Handgun Hunting

[ShaunM]

I plan on handgun hunting this year so I went out done some tradin and picked me up a Ruger Super Blackhawk 44 mag. Kinda curious if anyone else handgun hunts with a 44 mag. If so what scope, round and etc. do you use? Since it doesn't have the slots for scope rings I've elected to have it drilled and tapped. I thought about the weaver no drill mount but too many mixed reviews. I ordered a Weigand scope mount base and I have a friend who can drill and tap the Ruger. I haven't done a whole lot of handgun hunting so I'm excited already for deer season. I will probably use the handgun pretty much the whole gun season, so any recommendations on setup will be appreciated.

[DaveS]

Shaun; excellent choice! I shoot .44 mag at deer in the way of open sights and a 240 grain jacket soft nose. It's awesome on deer and hog! You made a good decision on handguns!

 

Dave

[R_Bert]

I use a Super Redhawk in .44 Mag with open sights. 

 

You young guys might be able to use a pistol scope, but I sure can't. 

 

Last season, killed a deer at 80 yards.  Flipped it completely over end to end.  Plenty of power.

 

When deer hunting, I don't even carry a long gun any more.

 

B.

[TMF]

Shaun; excellent choice! I shoot .44 mag at deer in the way of open sights and a 240 grain jacket soft nose. It's awesome on deer and hog! You made a good decision on handguns!

 

Dave

 

I saw this thread and recalled one not too long ago where you had taken one down with a 1911 in .45 ACP.  Still think that is pretty badass.

[whiskey]

I hunted deer and hogs for years with a 5.5" Ruger Super Blackhawk and Hornady 300gr XTPs. Nothing wrong with the 240's, my gun just liked the 300's better. I used open sights, but I have used a pistol scope on a 7.5" Super Redhawk. Don't buy a scope until you have a chance to lay hands and eyes on it. The extended eye reliefe varies and can make a big difference. I also suggest staying at 1.5 or 2 power. 4 power is just too much.

[mike243]

I squirrel hunt some with a ruger 22 target pistol with a 4x & 4 power is way too much in the woods imo,great advice on looking at a bunch of different scopes before buying 1,buy once cry once lol

[R_Bert]

Maybe....a big red-dot.

I have thought about that. I did try a pistol scope and just could not get eye relief right.

[Sidinman]

I hunt with handguns also, got the .44 Mag. SBH, and a ,41 Mag. BH. The SBH has a 2x6x32 Prohunter, thats what was on it when I bought it, usually just use it at 2 to 2.5, and mine shoots the 240 gn, JHP pretty good. Longest kill with it has been about 70 yds. The .41 BH I shoot open sighted with 250 gn Cor Bons, Have killed deer with it also, I carried a .357 some last year but never shot at any with it.

 

I like the look on alot of peoples faces when you tell 'em you killed deer with a handgun. I think I've got a picture of the SBH, I'll see. Besides its alot easier to tote a handgun through the woods than it is a long gun.

 

Ok I found the picture, I guess I'm not smart enough this morning to move it will try again later. 

Edited July 4, 2013 by Sidinman

[DaveS]

I saw this thread and recalled one not too long ago where you had taken one down with a 1911 in .45 ACP.  Still think that is pretty badass.

Yes I did. Not my first choice of weapons though! Thanks for the complement! I was just looking at that mushroomed bullet yesterday thinking about that!

 

Dave

[DaveS]

What I like about handgun hunting is it gives you a little more flexibility in shooting positions. I.E: I'm right handed and if a deer walks up on my right side I can only turn so far in my tree stand to get the shot. I can turn a whole lot better with the pistol.

 

This year, I will be hunting all "black powder". Pistol and rifle both!

 

Dave

[Sidinman]

^{What I like about handgun hunting is it gives you a little more flexibility in shooting positions. I.E: I'm right handed and if a deer walks up on my right side I can only turn so far in my tree stand to get the shot. I can turn a whole lot better with the pistol.}

 

^{This year, I will be hunting all "black powder". Pistol and rifle both!}

 

^Dave

 

^{Dave I've got a 1858 revolver that Icarried a little last year but never got the chance to use it. I would very much like to change that this year.}

 

^{Don't know why this print so small.}

Edited July 4, 2013 by Sidinman

[Guest sbcman]

I hunt with a 629-5 using factory rear and a fiber optic front sight. I think you will find handgun hunting the most challenging of all platforms for taking deer. It's also very rewarding. Just my 2 cents, but I encourage folks wanting to handgun hunt to not get so hung up on gear and instead focus on practicing...a lot...at various distances and in various positions. If possible, get in some squirrel hunting with a handgun before deer season. This will put things into perspective. I put somewhere around 10k rounds down a revolver a year and still sometimes MISS deer- LOL! 

