Pistol hunting for deer
As Im departing TX my friends have decided next fall to meet up in Missouri to deer hunt.
The ringleader is a big bow hunter but we will miss bow season due to conflicts.
He doesn?t particularly want to hunt with rifles because its ?too easy? so I was thinking pistols would be fun. This is the same group of guys I shoot USPSA with here as well so another reason pistols make sense.
All that said- whats a solid deer hunting pistol caliber?
Id prefer a gun I could use for other things so im thinking maybe something in 460 Rowland.
Educate me.
The ringleader is a big bow hunter but we will miss bow season due to conflicts.
He doesn?t particularly want to hunt with rifles because its ?too easy? so I was thinking pistols would be fun. This is the same group of guys I shoot USPSA with here as well so another reason pistols make sense.
All that said- whats a solid deer hunting pistol caliber?
Id prefer a gun I could use for other things so im thinking maybe something in 460 Rowland.
Educate me.
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Anything from .357 mag on up would work for deer. 0 -
I know some guys that use 357 sig and 10mm with good success that is on smaller SC whitetail what part of Mo are hunting 0 -
Like previously said 357 mag and up. Here in Iowa I believe that is the minimum. 44 mag seems like the standard...10mm is good for autos. Well placed 357 out of a 6" barrel should be adequate. 0 -
Lots of options in MO. Illinois here, lots of Ruger Super Blackhawks 44 mag. Same in Thompson Center, know a few guys who use them. Ruger Hunter model would be great with optics. Of course the 629 comes in play. 0 -
I've never taken a shot at a deer with a handgun, but I always carried a 357 Ruger Blackhawk in case I had an opportunity. 0 -
If I was buying a handgun for hunting it would be a 460S&W and I would scope it. 0 -
.41 Magnum. 0 -
I have a 460 Rowland conversion for my 1911, and I would definitely hunt deer with it and feel comfortable. Also as you probably already know, they do make a 460 Rowland conversion for some of the Glocks
Another conversion you can get for a 1911 is the .400 Corbon it's almost identical to a 10 mm, which is almost identical to the .357 Magnum. Which would make another good deer hunting caliber
That being said, I don't think I'd hunt with anything less than a firearm that has the ballistics of a 357 Magnum. In fact in Utah that would be the minimum ballistics that you can use. And it has to have a 4 inch barrel minimum. And I have Hunted with the .357 Magnum with a 4-inch Barrel in the past for deer and found it quite adequate on the 6 deers I have taken with it
So to answer your question, the .460 Rowland would be just fine for deer as long as it passes the minimum ballistics requirement in the state that you're hunting in
But keep in mind that you will have range limitations with a pistol of any caliber, and you should stay Within those limitations0 -
I have taken them with both .357 and .44 Mag pistols. No experience
with the 460 Rowland0 -
quote:Originally posted by NeoBlackdog
.41 Magnum.
+10 -
Dan Wesson .357 with 10 inch bbl. Handloads, 185 gr hard cast. Change barrels in 60 seconds if you want another length. Keep shots at 50 yards or less. Eastern Whitetail. 0 -
I took it that you were looking for semi pistol options the Coonan is aggreat pistol and a blast to shoot 0 -
quote:Originally posted by Ricci Wright
If I was buying a handgun for hunting it would be a 460S&W and I would scope it.
+10 -
He doesn?t particularly want to hunt with rifles because its ?too easy?
As far as a rifle making hunting "to easy", Mr. Bowhunter Snob wouldn't want to say that in most places.
In fact, "archery season" is open from Sept 15-January 15,2019 with the exception of Nov 10-21 so it's pretty hard to "miss bow season".
FWIW
You can hunt any of the MO firearms seasons with a handgun.
You might plan around the "Alternative Methods" season which is later than the regular firearms season but still allows shooting bucks (as opposed to the "antlerless season" which has recently been shortened to the point of being useless IMHO). You can hunt this season with a spear so even Mr. Big Bowhunter can be adequately challenged.0 -
Big plus for 41cal I use a TC contender super 14, single shot. So dues my 16 year old daughter. There is your challenge. Single shot only pistols [:D][:D][:D] 0 -
if you want a challenge, try black powder pistols 0 -
quote:Originally posted by hillbille
if you want a challenge, try black powder pistols
Smooth bore tower flintlocks [8D]0 -
I've shot them with a .41 mag Blackhawk, .44 mag Super Blackhawk, and Super RedHawk with equal success. 0 -
I used to hunt deer almost exclusively with a handgun.
My 2 favorites are:
S&W 629 Classic with a 6.5" Barrel and a Leupold 2x scope. I used a S&W 629 Mtn Revolver as "Back Up" and took many deer with it at 25-50 yds.
