Which hunting handgun?

[HHI 812]

Looking for a hunting handgun for up here in Alaska? I could go with a single shot or I could go with like a 454 up to a 500? Would a high velocity bottleneck work better than a big bore revolver? Not really looking to hunt a griz, and looking more at hunting moose, caribou, black bear, deer etc, but griz are always out there. Which one would you choose? Thanks for any advise,
Dennis

[superdown]

I would go with something easy to find at most stores first and foremost . That would probably be a 44mag a well placed shot is what counts most over power . I don't mean to be presumptuous but it sounds like you may have limited experience with handguns I may be wrong but if you want a hunting arm as opposed to a defense weapon two totally different things . But if i were handgun hunting in Grizzly country i would take a back up of some sort more than likely a Friend with something for stopping a charge hypothetically. superdown

[HHI 812]

I want to hunt with a handgun, but definitely would not go alone. Buddy hunted with a bow with no guns, and shot a deer. While he was waiting for his deer to go down, momma bear suddenly appeared, and took down his deer, for her two cubs. He waited quietly in the bush till he could safely leave. Talk about a scary moment!

[Graybeard]

I don't mean to be presumptuous but it sounds like you may have limited experience with handguns I may be wrong

Boy are you ever wrong on that assumption. I think Dennis is just yanking someone's chain here. Note that user name? HHI means Handgun Hunters International. Note his member number 812? Mine's a bit over 5000 and I've been a member perhaps ten years or longer. Dennis likely joined the first year.

[Cheesehead]

 

Is this another poll?

Cheese

[Glanceblamm]

Is this another poll?

Cheese

Naww, I do think that we get to hear more Bear storys though. 

[Catfish]

Dennis,
   I would love to live up there with you, but didn`t get momma up there until after she had grandkids down here. Anyway, since we cannot hunt deer with center fire rifles here in Oh., so I have carried a handgun for alot of years, most of the time a .44 mag. and that would be enough for anything, except the grizz. Since I just love to shoot handgun I do have several includeing 2 -.454`s and a .500. If I were in grizz country i would carry the .500 loaded with some of Ranger Rick`s 700 gn. bullets, just call me chicken.

[corbanzo]

The 454 or 500 are good choices for most of all of the animals around AK.  The only one you mentioned that I would look for range in is the caribou, but with the right load in a .454 you can take some pretty long range shots. 

A .454 is what I usually have with me, and I would say that it is a comfortable gun for all of those animals, including grizzlies.  Now the .44 is a good hunting handgun, but I don't think it has the range for caribou.  So for all around... the .460 or the .454 would be the choice.  Now the .500 loaded correctly can still have a pretty good trajectory...  but the smaller 45 caliber still has the advantage in my eyes. 

For the moose you are going to want something with some knockdown power, so smaller high velocity necked cartridge aren't the best for them.  But you can get fairly close to moose at times, usually much more so than caribou, especially with their difference in prefered terrain. 

You could also look at the BFR in 45-70. 


And if this tries to turn into another griz stopper forum, which is not the topic as usual, we are gonna have some problems.

[superdown]

I think your right about him yanking someones chain . It does seem like an odd question for a person with that level of knowledge . superdown

[HHI 812]

No not a poll, or yanking someones chain. Have played with different handguns, but haven't handgun hunted for quite a while. Not that I don't love the sport, but some family issues put my handgun hunting on hold, along with getting laid off. Lot of the hunting up here is far from town, and often flights to the bush can cost more than a ticket to Europe. Since I haven't used any of my wages for my gun hobby since the mid-80's, I have to sell/trade what I have, to get something new. Was just looking for some opinions on what folks would choose if they were up here in Alaska. Was just hoping to get some help on my next choice. Sorry to yank anyones chain. You can delete this post. Don't want to start anything. Thanks,
Dennis

[CBM]

Well .......... I don't have a clue. But I just went through this and tried my best to sift through all the information. I wanted a .500 but then the .460 caught my eye...........but then decided on a .308 for a good nock down power/less recoiling round than the other mentioned !!

