“357 mag”

Are handguns in .357 Mag. powerful enough for deer?

Co-developed by Nighthawk Custom and Korth, the new Ranger sports a 4-inch barrel, interchangeable 9mm and .38 Spl. cylinders, and integrated top and bottom Picatinny rails for mounting optics, lasers, lights or other accessories.

Ruger one-ups its popular medium-framed GP100 this year by giving the revolver's cylinder an extra round. The seven-shot GP100 is available in .327 Fed. Mag. and .357 Mag., with barrel lengths of 2.5, 4.2 and 6 inches.

It's never a bad idea to carry a backup gun when you are hunting, and the Rhino 60DS fills the role admirably—with a .357 Mag. punch.

Kimber introduces the K6s DASA, outfitted with a double- and single-action trigger mechanism. Chambered in .357 Mag. and available with a 2- or 3-inch barrel, the lightweight six-shooter is a great choice for backcountry carry and protection.

There have been many visionaries in the firearms industry—the John Brownings and the Peter Paul Mausers—but we firmly believe that if for nothing other than the .357 Mag. and .44 Mag., Elmer Keith deserves inclusion into that group. The .357 Magnum is a sound and useful design, one that will continue to be enjoyed by shooters and hunters alike for decades to come.

My first centerfire handgun was a Smith & Wesson Model 27 in .357 Mag. The versatility of the cartridge, along with its capability of handling less-expensive .38 Special ammo is what lured me to this revolver.

In 2014 SIG Sauer launched its Elite Performance Ammunition line. Initially made up of a few loads for defensive handguns, the line continues to expand. It now contains JHP loads for 13 handgun cartridges and FMJ loads for eight handgun cartridges, as well as hunting and match loads for the .300 AAC Blackout. Two of the latest JHP loads for the .357 Mag. and .44 Mag. stand out for hunting.

A couple of years ago, the Louisiana-based firearms distributor Lipsey’s put together a contract with Ruger to produce a Blackhawk Flattop .44 Special revolver. Seems they took notice that quite a few original Flattops in .357 Mag. were making their way to custom revolversmiths to be converted into the better caliber.