For hunting deer, will 4" be sufficient, given adequate shot placement or is 5-6 mandatory?

Thanks!

Should be fine. I used a 5 inch 629 but like I said, the 4 inch will be fine. Regardless of barrel length, just know your own limitations.

I've shot deer successfully with Colt government model 45acp (5")

Your 4" is fine.

If you can hit it, you'll do OK.

P.S. You could do as well with a 44 special.

Don't get wound up about the velocity tables.

Make a big hole at 900-1100 fps.

But first hit the deer!

My back up is a 629-8 in 4". I personally would not use the 44 Mag past 30-40 yards. To paraphrase Mr. Harry Callahan, "Ya gotta know your limitations". That's mine with a 44, close.

30-40 yards is about all we get in Wisconsin generally, and I'm comfy in that.

My concern is less the hitting and more the 'will this hit hard enough.'

I don't know if you have time to work up any loads between now and then.
Or what ammo you intend on using.
If you haven't already, try one of the LBT bullets with the wide (.340) meplat.
I use 18 gr. of 240 under the 260 gr. version (gas check).
Most accurate load I have ever used and reliable deep wound channel.
In "Big Bore Revolvers" there are many stories of instant death on very
large animals using these type bullets at 1300 and well below fps.

Your 4" will be fine. Just practice a bunch till you can hit a 6" target without much thought.
This will tell you what range is your limit. Mine is about the same as with the shotgun slugs that are
our other choice around here; maybe 40 yards.

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Nemo

I have used my 4" 629 since 1996 with out difficulty. I have found that 240 XTP's work extremely well after having less success with Rem, win,IMI, PMC all in 240 gr. Those were shot at 33-34 yds and all ran 40 -95 yds, all had heart lung shots. Since switching to XTP's they either fall, or a step or two and drop. My old eyes limit me to 50 yds with open sights on live targets, though I do use them on silhouette and steel out to 100 yds. I had factory sights replaced with Meprolight night sights on the 629, and 57 both 4". Plenty of energy for sub 50 yds on deer. Be Safe,

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I BACK OUR BLUE

Yeah, it will.

Will a .44 Magnum hit hard enough?

Well.... I killed this buck with a bow and arrow.





If you do your job and put the bullet where it needs to go, your 4" .44 Magnum won't let you down.

If you are buying just for hunting 8 3/8" if you own already then your fine. More to do with sight radius then bullet speed but the 8 is faster.

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A republic if you can keep it

Have taken several deer with handguns, but all long tubes, 8 or 10", .357's,.44 mags, and a couple with TC Contenders. Out to 125 yards with a scope sighted gun.

I have taken deer with 8 3/8", 6", 4", and even one 2", .44 Mag. handguns. All have more than adequate power, if that is your concern, although as noted a longer sight radius is an aiming advantage.

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Pisgah

I have hunted deer since the 60's ( archery, Muzzleloaders, handguns, rifles, shotgun)....I have harvested several with the 44 mag.....I hunt with a 8 3/8" M-29 & 7.5 Superblackhawk with 240 gr JHP's driven by 20 gr of 2400 ( my old ISHMA steel sil load).....I have also harvested several deer with my M-28 with a 6" bl with my cast 160 SWC over 15 gr of 2400.....I have a lot of trigger time with the 4" 29's and with the proper load, proper marksmanship, and attention to keeping your shots within a sane distance, your 4" will put meat on the table.
Good shooting.

Glad I found this thread. I have been thinking about using my 5" 629 for deer but have been concerned about whether it is enough gun. I know the 240gr bullet packs a punch but I didn't know if a 5" barrel would get enough velocity on the bullet to produce ethical wound channels. Nice to hear others experiences. I do hunt with a 44MAG levergun (16" barrel) and it does a dandy job on deer with a 200gr Nosler JHP over 21.3gr of 2400. Might try that same load in my 629 or move up to the 240 JHP or LSWC.

First of all make sure your state will allow a 4" for hunting, some mandate longer barrels be used. Anything that can be killed with a .44 magnum can be killed with a 4" barrel. I use to hunt with an 8 3/8" Model 29 but simply got tired of lugging the long barrel around, it was hard to carry in a shoulder holster, it just never seemed to balance well for me so I now hunt with my 4" Model 29 or my 4 5/8" Super Blackhawk. Both are MUCH EASIER to carry, both balance well and are good shooters. I use 240 gr. hollow points or a hard cast semiwadcutter.

16" in a Winchester 94 carbine.

I believe that Elmer Keith took more than a few with a 4" .44 magnum.
Being a mere mortal, I took my only buck ever with my 8-3/8" 29-2.
Running shot, about 40 yards.

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-jwk-
US Army '72-'95

I use my Ruger Super Blackhawk with a 10 1/2" barrel for mule deer and elk. Check your state laws, some require a minimum of a 6" barrel for hunting.

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U.S. Navy - U.S. Army, ret

I have taken about as many deer with a S&W 1917 and a 1911, both in .45 ACP, as I have with a .44 Magnum. ANY .44 Mag, out of any platform that can deliver the shot to the target, is more than sufficient.

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Pisgah

Georgia law used to require a minimum barrel length of 6" on handguns for deer. It was funny to me that 158gr bullets at 1250fps from a 6" .357 was legal but 240gr bullets at the same speed from a 4" .44 was not. That restriction is not listed in the current GA hunting regulations, so maybe logic has won a small victory.

4" is plenty as long as your marksmanship is adequate for the range you hunt at.
Far too many people get hung up on velocity. The truth is, velocity alone doesn't kill. A good bullet of decent weight at adequate speed, placed in the right place is what kills.

