handgun hunters....

[mauser06]

handgun hunters.....take me to school.

kinda leaning towards revolver opposed to single shot...just because i want it to still be a "real" pistol.

game would be whitetails for the most part...

distance...my rifle kills have been from 4ft out to 100-150yds...dont need anything to reach out past that...100yds and under would suit me fine...

since it will be a revolver, it would have to be a Smith and Wesson. dad would tan my hide if i brought home anything else....just the way he is lol....any particular model S & W come to mind??

so....

scope? yes? no? if i went with a scope, id want something i can still see well out of and have a good FOV..might like a variable power too....that way i can crack close groundhogs with it

but ive never played with a handgun with a scope so i dont know...pretty sure the FOV would be TINY because its so far away?? how hard would it be to get on target quickly? say a walking deer 40yds through a bit of brush...? the only reason i like scopes is i can find brush in the scope that i cant with bare eyes...and the fact that i can make a better shot....

barrel length?? i dont want anything huge...but dont wanna have a useless hunk of metal i cant shoot either....

caliber?? how large of game could i hunt with a 44mag? how long of a shot are you handgun hunters comfortable to take a deer with a 44mag?

anything else??? school me...feel free to tell me anything you wish about handguns and handgun hunting...i just feel i need a change of pace from rifle hunting....already hunt with a bow and flintlock....slug gun and inline wouldnt be much different...im thinking i would probably LOVE pistol hunting and could still carry the rifle if i really wanted to.....


thanx guys

[bronko22000]

Actually I think the good old S&W 29 44 mag. with the 8 3/8" barrel would suit you needs quite well. You could shell out some more $$ for their larger framed models in either 460 or 500 (the 460 is more versitile) but I don't think it is really necessary.
As for the scope. It depends on how well you can shoot. I would first try the iron sights and see how you shoot it. The scope will help you for the longer shots provided you practice enough on target acquisition. I would suggest a Burris 2-7x handgun scope.

[gmil6184]

I would also vote for a S&W although I'm a little partial...I live about two miles from the factory in Springfield, MA. I've been to their shooting center there and there is nothing slicker and smoother then a Smith revolver. As for caliber if you are hunting whitetail at close range I see no reason to shoot anything larger then a .44 mag. the .460 and the .500 are absolutely massive and probably more power (and recoil) then you'd ever need. As for a model i would recommend a 629. If you are the type that doesn't like recoil (I doubt you are since you are looking at big game handguns haha) you can practice with .44 special loads too.

[BigJ71]

Lots of questions to answer and some answers will end up being your personal preference. That being said, I like to hunt with both iron sights as well as scoped revolvers. I prefer the Rugers, they are built strong and accurate. With a little work they can be extremely accurate but some gun smithing would be needed. You can do the work yourself if your semi handy. A little attention the the chamber throats as well as the forcing cone along with a lighter trigger spring kit and you're in business!

The .44mag is suitable for pretty much any North American animal and THEN some. Sure there are the ultra mag big bore calibers out there that can do a better job (.460, .454, .480,.500 S&W Mag, etc...) but the .44 is PLENTY gun for the task at hand.

I like to keep my shots under 100yards with a scope, under 50yds with adjustable iron sights and under 35yards with fixed iron sights. That's just me...your mileage may vary.

You can see just fine through the scope at arms length, they are made for this as they areEER scopes, (Extended Eye Relief) and you should have no problem picking up amoving target as you described. Go to a shop that has one mounted and give it a try, you will see what I'm talking about. Variable scopes are fine but a bit overkill for a revolver if you ask me. I like the simplicity of a fixed scope and since I keep my shots under 100 yards, there is no need for further magnification. If you plan on shooting at greater distances than a variable scope may be the ticket.

Barrel length is also subjective, you can pretty much use anything from a 4in barrel up to a 10in barrel on a revolver and you won't see too much difference as a hunting tool. I prefer 5 1/2in to 7 1/2in for barrel length as that just seems to balance best in my hands. I do like the smaller barrels for trail guns as they pack easier and still have a punch.

As far as hunting with a pistol, it's an absolute blast and a challenge too. You will find it very rewarding.

This is was my primary hunting pistol this year, it's a .44mag Ruger Super Blackhawk Hunter with a Leupold FX-IV scope:


I've also hunted with this .44mag Ruger Vaquero with fixed sights


I killed this deer with it. The gun is on my right hip under my shirt, you can just make it out. This was my first buck with a pistol because up until a couple years ago Illinois would only let you hunt with a pistol in the late antler less only gun season. Now you can use it during the main gun seasons...I was stoked!


I've also hunted with all of these revolvers as well.
Top to bottom:
Ruger Super Blackhawk .44mag (With 2x Leupold)
Ruger Vaquero .45 Colt
Magnum Research BFR .454 casull
Ruger Blackhawk .45 Colt


This Ruger Sheriff .45 Colt makes for a great packing gun and when loaded up it will take down anything the.44mag will.


Hope this helped some.....

[White Falcon]

9.5" 44 Mag.

