Asking for one of my buddy's about handgun hunting???

[1911crazy]

He is bugging me about what handgun to purchase for hunting for deer??? He wants a handgun caliber to go accurately out to 100yds.  I suggested a few but he told me to also ask in a gun shop when i visit.  I made a suggestion of course but he seems still in doubt. Before this he was telling me he wanted a S&W 500 before he shot my 44mag redhawk's.  He's not used to shooting handguns nor the magnum calibers so this maybe a tough call. It seemed to me he didn't like the recoil on the stout rounds in my 44mag. He's new to handguns, we all were once.  He has a lot of practicing ahead of him. We can hunt here on private land with revolvers and single shot handguns, no auto's.

Requirements;  

1. Scoped
2. Able to shoot 100yds accurately.
3. He doesn't know it yet but it has to be comfortable for him to hold and shoot it.

Here's what i suggested so far;

1. Ruger super redhawk w/scope in 454casull/45colt w/9 1/2" barrel in dull stainless.

I suggested this one because of the 45colt round for deer sized game and the larger 454casull round for maybe bear hunting down the road.  I think its a very good option to have the use of both calibers. Plus it needs to have good knock down power at 100yds too.

What else can you guys suggest?  Thanks, CZY

[Hit or Miss]

Do either of you reload?  That really simplifies things as you'll be able to download practice rounds.

Super Blackhawk Hunter, .44 mag, he could shoot .44 special loads in it for practice.
I used to have a Super Redhawk in .44 with a scope, crazy accurate.  I once shot a doe at a lazered 234 yards with one, very solid rest, and a witness too!

There is always the Contender route also, lots of choices there!

I like your idea with the .454 too.  I'm a .45 guy at heart!

[Catfish]

How much has he shot a handgun??? Shooting a scoped handgun is a lot harder than shooting one with iron sights when you don`t have much time to get on your target. My longest kill with iron was abt 135 yrds. and I did kill one abt. 175 yrds with a scoped handgun, but I started shooting squirrels with a scoped handgun in the late 1960`s. I do agree the the SRH is a good choice, but doubt that he will want to shoot many .454`s through it because of the recoil. If he does have his mid set on a scope I would recomand a 2X Leupold because more power will only hurt his abilty to find the target. AND, if he is new to handgunning tell him not to hunt with it untill he has put at least 1,000 round through it.

[Mohawk]

Good point, Catfish. Experience with the handgun means a lot. What game is he after?

[Tom W.]

Or maybe an Encore in 7mm-08 with a decent scope

[Lloyd Smale]

another vote for the blackhawk hunter or a super redhawk in 44 mag.

[Junior1942]

My vote goes to him shooting 50 hunting rounds through whatever pistol he's thinking about buying.  Saying you can handle magnum handgun recoil and actually doing it are two different things.

I couldn't take but a couple of rounds of 310 gr @ 1100 fps through my 3 lbs 2.8 oz 44 mag SBH.  I lowered it to 1000 fps for manageability.  Same with my 10" octagon T-C in 357 mag reamed for a longer/heavier bullet. A 190 gr bullet @ 1700 fps from that 2 lbs 8.8 oz pistol could break a wrist.  I lowered it to 1400 fps.

[Grumulkin]

For best 100 yard accuracy, if it's legal, go for a bottlenecked cartridge in a T/C Encore.  For the recoil shy for deer, I'd suggest 22-250, 243 Win. or 7mm/08.

[huntswithdogs]

Going out on limb here, but I'd tell him to buy a good 22 first. Learn to shoot it, then graduate to a larger calibered one.
The 45/454 idea is great if you reload. You can load some stuff that'll hardly move that big ole Ruger. You can load some others that'll REALLY get his attention!

Another thing to consider(which I didn't when I got my first centerfire revolver) is the noise these things put out! I don't have a problem with recoil but the BLAST! is what started getting to me. A good set of muffs and possiblely plugs are good to start with.

HWD

[irold]

If he's "new" to handguns , I HONESTLY think he should go to a small caliber first.  I shot a handgun for years before taking the plunge at actually hunting.  Then it was a lot longer till I put a scope on a handgun.  Sounds to me as though he needs a lot of shooting before he goes out and wounds a bunch of deer.  A good 22 would be a starting point.  OMHO

regards , irold

[Glanceblamm]

AND, if he is new to handgunning tell him not to hunt with it untill he has put at least 1,000 round through it.

