Author Topic: 44 cal handgun for whitetail...Which gun? (Read 1453 times)

WNY_Whitetailer · « **on:** August 04, 2004, 07:49:33 AM »

I have selected a few hand guns that I would like to purchase for hunting whitetail in NY State.

The deerslayer · « **Reply #1 on:** August 04, 2004, 08:27:35 AM »

I would take the one you can shoot the best and feels the best for you. One thing I like about revolvers is multiple shots. I would not get the contender because the 44 mag can take anything in north america using the right bullets at the right range.

palgeno · « **Reply #2 on:** August 04, 2004, 08:31:11 AM »

I do not own a super redhawk, but I do own your other two choices. That said, all will work well.---however, hunting with a revolver is very different than hunting with a T/C. --I use open sights on my Bisley Hunter --for closer in shooting---and scopes on the T/C's---for greater ranges. Yes, being able to change barrels results in versatility and opens new horizons.(Can you resist buying another 20 or so other caliber barrels?) :shock: My not so humble advice is to buy the T/C and then also buy the revolver which fits your hand the best . :wink: pg

Catfish · « **Reply #3 on:** August 04, 2004, 02:17:52 PM »

I`ve killed alot of deer over the years with a handgun. I have 3 - .44 mag. revolvers and several different barrels in different handgun cal. for thr Encore and Contender frames. I`ve also got a Ruger Red Hawk and a Taurus Rageing Bull both in .454. For the price and quality the Ruger Super Back Hawk is probibly the best all around handgun on the market for deer. I never scope a revolver that I will carry while walking or driveing deer. It takes to long to find yoru target in a handgun scope and when the target is moveing it will cost you alot of other wise good shots. I do like to use a scoped Encore in .357 max. for hunting from a stand, and ambush shooting. The Super Red Hawks come with scope mounts and you can go eather way with them, but I much prefer the single action revolvers when useing iron sights and the Encore or Contender for scoped handguns. If you go with an Encore I can tell you barrels over 10 in. are harder to shoot off handed and if your useing a rest the extra velosity from the 14 in. barrels is worth the extra weight you have to carry around. My Encore barrel for deer hunting is a Bullberry in .357 max. and is .15 in. long. It shoots sub-moa groups and is good past 200 yrds. What ever you get shoot it alot. With handguns you need alot more practice than you do with a rifle.

WD45 · « **Reply #4 on:** August 05, 2004, 12:59:33 AM »

If we have to vote on one then I'll vote.... SBH with a 7 1/2 inch barrel.
Long enough for good sight picture and short enough not to be to much of a pain to carry without using fancy bandolier shoulder straps bungee cords and counterballance weights

Redhawk1 · « **Reply #5 on:** August 05, 2004, 01:18:07 AM »

I have the Super Redhawk and Redhawk in 44MAG, I also have a Contender and an Encore in 44MAG. For deer hunting I would first take either my Encore or my Contender. It is OK to have more than one 44MAG. :-D But if I had to chose one it would be the Encore.

bigbore442001 · « **Reply #6 on:** August 05, 2004, 03:06:32 AM »

Whitetailer:

I would look at what type of deer hunting you do in western NY state. Do you walk the creek bottoms and woodlots? Then the revolvers would be the way to go.

Do you hunt mostly out of a treestand? Then I would go with the TC.

What would be a neat system would be to get the Ruger SBH hunter and put an Aimpoint on it. You would have a good 100 yard deer gun, if you practice a lot.

WNY_Whitetailer · « **Reply #7 on:** August 05, 2004, 07:09:00 AM »

This is my dilemma...I hunt both ways...I stand hunt during the early gun season and then as the season wears on I like to move more. I think my first purchase will be the SBH. I might put a 2x Burris scope on it or I may even try out the Aimpoint...I guess It also depends on my treestand placement...Sometimes I do not have a shot over 50 yards from my stand...Making the SBH a perfect gun for the job. Although the Encore does call my name too...I guess I will eventually end up owning all of them. I was just looking to narrow the field for this season...Now if that darn permit would come in the mail...

