357 harret for elk?

[Crazymonkey]

Anyone have any experience with a contender in 357 harret.what are your thoughts for elk inside 100 yds .here's the gun and bullet info tc contender 10 inch barrel in 357 harret loads are 180 gr xtp with full loads of 4227 . loads crono at 1900 fps .would like to use for a cow hunt and shut down my buddy's who give me shoot for using a 300 win .

[yotebuster]

It falls below 1000 ft lbs if energy at 50 yards and has about 800 at 100 yards.  I guess if you’d be comfortable shooting an elk at 1300 yards with your 300 mag it’s about the same energy.  I used to take smaller calibers and old rifles etc for doe/cow hunts and then one day I thought about how that critter would feel suffering because I didn’t use everything in my power to kill it as fast and humanely as possible and decided that wasn’t for me.  But that’s everyone’s own decision to make.  In my opinion if you want to make it a challenge, take your .300 and just set your max shot limit at 100 yards just like you would with the herret.  That being said I’m not much fun at parties.  

[Crazymonkey]

I wouldn't shoot at an animal at that kind of range to many variables and not what I would think is ethical shooting. Most of our shots at elk are between 100 and 200 and I've always tried to make clean 1 shot kills.I've got many rifles large and small . Don't want to hit and wound or make a animal suffer .the gun came with the barrel and all I've read says its rated for elk .most people haven't heard of the caliber so I'm asking for info from those who actually shoot the cartridge.

[Crazymonkey]

I'm not sure if your thinking 357 magnum or if your talking 357 harret . the harret is a cut down 30-30 case blown out to hold a 357 bullet .it has the same energy as a 30-30 only in a smaller more efficient package .most would agree that a 30-30 has killed many a elk at modest ranges with one shot

[GreyGhost85]

1 hour ago, Crazymonkey said:

I'm not sure if your thinking 357 magnum or if your talking 357 harret . the harret is a cut down 30-30 case blown out to hold a 357 bullet .it has the same energy as a 30-30 only in a smaller more efficient package .most would agree that a 30-30 has killed many a elk at modest ranges with one shot

It sounds like you answered your own question. Did you want an opinion or reassurance?

[Crazymonkey]

A little of each from someone who has the gun and knows the round .people are quick to judge on here it seems .only looking for opinions from those who have shot same round as the load books are all over the place and new books under power the round and old books over power .just looking for real world experience not speculation.

[yotebuster]

1 hour ago, Crazymonkey said:

I'm not sure if your thinking 357 magnum or if your talking 357 harret . the harret is a cut down 30-30 case blown out to hold a 357 bullet .it has the same energy as a 30-30 only in a smaller more efficient package .most would agree that a 30-30 has killed many a elk at modest ranges with one shot

I just ran the ballistics on a 180gr .357 XTP at 1900fps and that’s what I came up with.  I really don’t care what cartridge it comes out of was just letting you know that it falls below 1000ft pounds at 50 yards and is below 800 at 100 yards.  That’s just math.  
Looking for someone that has experience killing elk with a .357 herret is gonna be essentially impossible to find.  But that doesn’t matter.  You could ask if 800 ft pounds of energy is enough for elk and get a debate going I guess.  (It’s about the same as a .223 at similar distance so you make the call). 
Also you’re gonna want to check your info a little as a .30 herrett (parent case for your .357) is shorter and has a much lower powder capacity.  It’s no where close to a 30-30 necked up.  If it was it would shoot a 180 a heck of a lot faster then it does. 

[GreyGhost85]

Nobody on this website, and maybe in north america, has any experience shooting an elk with a 357 Herret…..

[Crazymonkey]

Actually the 30-30 is the parent case to each and yes the 30 harret was made first with the smaller case capacity.the 357 harret was made later with the larger case capacity.there are several articles about it being used for elk at modest ranges with a 158gr bullet that's why I'm asking .As for energy at distance its about the same as say a muzzleloader at 100 yds with 100 gr pellets.its not all about energy at a set distance its about shot placement.my 6x6 elk didn't take 1 step before he tipped .the energy is close at around 1000 or so .if energy is the only factor I'd use my 338 win at something like high 3000 plus at 100 .but it's not its about bullet construction and shot placement .look it up there are several articles about elk and even a blue wildebeest taken with the harret.my concern is with the bullet its a pistol bullet and I'm worried it will come apart at those speeds the other option it a lever evolution bullet but don't think I can get enough volocity for correct expantion.with the 158gr volocity is increased and therefore energy comes up but at the cost of bullet weight .there are plenty of contender hunters out there that have this round and hunt with it for deer and pigs and other animals that's what I'm looking for .How the bullet reacts to being pushed that hard will it come apart? Only those who shoot it will know for sure

[452b264]

If you are set on using a pistol I would use 180 gr.  hard cast LFN-GC or Barnes 140 gr. XPB. Those hornady xp are to soft for me.

[Crazymonkey]

That's more like it .I was looking for info on bullets and construction. Not sure ill use for elk but was looking for input like yours about bullet type and construction .it may be best to use the gun for pigs and deer but if I could get a bullet of good construction and it carries enough energy inside 100 it may be an option.ill look into the barns and see what comes of it .just a gun I got and was told it was a 357 barrel not a 357 harret when I bought it .

[Titanium700]

Ft pounds of energy is not what kills critters…..throw that 1000 fpe crap out the door!

the bullet does the killing. 
bullet construction and placement is key. 
the 158 grain bullet while great for deer I wouldn’t use it in the Herret for elk, I’d ud use something like what was suggested above or get a 215 grain hard cast to use. 
 

I always use the argument that if energy kills critters then we’d better throw archery equipment out the door. 

[Crazymonkey]

This is true just watch the boys teaching hunter safety shoot a sand bag with a 44 mag and stop the bullet but shoot a arrow right thru.besides a 22 shot at close range in the right spot will kill about anything. Not so much on energy but placement .

[Titanium700]

Exactly. 
I’ve watched cows (moo cows) 😁 put down with a .22 lr and drop like they were hit with a bolt of lightning. 
the 357 herret is plenty on elk with the proper bullets. 
someone mentioned the Barnes bullet. 
im a big Barnes fan and can attest the bullet even though lighter is a great bullet that holds together and on rifles just passes on through. 

[yotebuster]

20 minutes ago, Crazymonkey said:

This is true just watch the boys teaching hunter safety shoot a sand bag with a 44 mag and stop the bullet but shoot a arrow right thru.besides a 22 shot at close range in the right spot will kill about anything. Not so much on energy but placement .

Arrows have broadheads attached to them.  I can kill an elk with a knife if you can get me up on him sleeping, and I have 0 ft lbs of kinetic energy.  A 100mph fast ball has more energy then a bow does and that certainly won’t kill an elk.  One is shooting a razor sharp stick and the other is a ball.  The problem with your analogy is that all the things you suggested are shooting bullets.  Yes a hard cast is different then a JHP but they’re a heck of a lot closer then a bullet and a broad head.   I’ve killed full size northern whitetails with a .17 hmr, and 1800# beef cattle with a .22lr.  Should I do that in the field?!?  Of course not.  If you’re gonna shoot elk with a 180gr bullet going subsonic then use a hard cast and try to drive it as deep as you can, you won’t get two holes but you’ll prob kill the elk if it’s close.   I’d just shoot it close with the .300 win mag but that’s just me.