well balanced handgun for deer?
- Thread starter Moyer
- Start date
Nice shooting darkgael, what gun and what ammo were you using?
The hard part is getting people to take those first shots at long distance and they are hooked once they realize the bullet will get there just fine. The biggest block to shooting beyond 25 yards is between the ears.
The hard part is getting people to take those first shots at long distance and they are hooked once they realize the bullet will get there just fine. The biggest block to shooting beyond 25 yards is between the ears.
I have a Super Redhawk in 480 Ruger with an Ultradot on it. It's a joy to shoot and very accurate.
I recently picked up this Ruger Super Blackhawk Bisley Hunter in .45 LC. I put a Leupold 2x Handgun scope on it, and it is very accurate at 50 yards. I think I prefer a red dot sight though, and will try that next.
I recently picked up this Ruger Super Blackhawk Bisley Hunter in .45 LC. I put a Leupold 2x Handgun scope on it, and it is very accurate at 50 yards. I think I prefer a red dot sight though, and will try that next.
It's my personal belief that cal. is not as important as being competent with what hand gun you use,deer are not that hard to kill shot placement and
the willingness to let them walk if the right shot is not presented is key.
for me I hunt heavy cover (think bow hunting).30 yds and in.I'll use my s&w 586 4" or my 5'' 1911 Springfield.beyond this a 45 lc.or 44. If there out past 50 I use the ever preasent long gun,Use what you shoot the best.
the willingness to let them walk if the right shot is not presented is key.
for me I hunt heavy cover (think bow hunting).30 yds and in.I'll use my s&w 586 4" or my 5'' 1911 Springfield.beyond this a 45 lc.or 44. If there out past 50 I use the ever preasent long gun,Use what you shoot the best.
Ole 5 hole group
New member
Like a couple posters advised, it’s not the gun so much as it’s the shooter that limits the killing distance. As for well-balanced pistols/revolvers – that’s an individual thing depending upon ones arm and wrist strength. A SW model 25 is well balanced for most while the Ruger Redhawk is heavy for some.
As for foot pounds of energy, it doesn’t have much to do relative to killing power, and should be completely disregarded but certain States with ballistic idiots at the helm have established a minimum energy level for handguns as well as caliber and barrel length, so you have to know your State laws, as to handgun restrictions.
When it comes to ease of shooting a handgun in a hunting situation you’ll be hard pressed to do better than a heads-up display red dot – the red dot takes away the sight alignment requirements/problems when making long range shots (over 50 yards). They are light weight, usually less than 0.7 oz and are easily mounted. The scope type red dots are heavier and uglier but just as effective and regular scopes are used mainly if magnification is required.
The 45ACP will match the killing power of the 45 Colt and 44 Magnum to a point and that point is usually up to a 260 grain bullet at 1,050fps and that particular load has killed about everything that ever walked on North America during the past 150 years. If you convert to 45 ACP Super or 460 Rowland you can push to 1,200fps and that will allow you to take racking shots on elk sized game animals.
Here’s what a good set-up with a heads-up red dot looks like both on a revolver and pistol.
As for foot pounds of energy, it doesn’t have much to do relative to killing power, and should be completely disregarded but certain States with ballistic idiots at the helm have established a minimum energy level for handguns as well as caliber and barrel length, so you have to know your State laws, as to handgun restrictions.
When it comes to ease of shooting a handgun in a hunting situation you’ll be hard pressed to do better than a heads-up display red dot – the red dot takes away the sight alignment requirements/problems when making long range shots (over 50 yards). They are light weight, usually less than 0.7 oz and are easily mounted. The scope type red dots are heavier and uglier but just as effective and regular scopes are used mainly if magnification is required.
The 45ACP will match the killing power of the 45 Colt and 44 Magnum to a point and that point is usually up to a 260 grain bullet at 1,050fps and that particular load has killed about everything that ever walked on North America during the past 150 years. If you convert to 45 ACP Super or 460 Rowland you can push to 1,200fps and that will allow you to take racking shots on elk sized game animals.
Here’s what a good set-up with a heads-up red dot looks like both on a revolver and pistol.
Attachments
Claims Rep.
