17 or 18 years or so back I started handgun hunting deer with a 7.5" Redhawk. Got bored with it after a decade or so and went out with a SBH 7.5" Hunter for a season. Didn't like it so much and bought me a 5" 629-3, love it. Got a little bored a year or so back and bought another Redhawk only a 5.5" barrel. After toying with it a bit I remembered why I liked the Smith so much, I'm glad I kept it. That unfired Redhawk will be hitting the auction block one of these days.
I feel the 7.5" barrel on the Ruger offers a little better sight radius than the 5" on my Smith, but I've made clean kills out to 90+yds with both.
I really like rubber Hogue grips on my hunting handguns. With these on each, the Ruger tends to thump on my middle finger. My Smith does nothing of the kind.
If I were going to shoot 1000's full house loads till my wrist gave out I would probably find the Ruger would outrun my Smith, but this isn't something I'm going to do. Throughout the year I'll shoot 95% medium power loads and a handful, if that, 'heavy' loads through my 44. As for accuracy, I can shoot just as well with both.
The fit & finish on this Smith, or any of my S&W's, easily tops any of the Rugers I ever owned. Not bad talking Ruger at all, just like my Smith's better.
The 44mag will easily do want you want it to on a VA whitetail. A 41mag would be a cool choice as well. If I were starting over and were only going to shoot whitey with it I'd probably go that direction.
FWIW, I have a nifty 6" 586(357) that will probably kill a whitetail this fall.