I would like to know this information as well..............even though I have already made a decision !!

I  may be wrong........but it "appeared" to me that a rifle cartridge in one of these TC pistols is more powerful and kicks less than the .500's and ./460's ! But some states only allow straight walled cartridges ............so the .500-.460's and such are powerful choices for those states !!Like I said.........I may wrong !!

[superdown]

  Their shouldn't be any reason to delete this thread just a misunderstanding . Let us know do you plan on hunting fairly close or father out and do you want to scope the handgun or do you prefer open sights ? Have you been looking at any handguns lately ? superdown

[kennisondan]

My lost brother dennis : I doubt anyone is going to delete your posting.. yanking chain even by accident is a wonderful jest or a good way to gather opinions that others may deny you thinkng you already know more than they do... whatever... fair question...
heck as you know I have not gone there, but I think a lot and love this stuff so :
if I considered the single shot as a way to use a really big but long range rig, it would be the 460 sw mag in an encore or ssk rig for the following reasons : shoots other loads than 460, 454, 45 colt for cheap versatility and lite loads that do not wear on your brass, etc. and the 45 and 454 can probably be found as easily as anything else except 44 mag.. (same idea for a 445 super mag, 44mag, 44 special barrel encore rig.) no doubt you could choose the rifle loading of your choice for the caribou, moose, griz-possibility gun : 416 rigby, the huge ssk/custom rounds sizable enough wildcats to do the job; 358 winchester would probably do it, but I would check it out closer as it is 308 bunched out to 358 with heavy bullets of 220 250 and a little heavier if you want them; as stated if you wanted a six gun the 45 family listed above and the 500s would be my choice...Perhaps the 500would be the perfect six gun.. bfr in that or if you want easily found and cross over to the little guide guns, a 45 70 if u want the longer cylinder...any of those would be my uninitiated choice for packin for hunting up there where the stuff is bigger... I would at least consider though that the main event would be hunting and thus the range of the shots hunting would figure into the decision: so some weight would go into the single shots with compensated heavy rifle calibers for effectiveness... it is hard for me to say it but the rifle rounds have a lot of power over the straight walled pistol rounds in range and power period.. such is my opinion : pay me for it later... LOL
dk

[Graybeard]

As stated no need to delete. I just knew you as an old time handgunner of great experience and thought it strange someone with your experience level would feel a need for input on the matter. I seem to recall you being one of three of us selected by Lee to do a pre production review of their then new .476" 400 grain mould.

While I've never hunted Alaska and due to my health and finances don't see any chance I ever will but if I were a gun so chambered would strike me as about ideal. The .480 Ruger is thes kinda gun I'd want if I were using a revolver for the big bad stuff using cast bullets of 420-430 grains. For the smaller stuff a .44 Magnum, .454 Casull or even the .480 shooting lighter bullets would do just fine. I'm sure I could use the .44 magnum, a heavy loaded .45 Colt, the .454 Casull or the .480 Ruger or if you prefer the .475 Linebaugh for any and all game I'd try to take with a revolver.

The .358 JDJ or .375 JDJ would be logical choices for a TC Contender and if you go Encore the sky is about the limit there or your recoil tolerance. Both of those however are a bit beyond my tolerance these days I've found.

If I lived in Alaska as you do and hunted there regularly I think I'd go with a packable big bore revolver and a rifle both. I'd use the revolver when I was able to get into range and when not use the rifle. In fact that's kinda what I've gravitated to here in Bama as well.

