Your choice for deerhunting handgun

[Old Crusty]

I'm somewhat new to the world of handguns. I bought a S&W M&P 9mm about a year ago and have been having a blast shooting it. I think I'm ready to try deer hunting with one next year, and would like to purchase a larger caliber soon. If you were going to recommend a setup for me what would it be?

 

[Apex Predator]

It's really hard to beat a Ruger Blackhawk in .44 mag.

 

[Sargent]

I have been contemplating at TC Contender in .30-30

 

[Offroadtek]

If you want a pistol similar to your M&P you won't go wrong with a Glock 20 in 10mm. If your open to revolvers then you have a whole other world to explore. In the revolver world your caliber selection is limited by how much recoil you can handle. 500 S&W, 44 Mag, 41 Mag, 357 Mag.

 

[Bam Bam]

If you want a pistol similar to your M&P you won't go wrong with a Glock 20 in 10mm. If your open to revolvers then you have a whole other world to explore. In the revolver world your caliber selection is limited by how much recoil you can handle. 500 S&W, 44 Mag, 41 Mag, 357 Mag.

You forgot 454 casull,45LC,410,460,480 ruger,45-70,30-30,35 rem etc. etc. etc.!!! There are several big bore cailbers offered in Revolvers and Contenders! I own a Tarurus 8 3/8 inch Revolver in 44mag!!!!

 

[ironhead7544]

I would go with the 44 Magnum. Take a look at what is available and see what you like.

 

[7Mag Hunter]

I used a Super Blackhawk 7.5" barrel in 44mag exclusively
for about 5 years...with and without a scope...Finally took the
scope off because I prefer open sights and all my shots were
under 40 yds.......
Handloaded 180gr HP up to 240 gr HP and SP bullets.....
Plenty of gun for anything in GA and great balance to shoot..

 

[Larry Rooks]

Ruger Blackhawk in 45 Colt, cast Keith type semi wadcutters 255 gr for deer and hog. Ruger SBH in 44 mag, cast 275 gr Flat Nose. Both with iron sights

 

[GunnSmokeer]

8" barreled scoped revolver

I'd suggest an 8" barreled revolver in either .44 magnum or .454 Casull (which can use .45 Colt ammo, too).

And it should be scoped, or easily capable of being fitted with a scope (if you anticipate shooting longer than about 30 yards).

The Ruger Redhawk and Blackhawk revolvers would be fine.

Taurus makes a "Raging Bull" model that looks great for hunting.

A S&W model 29 or 629 would be good, but it's a bit more expensive, and rarely comes scoped, so that would be extra hassle and expense.

Here's an ad for an 8.3" barreled Taurus .454 Casull that comes with a scope base.

P.S. I'm not saying you "need" .454 ammo to kill deer. I'd probably load .45 Colt rounds in it for that.
But if you can find a gun in that caliber for the same price as one in .41 magnum or .44 magnum or just plain .45 Colt, why not get it? It gives you more options if you later get the urge to hunt bigger game, or if you want bear protection for that Montana camping trip, or just to maximize the gun's resale value later down the road.

If you were SURE that you only wanted it for deer or hogs at close range and for animals weighing 200 pounds or less, you could even go with a .357 magnum. Some companies make a 180 grain semi-wadcutter or jacketed soft-point that should reach 1500 f.p.s. out of a 6" or 8" barreled revolver. (Buffalo Bore)
That's enough power. And if you're accurate enough to reliably hit a grapefruit-sized target at a given distance, then that distance is OK for hunting.

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=387173746

 

[GAGE]

I have a Colt Anaconda that would fit the bill.

 

[no7fish]

GunnSmokeer has a lot of good points. Generally I'd say anything in .44 mag is hard to beat the logistics of. The available selection is great and if you get bored it'll be just as easy to sell on. As mentioned, if you want to stick with something semi-auto then a 10mm is your best bet.

That said, there are a ton of interesting options also. .41 is a nice medium, less recoil than .44 with better performance than a .357, but it's not nearly as common as either. If you are went down the Contender path you have a HUGE selection of interchangeable barrels available as well.

It all depends on what grabs you.

