Moving this over from the General Big Game forum and try here:

Thought I'd pick the brains of the collective and see what people here would consider the ideal hand gun/cartridge for all around hunting and multi day excursions without a rifle. However I'm gonna put some parameters on the pick. Gun can't weigh more than 3.5 lbs, all up sans loaded ammo, no scopes(iron sights only) and must be a repeater ie revolver or automatic. This obviously forfeits so called hand cannons like the xp100 bolt guns etc and TC contenders.

At present my pick is the Ruger Bisley I have in 45 Colt that sports a 5.5" barrel shooting 300 gr. hardcast between 1100-1250 FPS. Mine weighs in at 2lbs 13oz empty, plenty accurate for big game and packs nice in either belt or shoulder holster.

This combo should have enough punch out to 125-150 yrds if one has practiced and proven their competence in making hits when appropriate. I've killed one WT doe at 80 yrds. with this combo so proven in my mind. I'd also add that in the off chance of the occurrence of a zombie apocalypse, if not making direct hits one could at least scare said zombies into keeping their heads down at distances beyond the 150 yrds mentioned above and following Elmer Keiths lead, walking projectiles into ranges of 300-400 yrd.

So what ya got?

I carry a 5.5” Bisley Hunter in 44 magnum if I’m serious about handgun hunting. I keep the loads around 1200fps or a little less regardless of bullet weight. With a good rest and plenty of time I’d feel comfortable shooting a deer at 75 yards or so.

Just knocking around outdoors I generally have a handgun and it may be a 22, 32mag, 9mm, 10mm, 45Acp, 38 special or 357 magnum. I’ve used all of them when the need arose to kill pigs, coyotes, turkeys, and other stuff.

Hard to beat a 5.5” barreled Ruger Bisley in either 45 Colt or 44 Mag. I use Hard Cast LBT designed WFN bullets from 240 to 280 grains driven at about 1100 FPS.

Although I’ve killed a ton of hogs at the Ranch with the same bullets at 950 To 1000 FPS.

If I’m hunting with a semiautomatic pistol, it’s usually either a Glock 20 10mm or Kimber 1911 in 10mm. With Buffalo Bore 220 grain Hard Cast Factory Load.

I’ve also killed a lot of hogs with a customized Springfield 1911 in 45 acp using a 240 & 250 grain LBT WFN Hard Cast bullet at 900 To 950 FPS.

All of the above work very well on big feral hogs and TX sized deer. I wouldn’t hesitate to use them on Black Bear, if I had the opportunity. I mostly carried the Glock 20 in 10mm when bow hunting in bear country. Mainly because of the 15 + 1 Capacity, though. And, of course, loaded with the 220 gr Buffalo Boar Hard Cast Factory Load.

I have a Ruger Blackhawk in 41 Mag.

I use a 170 grain hollow point for deer and the 210's if they might be needed.

And also shoot cast bullets.

I shoot the same in my Marlin rifle too.

I've got a Bisley Super Blackhawk, 44 Mag, 7.5" barrel.

Bought it for a range revolver, and if I ever decided to hunt with a handgun.

My all 'round handgun is a S&W 66 with 4" barrel. When walking around outside of deer season it is loaded with relatively soft 158 gr wadcutters. This combo has accounted for many grouse, squirrels (mostly red/pine squirrels), fox, coyotes, porcupines, skunks, raccoons, and whatever else that needed shooting. It packs well and it has been very accurate for over the last 40 years.

During deer season it gets loaded with gets loaded with a hard cast, same weight bullet. I have not shot a deer with it during the season but it has accounted for a couple dozen car hit deer back in the day. I have killed two black bears with this combo though neither one was planned. They weren't very big either, around 200 pounds live weight.

As a strictly hunting gun I would pick my 357 mag Ruger Blackhawk with 6.5" barrel loaded with 180 gr Buffalo Bore Bear Loads. It is what I carry when checking/replenishing bear baits. I have not shot anything with it other than a couple of skunks and raccoons.

Outside of hunting season my main knockabout gun is a S&W 617 or 22 caliber Ruger Blackhawk. It is a little light for coyotes but I don't see them often where/when I would choose one of these. I easily can throw a 100 or a couple 50 round boxes in the pocket for a little impromptu plinking. The Ruger with the 22 mag cylinder makes a better grouse and pest gun than anything in 22 LR but it is louder/sharper.

