Handgun hunting this season

I'm thinking of hunting with a handgun during this upcoming deer season .
I have a few handguns I would like to hunt with
1 a ruger super redhawk 41 mag with a 7 1/2 barrel
2 a ruger redhawk 45lc also with a 7 1/2 barrel
3 a smith@wesson 686 357 with a 7 in barrel
4 a ruger gp100 357 with a 6in barrel
Longest shop will be about 50 yards
I will be hunting with iron sights
Any input on which firearm maybe the best choice I know they all will work .
 

wolf3006

Senior Member
ruger super redhawk 41 mag with a 7 1/2 barrel IMO
 

Big7

The Oracle
I'll take #4.

One thing though.
I'm not strictly "handgun hunting" in the true form.

I'm a lefty and shoot long guns.
Either hand or both with wheelgun or pistol..

I have a few spots where I needed to shoot right handed
across my body to my left side, without turning.
(to close) no way to turn my body, just my head.

The GP-100 6" has served me well for over ten years
in those situations.
 

frankwright

Senior Member
I vote for the Redhawk. I have one just like it and it has done well on the deer I killed with it.
My old eyes requires me to use the Red Dot for longer shots.
 

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no7fish

Member
I have hunted both a 45 LC Blackhawk and .41 Smith. Both do the job. I was particularly impressed by the work the .41 did.

Really between those it matter what load you're running. A .45 LC offers the chance to hurl more energy downrange, if you're loading it to those levels but a reasonably hot .41 will do more than a "regular" .45 LC load. (read - old non-Ruger load data)

As an aside, I killed a deer with a 300 gr XTP in the .45 LC and was a little disappointed in the internal effects. Since then I've shifted to a 250 gr XTP running faster in hopes of achieving better expansion and energy transfer. I haven't had a change to test this yet though.
 
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