With this being an excellent time of year to get started as he can achieve this easily.

[shot1]

I would also suggest a good 22 like a Ruger MkIII to learn how to shoot a pistol. Then I would go with a Contender 14" barrel in 30-30 Winchester if he does not reload. If he reloads I would go with the 30-30AI. I have a 14" 30-30AI and with 125 gr Nosler ballistic tips with a 2" high at 100 yards zero it is on the money at 200 yards. I am getting 2670 fps with the 125 BT and it just hammers deer. The best thing about the single shot is it makes you a much better shot. You only got one shot so you better make it count.

If he just has to have a revolver I like the idea of the 454 Casull and using 45 Colt cowboy ammo to learn to shoot it and then stepping up to the heaver loads for serious shooting of game.

The name of the game for handgun hunting is Practice, Practice, Practice and when you think you are getting good start doing some 50 and 100 yard dashes and then do some shooting to see how accurate you are. The dashes will get your heart rate up to the level many people experience when their game animal of choice shows up.  

[kynardsj]

I agree with the rest of the guys. Practice with a 22 handgun then graduate up to a hunting caliber. Starting out with a 500 mag is a bad idea unless someone is looking for a used one cause he is gonna sell it. 500 mags can be a handfull even for experienced shooters. I second the motion of a 454 casull revolver like a Super Redhawk so he can practice with 45 LC loads and it's easy to scope later on. Also the idea of a 30-30 Contender or 243 or 7mm08 Encore. And if either of you reload check out my post about "The Load" by C E Harris. I'm shooting very accurate 308's with no more recoil than a 357 mag. Good luck to your friend on his choice.

[Mohawk]

You may also ask him to join GB's. I think we have all learned here.

[countryrebel]

No 500S&W or 454. I suggest a ruger gp100 in 357mag or ruger super redhawk in 44mag. He can practice with special loads in either and then work his way up. The gp100 is more than capable of taking any deer. The super can be scoped easy enough and both will work at 100 yards.

[Redhawk1]

Nothing wrong with the 454 Casull, seeing how the 45 Colts can be used. I would even use a light loaded 45 Colt on Deer with no problem.. A hot 45 Colts is a bad round. If and if you are shooting the hot 45 Colts well,  you can move up to the 454 Casull.

Skip the 357 Mag. I know a lot of deer have fallen to the 357 Mag, I have killed a few myself with that round, but in my book, the 41 Mag is the min I would use myself anymore.

Redhawk, Blackhawk, even a nice Smith & Wesson in 45 Colt or 44 Mag will work well..  Just do as I do, practice a lot and shoot year around to stay proficient. Shot placement means more than bullet diameter. But if you can shoot a big round well, a bigger hole beats a smaller hole, and lets more blood out!

[Luckyducker]

The easiest deer shooting revolver set-up I have used was my Ruger Blackhawk 41Mag topped with a Cabella's Pineridge reddot sight.  I shot a running whitetail buck at 90 yds with this but would only recommend this cartridge for hunting with handloads only as off the self ammo that I have seen is not suitable.  The reason I suggest the 41, is for adequate power yet lower recoil when shooting full power hunting loads when compared to the 44mag, and a reddot sight for easy target aquisition. 

[Varmint Hunter]

For 100 yard biggame I'd lean towards an Encore in 260 Rem or 7-08.  Recoil would be particularly manageable with a heavy  barrel. The ability to switch barrels could be a big plus for a new shooter.

[buck460XVR]

IMHO........The best caliber for a deer/bear hunting handgun for a person that does not reload is the .44 magnum. The variety of factory ammo for this caliber for hunting/target shooting/SD/HD is second to none. If you're stuck out in the boonies and runnin' low on ammo, odds are, if you can find any handgun ammo, it will be .44 mag. If one does reload, it is one of the most versatile cartridges out there. It is a classic deer hunting round and can be paired easily to a multitude of .44 carbines, be they lever, bolt or semi-auto. It also is a true straight-wall handgun cartridge. Unlike some single shot handguns chambered for bottle-neck rifle rounds, it is legal to use in states where handguns are allowed in lieu of shotguns. Altho a .44 mag handgun may intimidate a new shooter, it is not overwhelming for shooters that are new to handguns. It can also be tamed down with .44 specials. I consider the .454 a very harsh shooting cartridge because most of the guns chambered for it are too light to effectively help with recoil. It is also a hard gun to find ammo for and can be expensive to shoot if one does not reload.

