pistols for deer

[tdoyka]

while i'm sitting here waiting for a ruger super blackhawk, i was wondering what everybody else will use this year.

my sbh will have a 4 5/8" barrel in 44 mag that will use 250gr mihek hollow points(40:1) and unique that goes roughly 900-1000fps. my shots on deer will be 50 yards or less. i haven't decided on 44 mag or the 44 special yet. i'll see what they say when the sbh arrives.

[NSB]

S&W 686+ .357 158g JHP 16.4g WW296 @1350fps. Sometimes use a 180g JHP. 50+ whitetails with the .357mag and none got away. Shot several with the 44mag and had 1 loss due to a bad shot on my part. It's not what you shoot them with, it's where you shoot them. You're on the right track with you load, gun, and self-imposed distance. I think you'll do just fine this year....let us know when it happens.

[jhalcott]

My state has power and barrel limits for hunting. I rarely use a revolver for deer hunting, BUT I do use a T/C Contender or an XP for hunting. I barely remember the last time I took the .44 SBH out . Some say T/c's and XP's are NOT really pistols. Although they ARE listed as hand guns in the regs.!

[Montana Silver]

I use a Savage Striker 308 with 165gr no problem out to 100 yards.

[Tenbender]

Contender 357 Max for me.

[merlin101]

Contender in .35 Rem. with a 16" barrel trimmed down to 15&7/8 ( to meet state requirements) And I shoot a (plz forgive me) Hornady 180gr SSP and that's zero'd at 200yds I've taken deer farther but the bullet drops like a rock after 200.
For 100yds and less I use a SBH in .44 mag. this will be the first year I'll be using cast in her.

[Outpost75]

Your .44 load with soft bullet at about 1000 fps is exactly what I have used for 40 years. Whitetail deer are not difficult to kill and any bullet of caliber which starts with a "4" weighing about 1/2 oz. or more, with meplat not less than 1/2 of bullet diameter, ideally being 0.6-0.7 of bullet diameter, of soft alloy not harder than 10 BHN, at 900+ fps will do the job. At revolver ranges from 20-50 yards, supersonic velocities aren't needed. The blackpowder .44-40 rounds define the performance envelope and in your .44 Magnum you can do it easily with a medium velocity load which is accurate and not punishing to shoot. I like Accurate 43-230G cast 1:30 with 7.2 grains of Bullseye as my go-to revolver load.

Attachment 168143

[dtknowles]

I read a Cooper article a long time ago and he said, more than .40 caliber, more than 1000 fps and more than 200 grains for deer. I am sure that will work out to what ever range it stays above 1000 fps and you can connect with the vitals.

Tim

[Smoke4320]

Contender in 45/70, 357 & 30 herrett

[quilbilly]

Your .44 load with soft bullet at about 1000 fps is exactly what I have used for 40 years. Whitetail deer are not difficult to kill and any bullet of caliber which starts with a "4" weighing about 1/2 oz. or more, with meplat not less than 1/2 of bullet diameter, ideally being 0.6-0.7 of bullet diameter, of soft alloy not harder than 10 BHN, at 900+ fps will do the job. At revolver ranges from 20-50 yards, supersonic velocities aren't needed. The blackpowder .44-40 rounds define the performance envelope and in your .44 Magnum you can do it easily with a medium velocity load which is accurate and not punishing to shoot. I like Accurate 43-230 cast 1:30 with 7.2 grains of Bullseye as my go-to revolver load.

Absolutely right!!!!! You can't go wrong with that load plus you don't have to beat yourself up with recoil. The are several areas in my state where only revolvers (not even TC's) and shotguns are allowed in modern firearm season for black-tail deer and Outpost75's load is a proven one.

[rking22]

6inch GP100 in 41 Special, or Contender 357Herrett 14inch, or 4 5/8 3screw BH ,,, or maybe all 3

[BigMagShooter]

7-30 waters T/C

[rodwha]

Percussion .44 pistols did well enough it seems... It's where the .45 Colt was born...