TC Contender in 35 Rem with a Burris 2x scope.
Both of these guns were 100% effective and worked well out to 150 yds on White Tail, Mule Deer, Antelope and one Cow Elk along with numerous other critters like Porcupines and a beaver.
I used handloads in both guns. I don't like a handgun scopes more powerful than 2x, they become too difficult to aim IMO. This was 20 years ago so if I was going to do it today for Whitetails under 250 pounds, I would go with:
Glock G40 Gen 4 MOS.
And I think I would shoot these out of it.0 -
A contender will give them any caliber/option they want. My dad only hunts with a handgun. His contender is always with him on a hunt. He has over thirty different calibers to choose from. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by NeoBlackdog
.41 Magnum.
+10 -
You do not need a "manglum" cartridge for deer. I have killed a deer with a mild .38 Special load. Granted, that deer walked right under my treestand - range five feet. But that 158 SWC at 800 fps went top to bottom and dropped him. I do NOT recommend the .38 Special as a deer round - just noting that "manglum" power isn't needed.
I have had a 250 SWC .45 Colt bullet at 950 fps pass through a whitetail lengthwise, chest to off hip.
I have killed mulies with the .30 Herrett and the 7-30 Waters from Contenders.
My revolver list includes the .357, .41 Special and Mag, .44 Special and Mag, and .45 Colt. Have never used a semi-auto. The single-shot list is even longer.0 -
Anything at the level of .357 Magnum or above will do just fine at reasonable ranges and proper shot placement.
In a TC I typically used a scoped 30 Herret up to about 150 to 200 yards with 14" barrel for white tail . For Black bear or white tail I used a open sighted 6" .357 magnum keeping it at about 50 yards max.
Several other caliber choices are just fine as long as you have proper energy levels and good shot placement at the ranges you will be shooting.0 -
I've killed deer with several handguns. 357mag, 41 mag, 44mag, 45colt, 454c, .270 that I can think of.
Could be a good excuse to get into an Encore platform. You can add barrels as you desire. Open sights or scoped.
My go to handgun is my ruger srh in 454 with 7 1/2" barrel open sights. With 250-260gr ammo it will produce about 1800fps. Shoots flatter than the .44mag or the .357. Can step up the pill size for a adventure in big bear country. Can also shoot 45 colt. I've killed several deer with it. Good all around big game revolver. It does have sharp recoil. When I practice with 250-260gr loads I usually run 2-3 cylinders through it and give myself a break. With heavier loads I usually give myself a little time between cylinders. Don't want to develop a flinch. With 45 colts you'll run out of ammo before you run out of fun.
If the quick recoil of the .454 is an issue Ruger makes the srh in .480 ruger. I haven't used this round but it looks to have all the power a man could need without the sharp recoil of the .454.0 -
Check the regs in the states you may hunt. In Indiana where I live the 10mm is legal but a 40s&w and .357sig wouldn't be due to case length. when I think of handgun hunting for deer I think of revolvers and single shot platforms. If you want a semi-auto set up that's out of my experience. My semi-auto experience is limited to mostly .22lr, .380acp, and 9mm. I've shot others, but other than a .25acp here and there that't about all I've owned. 0 -
quote:
If the quick recoil of the .454 is an issue Ruger makes the srh in .480 ruger. I haven't used this round but it looks to have all the power a man could need without the sharp recoil of the .454.
Iv taken hogs and a couple of deer with a redhawk I used to own
great round and I kick myself in the azz for ever selling it0 -
Look at the S&W 460. Great caliber out to 200+ yards, and you can also shoot 45 colt and 454 casull out of it. With a 200 grain bullet it has more energy at 300 yards as a 44 does at the muzzle.
http://www.northamericanwhitetail.com/editorial/smith-wesson-model-460xvr/263017#0 -
You'd need a .460 when deer start wearing ballistic vests. But not until then. 0 -
I've used .41 mag, .44mag, and my BFR in 45/70. The 45/70 is the one shot wonder in my book. I won't use any other handgun. 0 -
I've used a Ruger New Super Blackhawk 44 mag. topped off with a Leupold 2X for the Ill. Jan. hunt for MANY years now. Had it magna ported and trigger work done. Use 25 grns. of #296 powder, 300 grn. copper H.P. Hornady bullet with win. primer. DEADLY. Took 20+ deer with one shot. Only 1 misplaced shot but got her the next day. I set the lead out to the 2nd ring to accommodate the "fillings"[:)]. Whatever you decide-Practice and really become familiar and comfortable with the gun, makes all the difference in the world. 0
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