Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Deer Hunting with a Handgun

After a few years of trying, this year I was finally able to get one with a handgun. I used a ruger super Blackhawk with a 7.5" bbl. The shot was only 25 yds. I have also carried a Blackhawk 41. The 41 really hammered a hog a few years ago. The 44 offers many more ammo choices than the 41 if you don't reload

I never much cared for the 'hand rifles'. Rather, I've carried revolvers for 100% of my handgun hunting, without scopes. I have nothing against the Contender-type guns nor scoped handguns. It's just my preference.

I've taken deer and hogs along with a pile of varmints and small game.

I've used:

19 357 (4")
686 357 (4")
Redhawk 44 (7.5")
629 44 (4")
500 S&W (4")

I've killed a pile with plain open sighted double and single actions. Barrels have ranged from 4 to 6 inches with the .357, .44 special, .44 mag, and .45 colt.

Ear protection is a very good idea. I carry the plugs which are mounted on a sort of collar and worn around the neck. Oftentimes theres time to put them on. I don't use the .357 anymore because it gave the most concussive blast and the least terminal effect. Did kill them though. The .44 mag and stoutly loaded .45 are plenty blasty but perform well. If I didn't live around brown bears I'd stick with 255 gr WFNs at about 1050fps from the special. Pretty fair muzzleblast, and minimal recoil with great performance and penetration.

I was going to recommend the Glock MOS in 10mm (totally without any personal experience, but just because it looks like a great combo) until I noticed you were in PA, hence no autos.

The only handgun I've actually killed a deer with was a borrowed 6" scoped 629 .44, using handloaded 225gr half-jacket Speers (in PA, btw). I have carried a bunch of other stuff and concluded that the handrifles are a PITA to lug around in the woods. If I were getting a handgun for PA deer now, I'd get a .357-.44 revolver or 10" Contender and put a good red dot on it as they're lighter and more compact than scopes and make accurate shooting much easier than irons.

Several deer and 1 antelope with a 10 5/8" S&W .44 using hardcast Keith bullets. Ranges from 10ft to 135 yds. I've never had to shoot twice.

Very Nice - Congrats


Jerry

I've done the T/C Contender, T/C Encore, XP100, and scoped Ruger Super Redhawk thing in the past, but they've all gone down the road. For me, my reasons to handgun hunt are about the simplicity and the challenge of it. In that vein, I'm a big fan of iron sights, single action revolvers, moderate barrel lengths, modest velocity, and hard-cast bullets.

Give me a .45 Colt in a 5 1/2'' Ruger single action loaded with a 255 LSWC @ 1000fps and I'm a happy man.

jds -

I'm not arguing w/ you at all.

I've hunted with 'scoped' and open sighted handguns and both have their advs. I still can see the rear sight on a handgun because it's at arm's length. At the same time a scope has more than 1 adv. to me.

I messed with, shot, grouped, & hunted both kinds and I found out one thing.

You are not any more accurate with iron sights>>scopes just allow you to SEE your wobble.

For myself - shooting sticks made a great improvement when hunting scoped handguns.

In the end I feel that the handgun hunter has to decide for himself if he prefers scopes or open sights.

Good Luck to all handgunners.


Jerry

Jerry,

My apologies if my reply came across as a shot against specialty pistols, scopes, or you personally. I wasn't replying to anyone in particular and hadn't even read all the replies yet when I posted.

Your last line sums up my feelings exactly - a guy has to pick what works for him. I was just stating where I was at on the subject and why. It certainly wasn't meant as a shot at anyone or anyone's choices.

As a glasses wearer at 44, I can still see the irons sights well enough, but that won't last forever. I've still got a Leupold 2x and an Ultra-Dot red dot from my single shot days laying around somewhere that I'm sure will have to be pressed back into service somewhere down the road.

jdw -

No problem- No mis understanding at all. We are on the same page.

We're good.

Jerry

Thanks. Lotsa fun.

Liberty Model Super Blackhawk I bought in '79, and a nickel 8-3/8th-in. 29-2 bought new in '78. One each since then. Thinking of putting a 2x Leupold on SBH this year.

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My three hunting handguns are;

6" .357 mag 158gr. XTP, 1250 fps, Deer
14" Contender in 7mm TCU, 120gr. Nosler BT @ 2225fps, Deer/Antelope
14" Contender in 357 Max, 180gr XTP @ 1930fps Deer/Black Bear
All scoped
Adds up to a hand full of fun.

Agree totally.

toa,

Here's what and how I used a Freedom Arms .454 for a few years. The load was a heavy dose of H110 or W296 (they are interchangeable) sparked by a CCI450 Magnum primer pushing a 260 grain Freedom Arms bullet at 1,925 feet per second. Usually produced 2 1/4" to 2 3/4" groups for five shots at 100 yards. Occasionally I would be delighted with a sub 2" grou.