handgun for hunting?
01-22-2007, 09:54 PM
#12
Typical Buck
Join Date: May 2006
Location:
Posts: 585
RE: handgun for hunting?
I have a Tauras M44 in 44mag. I took a 4pt buck with it this fall (my first handgun deer). I shoot open sights and am comfortable out to 50 yards. 44 mag is all you need for deer - I shot the Federal 240gr HP
01-23-2007, 11:34 PM
#13
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Too close to Chicago
Posts: 3,337
RE: handgun for hunting?
There are often restrictions on minimum caliber and barrel lengths for deer to insure that your gun/ammo combo can deliver enough energy to take down a deer reliably.
In IL, you need at least 30 cal, 4" barrel, have 500 ftlbs at the muzzle, and must use expanding bullets. That puts hot .357's at the bottom end, and makes the 44 mag a competent favorite. You also cannot use a semi-auto in IL.
I wanted a double action so the gun could doublefor bear defense, so I considered both the S&W 629 44mag, and the Ruger Redhawk. The sweet trigger pull of the S&W won my heart. Next to it, the Ruger felt like it was grinding gravel. Rugers are solid guns with good reps, and I'm sure it could be refined quite nicely with a trigger job at your local gunsmith, but the factory trigger felt awful to me. Trigger is everything when it comes to precision shooting.
In IL, you need at least 30 cal, 4" barrel, have 500 ftlbs at the muzzle, and must use expanding bullets. That puts hot .357's at the bottom end, and makes the 44 mag a competent favorite. You also cannot use a semi-auto in IL.
I wanted a double action so the gun could doublefor bear defense, so I considered both the S&W 629 44mag, and the Ruger Redhawk. The sweet trigger pull of the S&W won my heart. Next to it, the Ruger felt like it was grinding gravel. Rugers are solid guns with good reps, and I'm sure it could be refined quite nicely with a trigger job at your local gunsmith, but the factory trigger felt awful to me. Trigger is everything when it comes to precision shooting.
01-28-2007, 08:27 PM
#14
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 27
RE: handgun for hunting?
Like bulzeye said, most state's have requierments, and varying one's at that. So first I would figure out what states you want to hunt in, and then find out the requierments. After that, choose a caliber/load that meets or exceeds all req's and then worry about which manufacturer and model to go with. At least that is what I would do. Hope that helps.
Jerry
Jerry
01-28-2007, 08:31 PM
#15
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Portage WI/Racine WI
Posts: 2,320
RE: handgun for hunting?
This little research is actually more for my father. See, he bought a Taurus .357 mag (not for hunting, its more of a gut-buster/self defense gun) from a family friend. And while we were hunting this year we got to discussing hunting with a Handgun, and he asked me a few weeks ago to try to dig up some more info on it. So here I am, and thanks a lot everybody for the info and opinions on guns, etc. Thanks Again!
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