I need something that is good enough to kill a hog and Maybe hunt deer with, but i dont want something that will kick to bad. would a .22 do it?
thanks
mike

Yep, so will a 16 oz hammer...A .22 pistol is not the best tool for the job...

A .357 with a 6 inch barrel is the minimum here in NC...I would bet the 44 Mag would be the most popuar with those that use revolvers....

Frankly, until you have several years experience with guns and deer hunting, its best to learn the basics first, it takes a few years to get proficent with a pistol.
Learn to hunt with a rifle first.

Look at a 45 colt. Can be mild or wild whatever you need. Cowboy loads are powerder puffs as far as recoil goes. And that big ole slug will kill any deer or hog with a well placed shot. Hogs are a little tougher skinned than deer and may require a hard cast bullet if you are loading on the light side.

You've got a basic physics problem here. Any handgunthat's big enough to kill a large animal is either going to weigh a lot, have a lot of recoil, or both. (Plus, they're really, really noisy.)

I personally don't think a .44 magnum has punishing recoil, but it is considerable, and the .44 mags I've shot have been heavy.(Hold a brick at arm's length for a while, even using both hands,and see how steady your hold is.) It takes a lot of practice to reliably place a bullet in a small target at any kind of range.

Hi Miller,
First things first. Look at the regs where you live. Chances are a 22 will not be legal for either deer or hog. They will tell you what the minimum is. After you know what that is i'm sure the guys here will have lots of advice on a few different guns and calibers. I have never hunted with a pistol or i would offer advice on that. I just wanted to make sure you look at the regs first

it does say a .22 is illegal for deer but it dosnt say anything about hog, and actully it is for my dad not me, i want to get it for him when we go hog hunting incase of a emergency and we need it, i wanted to get a larger caliber but my dad wanted a .22 that is why i asked that.

The .41 magnum is ideal for those purposes you listed. Almost the energy of a .44 mag but without the kick,very accurate when fired from quality revolver,flatter shooting than even the .44mag. Also the .41 mag is plenty enough gun to quickly,humanely dispatch deer/hogs at within 100 yards.

Total agree with stalking bear. A .41 is my choice. Good all around with a light recoil.

I'd try a Ruger single action with a 4 & 5/8 inch barrel unless you are looking to shoot out quite a ways. Nice balance. The 41 would be a better piece for hunting than a factory loaded 45 Colt, but a handloaded 45 Colt is an awesome beast. All these calibers will bark & jump; they take some getting used to. However, if it is an emergency and you have to shoot fast & up close, precision may not be required.

Also, I have found that the grip on, eg, the Ruger Blackhawk absorbs some recoil. And just in case noone ever preached this... use hearing protection. The 357 magnum is less powerful than the 41 but don't underestimate it. It was used for hunting a long time before the 44 maggie came out.

I could not recommend any smaller calibers for critters that size. They may eventually succumb, but the question is how long and in what county.

Here are the handgun chamberings I consider suitable for your purposes:

.41 Mag., .44 Mag., .44 Auto Mag., .45 Colt (with appropriate laods!), .454 Casull, .460 S&W, ,45 Win. Mag. (with proper bullets) .500 Auto., .500 S&W, and .500 S&W. You could maybe squeak by with a properly loaded .45 Auto or .45 Auto+P, but they are on the light side.