Why are Hunters Criticising, Condemning & Complaining about a 4" barrel in 357 Magnum for Deer Hunting??**

Question

Why are they saying only a 6" will do? We are only talking a 2" difference here.* How much could be lost in velocity & impact in a 4" as compared with using a 6" barrel at 50 to 75 yards Maximum... Please explain that to me.* Thank you.*

Could anyone convert 200 feet per second into Miles per hour?* How many miles per hour is 200 feet per second?* Thank you.* Show me how you did it.*

Answer 1

I don't think anyone is condemning a 4" barrel in .357 Mag. for hunting deer. It is just that a 6" barrel will serve you better. More velocity is achieved with the extra two inches translating into more take down power, and you have a longer sight radius for better accuracy.

I've known handgun hunters who've taken deer with 4" .44 Mags & .357s, so range, luck and skill really are also major players. We're just trying to give the best advice possible, so we recommend the longer barrel in the minimum calibers.

Remember, there are also 8" .357 Magnums and no one yet has insisted that you 'need' an 8" barrel for deer hunting with the .357 Mag.

Best.

H

Answer 2

That 2" difference can make the difference in muzzle velocity to help insure a clean kill, and an extended sight radius.* The additional 2" of barrel on a 6" S&W 357 magnum handgun shooting 158 grain bullets adds an additional 110-125 FPS faster than the same bullet out of a 4" barreled gun.. You are taking the *facts as criticising, condemning and complaining, way too personally..... This isn't the case at all. This isn't based on personal opinion, this is a fact and the way it is....As Boker already has advised MOST states in the U.S. require a handgun to be a minimum of 357 magnum caliber and a 6" barrel minimum length.Pennsylvania is one of the exceptions as they have no regulations or laws that have minimum barrel length requirements. If it's legal and you wish to hunt with a 4" 357 Magnum S&W 66, I don't see any of us stopping you.....

*Famous Quote "You cannot teach what you haven't experienced."

Answer 3

The .357 is fine for a range of 50-70 yards if you are very good with it. Do not use JHPs, use a solid tip because you need good penetration. If you have it, use a larger gun, 41 Mag, 44 Mag or larger. The fact that you are asking, makes me think you probably shouldn't be hunting with the .357. If you had fired the gun enough to realize what it is able to do as far as ranges and down range energy, you wouldn't be asking. If you can get to a point where you can pop a coffee can at 50 yards regularly, go for it. If not, wait till you can.

Answer 4

Fifty yards out of a pistol is a lot farther than you think when it comes to killing a medium to large size animal. While gases, thus energy, are lost rapidly out of the pistol barrel, accuracy fades just as rapidly. It's all about accuracy when it comes down to handguns. Think about it...Why are long guns preferred over a handgun? Accuracy and precision. That comes from a longer distance and more twist(rifling) between the chamber and the end of the barrel.

Two inches at 50 yards is like more 20 inches. If you move a 1/16 inch with a 4 inch barrel you are going to make a much larger mistake than say a 6 1/2 or 7 inch barrel. I have actually shot deer with a 1911 Colt .45 ACP, but that was when they showed up at 20 yards and just presented themselves to me. I was rifle hunting and decided to use that pistol for the sport of it.(I was sitting in my bow blind)

While .357 is a great gun, I prefer the .44 mag. It's two guns in one, like the .357, you can run .44spcl for training and plinking, and .44 mag for hunting. I used a Ruger Blackhawk 6 in .357 mag for years and still take it out now then. They are great guns.

I won't even attempt to get into my Thompson Contenders. That's another discussion.

Answer 5

it's not so much the loss of velocity, it's the shorter sighting radius. A 4" barrel robs you of accuracy, this severly limits your range for hunting. The extra sight radius on the 6" makes a big difference at ranges beyond 50 yards. It takes a skilled shooter to be able to humanely harvest an animal with a handgun. Most people say the purpose of a handgun is only to allow you to fight your way to a rifle in an emergency.

Answer 6

More a question of accuracy potential more than the velocity/energy issue.
Most officers I trained had a pretty hard time getting a good shot placement at 25 ydrs. with a 4 inch revolver. A 50 to 75 yard shot would be a real challenge to most typical shooters.

Answer 7

Unless the deer is going to run you over the odds are alot better with the 6" It gives you more accuracy and additional velocity due to the powder having more time to accelerate the bullet. Even with the 6" you have to be very close, a rifle or shotgun will give you much more accuracy and a better chance at a clean kill!

Answer 8

My answer to this is that the pistol is not as accurate as one with a 6" or longer barrel. Without accuracy a quick and humane kill is not as likely as with a longer barrel pistol with a longer sight radius. Velocity isn't as important as accuracy. Besides all of that I wouldn't use a 357 for even a backup.
A 45, 41, or 44 Magnum yes, but that's another story.

Answer 9

Longer sight radius on iron sighted pistols gives better accuracy.
Most states have a minimum barrel length for pistol hunters, and I', pretty sure it's 6".
That extra 2 inches in barrel length can mean upwards of 200fps more velocity, depending on the load, when compared to the same loading fired from a 4" barrel.

Answer 10

200 fps = 136.36 mph
200fps * 60 = 12000 feet per minutes (60 secs in a minute)
12000fpm * 60 = 720000 fph (60 minutes in a hour)
1 Mile = 6076 feet.
So 720000 fph (feet per hour) / 5280 feet = 136.36