Handgun hunters!

[Vanilla Gorilla]

What are you hunting with this year?

I set up the blind and feeder today, and wore my 625-2 while doing it. Given the ranges I'll be hunting at, I probably won't even bring a long gun, and will probably just try to put a 230 grain Ranger T through a buck this year. Due to our tight hunting quarters, the extreme outside of my range is going to be 30 yards...a chip shot for any S&W revolver.

And because everybody loves pics:

 

[Sven]

I went out Wed. and carried my Ruger Super Redhawk .44 mag in a Blackhawk chest holster. Loaded with 300 gr LBT WLN hardcast handloaded to 1300 fps. Topped with a B&L 2X scope. It's also had a really sweet trigger job by my local gunsmith.

Didn't see nothin'.

 

[SAFireman]

S&W model 58 in 41 Magnum with a Marlin 1894FG as primary.

 

[derek45auto]

I used to hunt midwestern whitetails with a 5" 45ACP 625

I worked up a load using 45SUPER data, taking a 230gr. speer Gold-Dot to 1150fps with POWER PISTOL.

It worked very well.

I also tried some of my carry ammo, winchester Ranger 230gr +P

It did a wonderful job.

the Full-moon-clips make it easy and quiet to load and unload, even in the dark.

Years later, I traded it off for something else, thinking I can always find another.
5" ones are hard to find.

 

[ACP230]

I used to use a Thompson Center Contender in .357 Maximum.
If I was to handgun hunt deer today I'd use my M657 with the eight and
three eighths inch barrel.

May not hunt at all this year due to piles of snow everywhere, and some
health problems flaring up.

 

[alwslate]

The 45 acp is not a legal handgun round for deer here. If I can go with
a hand gun it will be one of my 44 magnums, probably my three screw
Ruger Super Blackhawk or S&W 629. My back problems rule out
climbing trees right now. I hope I can get out to hunt from the ground
this year and it will be with my Ruger 77/44 rifle if I do.

 

[Shootbrownelk]

I'll use my S&W mountain gun in .41 magnum. Or my tried & true Ruger 7 1/2" SRH, I've taken 3 cow elk with it so far. But it's heavy. This year the .41 will go along. I have self imposed limits on distance, under 50 yds. for the .41.

 

[Double-O-Dave]

I moved to Austin, TX around 1985 to attend graduate school and never left. I decided to try to handgun hunting for deer that fall and was lucky enough to acquire a S&W Model 686-3 with a 2.0X Leupold scope. The pistol is amazingly accurate - it's not uncommon to fire 2 holed 3 shot groups, and clover-leafed 3 shot groups are pretty easy to fire (all from a rest).

I went to a local shooting range one day to hone my skills, and ensure I had a good zero on my pistol. The range had a 100 yd. long range with target banks every 25 yds. out to 100 yds. I was shooting clay pigeons on the 50 yd. bank (off-hand) and doing a pretty good job hitting them. Suddenly, out of the corner of my eye, I saw movement, and to my shock, it was two guys casually walking down range with targets they were going to hang past where I was shooting. I immediately benched my piece and called "check fire". I then asked the two guys why they didn't tell me they wanted to go downrange as I would have stopped shooting. Their response was: "looks like you know what you're doing". I left the range to those guys - in case they didn't know what they were doing, and never did go hunting with the 686. That might change this season as my son has now developed a taste for hunting.

We have a whitetail (doe) hunt scheduled next month, and we might try shooting feral hogs as well.

Derek - you know there are still people who say you can't hunt (kill) deer with a .45ACP. As I often tell my son, firearms used to kill humans in war are generally successful against other medium sized animals like deer.

Regards,

Dave

 

[Maddog 521]

In the past I carried a Ruger Blackhawk .41 mag while deer hunting. I harvested 2 one year, both were about 50 yards out. Good luck on your hunt this year.

 

[Old Corp]

Try to hunt with a different handgun every year. Last year it was a M58 .41 mag., and only got one small buck with it.
This year I'm using a 1965-shipped M27-2 5" .357. No good opportunities have been presented yet. Just small stuff, and I'm looking for either a big doe or sizeable buck.

 

[Rpg]

The first deer I shot with a handgun was with a Ruger Blackhawk in 357. Ten years later, I used a M29.

Since then, I've carried a Colt 1911 and killed deer with it in Texas and here in Colorado.

The 1911 is more pleasant to carry than the large revolvers and has worked fine for me.

 

[David LaPell]

Hunting with the only handgun I have left that I can shoot well with my injury and can do what I want it to do, and that's my OM Blackhawk. I just came back in a few minutes ago with it from the woods. Right now my load of choice for whitetails is a 158 grain Speer Deep Curl with 14.0 grains of 2400. Fast and accurate and hope that a buck walks in front of it this year.

Here it is with some playing cards I whacked with it at 50 yards earlier this year.

 

[S&W ucla]

Well, I'll be out next Saturday sitting near my dirt patches (normally they are green but this year we are terribly dry, rain forcast for Monday, heard that one before!) Going to try again with a 357 Registered Magnum. I shoot American Eagle 158JSP, seems to work well.

 

[EllDee]

Use my Smith N frame .41 Mag. Has a 2X Leupold on it. Mag-Na-Port did some work on it for me years ago.

I generally shoot at 100 yards at the range, never had to shoot more than about 40 yards in the field. Works great, easy to carry in a cross draw chest holster. For many years I hunted the wooded hills of south central Iowa. Those of you who know, know what walking those hills will do to a guy.

 

[rbrbrb6]

Only got to go antelope hunting this year but used the 414 Supermag.


The gun wore a Leupold 4X scope in a Lovell mount.

 

[tomtheturner]

I can't hunt this year, but back when I was able to hunt every year I used a Contender with a .357 Herrett barrel, or a 629-1 6". I carried them both most of the time. The Contender with a red dot came in very handy for long shots that I didn't feel comfortable taking with the revolver, and iron sights.

 

[tacreload]

My go to for deer season.

 

[Double-O-Dave]

My go to for deer season.

Man, that is a nice set up! I have neither the need, nor desire to shoot a .44 Magnum...but I'd be stretching the truth if I didn't admit I would be tempted to try yours.

Regards,

Dave

 

[Double-O-Dave]

The first deer I shot with a handgun was with a Ruger Blackhawk in 357. Ten years later, I used a M29.

Since then, I've carried a Colt 1911 and killed deer with it in Texas and here in Colorado.

The 1911 is more pleasant to carry than the large revolvers and has worked fine for me.

Hi RPG:

Just curious, but what .45ACP load do you like for deer hunting?

Regards,

Dave

 

[Kid44]

Only got to go antelope hunting this year but used the 414 Supermag.


The gun wore a Leupold 4X scope in a Lovell mount.

Is that a Gary Reeder gun?