I prefer my N frame Smiths in .41 and .44 magnum.

I use a Glock 20 a lot for knocking around, would hunt with it without reservations, just prefer the S&W’s for primary hunting guns.

I have .357 mags, but prefer the more decisive nature of the.41’s and .44’s for hunting.

I have a .500 S&W but wouldn’t care to ruck it around a lot and it’s just too much noise and confusion when it goes off.

Not a big fan of single action revolvers. Got a few, just not a fan.

I was going to say a 5” S&W 460 XVR.....but, it exceeded your weight limit by 5 ounces, and then there’s the 5 rounds! However, if this is “my” carry handgun.....this is my handgun!

Actually I’m looking for one now......my 8 3/8” XVR needs some companionship! memtb

You said, "no scopes," are red dots fair play?

Ed Brown LS10mm

That’d work just fine.
Bought my first big bore handgun, a Ruger Super BlackHawk, in 44 Mag with the 7.5” bbl back when I was in HS to shoot Silhouette Competition with.
It’s taken many hogs and a few deer too.
Of course, Ruger didn’t make a Bisley back in 1978.

I've heard of feeding issues with those BB 220 gr. Sounds like you aren't having any. After market barrel? Just lucky?

I'm also envious of your pig hunting opportunities that are lacking here in MT.
To have live targets with no bag limit and able to hunt year round would be near heaven for handgun fun.

That's how my Bisley started out, I then had the barrel trimmed to 5.5", put in a Belt Mtn. base pin and Bowen Arms heavy duty rear sight.
That wood looks very nice for factory, mine not so much.

Factory barrels on both my Glock 20 and Kimber 1911 in 10mm. No feeding issues whatsoever.
And unfortunately, I could kill a pig every other day or so and not make a serious dent in the population.

Pretty nice!
I've debated on the red dot, probably better for older eyes but I just can't get over the battery thing, I'm old school curmudgeon.
What kind of speeds are you getting out of that long slide/barrel combo?

My first handgun, was the same as yours, also bought in 1978.

Along the way I cut it back to 4 5/8", added a Belt Mtn locking pin, Bowen rear sight, and a steel ejector rod housing,

It's still a solid revolver and could be a hunter too, but I'd favor the longer sight radius on the 7.5"

The Dragoon triggerguard is kind of a hint that it was once a 7.5".

Nice, I've run 200's in my G20 but haven't tried the 220's as of yet.

I here you on the porcine population, target rich at the expense of the natural environment.

I've got pretty much the same as you. 5.5" Ruger Bisley .45 Colt. 315 gr hardcast at 1000 fps.

That's a really nice mix of size/power/balance in a revolver.

I may have to find some of that powder coat. Nothing like shooting Marylin Monroe Lipstick at 1k fps!

For starters, both the gun and cartridge needs to be something you can comfortably hit with at the specified range limit.

Next, you probably want the bullet to work well, or at least consistently, over that entire specified range. Sure, there are bullets that readily expand inside certain velocity windows, but may be less than ideal outside of them.

For general big game hunting, I think most can handle cartridges like the 9mms and 38s well with bullets above 150 grains and provided bullets are up to the task, are a start or even ending for some.

I like to be a bit above that and like a 40 or larger. I'm most content with wheelguns in the 4-5.5 inch barrels because I'm average height and like to carry on the hip. I've used barrels fro 6 to 8, but they aren't handy. I also don't like the brass chasing required as a 38 Super and 10mm owner, albeit they can be fun on occasion.

The cartridge can be a 41,44 or 45, single or double action, but I do need decent target sights. They all seem to work well for deer and hogs.

For my purposes, I like my hunting loads to be the same thing I'd shoot targets or a pop can with, so they are generally fairly wide cast bullets above 1,000 fps but not anything above 1,200, simply because for game under a hundred yards and certainly any target doesn't require more. I've hunted with loads with heavies beyond 1400 and really have seen little, if any increase in killing effect. If you can handle them without missing a step, they do offer a flatter trajectory that aids in hitting, but limits most with round counts on the range as far as fatigue.

