In the county i live in you can use either a pistol or a shotgun to hunt deer, you can't use a rifle. Anyways ive always used a 870 12GA for hunting, thats what most people around here use, anyways i was talking with a guy lastnight that just took down a nice 8pt and he uses a .44 mag with a scope and says he been hunting with a revolver for years.

Anyways ive never actually even though of doing that but it sounds fun, i was kinda curious how much damage a .44 does compare to a 12GA Slug and how accurate it is.

I've used both, an 870 12 gauge and a 44 mag revolver. With the revolver it reminded me of hunting with a bow. The kill range is much closer compared to the shotgun. But, the revolver is certainly lighter to carry around all day. It's a personal choice I believe. If one can accurately shoot a revolver, it should work fine. Many are having good success with a suitable size/caliber handgun.

Here in Iowa Rifles are not allowed either. I have been using an old 41 mag blackhawk and love the challenge. I don't have a scope, just open sights.

It's fun !

Rick

so a shotgun is more accurate and a lot easier to kill with?

my view too. that said, I usually use a shotgun or a muzzleloader.

Not more accurate, and a quick kill depends on where you hit.
I can shoot 4" groups all day at 100yds with a scoped handgun.

However, it depends mostly on the shooter, and the distance you can hit a paper plate first shot, every time, is the max distance you should hunt deer.

There is a piece of Federal land nearby that only allows shotguns or handguns, and in the right hands they both produce deer. In the wrong hands, you see things like the 40# fawn that was finally dead after 4 shotgun slugs in the guts.

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Science plus Art

44 magnum seems to be a strangely perfect caliber for the job. it does not damage meat like slugs or rifle bullets yet still seems rather willing to devastate vitals.
you may find your hunting methods need a change though.
You will need to develop some stalking skills to get in a little closer and pick your shots a bit more stringently.

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it just needs more voltage

I think I'd be looking for a Thompson Center Contender in a .35 Remington.

If you can hit it with a hand gun you can hit it with a shotgun.

Given the choice, I prefer a handgun. It was long popular in the South to deer hunt with shotguns and buckshot. Accurate sabot slugs and rifled barrels didn't exist in those days, so shotguns were short range. Big scoped revolvers offered an advantage. Plus, I didn't like hearing all that buckshot whizzing through the woods.

These days a scoped rifled barrel shogtun has some advantages of distance and power, and requires less practice effort to be good with. If you expect longer stationary shots, a scoped single shot pistol like a T/C Contender will have some advantages. In thick cover, or moderately close in shots, a revolver is my choice for easy carrying and is plenty effective. If you practice enough with it to be good enough with it.

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" I said, good DAY! "

On paper the energy of a 12 ga. slug overwhelms the hottest 44 magnum. And, modern slug and sabot rounds have come a long way in the accuracy department. There were no slug barrels with rifling and few scoped shotguns were seen when I first started deer hunting 35 years ago. All that has changed and a modern shotgun with modern ammo is a formidable 100 yard+ combination, if the person behind the gun knows what they are doing.

However, in my experience - in the woods I hunt - 50 yard shots are the average - or less. I've taken many deer with both shotgun and 6-1/2" 29-2 and really enjoy the challenge of the handgun not to mention the sheer convenience of having my hands free when walking the woods or the ability to shoot nearly a 180 degree arc without repositioning. It seems to never fail with a long gun - the deer seem to show up on the opposite side that your gun is positioned requiring you to re-position. How many tails have I seen running off when I've tried to do that?

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Tony

Looks like me and VADG were thinking the same thing at the same time. Sir, you must be a genius!

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Tony

Pretty amazing! Yep, we got it figured out! That business of having to fire around the wrong side of the tree is exactly right!

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" I said, good DAY! "

A scoped shotgun with a rifled barrel will reach out 100-150 yards with ease. A good scoped revolver will reach nearly that far. If your shots are inside 100 yards, a smoothbore shotgun with iron sights will likely kill all the deer you'll ever see.


Okie John

Best of both worlds: S&W 460XVR Scoped, a legitimate 200yd gun, with devastating knockdown power.