New member
For me it's a S&W 629 Classic .44Mag with an 8 3/8" barrel. Handles very well, and the extra barrel length REALLY helps out with the recoil. I traded into this cannon about a year ago. It will remain in my possession until I go to meet the Lord.
Smith and Wesson Model 29 .44 Magnum
My dad owns a Smith and Wesson Model 29 .44 Magnum (Dirty Harry Gun) and we go out and shoot targets with it every once in a while. I am a fairly good shot with it, due to its smooth as glass trigger pull, and its excellent balance. I really do suggest this gun for deer hunting with a handgun. Hope this helps!
My dad owns a Smith and Wesson Model 29 .44 Magnum (Dirty Harry Gun) and we go out and shoot targets with it every once in a while. I am a fairly good shot with it, due to its smooth as glass trigger pull, and its excellent balance. I really do suggest this gun for deer hunting with a handgun. Hope this helps!
My picks...
For a large frame hunting revolver, my first pick would be a Ruger Super RedHawk in .44magnum or maybe the .454 Casull.
Magnum Research's BFR line is good too but they are single action. The .45-70 is impressive.
Taurus has the well made Raging Judge series. You can safely fire the .410 shotshells, .45LC or .454.
If you buy a BFR or the SuperRedhawk revolver, I'd add the Mag-Na-Port or Hybraporting, www.GeminiCustoms.com . It will reduce the muzzle recoil & may help the DA revolver feel more balanced.
CF
www.magnumresearch.com www.ruger.com www.gunsamerica.com
For a large frame hunting revolver, my first pick would be a Ruger Super RedHawk in .44magnum or maybe the .454 Casull.
Magnum Research's BFR line is good too but they are single action. The .45-70 is impressive.
Taurus has the well made Raging Judge series. You can safely fire the .410 shotshells, .45LC or .454.
If you buy a BFR or the SuperRedhawk revolver, I'd add the Mag-Na-Port or Hybraporting, www.GeminiCustoms.com . It will reduce the muzzle recoil & may help the DA revolver feel more balanced.
CF
www.magnumresearch.com www.ruger.com www.gunsamerica.com
I have used many different handguns, GP100 with fiber optic iron sights all the way up to my current T/C 44 mag w/ red dot. The one I wish I still had was my SBH hunter 7.5 barrel. I would really like to try a 629 6.5 inch but I can't afford it right now. I tried pistol scopes for a couple of years and I couldn't get on target quick enough and I ran into problems with the angle of the sun affecting my sight picture, (sun behind me.) I usually hunt my bow stands which are set for 20-30yds during bow season but with the foliage gone during gun season it opens up to 50-60yds. My advice to you is 41mag or above and 5 inch barrel or longer. But this is just my opinion. Don't mess around with the lower calibers. Winchester WB 44 mag ammo is mild and is easier to shoot then a hot 357 mag load. The Ruger Blackhawks are a great value but with the standard iron sights it will cut down your shooting time, (fine for am hunts but the last 20 minutes of legal shooting time at the end of the day it can be hard to pick up those sights.) Good luck.
22-rimfire
New member
I can only share my experiences. I use a 8 3/8" S&W M57 (41 mag) with iron sights or a Ruger SRH in 480 Ruger with a 2x Leupold scope.
I'm certainly okay to shoot to 75 yds, certainly 50 yds with my M57. I shoot the SRH better with the scope, but it is much harder to shoot without a rest. The scope makes sighting easier, but it also shows you very well just how unsteady you really are sighting with a handgun. Hence.. the rest.
I don't consider the M57 particularly front or barrel heavy. The longer barrel makes it easier to sight. My SRH has a 9.5" barrel and it is a handful, but I wouldn't call it barrel heavy at all.
The purpose of the rest is to allow you to make a better shot just like most people shoot better from a rest on a bench versus holding a gun in their hand. As was mentioned, you owe it to your intended quarry which I assume is probably a whitetailed deer that you make a good shot when you take a shot.