Questor · « **Reply #8 on:** August 05, 2004, 08:08:42 AM »

WNY_Whitetailer:

Those will all work fine. In the Contender you really need Pachmayr grips and foreend to tame the recoil, and that adds considerably to the cost (about $80, I think.) It really seems to come down to which one you personally like better. They each have a different geometry and feel to them, and getting something you like will encourage you to shoot enough to get the familiarity and practice you need to to be a good handgun hunting shooter.

The next question is what scope you want to use because scopes are so practical I doubt you will want to be without one in the long run. I recommend the Leupold 2x for its lightness, toughness, and suitability for deer hunting with a 44.

S.S. · « **Reply #9 on:** August 05, 2004, 08:14:28 AM »

JUST MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE!!!!!
(don't want to step on any toes)
I do not really like the feel of the TC handguns.
They just don't seem to have a natural "Hold and point"
in my hands. I have a S&W Model 29-2 and a Ruger SBH
in .44 mag. and neither have ever let me down. I have a
Dan Wesson Model 14 in .357 Mag. with an 8 inch barrel
that actually goes hunting with me more than my .44s.
It carries "PLENTY of MEDICINE" for Whitetail without
Biting me too severly. My new Hog Gun is a Short Barrel
Ruger Vaguero in .45 Colt. with a bird head grip.
These are really nice handling guns and I would recommend
trying one before you make a purchase.

WNY_Whitetailer · « **Reply #10 on:** August 05, 2004, 10:55:05 AM »

I was looking at a Burris 2x scope...

TopGun · « **Reply #11 on:** August 05, 2004, 03:56:36 PM »

The bad points are that I like all of them you have listed.

The other bad point is that I have one of each and many other .44 in S&W and Dan Wesson.

The only good point is that they are all mine. :-) Another bad point is that it's tough to choose which one to hunt with.

The bad point is that I have tough time choosing and sometimes carry a TC and a revolver, or a revolver and a scoped revolver.

So much for keepin the weight down! Actually I like my S&W 629 Classic 6 1/2" PP with a 2x Leupold best of all.

Topgun!

TennesseeNuc · « **Reply #12 on:** August 05, 2004, 09:14:42 PM »

whitetailer,
The SBH Bisley Hunter + Burris 2X would be my choice. That combination would be hard to beat, hunting under either of your conditions.
Best,
TnNuc

WNY_Whitetailer · « **Reply #13 on:** August 06, 2004, 03:24:00 AM »

TennesseeNuc...That is the road that I am actually heading down...At least that is what I think? Oh boy am I confused :?

Gregory · « **Reply #14 on:** August 06, 2004, 07:09:07 AM »

Quote from: WNY_Whitetailer

TennesseeNuc...That is the road that I am actually heading down...At least that is what I think? Oh boy am I confused :?

You made a good choice for a gun, although I'm a TC Contender fan. A 2X scope is ideal for a 44 Mag. I'm partial to the Nikon, I find it brighter than the Leupold, but either is a fine choice. Only Burris I have is the 2-7X so can't comment on the Burris 2X.

RollTide · « **Reply #15 on:** August 06, 2004, 11:48:21 AM »

Get the best of both worlds, buy a Dan Wesson. You have multiple shots AND you can change barrels. The DW is probably more accurate than any other 44 revolver and you can change from an iron sighted 6" barrel to a scoped 8" barrel in a couple minutes depending on your situation (not to mention 4" and 10" options if you desire.)

The Rugers and TC's are excellent guns and you will not go wrong with any of the choices you mentioned for hunting whitetails. You can even reload relatively fast with the TC once you are used to it. HOWEVER, if the gun will also have to serve as protection against black bears, the double action revolver is the hands down best choice in whatever brand you like best. That is another reason I like the Dan Wessons. I can walk in or stalk hunt with a shorter iron sighted barrel for quick reaction shots and then switch to the longer scoped barrel (from my daypack) for stand hunting and extend the effective range quite a lot.

