Ive killed quite a few IL whitetail with a .357

Its been years though and I don't recall what ammo I used but I never had a problem.

Now days if I use a handgun which I don't very often I use a .45 colt and I chose that because of the wide options. The wife/family can shoot it with cowboy loads and get used to the bigger heavier framed gun but then you can buy some buffalo bore loads and really amp up the power for hunting.

Ruger blackhawk .45 colt is what I use but like I said not very often. We use it more for target shooting than anything.

I don't think I have shot a deer with a handgun since they did away with the handgun season so ive only shot doe and no big 250lb bucks