looking for a pistol
 

Want it for home protection, but also something where I can maybe go deer hunting with also. What calibers should I maybe look at?

RE: looking for a pistol
 

For home protection & hunting, look to a good revolver. Revolver should be double action for home protection use. Check out the Ruger Redhawk revolvers. One chambered to 44Mag. or 454Casull should do. In either case you can use 44Special or
45Colt for home defense use, and reserve the magnum loads for hunting.

RE: looking for a pistol
 

Quite honestly, it will be fairly hard (not impossible) to find a gun to cover both home defense and hunting situations. I would first ask where you are from, and where you will be hunting, and what the laws require for hunting pistols. Some states, especially out west, only allow the use of cartridges as long or longer than the 44 Rem. Magnum for hunting big game. I am not sure about the states back east at all. Just looking at the regs will narrow your search down very quickly.

The reason I say it will be hard to find a weapon to use for home defense and hunting, is that home defense weapons are not designed for hunting, and vice-versa. Most full power hunting hand-guns would be so powerful, that you would not get the desired effect in a home defense situation. Not very many factory loads are available for home defense in typical hunting calibers, and vice-versa.

With that aside, two cartridges that are good for deer hunting, and quite popular are the 44 Rem. Mag. and the .454 Casull. Both rounds will accept their smaller cousins of the 44 Special, and the 45 Long Colt. The latter two MAY be good for home defense IF you can find a good load with bullets designed for home defense. The first two are exceptional cartridges in their own right when used in the right application, and within their limitations in the field.

Another draw back, is that hunting handguns have to be fairly heavy, as compared to home defense weapons. You want full power loads for deer, but don't want to break your hand every time you pull the trigger, and also don't want something that can be just plain cumbersome to try and dig out of the night stand drawer.

My advise would be to get a short barrel for your 20 or 12 guage (presuming you have one) for home defense, and then buy a specialty handgun for hunting. Load the shotgun some larger shot, like #4's or 2's, and it will not penetrate into the next neighborhood like a full power load from a 44 or 454.

RE: looking for a pistol
 

There are a lot of things to consider and CB covered most of them. In a hunting caliber, you want good penetration, but just the opposite in home defense. A big magnum load can pentetrate several walls into other rooms of the house where family members may be or even through an outside wall and into the neighbors house. If you reload, you can light-load to keep over-penetration in check, but you're still taking a chance. As CB also said, and if your funds will allow it, go with two different guns. A short-barreled scatter-gun may be a little harder to handle in a hurry up situation, but at 3am and coming out of a deep sleep, it'll also be easier to hit your mark should the need arise. Hopefully, you'll never have to find out.

RE: looking for a pistol
 

Id go with either a 357 mag or a 44 mag with a minimum of a 6 inch barrel or a 1911 in 45 acp I know of quite a few deer taken with +p loaded 185 grain barnes x bullets.

RE: looking for a pistol
 

RSRH .44Mag for hunting.



This one will take care of the whole Gang!

"STREET SWEEPER"

RE: looking for a pistol
 

Buy two guns.

Defensive weapons and hunting guns are not one in the same unless you just happen to have a 44 in your hand when you get robbed.

A defensive weapon is usually a smaller semi auto or revolver. Easily maneuverable which usually means shorter barrels due to them being close range firearms.

A hunting handgun is usually a revolver or single shot with a minimum of a 6" barrel and preferably 8 - 10 inches long. Chambered in a large caliber and of substantial weight to provide a steady and accurate shot.

Of course there are exceptions to every rule. I have seen a video of Ted Nugent take a Cape Buffalo with a Glock 10mm.

RE: looking for a pistol
 

If you want a dual home defense and hunting gun I would consider...

Glock 20 in 10mm. Buy an extra hunter barrel 6" for hunting.

.44mag with a 6" barrel and use .44special for home.

I agree with others that you would be better suited with two differn't guns, but sometimes money is just not there.

I know people will not like the 10mm suggestion but with the 6" barrel and shots no further then 40 yards you will kill deer just as dead as with a .41magnum with the proper load choice when using the 6" barrel.

RE: looking for a pistol
 

Keith,


Take a look at the Ruger Super Redhawk in the 44rem Mag w/7 1/2inch barrel. Any dumb ass that wants to turn into Mr.Get Bad and intrude into your home will learn to love Jesus and offer to rake your yard with one look of this Bad Boy!!! It's also one heck of a Pistol to through a scope on sight in and go deer hunting with!!

RE: looking for a pistol
 

I got a Mod29 44 I use for both purposes just fine. But, I have several other semis and 357mags. So a 44 mag is not a gun I recommend for a first gun.

I think a 44mag is min for deer. Most people like to mount handgun scopes on their hunting pistol which will make it tough for home defense.

RE: looking for a pistol
 

You know Bigcountry you are right the 44 would be a bit much for a beginer but with time they could learn. The Scope suggestion was ment for when you are just taking it out Deer Hunting. I don't know however this is an intresting topic because you don't think using your quick to reach home deffence Pistol to double as a Hunting side arm aswell. I'm not saying it's possible however the answer to this topic would be to see which cal 357MAG and above would better fit your shooting ability. Another option would be a 357MAG W/6inch barrel and then a 20 Gage shot gun for home deffence.

RE: looking for a pistol
 

If you're hunting whitetail, the .357 would do well and serve you nicely as a home protection gun too. It can shoot 38 special for practice, they're usually cheaper.

RE: looking for a pistol
 

I agree with most of the others here. The gap between a hunting gun, and a home defense gun, is too great to be filled by one gun, and/or caliber!
The "compromise," will leave you lacking on one end, or the other.
The .454/.45, or the .44mag/.44spl. are great for hunting, but over-penetration, and larger, unwieldy, guns for home defense.
On the other hand, the .357/.38spl. is marginal at best, as a hunting gun!
I'd suggest the Ruger Super Red Hawk, .44 mag. with the 7 1/2 inch barrel, and 2X scope as a good, affordable hunting rig.
For home defense, there are many affordable, 9MM semi-auto's, or .38spl. DA revolvers, that will stop an intruder, without taking out a family member, and neighbor along the way!
I know all this has been said before, but there is just not one gun choice that will fill both needs WELL!

RE: looking for a pistol
 

44-mag or 10mm.

RE: looking for a pistol
 

This would be a good set up for a hunting revolver, and though maybe not ideal it can also serve as a good home defense weapon too. Reserve the magnum ammo for hunting only, and remove the scope when not being used during hunting.
Use 44Specials for home defense - light to moderate recoil, low muzzle flash, and no more risk of over penetration than with most other personnel/self-defense
ammo.

RE: looking for a pistol
 

Thanks guys. much appreciated with the info. I think my next step is to head out and see what all is out there in my price range.

RE: looking for a pistol
 

Do you have a pump shotgun?

If so get an 18.5 inch barrel and use it as your home defense gun. Use 2 3/4 inch shells firing a load of #4 buck shot. It will give you a much bigger margine of error when shooting at a home invader and the #4 buck will not over penetrate into other houses.

Bird shot, like #4 shot, also works extremely well at close range like inside your house and is very safe for not penetrating walls.