[mauser06]

awesome stuff guys!!! thanks a ton!! keep the pics and info coming!!

i understand full and well that alot of it is personal preference....being my woods are thick 95% of the time, and i have antler restrictions, i would like a scope....and for close range groundhog shooting, i think a pistol would be a BLAST! (i know i know dont scope anything you dont plan to shoot...i carry and use binocs to count points but i do like to double check with the scope, or if im doe hunting i will check again to make sure it dont have antlers...) i know that a pistol isnt an ideal groundhog gun or anything like that, but it would be fun for the shorter range stuff that pops up...and a great way to practice....i dont think id mind a variable power scope "just incase" i also realize that size is generally going to be bigger...but with the size i will get a bigger objective and FOV so id give up size for better/easier shooting. i hunt with opensights on my flintlock...i'll likely shot my pistol without, but i really think if i can get a scope to work how i like, i'll be happier...my eyes just dont agree with iron sights..even FOs are finicky with my eyes...shoot best with a peep or scope...next woud be fiber optics..

ive never shot any big pistols...i can handle 9mm, 40s&w, 45acp, 357mag etc....just never shot anything larger...ive shot a 357 in an airlight(it was a 357mag not a 38!) and all the pistols ive shot have been smaller and lighter...i dont see the 44 being much of a problem for me at all...

im partial to S&W just because i KNOW dad would tan my hide if i brought home a ruger or taurus etc...i know the blackhawks are VERY popular hunting pistols..i just know dad might disown me...hes just VERY partial to smiths and turns his head at anything else lol.....i wont completely ignore the rugers....we'll see what my hands like when i go shopping.

i dont think i wanna go huge with barrel length...i know velocity and accuracy will be better the longer i go, but like White Falcons 9.5" barrel, that revolver is 15" long...id imagine carrying something that big and bigger isnt very easy unless you have a sling...i know any scoped revolver with a decint lengthed barrel isnt going to pack like a CCW, but i dont wanna go REAL big...be nice to have something im 100% confident in, but still somewhat packable for drives and hikes and stillhunting etc...

[Matt / PA]

Mauser,
S&Ware slick very nice well built guns but they are also a touch lighter than the Ruger, Taurus "RB" too and that will translate into your hand with deer hunting loads. Especially in the shorter barrel lengths. They're expensive too.
S&W makes a nice ported 629 Classic but even used is probably gonna run you $900 ish? The porting will take a good bit of the snap out of it (although muzzle blast is wicked) Til' you throw the scope mount, rings and a quality scope on one you are looking at a hefty investment.
If you've never shot one of these things, try to get your hands on a couple from friends etc and hit the range so you know what you're getting into.

I like the longer 8-9" barrels for open sight hunting because the longer barrel extends the sight plane and eats up some recoil.

The nice thing about a Ruger SRH is that it has an in betweenish barrel length, 7 1/2 option, is a pretty heavy gun and will come with scope rings that go on an integral base. That will save you some serious bucks right off the top and you shouldn't have much trouble finsing a really good used one for around $500, maybe less if you look.
You could then invest more money on a GOOD scope and still keep it under what you're gonna pay maybe just for the S&W gun itself?

I personally went with a Taurus Raging Bull with the 8 3/8" barrel with the porting because it had everything I wanted due to the fact I wish to hunt with open sights........good mass weight, long sight plane and porting and the price was right for something I will only use occasionally. $570 brand new.
Ican tell you it is a marshmallow to shoot! What a fun gun. Accurate and no wrist snapping recoil to worry about.

Don't fool yourself on barrel length, 6 or 8" fully rigged with a scope and a loaded cylinder is a big handgun package no matter how you slice it. LOLDon't expect to throw this thing on your hip like a cowboy. (Unless your BigJ who could probably wear a SxS Coach Gun on his hip)

[mauser06]

awesome info matt! i knew smiths were expensive and wouldnt rule out a ruger...i KNOW handguns come in used practically brand new ALL the time because guys cant shoot them or handle them....i dont know how much of an issue price will be....if i go with the 500$ leupold i like right now, well, theres 500$ lol. but, once i get a new(er) vehicle, i'll be living at home for a bit....that time is going to be used to buy toys and save a little lol....we'll see...right now im just planning my next deer weapon....i was going to buy a new rifle, but mine still kills deer..till i move outta the state, i dont need a new deer rifle...i just need something to spice things up!

i know no matter what i do, its still not going to be a packable piece like a CCW or anything...but i think a 6 or 8" barrel will be alot easier to carry than a 12 or 14"er...i go that big and id rather have a 44 mag lever gun or something!

i do know of 2 buddies with 44 mags...i'll definently try to shoot bother of them before i buy...

i was just watching one of the shooting shows today....guy had a 41 mag cartridge in his hand......i didnt realize what kinda size the 44 must be!

i did see the 629 with a ported barrel...if its an option, i just might go with it just to make it easier on myself....we'll see....my options are wide open....thats what this post is all about....

[Matt / PA]

And oh yeah.......NEVER EVER shoot one of these things without hearing protection even once, even if it's just screwing around for one shot at the range etc. ESPECIALLY a ported gun.[:-]

Seriously consider taking ear muffs ,ear plugs or those Walker's Power Muffswith you hunting as well. They don't crack any less on your ear because you're hunting. You might not notice the recoil as much but brother the ringing in your ears will be the same.
Save yourself any permanent hearing loss and just trust me on that one.

I fired a .44 Colt Anaconda one time offhand in wide open space and it felt like someone drove a screwdriver into my left ear and the ringing was there for a day and a half.

[mauser06]

thanx matt!! i kinda sorta thought ear protection might be needed...i know even a 22 pistol is louder than a rifle...and i know porting will amplify it...

i do have a pair of electronic muffs...i'll have to wear them hunting..or do like i do groundhog hunting and carry plugs in my pocket and throw them in before the shot...but deer hunting that probably wont happen...

ive gotten wise pretty quick...i NEVER ever carried hearing protection shooting doves or groundhogs...heck, even to the range i was quilty of not wearing it if i was shooting 22s or the flinter or just a couple rounds....

but i wised up quick and on my own...started wearing the muffs or carrying plugs and putting them in before the shot...only time i dont is small game, turkey or deer hunting when shooting is quick and occassional...but i'll make sure i wear it with the handgun....couldnt imagine a big bore pistols roar....