Handgun for Whitetail... *** Update in post 65 ***

[chud333]

I started out hunting whitetail here in Indiana with a TC Encore with 14" barrel chambered in .357 maximum. A devastating round and capable out to 125-150 yards with a handgun scope. Got a buddy who shoots one also and we've taken several deer on his farm with ours. A model 29 also sounds like a good choice as well as a Ruger Redhawk/Super Redhawk in .44 mag.
We have about the same restrictions here in Indiana as you have as far as hunting with handguns. I'd prefer to not go smaller than .44mag energy wise. Have fun and good luck.

Chuck

 

[pacecars]

I am using a 6 inch barreled Model 25-5 converted for moon clips by Pinnacle Custom Firearms. I will be shooting 300 gr flat point bullets at 900 - 1000 fps in .45 Colt and a 230 gr JHP in .460 Rowland this deer season

 

[tkdguy]

357 with 160-180 gr

If you are a love of 357 consider the heaver bullets put out by Buffalo Bore or Double Tap. If you have a need for 44 in Calif., then, that would be a way to go. I personally like the scoped 44's. Good luck.

 

[kudzu3]

I believe you will do well to stick with the .44 magnum. The gun should be the one you like, be it S&W, Ruger or whatever. Don't choose your hunting firearm because someone else likes it, pick the one you like.

 

[Magnumdood]

Grim Reaper

I ordered my Grim Reaper from Gary Reeder last week. It'll have a 6" barrel and will be chambered in the S&W 500 Magnum. It should be delivered right on time for the Illinois Handgun season. If not I have a Performance Center 500 Magnum with a 6.5" barrel. I have an Aimpoint CompM4 I plan to mount on the one I use. Both of those revolvers are honest 200 yard smack down weapons.

 

[Magnumdood]

Beautiful

Been taking this out for the past few years. 454 Casull.

Beautiful weapon...

 

[Dale53]

Here's my choice for hunting in Ohio for deer:

Note that this is a Model 29 with 8 3/8" barrel. When I bought this revolver, they were in very short supply. I asked my local gun store for the first one in with either a 6" (nominal) or 8" barrel. As it so happened it was an 8 3/8" barreled revolver. In those days you couldn't by a mount for a handgun so I bought a blank Kimber scope base along with Kimber rings and had a precision machine shop mount the scope to my specs (also had two buddies revolvers set up the same at the same time). I have taken several deer with this outfit (Burris scope with a big dot in 2x power). I have fired in the neighborhood of 10,000 rounds with this combination with full .44 Magnum loads and my cast bullets. It will keep most rounds on a playing card at 100 yards off the bench. My longest shot was at 85 yards and my shortest was at 10 yards.

I carry the outfit across the chest in a Bianchi Hush System holster outfit. It has been MOST satisfactory in every way.

Dale53

 

[Mule88]

Dale 53, I like the way you scoped your gun, nice set up. I hunt Ross county and some of my guns have red dots and some I use iron sights.

 

[Stainz]

Several years in a row, as summer waned, I would add the Weigand rail and Weaver H2 2 x 28mm scope to my 6" 629-6, along with some .500 Magnum Hogue monogrips. But - I never got the combo a holster - or myself a hunting license. Back to iron sights as winter arrived - and plinker status. Still, it was a great combo - for my mature eyes and time-worn wrist.

I originally bought the 6" 629 to replace my similar sized Heritage 24 as a .44 Special launcher. I prefer it gripped in wood with it's OEM sights as a plinker, but the scope sure helps my 50yd accuracy.

Stainz

 

[jcelect]

Ohio Deer

This is what you can do with a 29-3 Silhouette and 240gr hand loads!
That's 2 Silhouettes, 2 guys , and 2 days!

They are form Eastern Ohio.

This is my Silhouette with a red dot(old eyes in the woods) and a see thru base for the long shot, the front sight set at 200yds for the longest shot in the open fields!
jcelect

 

[Dale53]

Mule88;
Thanks for the kind words. I had seen a picture of a Wilson scope set up and liked it. I wanted it to look as nice as possible and REALLY wanted the scope mounted between sights. Further, it was important to me to be able to remove the scope in bad weather, if necessary and have the iron sights zeroed. Everything worked as planned. However, I have never removed it since it was mounted.

Some complain that they "can't find the hole" with a handgun scope. If you stick to the lower powers (I prefer two power or a red dot) and simply practice mounting the revolver you'll find it becomes automatic.