 

Enjoy!

 

ETA: Forgot to address the ammo question.

Just about any 44 round will take a deer down nicely. I try to stay in the 240gr range, normally with a semi-jacketed flat point. One round that my 629 does not like is the Hornady flex-tip stuff. Great in my Marlin 1894ss, just does not work for my revolver.  

Edited July 4, 2013 by sbcman

[DaveS]

. Edited July 4, 2013 by DaveS

[DaveS]

. Edited July 4, 2013 by DaveS

[frankmako]

back in the 80's i use to hunt with my remington xp-100 in 7mm-308 that had a aimpoint on top.  this was one of my match pistol that i took hunting.   hunting with a pistol has it own set of rules, but if you get into it you find that it is more fun that hunting with a rifle. 

[DaveS]

back in the 80's i use to hunt with my remington xp-100 in 7mm-308 that had a aimpoint on top.  this was one of my match pistol that i took hunting.   hunting with a pistol has it own set of rules, but if you get into it you find that it is more fun that hunting with a rifle.

I agree 100% on the rules. I used to have a T/C Contender when I was a Game Warden at Fort Benning that I used to deer hunt with. Some low life POS stole it from me! It was 35 Rem with a 14" Bullbarrel. I loved that gun!

Dave Edited July 4, 2013 by DaveS

[ShaunM]

I hunted deer and hogs for years with a 5.5" Ruger Super Blackhawk and Hornady 300gr XTPs. Nothing wrong with the 240's, my gun just liked the 300's better. I used open sights, but I have used a pistol scope on a 7.5" Super Redhawk. Don't buy a scope until you have a chance to lay hands and eyes on it. The extended eye reliefe varies and can make a big difference. I also suggest staying at 1.5 or 2 power. 4 power is just too much.

I have looked at several different scopes. I agree 4 power is to much. I'm really thinking hard about using a red dot of some sort. I'm gonna keep the MOA dot to 2 or 1. I'm not going to shoot over 100 yards and most of my shots are 60 to 70 yards anyway. As far as loads go not sure yet what I'm gonna use. I have been eye balling Buffalo bores deer grenade. Thanks for the info everyone.

[roverboy]

Have any of you ever had problems with expansion? I talked to a guy a few years ago that used a Ruger SBH on deer and had killed 4 or 5 and said he got no expansion at all. He used Rem. 240 gr. ( don't know if it was JHP or what) .

[KahrMan]

I have hunted with several types of pistols.  My favorites being a contender in 30-30 and Ruger Super Blackhawk in .44 mag.  In both cases I used a Leupold 2x scope.  Seemed to work well for me.  I also used a walking stick with a v notch at the top.  I carried both in a bandoleer holster across my chest.  I loved being able to walk thru the woods with my hand free.

[Romad7]

I have no experience with hunting animals but I do know that most people hunt from stands.  Is that the same with you handgun hunters?  Or do you move around more?  I have done both when hunting Taliban but thats a little different:-)

 

When I get settled somewhere I would like to do a little hunting just to hone my "man skills" and put some meat on the table.  Handgun hunting sounds very interesting.

[KahrMan]

I tended to still hunt a lot more when hunting with a pistol.  I guess because the effective range is smaller for a pistol I felt that I needed to cover more territory.

[R_Bert]

My habits do not vary with pistol or rifle.  I move around a bit, but mostly traverse from stand to stand.

 

The one I killed last fall with pistol was while walking, but I move painfully slow in the woods.

[whiskey]

Shaun, I have a Burris FastFire III that has a 3MOA dot. I think it is as small as I would want to go. Since the brightness is adjustable, it stays true to the 3MOA size. I love the Burris, it's small and sturdy. You could probably mount it with a Marlin 336 base on the flat top strap.

[roverboy]

I've killed 2 deer with my .357.  I've been shooting some 180 gr. hard cast flat point gassed checked bullets. I loaded them with 13.5 gr. 2400 and CCI 500 primers. I've not killed anything yet with them though.

[ShaunM]

Got my Weigand base in today. Having my buddy drill and tap the receiver this week. Guess I need to figure out an optic.