Roll Tide

trldad · « **Reply #16 on:** August 07, 2004, 03:52:46 AM »

WNY Whitetailer
What a delima to be in. :grin:
I am a southern NY hunter
I have the SBH 44mag iron sights
TC encore 7mm-08 12" barrel 3 X 9 TCscope
waiting to pick up my new SBH Bisley Hunter going to put a 2 X Burris on it.
If you have a oppurtunity to take deer at longer ranges the 7mm-08 is awesome. 21/2"-3" groups at 200yds using a rest. :biggun:
Great for the shotgun only country.
Good choices one and all.

Mawgie · « **Reply #17 on:** August 08, 2004, 06:21:45 AM »

I travelled down the same road as you are on recently, and already have a TC Encore with a 20 gauge rifled slug barrel and a Leupold 1-4x (deadly accurate with the Winchester Supreme slugs). I hunt out of a treestand most of the time (Central Upstate NY), and wanted a handgun.

I bought the Ruger Super Blackhawk Bisley Hunter in .44 Mag ($500 or so new, if you shop), and originally had a red dot on it. I ended up not caring for the red dot as the lack of magnification, at least for me, made longer shots difficult, and I am use to telescopic sights.

I replaced the red dot with a mint condition, used Nikon 1.5-4.5x scope I got on ebay, and am very, very happy with the combination. Many don't like the lok of a scoped handgun, but I think mine looks awesome: stainless gun, silver scope. More importantly, it is much more accurate than I can shoot it right now.

You might consider the gun I have to start, then add a TC Encore with a 7-30 Waters barrel, or some light rifle caliber that will let you truly reach out and touch past 100 yards, should you have that kind of range in your hunting grounds.

Best of luck to you.

Redhawk1 · « **Reply #18 on:** August 08, 2004, 08:24:03 AM »

Quote from: Questor

WNY_Whitetailer:

Those will all work fine. In the Contender you really need Pachmayr grips and foreend to tame the recoil, and that adds considerably to the cost (about $80, I think.) It really seems to come down to which one you personally like better. They each have a different geometry and feel to them, and getting something you like will encourage you to shoot enough to get the familiarity and practice you need to to be a good handgun hunting shooter.

The next question is what scope you want to use because scopes are so practical I doubt you will want to be without one in the long run. I recommend the Leupold 2x for its lightness, toughness, and suitability for deer hunting with a 44.

The recoil of a 44MAG in a Contender is not bad at all. You do not need Pachmayr grips to tame recoil. I shoot both a 44MAG and the 444MArlin and use wooden grips. :grin:

WNY_Whitetailer · « **Reply #19 on:** August 10, 2004, 08:13:21 AM »

I've been reading posts out there saying that the SBH in 44mag kicks like a mule. There are others that say the SBH Bisley Hunter in 44mag will handle recoil better because of the Bisley grip. Is this true? Am I in for a suprise when I shoot that SBH Bisley Hunter for the first time?

RCL · « **Reply #20 on:** August 10, 2004, 03:24:48 PM »

WNY, my opinion, FWIW.

If you have your heart set on the SuperBlackhawk, don't scope it. They feel much better in the hand unscoped.
To me, the Bisley gripframe does handle recoil better, but the SuperBlackhawk dragoon style frame isn't bad either. Depends what you like.
I myself don't like handguns with an "over the barrel" scope mount (such as the Bisley Hunter model). To me it makes them muzzle heavy and clumsy feeling.
If you want a scoped handgun, the Super Redhawk is the way to go. The scope sits back over the gun, giving it better balance, especially in the long barreled model. The one I shot (my brother's) is very accurate with the right load.
I've never shot an Encore, but I did have a T/C Contender .44 Mag, 10" barrel. It was the most vicious handgun I've ever shot, worse than my Freedom Arms .454 Casull.
Again, my opinions only.

Sending you an e-mail with some more info.