to ask the recoil of each gun

Answer 1

For just a backup gun for the size of game you're pursuing, either one would be good. The .357 Magnum is an excellent all-around caliber, and the Ruger GP100 is a good double-action revolver. However, if you were to delve into handgun hunting, the .357 Magnum tends to become much less effective if you're trying to pursue game much larger than, say, whitetails. In that case, the Ruger Super Blackhawk in .44 Magnum may be the gun for you, especially with the Bisley grip. Ruger makes the some of the strongest sixguns on the market today that you don't have to pay an arm and a leg for (S&W) or sell your firstborn for (Freedom Arms.)

Factory ammunition choice for hunting in .357 Magnum is pretty limited. Generally, you're talking about a 158 or 180 grain bullet at under 1300 ft/s. The 110 and 125 grain loads are designed for varmints of the two-legged variety, so they'll lack the penetration needed for deer. For .44 Magnum, most of the loads out there are meant for hunting, and bullet weights run from 200 grains clear up to 320 to 340 grains and are suitable for game clear up to 1000 pounds with careful shot placement.

With that being said, the recoil of .357 Magnum and .44 Magnum are pretty much like night and day. The .357's recoil isn't bad. It's easily manageable by most shooters. The recoil and blast of the .44 Magnum can be shocking to a shooter who's never handled anything heavier than a .357 or some semi-auto pistol. However, with good grips, it's easily manageable for the experienced pistolero . . . certainly nothing like a .480 Ruger, .454 Casull or even a few of the Ruger/Freedom Arms-only .45 Colt loads.

Answer 2

Handgun hunting is a whole 'nother kinda sport. The .357 mag. is fine for game no larger (or tougher) than deer. The .44 mag. will pretty much take anything you want to shoot up to elk, moose, and the larger bears.

If you're just looking for a back up gun, I'd still advise the .44 mag. It's just a better all around bullet. You might want to consider the Taurus Tracker in .44 mag. This is a stainless steel, five shot revolver. Overall size is about the size of the GP100. I've nothing against the Blackhawk (own three) but the double action Taurus is quicker to get into action.

Hunting rounds: .357 mag. 158 gr. soft point. Recoil is
pronounced but manageable.
.44 mag. 240 gr. soft point. Recoil is stout but
not unmanageable.

The Ruger is a durable as a rock. By the way, Ruger also makes the Redhawk in a .44 mag. snubby. Heavy gun but is a six shot double action gun. More money than the Taurus.
Have fun. . .

Answer 3

I have used both 44 Mag and 357 Mag for Deer and Wild hog.
I started out with the 44 Mag and have taken several deer with one shot kills, But did not like the trajectory, it is by no means flat shooting.
I then tried the 357 Mag and was quite empresses with it trajectory and have used it hunting with the same one shot kills.
I do not own a 44 Mag any more and don’t feel that I need one, the 357 with 150 grain HP works very well on Deer and Hogs and I would not hesitate to use it with 180 grain Nosler Partition for Elk and Black Bear.
But it does depend on how well you shoot, poor shot placement and you could wound a deer with a 50 BMG.
I have two 357 Mag I use for hunting the Ruger BlackHawk with 6 ½ inch barrel and the GP100 with 6 inch barrel.
I have been using Ruger for hunting for 33 years and will say that any one who says it is not Quality don’t know what their talking about.
Both calibers are very popular and there for are very close availability on hunting loads.
But I reload all my own ammo and find them about equal there to.

As to recoil the 44 Mag is not something you will wont to shoot hunting loads all day long, it’s manageable.
The 357 Mag I take it out 2 to 3 times a month and will shoot between 250 to 500 rounds a month easy, when I buy primers for the 357 Mag I buy two of the 1000 pack each time cause I know me and my son will burn them up quick.
Recoil on the hunting loads are not bad at all, I don’t load any thing but hunting loads for the 357 Mag when we target practice the only deference is I use a more economical projectile not the premium hunting Hollow Points. The Varmints cant tell the deference.

Answer 4

If its just for backup the .357 Mag will do. But the better hunting handgun is the .44 Mag. As far as hunting ammo goes, neither is primarily a 'hunter,' but the .44 is closer. Federal makes a 300 grain solid cast lead hunting bullet for the .44 that usually won't work out of carbines because it is too long. Same for the .357 Mag but in 180 grain solid lead. And in case you really didn't know, the .44 Mag has more of a kick than the .357 Mag.