I have three handguns mounted with scopes for Ohio deer hunting. My second gun is a Ruger Red Hawk that I used for bad weather hunting (stainless, doncha know >)). The built in Ruger mounts work very well, also:

I have taken several deer with both the Smith 29 and the Ruger Red Hawk.

Recently I acquired a nice Performance Center 629 Light Hunter. It has a unique scope mounting system that works extremely well. A cut out is made in the rib with the mount base fitting inside the cut out. This gives a very positive recoil lug - no scope moving from recoil in that set up:

That is an Ultra Dot Red Dot sight on it.

All three of these scoped revolvers have something in common - the scope or red dot is mounted between the sights for best two handed balance and I believe the scope is safer from possibly damaging bumps when mounted in this way. Further, all three of them have the capability of removing the scope with the iron sights zeroed if necessary.


Dale53

 

[DDDWho]

In my state a .357 is the minimum handgun cartridge for deer.

 

[BlackSky]

I have a line on a 29-3 with 8 3/8" barrel local to me. How would I go about mounting a scope or red dot on this without damaging the gun?

 

[ultratec00]

I typically carry both. The TC 7-30 for 50-200 yards and my 629 PC 44 mag open sights for anything up to 50. They both have their purposes.

While my first choice in a hunting revolver is my 5" 629-4 Classic DX, my first choice in a hunting handgun is my 14" T/C Contender in 7-30 Waters, a .30-30 case necked down to .284" (7mm).

Ed

 

[XxKnivesNGunsxX]

I've hunted with what some may call blasphemy on here but what i call a damn hearty rig. I've killed 3 deer with my Ruger super redhawk 7.5 inch barrel and 2x leupold. All but one were very clean kills. The first two dropped where they stood. The other ran about 150 yards and collapsed in a multi floral rose bush(ohioans know the damn things) and required a finishing shot. This year however i intend on hunting with a model 500, anyone know any good loads for white tails with the 500.

 

[ultratec00]

I just picked one of these up last year as a birthday gift to myself and am very happy with it. Haven't had time to work up new loads yet, but plan on using the scope mount when shooting for group. It shoots quite well with open sights and the 180 gr JHP Sierra reloads I used for my 629 6.5" Classic. This will remain open sights as my quick reaction and brush firearm.

I believe Iowa has the same straight wall case restriction for handguns. Instead of my 7X30 Waters, I'd use my 375 Winchester barrel and the 200 gr sierra flat nose.

Recently I acquired a nice Performance Center 629 Light Hunter. It has a unique scope mounting system that works extremely well. A cut out is made in the rib with the mount base fitting inside the cut out. This gives a very positive recoil lug - no scope moving from recoil in that set up:

Dale53

 

[Jayhawkhuntclub]

I've taken my last two with handguns. Lots of good choices. A 357 is fine if you know how to shoot and pick the right projectile. My recommendation would be a Ruger Super Blackhawk Hunter in either 41 mag, 44 mag or 45 Colt. Handgun scopes aren't really like rifle scopes. They don't help much in low light. In fact a red dot is better in low light.

 

[AUTigerBlender]

My personal favorite is the 629-1 Classic Hunter 6" Full lugged Barrel.

 

[RYNO]

I took a doe a couple years ago with this revolver and iron sights. I've since added a Jpoint sight and love it. Unbelievable how much of a better shot that sight made me!
610-3

A couple months back after a friend and I finished turkey hunting we did some plinking at a steel pig about 10-12" long. My friend had only shot my revolver a couple times before and usually couldn't hit paper from 15yds, he was smacking that pig target at 40yds, off hand. I've only streched out to 50yds so far but feel pretty good at that distance. If I'm shooting deer much beyond that I'll use my rifle. Now the two coyotes that stood at 80yds that morning while I was fumbling for the gun I'd like another chance at...

I like that I can punch paper or shoot steel targets with cheap .40 ammo then shoot some Buffalo bore 10mm when hunting season rolls around.

 

[Kilibreaux]

The Model 500 of course!
Sure you can drop whitetails with a .357 - though it's marginal even at max. And you can certainly drop them with the .44 Mag standard loadings. But you can also drop them at longer range, more efficiently using a M500 with 6.5" barrel and spitzer style bullet such as the Barnes 325 grain HP copper. With a reasonable load of just 1800 fps you can sight in dead on at precisely 16 yards and be no more than 2" high, nor 2" low to 145 yards with an impact slap of about 1400 lb-ft at 145 yards!
Sorry to state the obvious but exactly WHY would anyone choose to carry something "lesser?"