Pistol Cartridges in Rifles for Deer

ths78 · 09-17-2005, 02:49 PM

Who likes to hunt with pistol cartridges in carbines for deer?

I personally love using 44 Mag and 45 Colt +p carbines. These are generally light, easy-to-cary firearmss that really pack a wallop on whitetails. The longer barrel lengths give an additional 5-600 fps, and inside of 125 yds, they will do anything that modern, high-velocity cartridges do.

My Ruger Deerfield is an awesome rifle, and I cannot wait to tag one with it this year.

cheer,
ths78

Vapodog · 09-18-2005, 09:57 AM

I have a winchester (reproduction) M-92 in .44 Mag that I like to use in the woods environment. It's light and handles well and just fits the image of the hunters of yesteryear.....the 44 mag is no slouch either. It's not much beyond 100 yards but it's not too often to shoot farther than that in the woods.

Marlin makes a 41 mag rifle too that I'd think would be a great pistol round in a rifle. However that's as small as I'd go. The .357 rounds are a bit lacking IMO.
Different strokes I guess....

TomFromTheShade · 09-18-2005, 01:52 PM

Why bother with the pistol cartridges?

There are so many great rifle cartridges with low recoil and plenty of punch. I know that a 30-30 with a nice 2-7x scope on top of it will kill deer plenty dead at all pistol distances, with ammunition being plentiful and inexpensive, and recoil being very low!

Hunter06FlKy · 09-18-2005, 05:15 PM

Quote:

ORIGINAL: TomFromTheShade

Why bother with the pistol cartridges?

because they're something different.

yes i do hunt with one but haven't yet for deer. i have a winchester 94 trapper in 44 mag and love it for close range hogs and general close range stuff. they pack a wallup on both sides of it.

rybohunter · 09-19-2005, 06:34 AM

I like the pistol caliber shooting rifles. A nice Marlin 1894, with a RSBH in 44's. Sweet compliment of guns there.

Scott Gags · 09-19-2005, 10:08 AM

I would consider the terminal perfromance of the 44 Mag and 45 Colt +P to be slightly better than the 30-30 on whitetails and they are generally speaking less expensive.

James B · 09-19-2005, 10:15 AM

I have used the Marlin Lever action 44 Mag for deer. Out to 125 yards or so it is lethal as hell on anything that gets in its way. This includes Elk and Moose. If you can hit it, the 300 grain Hornady XTP will pass through a Mule deer including one shoulder even at 200 yards. I did it two years ago. I now have the NEF in both 44 Mag and 357 Mag. They are fun and cheap to shoot.

CanWoodsman · 09-19-2005, 04:57 PM

My Ruger 96/44 mag. has never failed me.

Vapodog · 09-19-2005, 05:53 PM

Quote:

Why bother with the pistol cartridges?

To match the revolver on the hip....some of us like being cowboys.

biggunz.45-70 · 09-20-2005, 09:11 PM

My 1894 marlin holds ten rounds which is very useful when a herd attacks. Truthfully thats nine more than needed. Velocity and energy numbers don't tell the whole story with these things. They kill far better than the ballistic computer says they should.