How does deer hunting with a revolver compare to a shotgun?

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
 
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....
 
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.
 
Shotgun vs revolver

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.
 
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!!!
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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
 
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.
 
ladder13 said:
The best advantage, to me, is walking around with both hands free.
Click to expand...

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.
 
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.
 
Deer guns

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.
 
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