Shotgun shooting slugs is a area that has by-passed me. When I was a kid in wisconsin in our county you had to use slugs. That was in the 1950s. I shot maybe a half dozzen deer with them. The higher advanced rifled barrels and sabots etc came later after I left home. I do recall about 125 yards being about as far that we would or should try shots. I flat dont like scopes on a handgun. I do have a very old TC with a scope that is lost in the bottom of the safe somewhere. I know some people are into say 500s with glass etc, also some might have a freedom arms and shoot enough to be good enough with them. But for the rest of us unwashed, I belive the average guy is better off with a shotgun. I have shot just one deer with a handgun, and it was a unlikely shot of oppertunity that I tried. The gun was a 4" colt trooper in .357 and was handier at that moment.
To each his own, I guess.

i use a scoped 500 mag.from the performance center...so far it has taken several boars...a trophy class merino ram and trophy class 4-horn ram...they will certainly get the job done...

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SWCA#2208
KK4EMO

I use both a SBH with a Leupold/Gilmour red dot out to 50 yards or a Browning Gold Deer Hunter and a Nikon scope with sabots for shots further.
I've had several one shot kills with both and both stop them right there although I do pick my shots.

I've found the handgun kills much more satisfying though.

You don't have to be nearly as good a hunter with a shotgun as you do with a bow or a revolver. You can swing a shotgun on running deer pretty fast and still be accurate--pretty hard to do with a revolver. You just can't acquire the sight picture quickly enough.

Gave up shotguns years ago--have shot lots of deer with a T/C .357 Max w/ 14" barrel w/ Muzzle Tamer and a T/C 2 1/2-7X scope.. All deer were stalked and taken while standing--none ran more than 20 yards before dropping.

If you're into hunting--use a handgun or a bow--if you're a meat hunter stay with the shotgun. JMHO

Steve

I'll stick to my mossy 500 12ga. Anything inside of 100 yrds flops over dead on the first shot...you never have to track them more than a few feet.

Here in the Ozark Mtn. area, the average shot taken to kill deer is 30 yards. I have had good luck with a .357 magnum using 158 grain Hornady JHP's. You just have to be patient to get that nice shot. I usually go out a couple weeks before season to get an idea where I will be set up. This year I was sitting about 10 yards from a place that three different deer paths crossed. Worked out well. I don't trust myself to make a killing shot at more than 25 or 30 yards.
Peace,
gordon

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better have that checked

Here in Illinois for years all we could use was a shotgun or muzzle loader. I believe it was in 2005 that the great gov Blago. signed a law that would let us use a handgun, has to be at least .38 cal and have a straight wall cartridge. Min barrel has to be 4" and has to be single shot or revolver. I have always loved shooting handguns and own several.....The first year I used a Colt Anaconda 44 mag, killed a nice buck at 80 yards with a single shot......well I was hooked, sold my slug gun bought one of the first PC 460 mags with a 10 1/2" barrel. I am 5 for 5 with the 460 all killed with one shot from 40 yards to 175 yards. This year I took a nice 8 point buck on Friday morning with my 460 at 60 yards then that evening I took a nice doe at 30 yards with my 44 mag. I believe using a handgun is a heck of a lot more fun than a shotgun, and if shot placement is good there is NO tracking. I can't say enough great things about my 460 as a long range deer gun, Smith really hit this one out of the park when they made the 460.....AWSOME....

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millbilly

To me, a handgun is 8 inches or so, and less. When you start getting into Contenders,and others, with 12 and 14 or more inch barrels, that's like carrying a rifle. Takes the handgun out of handgun, imo. Not to say that it's easy with a long barrelled gun.

I have hunted a lot of deer with a handgun and it has been a real thrill. After killing several with a 44 Mag I decided to try my 41 Mag Classic Hunter.

In my opinion on whitetail the 41 Mag was more efficient caliber. It usually puts the deer down faster and I shoot it well.

I use open sights and was hunting out of a treestand in PA.

Have fun and enjoy a new challange.

Wow, that's some shot, Pa to NM .... how much was the bullet drop?

Ive shot numerous Whitetails with a . 44 handgun and the deer didnt know if it was a shotgun or handgun. You'll also appreciate the ability to holster your gun when dragging out the deer. This year I shot a 7 pointer at 52 yards and the deer fell where it stood. Shot placement is king.

My slug gun "kills at both ends," is very accurate out to 100+ yards . . . but it can sometimes blow a hole in a deer the size of a small grapefruit. Very fun to hunt with. HOWEVER . . . a 300 gr. flatnose hardcast bullet plants 'em quickly and doesn't waste meat!!!

