Taurus Raging Hunter 357 Magnum 5.12in 7-Shot — Superb Hunter

Description

The Taurus Raging Hunter 357 is the .357 Magnum member of Taurus’s hunting revolver line: seven rounds, a 5.12-inch ported barrel, a full-length Picatinny rail moulded into the black anodised shroud, and matte black oxide over the frame and cylinder.

It is the same large frame Taurus uses for the .44 Magnum and the .500 S&W, which changes what the cartridge feels like entirely. A .357 out of a small revolver is a handful. A .357 out of the Taurus Raging Hunter 357, with this much steel in front of your hand and ports at the muzzle, is close to pleasant — and it will still take a deer at sensible range.

What the big frame does for a .357

• The Taurus Raging Hunter 357 holds seven rounds, not five or six. The larger cylinder has the room for an extra chamber at this bore size.
• Weight forward, ports at the muzzle, and a cushioned rubber grip. Full-power Magnum loads out of the Taurus Raging Hunter 357 recoil about like .38 Special out of a snub.
• A 5.12-inch barrel gives the cartridge the space it needs. This is where the published .357 velocity figures actually come from.
• The rail is moulded into the barrel shroud along its full length, so a red dot or a pistol scope mounts without a separate base to shoot loose.
• Adjustable rear sight, exposed hammer, transfer bar safety, and a shrouded ejector rod.

Honest trade-offs

• You are carrying .44 Magnum weight for .357 Magnum power. If ounces on the belt matter more than comfort at the muzzle, a medium-frame .357 is the lighter answer.
• Ports are loud. On a .357 they buy less than they do on a .500, and they still direct blast sideways at anyone next to you. Hearing protection every shot, for everyone.
• The Taurus Raging Hunter 357 also shoots .38 Special and .38 Special +P, which makes practice cheap — and in a gun this heavy, .38 is nearly recoilless.
• For hunting, choose a heavy hard-cast or bonded bullet. Light, fast .357 loads designed for defensive use come apart on bone.
• Scrub the front of the chambers when you switch back from .38 to Magnum brass, or the longer cases will stick.

Specifications

• Manufacturer part number: 2-357051RH
• UPC: 725327617563
• Calibre: .357 Magnum / .38 Special +P
• Capacity: 7 rounds
• Barrel: 5.12 in, ported, with integral Picatinny rail
• Shroud: black anodised
• Frame: large, matte black oxide stainless steel
• Cylinder: matte black oxide
• Sights: adjustable rear, fixed front
• Action: double action / single action, exposed hammer
• Safety: transfer bar
• Grip: black rubber

.357 Magnum and .38 Special are both standardised by SAAMI; the Magnum case is a tenth of an inch longer, which is the whole reason a .38 chambers in a .357 revolver and never the reverse. On a barrel this length the difference between the two is dramatic — .38 for the range, Magnum for the field, one sight picture for both.

The rest of the Raging Hunter line is in stock: the .44 Magnum at 5.12 inches, the .500 S&W at 8.38 inches, the ten-inch .500 and the moon-clip .350 Legend. For a lighter .357 to carry rather than hunt with, look at the Tracker 627.

Why the Taurus Raging Hunter 357 earns its place

• The Taurus Raging Hunter 357 puts seven rounds on a frame that makes them comfortable to shoot.
• The cheapest cartridge in the Raging Hunter line by a wide margin, so it actually gets practised with.
• A moulded-in rail, so an optic goes on properly.
• Two cartridges out of one cylinder — .38 for the range, Magnum for the field.
• A serious hunting revolver at a price well below the usual entry point.

This is the sensible first big-bore hunting revolver, and a genuinely good one for whitetail, hogs and predators at handgun distances. It suits a shooter who wants to learn to hunt with a handgun without starting on a cartridge that punishes mistakes, and it suits anyone who simply wants the most shootable .357 on the shelf. The Taurus Raging Hunter 357 is not a carry gun — it is far too large — and it is not the lightest way to own a .357.

In stock now at MAG5 Firearms in Collegeville, Pennsylvania. Handgun sales ship to a licensed dealer in your state, where you will complete a Form 4473 and the background check before taking delivery.