I am also a firm believer in using a tool specific for the job. If the handgun is to be used for a primary hunting weapon, it needs to be a hunting type handgun, not a SD/HD snubbie. It needs a barrel length capable of giving a good sight plane an to be able to make the most of the velocity and power of the cartridge used. There are many options available for long pipe revolvers for woods carry. Investing in a good holster is as important as investing in a  good pair of boots. A deer hunting handgun needs good sights, whether irons or optics and it needs a trigger that aids in accuracy and is not a deterrent. It also needs grips that fit the hunters hands and give him/her a good hold when wet and when wearing gloves.

Brand of firearm is a personal choice. But I always advise anyone looking at a handgun to get a handgun that fits their hands and has the features they want, regardless of name is engraved on the frame. I have owned Rugers and Smiths. Both are fine guns. In my case, the Smiths are what fits me, but I have no problem with whatever someone else uses. I have hunted and killed deer with .357s, .44s and the .460. Out of all the guns that I have used and own, if it came down to only one it would be my PC 629. It has a wonderful trigger, great open sights and is scary accurate out to 100 yards. It also has an integrated scope rail, but since it's plenty accurate enough for the yardage I use it at, I have never found the need to add optics. It also has a compensated barrel. This makes shooting it at the range very pleasant. Recoil at the range with hunting type loads is not much different than my non-compensated .357s. The slight increase in noise is moot compared to the reduction in recoil with big boomers. It isn't much different than my non-compensated 629s......and since I find it necessary to wear hearing protection when shooting any of my handguns, I personally have no issues. I have put more than 3500 rounds thru this gun with no problems other than screws/ejector rod loosening up. It is as tight as the day it was new and I see no reason that it, like most of my other Smiths won;t be enjoyed someday by my grandchildren. I put the Hogue impact absorbing grips on it to match those I have on my X-Frames. They cover the backstrap and are dual density. I also have them on my other round butt 629s and my 686s'.



One thing you need to impress upon your buddy is that he need to get that 100 yard idea outta his head till he has shot his new gun for quite a while. I constantly shoot @ 70 yards at the range and have become quite proficient with many of my handguns at that range. It would take a rare situation where I would consider a 100 yard shot with any of them other that the X-Framed .460. Even then it would be a standing target using some kind of rest.

[smong2000]

I'm still a newbie to handguns (<10 years) and can easily remember all of my mistakes.  I only considered hunting with a handgun 4 years ago and have been practicing and experimenting since but still haven't squeezed the trigger on a deer.
My first hunting handgun was an Encore in 7-08 with a 2-6 scope.  Great gun, super fun and accurate but I didn't like the size and bulk and no way I'd walk the woods with it and it's long gone.  To me it was like carrying a 6lb carbine with all the disadvantages of a handgun. Key word is walk, if he's a stand hunter it might be fine... 
Second 'hunting' handgun was a SW686 4".  Another great gun, I carry it a lot and shoot it regularly, but not really a deer gun and I would never try for a deer with it unless it was self defense.  I tried the .44 mag 629 and unless scoped, no way I'm attempting over 50 yds with it so on to Contenders. 
My third hunting handgun was a Contender .35 Rem 14".  That's another keeper, amazing accuracy, fun to shoot with the muzzle brake but it's big and bulky to carry and hard to shoot off hand.  Any large caliber muzzle braked handgun will seriously damage your ears even with 1 shot and it's not easy to stalk and stillhunt with hearing protection so it mostly stays home unless I'm going to sit all day. 
My last hunting handgun is a Contender 10" 30 Herrett.   This is the one I will carry most and think it's perfect for a newbie to hunt with.  A 7TCU or similar round designed around a 10" barrel would also be great.  The 10" Contender with a 1-4X or 2X scope in nice to carry, nice to shoot and although it will be bad I'm sure, I would take 1 shot at game with it unprotected.  One hundred yards is easy with it (groups just over 1.5 inch with most everything,  better with some), 150 yds is still OK.
Like the other posters, I would strongly recommend a .22 as his 1st acquisition, let him burn up a dozen bricks of ammo, then start thinking about a hunting gun.

