Thought I'd go old school this fall and use the '92 lever gun with iron sights. It's a 16" carbine in 357 magnum and clocks a 158 gr. JSP at around 1740 fps. Shots will be under 100 yds. and most likely in 50 to 75 yds. range. From what I've read it seems a 50/50 split on whether this combo is effective on deer . Anyone kill a whitetail with this set up ? Results ? -Thanks

Plenty of gun if you know deer anatomy and can hit where you aim.

I have killed two deer with my 357 revolver. Only shot at two as well. Used bullets cast from wheel weights. One just dropped and one went about 30 yards. Both shot low right behind the shoulder. Get close shoot carefully it will work fine

Like Danny I have also shot 2 deer with my 357 hand gun. Both were at the 20 yard range and shot with 158 gr semi jacket hollow points. I only took shots similar to what I would have with my recurve bow. I did always figure I could have killed a deer at a 100 yards with that load. I just didn't figure could hit them right at that distance with my hand gun.

Mac

Killed a couple with a Contender in 357 Maximum. 180gr XTP. 0 TO 20YD recoveries.

I have taken deer with the .357 Maximum also, the 10" barrel is probably fairly comparable to a .357 Magnum in a 16" barrel.

This doe was taken at 30 yards with a 140gr, hollow point. It ran directly to me and dropped about 10 yards right in front of me.

I’ve shot several hogs with 357 carbine. Good shot placement and a 357 will most definitely kill a deer

X2 leftlane Also killed a few with a 357 revolver No problems
I have heard that 357 loads come apart in deer when shot at higher rifle velocitys but no experience with a rifle my deer showed massive expansion and pass-thru shots at < 50 yards can't imagine a rifle being nothing but better especially out to a hundred

I am planning on taking the Mod 94 in 30-30 out this deer season for at least one of them. If I can convince the missus, I have some rounds made up for her 30 carbine that should work at the close ranges that we have here. And the 30 carbine is pretty similar to the 357 as far as horsepower goes.

Plenty of gun

I used to shoot 38 caliber Hornaday XTP hollow point pistol bullets in sabots out of my 45 caliber black powder rifle. Very accurate and very deadly on deer out to 100 yards. Never lost a deer with them.

Found a picture of my wife, she had taken several deer with her Ruger GP100 .357 mag. 6" barrel. A carbine should put a deer down with a well place shot.

some people are split if 308 is enough on deer or if they need to step it up to a 300 win mag

turns out they just can't shoot

shoot them right and under 75 yards and 22 hornet can be plenty my great grandpa swore it was the perfect deer hunting round not because it was heavy or hard hitting but because you could hit just where you aimed.

Let it RIP!!!! As you can see plenty of people use a 357 Revolver successfully for deer. At what range does your muzzle velocity drop to that of a 6 inch revolver? About 150 yards. So if you hit that deer with your rifle at 150, it would have the same effect as putting the muzzle of a 357 revolver on the deer's hide and pulling the trigger. Practice Practice Practice. With a 16 inch barrel you'd have to be a crack shot to reliably hit a paper plate at 100.

Shot placement is really what counts, that being said a bigger gun does increase the size of the area needed to put the animal down... But .357 at the ranges you mentioned and assuming you can hit what you are shooting at, you will be just fine. Just like many people over scope a rifle, a lot of them over gun a deer. A .22 in the head will kill, a .338 in the hand won't... Aim small, shoot small. I would keep shots under at or under 150 yards and it sounds like you are.

I'd say you'll be fine, old game warden told me years ago a 22 long rifle has killed more deer than anything else. 357 lever action sounds like a good time to me

That's pretty much the same load I've used for years. I have a Marlin 1894 cs in .357 mag. that all my kids started deer hunting with and 1 grandson so far. We try to keep shots 50-60 yds. Probably 20 deer have met their end with that little rifle and all were 1 shot kills. My son killed a doe about 115 yds with it one year. Said he held top edge of her back and bullet hit right behind the shoulder. She went about 30 yds. Exit wound wasn't much bigger than the entry wound so I'd say it was at max range for that round.