[modified5]

T/C in either 7mm L&L or the .375 JDJ.
The L&L is a .444 Marlin necked down to 7mm. With a 139 gr bullet I get 2000+ fps from a 14 in bull barrel. It is a zinger!
If I can draw a tag that is.

[DanWalker]

Ruger Blackhawk in 45LC. 320 gr LEE wfn cast at 12bhn and loaded over either 6.5 grains of Red dot or around 8-9 grains of Unique.

[Hickok]

S&W 29, and 629, T/C Super 14, all in .44 mag.

Ruger Vaquero's 4 5/8", and 7 1/2" in .45 Colt.

[6pt-sika]

To date the only deer I've killed with a hand held gun was done in with a Savage Stryker in 7mm-08 . Had two more in 260 and 300 WSM but never killed with them . Had a Ruger SRH twice in 44 MAG and twice in 480 Ruger as well as the S&W 460 MAG and a 629 in 4" and 6" . Almost forgot I had and old Contender with a 444 Marlin barrel well as I can remember the barrel was made by a guy in Idaho I think and it wasn't a rechamber .
Now I either wanna acquire another SRH 7 1/2" or a 629 6" or possibly a Contender with a 10" barrel or maybe even one of the Ruger SBH Hunters . I want something that's scoped not terribly huge and will fit nicely in a shoulder holster . And of course can use one of the 44 cal molds I already have on hand !!!!

[tdoyka]

To date the only deer I've killed with a hand held gun was done in with a Savage Stryker in 7mm-08 . Had two more in 260 and 300 WSM but never killed with them . Had a Ruger SRH twice in 44 MAG and twice in 480 Ruger as well as the S&W 460 MAG and a 629 in 4" and 6" . Almost forgot I had and old Contender with a 444 Marlin barrel well as I can remember the barrel was made by a guy in Idaho I think and it wasn't a rechamber .
Now I either wanna acquire another SRH 7 1/2" or a 629 6" or possibly a Contender with a 10" barrel or maybe even one of the Ruger SBH Hunters . I want something that's scoped not terribly huge and will fit nicely in a shoulder holster . And of course can use one of the 44 cal molds I already have on hand !!!!

i just got rid of a ruger super redhawk with a 7.5" barrel (44 mag) to a gun dealer. i'm gonna get the ruger super blackhawk with a 4 5/8" barrel(44 mag). i have a uncle mike's hip holster but i want to get a chest holster( Guides Choice Chest Holster, Original Alaskan Holster ) when i can get the money.

i've gotten 3 or 4 deer with the ruger super redhawk but they were 200-240 xtps with a over max load of win296. now i'll settle for a nice cast boolit and low-medium(900-1000fps) speed.

[DanWalker]

Ruger Blackhawk in 45LC. 320 gr LEE wfn cast at 12bhn and loaded over either 6.5 grains of Red dot or around 8-9 grains of Unique.

[hockeynick39]

S&W Model 27, .357 Rem. Mag., 6" barrel: Lyman 358156 (modified) 160 gr LSWCPB (COWW) or Lyman 358429 (modified) 170 gr LSWCHP (COWW), both with 15 gr A2400.
Ruger SBHBH, .41 Rem., Mag., 7 1/2" Barrel: Lyman 410610 (modified) 220 gr LSWCPB (COWW), 16.9 gr A2400 or Accurate 411250A (modified) 240 gr LFNHPPB (COWW), 17.9 gr A2400.
S&W Model 625 JM, .45 Auto-Rim/ ACP, 4" Barrel: Ideal 452460 (modified) 190 gr LSWCHPPB (COWW), 9.7 gr Unique or RCBS 45-200-SWC 210 gr (COWW), 8.9 gr Unique.

Haven't had the opportunity to use any of these on deer yet, but pretty sure any of them will do their job properly when used correctly.