Handgun Hunting

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i50sx

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What is the smallest caliber that would be sufficient in harvesting white-tails?

And at what range would the calibers retain enough knock-down power?
 
Yes........

Rather open ended qestion.

What type of terrain? So we know how far will the usual shot be.
 
As mentioned there are a lot of variables.....should also consider the size of the whitetail. Midwest/Northern deer are about twice as big as the smaller Southern deer. Some calibers would probably bounce off those 300-400-lb big boys.
 
In revolvers, the 357 mag is generally considered the smallest practical caliber for whitetail hunting. For me, I want something with a "4" as the starting number.

10mm works okay in a semi-auto pistol.

In choosing a suitable handgun for deer hunting, compare the energy levels to the 357 mag as a starting point.

Check you state Fish & Wildlife regs for minimum calibers and if there are barrel or energy restrictions.

Added: As far as distance, the biggest limitation is the shooter, not the caliber if it is adequate to start with. Think of deer hunting with a handgun as you might with a bow & arrow with a bit more practical distance.

Are you choosing a handgun for hunting for the first time or do you already have a handgun and are wondering if it is adequate for deer hunting?
 
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like bowhunting, maybe

Well, the advice on the .357 is about right, with it being considered minimal to boot. As far as "knockdown power" goes, since deer hit hard with serious rifle calibers still tend to run aways, I'd rephrase to effective or something similar and say 50 yds for the .357, 100 for the various .mag .44 and 45's. etc.

With iron sights, I tend to look at handgun hunting for deer as the near equivalent of bow hunting. It takes an exceptional shot to stay on the vitals of a deer much past 50 yds (9-10 inch circle)under field conditions, I would think.
I know I would be much more confident under 5O than over. About half that I would consider ideal.

Scoping a handgun, esp the rifle caliber single shot/spec pistols, changes that. But I don't really consider the scoped/specialty pistols handguns in the truest sense.

My dad had a .44 mag super-B w/ 10-1/4 bbl, scoped w/ a 2.5x and off the bench, we could brake clay pigeons w/ it at 100 yds. It was like a stockless carbine. When he hunted w/ it, he did not take a rifle. But you could not really put it in a hip holster and walk around w/ it comfortably either.
 
If its revolvers we`re talking about, my thoughts would mirror bamaranger`s.

Also, more importantly is knowing our limits with chosen handgun.

bswiv mentioned terrain. Practice in the type pf terrain you plan on hunting in.
 
pizza killer, .22 rimfire
I was intending to purchase so not real sure..

bswiv,
I imagine it will be mostly wooded or edge set-ups much like bow hunting probably around an eighty yard max..

painter man,
I reside in S.C. which will most likely be where i pursue big game
 
You can kill a whitetail with a pellet gun or a rist rocket just depends on your accuracy with the gun you shoot and like mentioned above it's gotta be legal of course most states you must shoot deer with a center fire rifle. Goood luck
 
Depends on hunting laws in your state as well. In my home state of indiana 357 is the smallest you are leagally allowed to use anyway. My choice is a Super Redhawk in 480:D Cant be too sure on those long shots haha
 
Took a little while to sort this out a bit. I hope you have shot at least a 357 magnum revolver. My suggestion is a slightly more powerful revolver. I would recommend you acquire either a 41 magnum or 44 magnum revolver. You generally are not going to be shooting fast, so a single action such as the Ruger Blackhawk is a good cost effective choice. I would look for something with about a 6" barrel. The 41 mag Blackhawk is a nice rig.

I prefer the 41 mag to a 357 mag as it gives you quite a bit more power without the slightly more recoil of the 44 mag. I compare this to my former use of a 243 win rifle versus my present deer rifle choice of the Remington M700 in 270 win. That little edge results in more confidence on the shooter end as long as you can make the shot in the heart lung area.

I have used my 8 3/8th" Smith Model 57 (41 mag) deer hunting and it is a real good rig. It's just a bit clumsey due to the barrel length. But I can hit with it very well.

My present revolver is a scoped Ruger Super Redhawk in 480 Ruger. It is quite the tank. But I have a lot of confidence that if I make a reasonably good shot, the quarry will go down.

Both of these are double action revolvers, but frankly, I will only shoot single action while hunting anyway. So if you like single actions, go that path; if not, double actions are great. IF I choose to carry a rifle anymore, I carry a 4" M57 Mountain Gun as my sidearm just in case I might have time to make a closer shot on a whitetail. The rifle kind of gets in the way though.
 
I consider .357 from a revolver marginal for whitetail. My preference is .44 mag. Maximum range is the distance at which you can keep all six shots on a six-inch paper plate.
 
If I were buying a handgun for deer hunting and I would be using it as a primary weapon, such as a place where rifles are not legal, I would buy an Encore. In fact, I WILL be buying an Encore soon, in 7mm-08. The Encore and Contender G2 handguns generate more energy than virtually any handgun round on the planet. I'm going to be buying a 7mm-08 which, with a 15" barrel, with throw 140gr bullets to at least 2550fps, generating 2000ft/lbs, plus or minus.

A distant second for a dedicated deer handgun would be 41 or 44 mag revolver or a Desert Eagle in 44mag or 50DE, IMHO.

A distant third would be a 10mm auto.
 
The last I checked, the 357 is technically not legal for big game hunting in Wyoming. That said though, I'm sure there are folks that use them anyway. If all I had on me was my 357 Blackhawk, I'm sure it would do just fine at 25-30 yds, maybe even do the job at 50 yds. I sure wouldn't feel good about it though. I'd rather have my 44 mag at 50-75 yds. But if I'm actually planning ahead to shoot a deer or elk with a handgun, I'll pack my 480 Ruger or 454 Casull. Then I'm good to 100 yards, no problem.
 
.22 rimfire for whitetails?

Better check those hunting regs.
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I believe he was addressing the user with the name 22 rimfire, not saying he was going to use a 22 rimfire for white tail hunting. Not sure if your reply was serious or not, but wanted to make sure it's cleared up.
 
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