I'm almost entirely a handgun hunter these days. I'm completely comfortable shooting my Model 29 (topped with a Holosight) out as far as I can get a humane shot in the southern woods I hunt.

I've taken a lot of deer with this rig through the years, and have had really satisfying results. If I go in the morning I'll be toting the .44.

Here are my last two . . . both taken with shots right through the heart. Humane, intensely satisfying . . . and you save virtually all the meat too! . . .

BTW, I'd NEVER have taken this first one with my rifle. It was moving through the area fast, checking scrapes and was passing to my side pretty fast. I love the Holosight at times like this!!!

I've tagged 5 different deer with my .44 mag. The shots ranged from about 60 yds to almost 90, and none stood completely still. Never having tried with a shotgun, I don't really know what the range limits are, but I'll bet 90 yds is awful close to outside limit. I'm guessing you mean slugs, which I have to think have more range than buckshot. My point is that if you can become skilled enough with a handgun to hit a tin can from 25 yds more often than not you might try for deer with it. My .44s were usually 225 to 240-grain bullets, which penetrated through the entire deer (mulies weighing up to 225 lbs) without wasting much meat. They all dropped within a few paces. Remember, this was because of well placed shots--I'm sure a gut shot deer would take as much work to relocate as any rifle gut shot. If you can get a high powered handgun, and get skilled with it I do recommend it for hunting. Plus, once the deer is down there's a whole lot less to bring back than with a shotgun. Holster it and drag out with 2 hands.

i have been using my scoped 500 mag.to hunt with...i have taken several boars,a merino ram,4-horn ram,and mouflon ram so far...lots of fun...i'll try bear with it this fall

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SWCA#2208
KK4EMO

I've killed a number of mule deer and antelope with .44 Magnums at distances from 20 yds. to 120 yds. Some handguns were scoped and one was a 4" iron-sighted Model 629. No animal took more than one shot and none traveled more than about 10 feet. Most dropped where they stood, and it always seemed to me that the .44 was at least as effective as the .30-30 Win out to 100 yds. or so. I suppose a scoped 870 with a rifled barrel might do as well though it would be much harder to carry. If I had to choose between a smoothbore 870 with slugs and the .44 S&W, I'd take the revolver every time.

The best advantage, to me, is walking around with both hands free.

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Sure you did

Amen to that!

I've been hunting exclusively with handguns for over 10 years now. I've killed more Whitetails with a Super Blackhawk 44 mag than anything and now use a 4" 686 with great success.

It's very much like bow hunting -- Without all that bow and arrow stuff to deal with.

BTW - I'm color blind - I cannot track a blood trail because the blood and grass are the same color - So the deer HAS to fall down very soon after being shot.
Shot placement (as always) is everything! If you don't have the angle then pass - Be a sportsman and make clean kills or pass on that deer that time.

I guess you can gut shoot a deer with your slug or 500 magnum and it will die eventually but that isn't even close to being a *sportsman* is about. And, I believe, that's what deer hunting is about for most of us.

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In dog years I'm dead.

See my posting here:

Deer Hunting revolver.

i have taken a number of deer with .357's and .44 mag handguns. Never had one get away yet. That being said,carefull shot placement, and not taking any bad shots.
Most taken with a Dan Wesson .44 mag 10' barrel with a Nikon scope. Longest shot 125 yards, broke the spine on a 8 pointer with a neck shot.
Shot another 6 pointer square in the back end, 240 grain slug ended up in the chest cavity with a huge wound channel, he dropped like a ton of bricks.

There is no handicap using 41 mag or bigger handgun. I remember when pistol season came to Ohio. Every Tom Dick
and Harry ( who had watched Dirty Harry) was running out to
by magnum handgun. Most of these guys had very little
experiance with handguns let alone magnums. They thought gun
would kill the deer by it'self. Bought most of them back before
the next season. Deer ain't Cape buffalo, fairly easy to kill with
a decent hit. Still hunting is what most handgun hunters do
around here. 50 yds is average shot. I find it quick to get on a
jumped deer at close range with handgun. I have shot more than
my share of deer, the last one I shot was with m-25/ 45Colt/83/8
Shot it at 15-20 yds on the jump. DOA. I carry gun in hand.