A Pistol Cartridge for Deer Hunting

Hans Grueber

I recently started my trek to obtain my handgun permit and I started thinkin' about what I wanted in a handgun. I'm sick of hunting with a shotgun in shotgun territory, so I want to invest in a handgun that will be good for knocking deer down. However I want a revolver or a semi, no Contenders or XP-100's. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

idsman75

Take a look at a Desert Eagle or a S&W Performance Center 629 in .44 Mag. .357 is also acceptable at short ranges with appropriate ammunition. I can hold a tight group with open sights at 25 yards with my stock S&W 686 in .357.

will270win

Ruger or Taurus 454 Casull. Kicks like a mule but stops deer like a Mack truck bumper.

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If you can't fix it with a hammer, take it to a mechanic. will270win@aol.com ~Secret Select Society Of Suave Stylish Smoking Jackets~

William81

I have deer hunted with both .357 Magnum and.44 Magnum handguns. I am convinced the .44 Mag. is the ideal deer cartridge for handgun hunting. I currently have a 6" Colt Anaconda with a Tasco PPII red dot sight. Very accurate and enough power to do the job out to 100 yards on deer size targets.JMHO

WyomingSwede

Get a ruger redhawk or super blackhawk in .44 mag. Scope it with a 2 1/2 power scope. Use 300 gr cast bullets and it will handle anything you will run into out to 100 yards. Dont mess with the casull unless you like recoil. There is a thing as "too much fun".swede

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WyomingSwede

Shootist3006

Get a Blackhawk in .41 Rem Mag. The best hunting handgun there is. I shoot 270 gr cast/gc at about 1350 fps, good for deer sized critters as far as you can hit 'em. (for me that's about 100 yards)

timberbeast

I've taken my share with a .44Mag Super Blackhawk, 10 1/2" barrel. I use open sights, so I keep my shots at living critters under 50 yards, but I've only had one-shot kills, and have not had to track anything yet. On a good day, I can keep in 6" at 70 yards on the range offhand. I won't talk about the bad days! I shoot 240-gr.JHPs for deer, or Starfires (if I remember to bring them). I won't shoot at a running deer with a handgun, but if I did, I'd use a .41Mag, I can get back on sight faster due to the different recoil, it's "sharper", but lifts the muzzle less. It'll also kill anything a .44Mag will just as efficiently.

JustC

desert eagle 50AE. even if the kill shot is behind a small tree, I still take em home. BOOOOMMMMMM got fire wood and tenderloins. heheheh

groundhog devastation

Put a Holosight on whatever handgun you get. You will be amazed at target aquisition and accuracy both. Have used them on 629s and Redhawks, would not consider going back to a scope on hunting handguns. As someone else on her says, just my 2 cents worth!

JustC

ditto on the hollo sight. The only thing close is the leupold/gilmore red dot in 35mm

concealedG36

So, William81, how did you do with the .357 mag? I am interested in trying out my latest purchase, a S&W 28-2 with 6" barrel. But, I want to make sure I can get a clean kill. How do you think it would do at say, 50 feet or less? And, what ammo would you recommend for this range?Thanks a lot,G36

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Gun Control Disarms Victims, NOT Criminals

thesupermonkey

Try hunting' Sniper Monkey style.Climb a treeWaitWaitWaitWaitSpot deerPerform a perfect Laura Croft backward somersault landing directly in front of your preyNext, execute a lightning fast cross draw of your two Simian Arms Jennings 22's.Run directly at your target while chittering like a spider monkey and rapid firing 'gangsta' style.Upon reaching your prey if it hasn't been hit yet and both 30 round magazines are empty, proceed to repeatedly puncture the deer's knees with the needle thin bayonets attached to the end of your Simian Arms JenningsOnce the deer is down you mayA) report a wounded animal, reload your mags, climb the nearest tree, and wait for PETA to show up (and take home a few extra trophies)B) finish the deer off by taking careful aim with your Jennings, steadying your hand, and aiming a precise blow to the top of the deer's forehead with the butt of the pistol. Note : shooting the deer is not recommended since the Jennings' bullet hit point has a tendency to drift. even at point blank range.

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Don't worry about the bullet with your name on it, worry about the fragmentation grenade addressed 'To Occupant'.[This message has been edited by thesupermonkey (edited 02-22-2002).]

He Dog

I think the monkey has been smoking the weed again...

William81

In Illinois you can only shoot antlerless deer during Handgun season so the deer average in the 110-140 pound range. I have had several very nice 8 to 10 pt bucks within 20 yards over the years...It almost like they know...I hunted a couple of years with a 6" S&W 686. Took one doe with a 45 yard shot. I was using Federal 180 Gr. JHP. Clean shot,the doe took 10 steps and fell over. A friend of mine has taken two with .357 but has ended up trailing both for over half a mile.I am certain the .357 is effective for shots under 50 yards. I switched to the .44 as I believed it would give me greater range. Although the truth be know, I have never taken a shot over 50 yards.....

robsguns

For deer, .41 or .44, no .454s, dont put a scope on a handgun, only holosight or ded dot sights. These are my opinions based on experience, although I havent used a holosight or red dot sight, I have used a scope, and wont again, eye relief problems. I ask a lot of questions too, and thats my basis for recommending the holosight or red dots, I will be getting one probably. Use a .357 if you wish, but you better be close and make it a very good shot. We all got our opinions, huh?

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SSgt Ryan E. Roberts, USMC

William81

Robguns is right...I had a Leupold M8-2X on my first hunting Handgun.....I had three deer right below my stand early one morning. Longest shot was less than 25 feet. When I looked into my scope all I saw was brown. With a Dot sight I can shoot with both eyes open so close shots are not a problem....I have also found I can get a faster and better sight picture with the Red Dot sights.[This message has been edited by William81 (edited 02-22-2002).]

gap1916

.357mag/10mm/41mag/44mag all should work well.

CAndres35

personaly i would stay away from the 357. i have taken deer with both the 41&44 mag. deer dropped in tracks. i also agree on the holo-sight. i have been unable to take several shots due to the poor or no sight picture in the 2.5 power scope i had on my 41 mag.when i got my 44 i went to the holo and there is no comparison. carl

gskyhawk

you guys have all forgot the 45 LC, when used in a Ruger Redhawk or Black hawk with the right handloads or Corbon +P 265gr Bonded core HP at 1350fps and 1073ft/lbs of energy these boys really do the job, oh and no scopes just a holosight or red dot[This message has been edited by gskyhawk (edited 02-22-2002).]

JB

Ruger Redhawk .41 Mag with a Aimpoint red dot 0 power scope is my gun. It shoots where I point. And yes, sometimes I dont point it exactly right but It usually works. A lot less kick than a .44 but it sure is loud.

Hans Grueber

Thanks again guys for the insight. I'll definatly try the red-dot sight, although it never really occured to me it seems like a good choice.

smokinggun

I would go with the 44 mag with the possibility of later having a carbine chambered in the same round. That makes a very handy and deadly combination.

will270win

C'mon guys, the 454 ain't bad! I was just funnin', that's a hawg gun. Here piggy, piggy, piggy...........

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If you can't fix it with a hammer, take it to a mechanic. will270win@aol.com ~Secret Select Society Of Suave Stylish Smoking Jackets~

Iconoclast

I use the .44 Ruger Carbine (original) for my deer hunting. I've never used a handgun for hunting, but I would have no qualms about using the .44 on anything within range which wouldn't bite / claw / trample back . . . in heavy cover / short range situations, it has always performed well for me.

idsman75

IMHO any dear that is in bow range is well within the range of a quality .357. Try Winchester Supreme 180gr Partition Gold ammo.