There is something to be said about a Contender or Encore for practical usefulness during traditional big game hunting because for me in practice the SRH is a big revolver and it is not practical to carry another firearm hunting unless I am perched up in a tree stand/elevated stand. In that case, you can probably use both and choose the gun you want to use based on the circumtances of the available shot. Rifle or big handgun or iron sighted handgun... But deciding which gun to use can also cost you a shot, so my advice is to decide before you go out.... I am going to use this gun period and hunt accordingly.
I think you are fooling yourself regarding shots of over 100 yds. It can be done, but you will need to practice a lot to be reasonably proficient with the gun at 100+ yds. It is not like shooting a rifle.
I am in the process of acquiring another revolver (6.5" barrel) for hunting. It's a BFR in 480/475. It is not barrel heavy. I don't know if I'll mount a scope/red dot on this one until I shoot it a bit. But I would prefer to leave in iron sighted. It will take some practice to be able to hit a 6" paper plate at distances over 50 yds. I just hope it is more comfortable to shoot than the SRH.
(Two Gun approach)
The two handgun approach is okay, but not particularly practical in the field unless you are hunting from a stand. You certainly will find the guns heavy after a long walk to your "spot".
I started out carrying both a revolver and a rifle. I wanted to hunt with the revolver but I also didn't want to miss a reasonable shot. Hence when I had both with me, I always chose the rifle. From that point on, I decided if I was going to hunt with a handgun, then I would only have the handgun with me.
Shoot a bit and this belief about using or needing a rest will fade away to the practical aspects of hunting. You will choose a rest every time if you can. I can only take "quick" shots without a rest with the SRH. When I say quick... that means... there's a deer and a shot and I had better take the shot quick or it won't be there. Pull up and squeeze the trigger quickly or I would almost certainly miss the target or make a poor shot.
I think you would be doing yourself a favor to hunt wood chucks (or something similar) with this hunting revolver to get you comfortable as to what your shooting capabilities really are.
22-rimfire,
After much practice I'm out to about 80yds. with the same BFR with irons as you're getting. Course that is from a rest and would feel confident taking a shot on a deer at that range on flat terrain. What I need practice with is how high I'll hit on a uphill/downhill shot at different distances versus the same distances shooting flat.
In other words, I need to spend more time with the BFR before I take to the woods.
Too, I think you'll find the BFR more comfy then the SRH with the 480's.The hot 475's can be a handful.
22-rimfire
New member
Thanks shortwave. This one is taking me a while to pay for. I found it at just about the wrong time financially speaking, but I am going to get this beast. You just don't see them in 6.5" barrels and the 480/475 chambering is not really the most common BFR you run onto. It will probably take me months to get half way proficient with it. Not planning on using 475's much, but I wanted the option. That is what Ruger should have done with the SRH with a 5-shot cylinder. It would have given customers a better reason to choose the 480 over the 454.
Well, I should probably add an update.
I sorta fell into a gun show purchase for a price I couldn't pass up. I ended up with a 9 1/2" Super Redhawk. Yeah, It's big and heavy (which is kinda what I was trying to avoid). I wanted a 7 1/2" version like some posters above, but couldn't find a deal on one. I got to shoot 50rnds through it yesterday. I was surprised and disappointed to find out that although it shot accurately off the bench, I couldn't shoot it well off-hand. Maybe that's a dumb statement, since I don't have a ton of revolver shooting experience, but I can say that I shoot both a Glock 19 and a Ruger Single Six a lot more accurately.
I'm in the process of getting some rings ordered so I can mount a scope. Hopefully that'll help out. I'll update again after round 2.
I sorta fell into a gun show purchase for a price I couldn't pass up. I ended up with a 9 1/2" Super Redhawk. Yeah, It's big and heavy (which is kinda what I was trying to avoid). I wanted a 7 1/2" version like some posters above, but couldn't find a deal on one. I got to shoot 50rnds through it yesterday. I was surprised and disappointed to find out that although it shot accurately off the bench, I couldn't shoot it well off-hand. Maybe that's a dumb statement, since I don't have a ton of revolver shooting experience, but I can say that I shoot both a Glock 19 and a Ruger Single Six a lot more accurately.
I'm in the process of getting some rings ordered so I can mount a scope. Hopefully that'll help out. I'll update again after round 2.