A 240 grain or heavier cast bullet is hard to slow when it hits something, especially a s soft animal like a deer. I've punched 200 gr swc's from my 1911 45 ACP clean through deer broadside cutting ribs on both sides. A proper 44 mag load will be much more of the same.

And in which state is hunting with a 2" barrel legal??

Michigan for one. There is no legal minimum bbl for handgun hunting. Case length min's and max's, and caliber yes.

Nice...never knew there were states that allowed such short barrel lengths.

Per Alabama's regulations, deer may be hunted with "Handguns or pistols using centerfire, mushrooming ammunition".

In Georgia: "Modern Rifles and Handguns: .22-cal. or larger centerfire with expanding bullets."

Barrel length is not restricted.

-Mark

There are people posting here about using less gun to ward off charging bears. With a 4" .44 Mag. shot placement, not power is the issue. Use a full power 240 grain or heavier bullet and hit a vital area of the deer and it will go down.

SC. Heck, here any centerfire is legal, including .25 ACP, and there is no barrel length restriction. I've taken one deer with a S&W Model 10 snub and a .38 +P 125 gr. sjhp load. It is no trick if you A) get close and, B) put it were it needs to go.

Needless to say, maybe, I have always hunted in a whitetail-rich environment where a hunter with patience can get very close to a deer; but, after 47 years of hunting, killing 200+ deer, I laugh out loud at some of the things written about what it takes to kill a deer quickly, cleanly and humanely.

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Pisgah

Four inches will certainly work, but personally, I'd be more comfortable with 8 3/8" for its longer and more precise sighting radius and the increased velocity. I once owned a 4" Model 29, but the recoil, muzzle flash and short SR turned me off. I traded it quite soon after I got it. The ones I own now are 6, 6.5, and 8 3/8". Different strokes. If you are comfortable and practiced with your four-incher, great!

John

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- Cogito, ergo armatus sum -

Well...I don't like this thread at all. Not one bit.

I have a 4" Mountain Gun and a 5" 629...I've always told myself the MG was for walking around the woods, backpacking, etc. and I "needed" the 5" for hunting. Y'all are disabusing me of that notion and may cost me a gun!

Min length in Arkansas is 4" and my 4" Mountain Gun in 44 Magnum works just fine...

Edmo

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TRUTH: Don't delete my posts!

Which have you actually hunted with?

There is nothing magical about barrel length when it come to actually killing deer. It is the ability of the handgun deer hunter to hit a vital spot with whatever handgun bbl length is chosen that is the important factor, as others have said. I have killed many deer with bbls that range from 4", which is a minimum in Washington state, to 7-1/2". I prefer 4" bbls due to the ease of carry, and my velocity is a mere 1050fps with a 260g hollow point cast boolit.

Elmer Keith mostly liked his 4 inch. It seemed to do fine for him. Check laws and regs to make sure there is not some limit on barrel length of handgun used for hunting.

I've taken many of Missouri whitetail with a S&W 29 with a 6 & 1/2" barrel. Best balance in the business.

Steve

As mentioned earlier, check your state laws. Here in Ohio we have a minimum bbl length of 5 inchs. Good luck to you.

Look it up on the Web. Wisconsin requires minimum 5.5" barrel length for handgun hunting deer. Your 4" question is mute.

I prefer the longer barrels for deer hunting. I have taken all of my deer with either a Model 29 (8 3/8" barrel) or my Ruger Red Hawk (7½" barrel). Both are scope mounted. My sure range was 125 yards with a full house 250 gr Keith. However, my longest shot on a deer was 85 yards. My "bragging" shot on a deer was 10 yards (I am really proud of the sneak and kill).

A full house .44 Magnum will shoot clear through a large whitetail deer end to end (I have done it twice). A 4" properly loaded will give you adequate power but is more difficult to hit with than a longer barrel if you are using iron sights. Just simply a matter of sight radius...

My home state is Ohio so I am limited to a minimum of 5".





FWIW
Dale53

Copied and pasted from the Wisconsin DNR deer hunting regs:

"To be legal for deer hunting, handguns must use center-fire cartridges of .22 caliber
or larger and have a 5½" minimum barrel length measured from the firing pin to the
muzzle with the action closed."

My 4" 629 easily qualifies under this reg. Goes around 5.75"
I have only shot deer with my 7.5" Redhawk as it is the most accurate revolver I have.
At one time I was actually better with the Beretta 12 ga O/U than with any handgun. It
turned out to be regulated (accidentally) to 75 yards. My eyes were better back then.

I can remember when the .357 was the minimum handgun cartridge for deer here.

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Nemo

Been proven over and over. Any Keith SWC at 1000 fps will completely pass through a whitetail deer. Doesn't take magnums.
Steve

Look it up on the Web. A question is not mute, that's someone who can not talk, a question, or a point is moot.

It's not the barrel length that does the killing, it's putting the right bullet into the right spot.

kid44, doesn't everyone already know that??? OP was asking for advice to use for his purpose.
Steve

That being said he should use whatever barrel length he likes the best and he can shoot well while still following his state's regulations.

In Missouri any centerfire expanding bullet is legal whether fired from a pistol, revolver or rifle. IMO Missouri has one of the best conservation departments in the country. If they think a .25 auto is capable to take a deer it must be so.

A short story:
When I was a small lad in the 1940s my Dad and I were visiting my Uncle at the same time he was killing and butchering 2 cows he had raised. I asked him how he killed them. "A .22 he replied". A .22 killing a 1000 lb animal seemed impossible to me. I asked "how many times did you have to shoot him?" He raised one finger. In utter disbelief I asked "Where did you shoot him". With the same finger he pointed to his forehead.

Bullet placement is key