anyone ever hunt with a .357 lever before? thinking about getting one as my next addition to my ever growing gun collection with the thought process of .357 should have plenty of knockdown for even a northern deer within 100 yards without the complete devastation of a 12 gauge slug (cant use centerfire bottleneck cartridge rifle in oh), but able to plink for fairly cheap with a .38 special as opposed to .44 mag which isnt exactly cheap (i have a .44 mag revolver). ive shot a .357 lever at a buddys place before and liked how it handled and dr youtube shows that it will knock down deer no problem but wonder if anyone here has experience with em to confirm or maybe advise against. thanks again!
Not sure what kind of confirmation you’re looking for. I have two uncles that hunt black bear in MD and upper PA with level action .357 rifles and they’ve never had any trouble killing bear with that caliber. That said, caliber isn’t what kills anyway. Shot placement does. I wouldn’t hesitate to hunt whitetail with that round. Deer, especially the smaller bodied deer in SC, aren’t the heaviest boned critters out there. Sadly, there are people out there that think they need a .300 something or another because they shot a deer with a .270 and it ran off and surely it wasn’t because they made a poor shot. I’ve hit deer with my truck and watched them get up and run off but that doesn’t mean I need a bigger truck.
Got get the rifle!! It would be an awesome brush gun.
God bless the “ignore” function.
I have one,mines a marlin and yes,with a well placed shot it will take down deer no problem.I use Honardy ammo and have killed several.Your point of cheap shooting with 38 special was also a factor in me buying one.Big difference between the 38 and 357 when shooting for accuracy but that’s to be expected.If you were to scope it don’t sight it in with 38s!Only wish Henry would have had their 357 when I bought mine,I’m partial to Henry lever actions.
quote:
Originally posted by billymacOnly wish Henry would have had their 357 when I bought mine,I’m partial to Henry lever actions.
My Henry Varmint Express .17HMR is my favorite rifle…it’s beat up and getting worn, but it has been a phenomenal rifle. I just wish it was threaded 
Wadmalaw native
16’ Bentz-Craft Flats Boat
quote:always been curious about this... no way to get subsonic, so does it help a lot? I've seen .223's that were tolerable without hearing protection, and I know a guy who exclusively uses .17 for deer... figure with a closed action and a can, it might bring the sound down a fair bit for the shooter at least. would you cut down the mag tube or just screw on the can for each trip to the woods once loaded?
Originally posted by leadenwahboyquote:
Originally posted by billymacOnly wish Henry would have had their 357 when I bought mine,I’m partial to Henry lever actions.
My Henry Varmint Express .17HMR is my favorite rifle…it’s beat up and getting worn, but it has been a phenomenal rifle. I just wish it was threaded
Wadmalaw native
16’ Bentz-Craft Flats Boat
OHN- my first deer gun, and the one I’ve killed 90% of them with, was a marlin .30-30, and I have since wanted a .357 lever (lefties still get the shaft in the gun world) just for the coolness factor of having a bandolier of ammo that feeds a carbine and a sidearm 
I can’t think of a reason not to hunt wood goats with one!
sounds good im very likely to pull the trigger on this one. 100% agree placement is key to any bow or firearm, but i wouldnt exactly take a .22 LR as a brush gun vs hogs even though ive dropped one squirrel hunting that was only 20 yards away. no plan to scope it i have a 30-06 for that mission. well aware 30-06 is on the bigger end for deer, but wanted the extra thump for potentially big hogs or if my career path would take me somewhere with say elk or moose.
quote:
Originally posted by barbawangquote:always been curious about this... no way to get subsonic, so does it help a lot? I've seen .223's that were tolerable without hearing protection, and I know a guy who exclusively uses .17 for deer... figure with a closed action and a can, it might bring the sound down a fair bit for the shooter at least. would you cut down the mag tube or just screw on the can for each trip to the woods once loaded?
Originally posted by leadenwahboyquote:
Originally posted by billymacOnly wish Henry would have had their 357 when I bought mine,I’m partial to Henry lever actions.
My Henry Varmint Express .17HMR is my favorite rifle…it’s beat up and getting worn, but it has been a phenomenal rifle. I just wish it was threaded
Wadmalaw native
16’ Bentz-Craft Flats Boat
Suppressed .17 is fun. Not subsonic but it takes the ‘crack’ out of the shot.
For a lever gun, there are some mods to do to the mag tube, and moving the sight/barrel band back a bit, but it’s all doable. Or you could just load 11 rounds and screw on the can and roll.
Henry is now making a threaded rifle called the “frontier” model, with a shortened mag tube and longer barrel.
Wadmalaw native
16’ Bentz-Craft Flats Boat
I’m itching to get Henrys’ new long ranger in a 308.No tube,removable magazine but reviews can’t speak more highly about it.Can’t seem to find one that comes with iron sights but maybe they’ll become more available as the year wears on.
I have a Marlin 1894C ( 357 Mag ) and it kills Deer just fine. I keep my shots inside 100 yards though. It feels like you’re carrying a 22 rifle around since its so light.
I pistol hunt with a .357, .44mag and .460 I felt like the .357 was a little light for deer past 50 yards on the foot # scale. i’m sure in a longer barrel you get the accuracy you want at 100 yards but 44 mag will give more knock down at the same distance. Personally I’m on the look out for a .41mag that blends the best of both worlds.
check out buffalo boar ammo they load some stuff pretty hot ammo and I find it to be very constantly loaded.
The .460 & 500 s&w are also straight necked. You could push the 2oo yard mark out of a .460 long gun. recoil is not bad.
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