[jhalcott]

  Considering that a 6 to 8" revolver is a lot easier to holster than a 14" TC and the multiple shot capability of the .44 mag revolver,this would be HIGH on my list. For a long range LARGE game gun I  would consider an Encore in .308 or 30-06 with a 2x7or 8 power scope.
 I might even get one of EACH. Put the Encore in a Quiethide holster and the revolver in a hip or cross draw holster. I'd be ready for most any thing I ran into. I have done this when I was staying in the fields all weekend hunting ground hog and culling crop damaging deer. I have revlovers in .22RF up thru .44mag. The number of T/c barrels I have is above 12 right now. Some are true varmint calibers and some HURT me when I shoot them.  There are some calibers you can get that make the 30-06 seem like a rimfire. It really depends on YOUR preferrences and abilities.. Can you afford $13.00 a pop for cases? !00 bucks for a set of dies? Then an encore chambered for a 470 nitro MIGHT be for you.(I'm not even certain it could be made!) I was in Maine one year on a deer/bear hunt. My ammo (30-o6) and I got separated at the airport.?? I had to go to 5 stores to find a box to hunt with. If I had taken another rifle I would have had to borrow the guides 30-30 to hunt with! Murphy's law I guess! The bullets for the .44 are much better than they were 10 years ago. There is also the .480 Ruger. It is a great medium range round .

[onesonek]

Looking for a hunting handgun for up here in Alaska? I could go with a single shot or I could go with like a 454 up to a 500? Would a high velocity bottleneck work better than a big bore revolver? Not really looking to hunt a griz, and looking more at hunting moose, caribou, black bear, deer etc, but griz are always out there. Which one would you choose? Thanks for any advise,
Dennis

My first choice in that country, even though I wasn't planning on bears, would be a TC Encore chambered in 45-70 (with backup in bear territory), Although it might not be the best for slightly longer ranges that could be encountered with caribou. So something in a bottleneck .30 cal. - .375 might be better in some respects.
In a revolver, I'm not sure what direction I would go, but would consider the .460, still with backup.
I'm just not big fan of most straight walled pistol bullets out there, for big tough animals such as moose. Not saying they can't and haven't done the job. Just I prefer deeper penetrating bullets available to the bottlenecks, even if they are smaller in diameter. Although, a heavy hardcast is certainly another option, in the pistol rounds, even in the oldies but goodies, 41 and 44 mag.

Then again, I would relish the thought of going up there for moose and use the .300JNKR I'm having built on the Encore platform. I wouldn't feel overly under gunned using a 180gr. TSX, should a big bear encounter become an issue.
Really I think there alot of options that will work. For the most part, go with whatever you feel most comfortable with, and shoot the best with. Then it's just a matter of using a proper bullet for the job and putting it where it needs to go.
No different than anything else really, just range is affected.
Just my thoughts 

Dave

[Questor]

HHI812:

I would get a big bore revolver in 454. The reason is your proximity to dangerous game. For that, I prefer a repeater. The reason for the 454 specifically is that there are good guns chambered for it that do not weigh as much or are as massive as the big S&Ws. An FA or short cylinder BFR are still compact enough to retain the handling quality of a handgun. I like the 454 because it's got better bullet selection than the 44 magnum for larger animals you may need to stop. I also believe the extra energy of the 454 is significant, although some may argue the point. I would look at 300 grain bullets, or perhaps bullets up to 320 grains.

I am also sensitive to the needs of a quality gun that can handle wet weather. This makes me leery of the Taurus Raging Bull because I don't trust their quality and durability. But don't take my word for it, just find out what's hot in Alaska and go with the brands that have withstood the test of time there.

Bottom line: I would use a repeater, and would train myself to the limits of the repeater, which means shots out to about 100 yards. Optics would be a Leupold 2x handgun scope because I trust its durability and good functioning. Again, those crafty Alaskans may have found a better option because reliable function in the rain is a big issue there.

I like the 460 S&W cartridge, but the guns that S&W makes for it are too big for me, even the shorter barrelled models.

[EdK]

I think your right about him yanking someones chain . It does seem like an odd question for a person with that level of knowledge . superdown

Yeah, who ten posts back had an custom SSK 30-40 Krag Contender barrel for sale in the classified? 

No worries, we're just yanking back on that chain 

[countryrebel]

I would go with a 44mag and a 12 guage loaded with slugs.I cannot hit the broad side with a 454 but I am pretty good with the 44 and will take accuracy over power any day.

[S.B.]

Might I suggest you ask this questiion on the Hunting Alaska forum? Those guys live and hunt there.

[Graybeard]

Dennis also lives and hunts there.