I'm in a Smith N frame/Colt Anaconda stage that I haven't seen the need to leave, 41 Mag to 45 Colt cartridges, 220-280gr. cast bullets at 1000-1150 velocity range with 4-5 inch barrels.

629 6" w a reflex sight
Think -4 had the endurance package.
If staying 240gr and under, could go w -3.

This quote hits it pretty much on the nose for me. I’ve noticed no difference in killing with higher speeds and 1000-1200fps loads are much more shootable for me. I’ve headshot grouse and squirrels and killed bears and big pigs with the same loads. Accuracy and a good bullet trump horsepower.

He's addressed that with his co-witnessed suppresser height sights, and in modern dots the batteries last a long time.

From the moment my daughters first saw my loaded test rounds, they said "Dad, your bullets look like lipstick!" And, I've called them my "lipstick bullets" ever since. Even buddies at the range call them that--so much so that it's not really even funny anymore. Some guy will be saying he needs to get some 300 gr bullets and somebody else will say, "You should take a look at Wade's lipstick bullets. Hey Wade, you got any of them lipstick bullets with you?"

It just is what it is. Lipstick Bullets...

This request is almost on par with Taffin's perfect packing pistol. While I think I'm in great shape, seems like ounces of gear matter more and more each year. During Elk Season in CO I carry a STI 2011 10mm 5" (2lbs. 14oz loaded with 15 rounds), Kimber 1911 10mm 5" (2 lbs. 14oz. loaded with 9 rounds) or on rare occasion a Mountain Gun in 44mag (2lbs. 13oz loaded with 6 rounds). Revolvers are just so damn loud to shoot without ear pro. Of the three the STI is the most accurate but all are easily capable of hitting deer vitals at 100 yards.

I use, carry and enjoy my 7-1/2" Ruger Red Hawk in 41 mag and am a huge fan of hard cast bullets. I use it with, or without, a red dot sight and just picked up a set of Meprolight tritium sights for it but haven't installed those yet. I carry it in an across the chest type shoulder holster. My use with it is limited to WI whitetails so far and it just works for me. Also found some Buffalo Bore Keith style hard cast, but haven't gotten around to those yet either.

Very Nice !!!

Killed with a Lipstick Bullet.....is that like being ambushed with a cup of coffee?

I don't have one at the moment, but my hunting handgun would be a Colt Anaconda with a 6" barrel in 44 magnum.

I am simply not good enough to try hunting game past about 40 or 50 yards. For years I depended on a S&W model 25 in .45 Colt. Lately I have been using a Glock 40, 10MM with a Trijicon dot sight.

If for hunting & it needed to be an iron sighted repeater, I'd go revolver all the way. And mainly for sight radius, so that would be 6, 7.5, maybe 8 3/8" . I might even entertain a 10" barrel, Super BH, BFR or Freedom arms.

But sight radius would be what I was after, not additional velocity, as I've killed enough deer with a 44 mag. & 45 Colt to form my own opinion on how much power is needed.

Deer were initially mentioned I believe. Had Polar Bears or the like been brought up I'd change my story.

PPP's are nice & damn handy. I'm a true believer in them & use them. But leaving the house with the intent to exclusively hunt with a handgun means something a bit different IMO.

Having run revolvers of 4, 6, 7 1/2, 8 3/8 and 9 1/2 on deer
If its gonna go in a holster, 6".

Longer would get a sling.

This 5" Model 29 will absolutely shoot far beyond my abilities.





It certainly meets my needs for most any handgun hunting chores.

Wow! I'd say your abilities aren't too far behind (I'm guessing that target was a little further away than 7 yrds.?).
I like the stocks too, enough meat for recoil management but not too bulky.

Looks nice. I have the same plan with my Ruger NMSBH 7.5".
Is the frontsight the same as it was on the gun with its 7.5" barrel and it was just removed from the cut-off part of the barrel?

Mine is/was the Colt 8 inch Anaconda and loaded with SWC’s.

The .44 Mag again. This version is for heavy 300 grain loads. My 7.5" Redhawk. It is zeroed at 100 yards with 300 grain XTPs that it very much prefers, and will shoot into quite tidy little groups. It is actually the only hunting gun I own that I load a jacketed round for, since it shoots them so well.

