What caliber handgun do you use for whitetail deer?

[scott stokes]

What caliber handgun for whitetail?
Do you use scope or iron sights?
Just starting to want to hunt with hand gun.
Guns I have Blackhawk 357,41,45colt,44mag.Smith and Wesson 500 it’s has scope.
Lots of contenders that are scoped.
What do y’all like using?

 

[Big7]

I have deer hunted with a Smith Model 57 in .41 Remington Magnum. (that was my first big game revolver) then went to a Blackhawk in .357 Remington Magnum back in the younger days.

For the last 15 or so years, I've used my most excellent Ruger GP 100 in .357 Remington Magnum...

The 41 with iron sights was a little big for my hands and I shot the 357's iron sights well.

I'm not a "Handgun Hunter" per se but I'm a lefty with long guns and my range of motion won't go very far left in a ladder stand or climber. So I shoot revolvers for anything to the hard left.

 

[Lilly001]

I have several hand guns that are “deer capable” .
Contenders (30-30,.223, .357 max, 45 colt), revolvers 460 S&W, S&W 57 (.41 mag), RedHawk (.44 mag), and a Glock 40 (10 mm) pistol.
My current go to is the .460 S&W.
It is a huge gun but it shoots very well.
I love red dots, and I have tried and still use scopes.

 

[Railroader]

I took up handgun hunting one time. Just had to have an Encore in 7mm08.

Shot the thing once, that was enough.

Traded it for a Contender in .44 put a Leupold Gilmore red dot on it and killed a spike buck.

The Contender bug didn't bite me, just didn't really love it.

Traded that for a Taurus Raging Bull .44 8-1/2". Put the Gilmore on that and killed a doe.

Figured these handguns are so dang big, might as well just carry a rifle.

A few years back, I got a Glock 40mos 10mm and put a Vortex red dot on it.

This makes sense, since I carry a pistol in the woods anyway. In a shoulder rig, the G40 is like any other.

When the right shot comes along, I'll kill me a deer with it.

Till then, I'll just hunt "normal" with a rifle, and the pistol will be along for the ride, ready for an opportunity.

 

[DeucesWild]

357, 44, 45 Colt, 454 Casull, 460 S&W. Got scopes, red dots on some and running iron sights on the others.

 

[hunter 85]

30-30 contender with a 2x7 scope. I would like to have a long slide 10mm 1911 with a reflex red dot though. I’ve also got a 6” colt anaconda 44 with irons that I’ve hunted with but never harvested with it and a 6” S&W 686 that is always in the stand with me.

 

[frankwright]

Ruger Blackhawk 4 5/8" BBl .41 mag Open Sights
Ruger Redhawk 7.5" .41 mag Tube Red Dot
T/C Contenders .41 Mag, 44 Mag and 7-30 Waters (44 Mag has a dot, scopes on the other 2)
Glock 40 10mm Red Dot

 

[earlthegoat2]

Ruger Redhawk 5.5” 44 Mag with Holosun 507 dot

 

[NCHillbilly]

What little bit of handgun hunting for deer I've done was with a Blackhawk 7.5" .44 mag with iron sights.

 

[fishfryer]

Ruger Blackhawk 4 5/8" BBl .41 mag Open Sights
Ruger Redhawk 7.5" .41 mag Tube Red Dot
T/C Contenders .41 Mag, 44 Mag and 7-30 Waters (44 Mag has a dot, scopes on the other 2)
Glock 40 10mm Red Dot

That 4 5/8 Blackhawk in 41 magnum, is it a three screw or a new model?

 

[Lonegle57]

Moved to handguns decades ago as my main method when hunting deer.
Have collected hunting handguns along the way. Have been blessed along that way and have a few to choose from. Started with the Contender and have many calibers, added the big brother aka Encore as well. In revolver am a fan of the 41 mag but do have others. Most are scoped, a few have red dots. If a preference is needed I lean toward a scope Throw in a few bolt actions and that is my herd.
Every once and awhile I do grab a long gun, usually a single shot but most often am carrying a short shooter in the woods.

 

[pacecars]

Well a lot. I use or have used a .32 H&R Mag, .327 Federal, 357 Magnum, .41 Magnum, .44 Magnum, .45 Colt, .45 Super, .460 Rowland, 10mm, .410 GNR, .454 Casull, .480 Ruger and .500 Linebaugh in revolvers and autos. In single shots I have used .223 Rem, .260 Rem, .338 Fed, 7mm-08, .30-30, .250 Savage, .35 Rem, .375 JDJ and probably a few I have forgotten

 

[basshappy]

.41 magnum, iron sights, 20 yards or less.

 

[bilgerat]

Vintage stainless redhawk 7.5 in 44 mag

 

[Handgunner 45-70]

Right now my main handgun will be a S&W 350 Legend with a Burris Fastfire 3, Next will be a Glock G20 10mm gen 5 MOS with a Fastfire 3 or a RIA 1911 in 10mm with open sights. Really like the S&W model 350 in 350 legend, shoots real good. Its on the X frame just like the 500 or 460. The next one I get will be the 460 in either a S&W or BFR.

 

[deerslayer357]

I have used 357 with open sights, a 40 SW open sights, a 44 mag with scope, a 7/08 encore with scope, and 41 mag with open sights.
Have a 10mm with open sights and a 460 with scope to use this year.

 

[deast1988]

Contender 6.8spc 15in 2.5x8weaver 110gr TSXx
Encore .500 14in, Burris 2x7 350gr XTP
Model 29 .44mag, Leupold 2x 240gr XTP
Cva optima .50cal, Burris 2x hornady 290gr bore driver, 100gr white hots
Sig p220 hunter .10mm Leupold delta point 200gr XTP

Last year used a BFR .45/70 Leupold vx freedom red dot. 325gr jelly tip

 

[frankwright]

I bought it new in 1969.

That 4 5/8 Blackhawk in 41 magnum, is it a three screw or a new model?

 

[fishfryer]

I bought it new in 1969.

Real pretty, I have one with 6 1/2 barrel. Mine is long used bought from a pawnshop. Shoots very good though.

 

[scott stokes]

Wow thanks for replied.
Lot of different calibers and style of guns.