 

[snake reaper]

If u can shoot the 44 mag and the contender 30-30 see witch u like the best .

 

[pnome]

I think the ruger super redhawk with the 7.5 inch barrel is a great hunting handgun. I recommend one in .44mag. Top it with a leupold FX-II 2x20mm and you will be set.

 

[Eddy M.]

T C Encore or Contender - too many calibers to list them all -some of the re-load only rounds are great - I like the barrels that shoot several loads - 38-357 magnum-357 MAXIMUM - 45 long colt-454-460S&W magnum - my 7-30 Waters shoots great

 

[snake reaper]

Also the biggest thing is your ability to take the recoil . Shoot all u can get your hands on before u decide.

 

[TomC]

I have been overly pleased with my Glock 20 (6" KKM Barrel). Surprisingly light recoil for a 10mm, easy to carry and the one I shot this fall didn't take a step.

 

[GunnSmokeer]

had both

If u can shoot the 44 mag and the contender 30-30 see witch u like the best .

I had both of these barrels for my T/C Contender.
The .44 magnum generated more recoil.
The .30-30 had more muzzle blast. Noise and flash.
Both were OK to shoot from such a large, heavy pistol.
(I wouldn't want a derringer in either caliber, though!)

 

[snake reaper]

But between the two I would prob go with the contender in 30-30 and if u ever change your mind u can get a differ barrel in differ cal.

 

[ejs1980]

For a first hunting handgun a contender 30-30 or a ruger 44 mag revolver would be excellent choices. In a Ruger I would go with a Blackhawk hunter, bisley hunter, or super redhawk. That way if you decide you want to install optics it will be easy to do and either of them will do fine with iron sights. Same with the contender in 30-30 except I wouldn't even bother with it without optics. I never saw much use in a 30-30 barrel less than 14 inches and once you get that long it doesn't make it any less cumbersome to shoot without a scope. If you want a rifle caliber the 30-30 is hard to beat on buying factory ammo. I have killed deer and hogs with my Glock 20 but it really is more like bow hunting with a handgun. It is not what I would consider a go anywhere good for most of my hunting situations handgun. I carry it when I want to go lite scouting or when I have meat in the freezer and have a stand set up in an area I expect the shots to be real close. Just get something recommended above and kill a few deer with it. Before you know it you'll have one for thick stuff, one for longer shots. Seems like several choose between them according to wind direction, moon phase, I have been guilty of carrying two handguns to the stand but it payed off once.
For an everyday hunting handgun for shooting deer out to a hundred yards and stalking hogs in swamps where a 15 yard shot seems long it is tough to beat the ruger revolvers with an ultradot.

 

[GunnSmokeer]

why a handgun?

A lot of people say get a T/C Contender in .30-30 caliber.

Well, this brings up the question of WHY a person would want to use a "handgun" for hunting, instead of a rifle?
Here in Georgia, handguns don't get a special season, a bigger bag limit, or any other advantage over a rifle.

If a person just likes the feel of a handgun, and the LOOK of a handgun, and wants the pride of using a "handgun" to bag an animal that most other hunters use a rifle for....


... would choosing a handgun that looks like a miniature rifle without a shoulder stock really give the hunter the same feel?

A break-open Contender with a 14" barrel and wearing a magnifying crosshair-reticle scope, chambered in a traditional rifle-only caliber like .30-30.... that's getting pretty darn close in look and feel and performance to a real rifle.

At least an 8" barreled double-action revolver looks and feels more like a handgun, even if it also wears a scope.

It's just food for thought.

**********************************

(I could ask the same thing about people who hunt with blackpowder muzzle-stuffers? Except that only some of them do it for the history and nostalgia of hunting with the kind of rifles their ancestors did, while others simply want to take advantage of an early deer season with little competition from other hunters. Those hunters are more likely to get 'black powder' rifles that look just like a modern all-weather big game bolt action rifle, with inline ignition, stainless steel construction, factory camo pattern synthetic stock, and a big scope with an adjustable objective lens and magnification up to 12X. Does such a gun really make you feel connected to the black powder hunters of the 19th century?)