Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns hunting handgun for shooting Whitetails 40 yds max range?

That is surprising Doc, I would not have imagined that load capable of easy pass throughs with the hollow point bullet especially @60yds....Wow!............Thanks Hb

I have considered investing in a RCBS reloading kit but I dont think I would get a lot of use out of it as I dont shoot near as much as I used to........Hb

I think the mild velocity works to limit expansion and increase penetration. I reload rifles but not handgun ammo and this stuff is cheap,lightweight because of the aluminium cases and plenty accurate and deadly on critters. The velocity is really right between 44 mag and 44 special,which turns out to be good place to be. I also shoot it my Smith 629 Mountain Gun where it works fine killing hogs in traps but the shorter sight radius and lighter weight makes it harder kicking and less shootable.

Thats good info Doc, I will definitely give a box of these a try.....really nothing to lose here as this load is very reasonable..........Hb

Crimson Tide,
I have an Accusport 5.5" Bisley Blackhawk just like yours. I use the 45-270-SAA loaded with 13.5 grains of HS6 for about 1100fps. Great deer load. To the OP, I have used a 629 with 240grain XTPs, and a 7.5" Redhawk with 225 grain Speer half jacket SWC hollowpoint to kill deer in Ohio. Any 200 plus grain load that you can hit a paper plate with at 40 yards should smoke a whitetail.

Ron

Very good Ron but will I get a complete pass through with these any 200+ grain loads?......The only Whitetail I ever killed with a 44 Mag was shot with a Winchester 240 grain partition gold factory load @25yds broadside And I didnt get a pass through, the deer ran 150 yds or so into a clearcut with a very sparse blood trail, I had some difficulty finding the deer and I really dont want to repeat this scenario.........Thanks for the info.......Hb

There is a Blackhawk Bisley .45 LC on GB that is sorely tempting me at the moment!.......Ha..........Hb

Get. It.

My 5.5 Inch stainless Bisley in 45 Colt, is the last handgun that will leave my possession. MUCH can be done with that particular pistol.

With all due respect.... GFY.

Be sure to look up the hunting regs in the state you will hunt in, as there are some really stupid relatively recent restrictions that might dictate your deer handgun.

Missouri, for instance, now requires the gun have at least a 6" barrel, and expanding bullets. In my early years in the state, my .44 with Keith 429421s was just fine. Not now.

You are exactly right, the hunting regs change sometimes dramatically from state to state.....I will only be handgun hunting in Virginia for what I call My spaghetti deer ( first one that comes by...ha!) I like to kill a deer and get the whole thing ground other than the backstrsps, I use it for spaghetti sauce manwhich sauce and chili.....I have not used ground beef in years.........Hb

I can't seem to find that, do you have a link?

I've not seen this 6" barrel requirement. Like Sarge, I'm curious where you found that in the hunting regulations?

Straight off the MDC website at http://huntfish.mdc.mo.gov/hunting-trapping/species/deer/deer-seasons-hours

Halfway down the page under Allowed-

"Centerfire pistols, revolvers or rifles using expanding-type bullets such as lead or copper."

The only prohibited ammunition is-

Ammunition propelling more than one projectile at a single discharge (such as buckshot)
Full hard metal case projectiles

VaHillbilly, if you are looking for a hole on both sides, then a cast semi wadcutter in the 240-250 drain range may be the load for you. anything above 950 fps should sail right through a broadside whitetail at 40-50 yards.

Ron

Good advice Ron.........I like it.......Hb

First hand experience with your revolver times THREE. I managed kill permits for well over a decade in your state. Though I mostly used archery tackle, I could not begin to estimate the total number I shot between the three RedHawks. Do yourself a favor and get a box of this:

http://www.black-hills.com/shop/new-pistol-ammo/44-magnum/#

I have nothing to sell, I am not a pitch man for anyone, I do not try to sell magazine articles, but I do like the Redhawk, and my last is the Hunter. The 240XTP has worked well, I've used it on deer, black bear, and boar. My favorite hand load runs the bullet a tad slower than the factory HDY load, and I favor the results. The above listed Black Hill load is a near duplicate of my hand load using this 240XTP. It shoots tiny groups near as well, and it just plain works. If it is a meat deer, you'll be picky on your shots to maximize both quality and quantity of the yield.

I used wide meplat hard cast in various backup handguns when I was camping, fishing, or hunting with archery tackle around large bear. For last ditch aggressive shot placements, from just about any angle, they are the ticket. But, on traditional hunting shot presentations on deer, I do favor the XTP at the Black Hills velocity range. I switched to this from the traditional Keith load. On these hunting shot presentations, the expansion of the XTP is a benefit, while giving ample penetration.

Best

I'm not currently hunting VA, but if the laws have not changed, I can give you some advice on tracking in your neck. I was heavily involved with getting new and young hunters, many with archery tackle, involved in the sport. Though he is retired now, I trained and kept a companion tracking dog. He could track and find anything. He travelled all over the map with me, to include hunting in VA. At the time, in VA, as long as you grounded your hunting weapon, it was legal. I had rescued the son of the director, so he was helpful to me then, and my legal guidance came directly from his office. Otherwise, if you did not ground the weapon, then technically you were continuing the hunt, and then the regs would apply reference hunting dogs. My dog easily recovered quite a number of game animals killed in very rugged terrain.

Something to consider, when in rugged mountains, where a deer can get lost quick.

Gary, sounds like you are very familiar with My neck of the woods cause it is most certainly rugged..........Thanks for the advice and first hand knowledge on the ammo (very valuable indeed) I will try a box and see how well My guns like them..........Hb