This 5" 29-2 has been a favorite general purpose, iron sighted hunting/packing .44 for a while now:

Look like Kim Ahrends, stocks. Retro Targets. Love those things on an N frame.

Yes that gun will definitely drive tacks. That was with some target .44 Russian wadcutter loads that shoot well under an inch at 25 yards.

I'll take any quality DA or SA shooting a .44 caliber 260ish SWC @ around 950-1,000fps.

Increased sight radius helps me shoot more faster and still make hits.

OM SBH with a 275 gr WFN at 1000 fps.

What color is the boathouse at Hereford?

I'm not an expert, I don't currently handgun hunt BUT I think I'd go with my Bisley in 480ruger - if I could ever find ammo or even bullets for it to reload.

I am thinking I might have to start casting.

How the fugk should I know?

His "ambushed with a cup of coffee" quip had to be talking bout this....

Teal,

At the end of that scene Gregor follows up with "So what is the color of the boathouse at Hereford."

Deniro's character replies "How the fugk should I know."

It was all a bluff.

Crud, I shoulda caught that. I never found Gregor credible as the bad guy. Just doesn't look right. Slipped my mind.

Great flick.

I prefer 45 with flat point wide meplat bullets @ 12 to 1300 FPS 300 grains. This weight will take any type game.

It is a good movie. I cannot stand that little prick Deniro in real life.

PM sent on ammo.

That it is. Helluva nice looking combination.

This is always a fun topic.

If a pure hunting excursion (the local unit is restricted to short range weapons, archery, shotgun, handgun w/ original straight wall handgun cartridges) I would use my 7.5 inch Ruger bisley hunter in 41 mag with 250 gr cast over 20 gr H110. It is equipped with a 2x20 Nikon and weighs in at 71 ounces loaded.

For extended time afield with the possibility of taking game at short range, it would be the 657 Mountain Gun loaded with my 210 gr cast at 1200 fps, or the Kimber 1911 in 10 mm with my 200 gr cast at 1150 fps. The Smith has the edge in accuracy, at least in my hands. While the Kimber carries a couple extra rounds with two spare mags in the holster.

A consideration if one has to hold off an entire herd of zombie deer out there in the wilderness. Head shots only!

All of my handgun deer hunting has been done in the past with 10" scoped TC Contenders (357 Mag, 357 Max, 44 Mag, 300 Whisper) they all work. If I'd pick one of my revolvers first choice would be my Ruger Bisley 5 1/2 " 45 Colt, 250XTP at 1150 fps. or my S&W 624 44 Spec. 250 cast at 1000 fps.

I bought that exact gun and for that exact reason a few years after you when I was in high school. Shot several 10s of thousands of rounds through it. I think I eventually sold it to pay college tuition, rent or something. Killed a jack rabbit at about 350 yards with it one day. Ruger single actions are the only .44 Mags I've had that would stand up to 20,000 plus hot loads with little to no wear.

These days for belt carry, I usually bring my 5" 629, 4 5/8" .44 special Bisley Blackhawk, a 1911, or a .40, 10MM or .45 Glock.

Also, I could do just fine with .45 Colt, but for various reasons, prefer a good .44 Special or Magnum.

Give me a holler once our weather warms up. I need to PC some 325s now, but also need to cast some 385 miha HPs. I've got a couple 480 molds to pick from

Did the grips of your gun begin life as factory grips or are they entirely home/custommade?

What model exactly is your 5" 629? Do you have a picture to share? Thank you.

I carry a Sig P220 or Ruger Bisely 7.5" 41 mag. But I used to carry the Ruger Old Army. That soft lead round ball killed a deer quite nicely once. Still would carry it while squirrel hunting. For two legged problems needing a solution. Be Well, Packy.

My .41 Mag Ruger Redhawk with a 2x scope and 210gr SWC gets the job done handily.

I use a 5 1/2" Flattop Ruger in .44 Special with the Keith 2400 load and the Skeeter Unique load . I use the Keith 429421 bullet and the Thompson 431244 255 grain GC bullets . Both loads kill hogs and deer no problem and I would tackle up to medium sized bears if I ever get a chance .