H

Answer 5

Most people (and here come the arguments) think the 357 is at best marginal for deer and larger hogs. I like my Super Blackhawk, but if you haven't considered the compromise, you should: Try the Blackhawk in 41 Mag. I promise the hog won't know he wasn't hit with a 44, and it's intermediate in recoil between the 357 and 44 Mags.

Answer 6

Go for the Super Blackhawk, .357 is a great round, but when you are hunting you want a cartridge which is guaranteed to get the job done, no questions asked. Since they are both Rugers they will both be very reliable. And the .44 allows for larger game hunting if you should be so inquired, boar, bear, elk, etc...

Of course with every advantage comes a disadvantage, the recoil of the .44 is noticeably greater than that of the .357, however it will not keep you from shooting it for a lengthy time at the range, just be sure to perfect your grip and perhaps look into an aftermarket grip.

Answer 7

Well, for deer, a 357 is fine.

On the other hand, hogs can be a bit mean (to say the least) and I'd really prefer (and recommend) a .44 Magnum for them.

The Super-Blackhawk is a single-action - isn't it?
I'd have to recommend a Redhawk or other DA revolver as my first choice instead. When you're on the ground - and those tuskers get close, you want to have DA and not have to remember to c.o.c.k (damn filters!) it first also.

I'd rate them both equally durable guns.

The .357 has more variety of loads - especially if you add in the .38 special loads.

However, the .44 mag - while it may not have as many loads as the 357/.38, has enough variety to handle your primary hunting requirements, and makes a fine backup also.

So, to answer it was posted.
.44 magnum
Durability - Equal
Most factory hunting ammo - .357

For my a.s.s against a tusker, I'd take the .44 magnum every time.

How/what you want to carry depends on your primary target - but if feral hogs are involved, I'd definitely like to have a .44 magnum around...

Answer 8

I just finished reading an old article the other day.

They were hunting black bears. It was a hunting tour. Anyway the client hit the bear but it wasn't a lethal shot so the tour operator had to go into the thick bush to find the wounded bear. The bear jumped him from behind. But, the tour operator was able to take a shot at the bear. It still took the bear about a minute to die. During that time he was able to chomp up the tour operators legs. Operator recovered. He was using a .44 Remington magnum.

The moral of the story is that. even though you are a great shot, at some instances, the animal you are hunting ( boar, deer, elk, bear) might be closer to God than you thought he was. A back up is in deed necessary.

.44 Remington have more hunting loads.

But if I were to be a real dick about it and to pissed off the 2 pessimistic guys who answered above. I'd go with a Desert Eagle 50 cal, the problem would be its weight.

Ciao

Answer 9

The .44 magnum is the better choice assuming that you can handle the recoil well enough to shoot it well. I've hunted hogs in south Texas and the .357 is marginal at best. Hogs are tough.

A .357 can be used for hogs and deer but be prepared to limit your shots to shorted distances and specific positions. Nothing, and I repeat nothing makes up for poor shot placement but a .44 with proper bullet selection will account for cleaner kills in a greater variety of situations.


Good luck.

Answer 10

Bound's hubby here:

I will speak only to the cartridges, not the guns. I am not a fan of Ruger's, but the gun you fire is your choice.

It amazes me when people say, they want a handgun to backup a rifle. In normal cases the handgun is less effective than the rifle. Using a handgun for a finishing shot is a different shot. Now if the handgun is the primary hunting weapon, you wouldn't have the rifle with you to begin with.

In theory any caliber handgun, within reason, could be relied upon to deliver a finishing shot.

The .357 Magnum is the smallest handgun I would select for deer hunting. For deer hunting I would use a 146 grain or larger JHP. For wild boar I would use a 158 grain or heavier hard-cast lead slug. I would not choose the .357 for game larger than deer.

With the .44 Magnum, I would use a 240 grain JHP or JSP for deer. For boar or bear, I would use a 240 grain to 300 grain hard-cast lead slug. The .44 will always trump the .357.

With respect to recoil, recoil of the .44 will be about 2-3 times that of a .357. There is more recoil with the .44. You will work harder to control the .44. Personally, I have a .41 Magnum for handgun hunting. I have more oompf than the .357 and less recoil than the .44. I think it is the perfect compromise cartridge and it is adequate for boar, deer and bear.

Good luck.