pistols for deer

[6pt-sika]

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.

A couple years back I had a circa 1957 Ruger Blackhawk in 44 MAG with a 6 1/2" barrel . With normal factory Riger grips and my kinda big hands it was a touch hard on my middle finger . Liked the gun plenty but a 629 or SRH just plain fit me better . I got a set of Pachmayer rubber grips for that old gun and it cured the cracking my middle finger issue , but I never thought that old gun looked "proper" shall we say with those grips . Now on one of the stainless SBH's with a scope mounted the rubber grips wouldn't bother me aesthetically .

[Motor]

500 S&W with Lee 440gr

The iron sight one is mine.

[white eagle]

I use a Ruger Super Blackhawk Supreme Hunter conversion done by
\DW and I also carry a 4 5/8 Ruger Blackhawk flat top in 44 special
320 gr in the mag and 250 Miha #503 in the special

[LUCKYDAWG13]

My Encore 454 13" barrel Attachment 168197 and my Ruger 41 magnum for back up

[Blanket]

I have shot deer with a 44mag, 44 spl, 357 , 45acp, 45 Colt and a 41 mag. they all worked about the same

[TXGunNut]

T/C Contender w/ 35 Rem 14" bbl and muzzle brake. Shoots like a rifle, handles like a pistol, hits like a ton of bricks. Mine's been in the safe for quite a few years, never seen a CB. That last part is fixin' to change.

[fastdadio]

A couple years back I had a circa 1957 Ruger Blackhawk in 44 MAG with a 6 1/2" barrel . With normal factory Riger grips and my kinda big hands it was a touch hard on my middle finger . Liked the gun plenty but a 629 or SRH just plain fit me better . I got a set of Pachmayer rubber grips for that old gun and it cured the cracking my middle finger issue , but I never thought that old gun looked "proper" shall we say with those grips . Now on one of the stainless SBH's with a scope mounted the rubber grips wouldn't bother me aesthetically .

This is my story also. The grips cured the bleeding middle finger problem but I just didn't bond with it. My solution was the Bisley in .44 mag. That was 20 some years ago. I still have it, still love it, and I'm still trying to wear it out. Some how I think it's going to get the best of me in that regard.

[44man]

Hard choice. All work and mostly I take another revolver for each deer. But times I will use the same one all season.

[Hickok]

T/C Contender w/ 35 Rem 14" bbl and muzzle brake. Shoots like a rifle, handles like a pistol, hits like a ton of bricks. Mine's been in the safe for quite a few years, never seen a CB. That last part is fixin' to change.

Great caliber. Had one in T/C super 14, sure wish I had kept it!

[Moonie]

TC Encore 15" 270 or NMBH 45 Colt with 350gr HP from NOE over a large charge of H110. Although I do have a 7.5" threaded 300 BO Encore barrel arriving today from MGM. Already have supressor and scope to go on it.

[robinsroost]

I have killed deer with a 6" Colt Trooper MKIII, .357 and plan on using my 7 1/2" Ruger Super Black Hawk Hunter, .44 magnum next year in Indiana, or my 5 1/2" Ruger Black Hawk, .45 Colt. Still, I think that venison flavored with, (taken with), black powder has a better flavor........robin

[nockhunter]

I am going to shoot my new last year .480 SBH with LEE 400g cast. I have killed a couple with my 10.5, .44 mag SBH with 300g XTP's. I don't have a pic of the .480.

Mike

Hey merlin, where you at in Roch, I live in N. CHili

[kir_kenix]

The last couple years I have used a 10" Contender in .30 Herrett with a variety of cast boolits. The Lee "soupcan" has been pretty successful for me, if a little on the light side.

This year I am going to use a s&w 69 (4.25" barrel, .44mag) with the RD265 in my tree stand and a heavily stoked .45 Blackhawk (5-5/8") with 265 gr wfn for the "long" shots.

I think using the longer barreled Contenders basically equate to hunting with a rifle without a shoulder stock. Nothing wrong with that, and I enjoy doubling my effective pistol range depending on where I'm set up. .357 mag, .41 Mag, .44 spcl/.44 mag, .45 colt, etc, etc are all deadly on deer at reasonable ranges. Most important thing I've found while handgun hunting is knowing when NOT to take a shot. It has made me a much better rifle hunter because there are so many more variables to consider.

[TXGunNut]

Great caliber. Had one in T/C super 14, sure wish I had kept it!

Pretty sure I know why you no longer have it, lol. I take mine to the range now and then and it reminds me why that 50-round box of hunting ammo has lasted so long, lol.

[roverboy]

I have killed deer with a 6" Colt Trooper MKIII, .357 and plan on using my 7 1/2" Ruger Super Black Hawk Hunter, .44 magnum next year in Indiana, or my 5 1/2" Ruger Black Hawk, .45 Colt. Still, I think that venison flavored with, (taken with), black powder has a better flavor........robin

What load did you use in the Colt Trooper .357?

[DougGuy]

I have shot and killed more Bambi with a 7 1/2" SBH than all my other arms added together. You'll have this when you hunt in where it is super thick and use a tree stand, if you are in a good area you will have deer walking right under your stand.

The best shot I made was on my birthday once, I took two with one shot from a 4 5/8" Vaquero in .45 Colt. I hollered "Happy Birthday Doug!" and my buddy who was 150yds over went to hollering about me running them off when he was getting ready to shoot, and I told him "Anybody that kills two on their birthday with just one shot can holler all they want to, now get over here and help me drag horns!"

Load was a 300gr XTP over 22.5gr W296 and I recovered it from behind the neck of the second deer, it was right under the skin. Flattened to the cannelure, the first deer soaked up a TON of energy, because it hit the second one in or near it's ear and barely penetrated the skin.

[Grendel99]

I love pistol hunting for anything, but especially deer and hogs. I don't use rifles too often anymore. Currently my two favorites are a Super Blackhawk Hunter in .44 Mag with an action job and magnaported by SSK and a TC Encore with assorted 15" barrels (with 257 Roberts and 30-06 being current favs). I have killed deer with both cast and jacketed in the Blackhawk Hunter and only used jacketed in the Encore though I now have a 30 caliber mold that should work well.

This is the first buck I ever shot with cast (and a revolver for that matter), the load was 2400 powder and the Lyman 429421. I shot five more deer that season with the same revolver. I used the 429421 and the big ol' Lyman hollow point 429640. The big hollow point was amazing on the three deer I shot it with. Two dropped and one went about 20 feet with a huge blood trail. I also have a HP version of the Ray Thompson 429244 SWC that I plan on trying out this season.

[modified5]

Ugh! I am so jealous of you guys that get to kill more than one deer a year!
If im fortunate here in Nevada and have payed off the correct "gambling gods" I will get to draw a single deer tag!

[Smoke4320]

In central NC we get 2 buck tags, 4 doe tags and can buy more 2 doe tags for $10.00. All you want.
Might go down some this year as the coyote pop is growing. We are getting wild hogs and a blue tongue disease. All cutting into our deer pop.

[Paul D. Heppner]

I have taken deer with .41 Mag (210 JHC, 410429), 44 Mag (200 JHP, 240 JHP, 429421, Lee 310, LBT 280 WFN), 45 Colt (225 wadcutter), 45 AR (452423), and 357 Max (180 XTP). At present my go to guns are a pair of Redhawks in 44 and a 357 Max SBH.





My son with his first handgun deer (my 7 1/2 inch Redhawk.)