If you're anything like I was when I first took interest in pistol hunting, a 22 won't seem like a good choice. All I could think of was getting a 357 or 44mag so I could start deer hunting. I didn't put much stock in the "practice with a 22" idea. When I was 15 years old, my grandfather bought me my first pistol.....a 22lr/22mag Single Six. Although I refused to show it, I was disappointed. I did shoot it occasionally, and even entertained the idea of using the 22mag for deer hunting. (poor judgment because of a lack of patience).
I bought my first “real pistol” from a rod-and-gun club in Germany when I was 19. It was a target model 686, and it was exactly what I wanted for a first gun. I shot that gun A LOT with both 38 and 357. When I finally returned from Germany, I was comfortable enough with my 357 and thought I should move up to a 44 mag. Probably 1/3 of the deer I’ve killed in the past 10 years have been with that 44. Not a single one has fallen to my 357.
My point….. if you start with a 22, you’ll probably shoot a few boxes through it, but always wonder if you could have started with a 38/357. If you DO start hunting with a pistol, you’ll probably also end up with a 44mag or larger (contender, encore etc). I suggest you start with a gun you can eventually deer hunt with. A 38 from a decent revolver (357mag) with a 6” barrel is VERY manageable. The ammo is also fairly cheap in bulk. When you’re ready to move up, drop some 357 in, and your ready to hunt.
To my grandfather’s credit, I probably put more 22 rounds down range than any other in the past couple of years. They are fun to shoot, and are definitely handy in improving your skills.