[1911crazy]

Right now he wants to hunt deer with a revolver.  I reload.  I figure the super redhawk in 454/45 would cover any type of handgun hunting.  Like i said before he has little experience with handguns. He told me he wanted a S&W 500.  Then i let him shoot my redhawk in 44mag and that idea seemed to change right away.  Maybe the 357mag or even a 41mag would be ok for him. But i'll offer again to take him out with some of my handguns to see what he likes.                            CZY

[DANNY-L]

14"contender in 7-30 waters is a very smooth shooter

[Mikey]

'He's not used to shooting handguns nor the magnum calibers', and 'Right now he wants to hunt deer with a revolver'.  Good luck!  This guy isn't going to be ready to try for a decent handgun shot for quite a while - sounds like he just wants to shoot some of your stuff.  I would say start with a decent 22lr, not a target pistol but yet a decent one and when he can skip cans with that 22 at 25m then he might be ready to step up to a 38 and then beyond that, but otherwise, his lack of experience and demonstrated capability is a major formula for frustration. He wants to take a 500 and hit to 100m but doesn't like the recoil from a heavy Ruger - Good luck. 

I think this fella should cool his heels with a 22lr and a whole bunch of empty 12 oz target cans until he demonstrates some handgun shooting skill.  Good luck.

[Redhawk1]

'He's not used to shooting handguns nor the magnum calibers', and 'Right now he wants to hunt deer with a revolver'.  Good luck!  This guy isn't going to be ready to try for a decent handgun shot for quite a while - sounds like he just wants to shoot some of your stuff.  I would say start with a decent 22lr, not a target pistol but yet a decent one and when he can skip cans with that 22 at 25m then he might be ready to step up to a 38 and then beyond that, but otherwise, his lack of experience and demonstrated capability is a major formula for frustration. He wants to take a 500 and hit to 100m but doesn't like the recoil from a heavy Ruger - Good luck. 

I think this fella should cool his heels with a 22lr and a whole bunch of empty 12 oz target cans until he demonstrates some handgun shooting skill.  Good luck.

We said Mikey! 

[1911crazy]

'He's not used to shooting handguns nor the magnum calibers', and 'Right now he wants to hunt deer with a revolver'.  Good luck!  This guy isn't going to be ready to try for a decent handgun shot for quite a while - sounds like he just wants to shoot some of your stuff.  I would say start with a decent 22lr, not a target pistol but yet a decent one and when he can skip cans with that 22 at 25m then he might be ready to step up to a 38 and then beyond that, but otherwise, his lack of experience and demonstrated capability is a major formula for frustration. He wants to take a 500 and hit to 100m but doesn't like the recoil from a heavy Ruger - Good luck. 

I think this fella should cool his heels with a 22lr and a whole bunch of empty 12 oz target cans until he demonstrates some handgun shooting skill.  Good luck.

Mikey;  He's been a close co-worker and a friend for over 30 years now.  He is like family and our dads worked together during the war(WW2) too.  I been telling him lets go shooting and he's been holding off probably because of the cold weather.  I know once he gets into this too. I think not realizing that i scared him with the 44mag with the standard 44mag stout loads. I been saying the longer barrel has less recoil with the larger calibers.  The 41mag with the 210gr bullets has equal power as the 44mag with 210gr bullets.  So maybe the 41 mag?  But you guys are right its the 22cal first.                Bill

[Mohawk]

Yes some practice and patience will be needed. I was one of the fortunate few to have a cop father that woukd take me rabbit hunting with a handgun at 8 yrs old so handgun hunting has been a lifelong lesson. I think I was about 11 before I realized that a double action Smith did not need to be cocked before firing.... LOL. 

[1911crazy]

I was lucky to have an older brother who showed me the way.  I had a hunting and fishing partner till he passed away.(15 years ago)  But my sons will carry the torch now its there turn.  Life goes by so fast.  Were the old timers wether we like it or not.   Enjoy life, everyday.

After our last hunting trip together my brother left all his guns in the gun bags.  He was gone for about 10 years when his wife called me to pick up his guns.  She was worried about the grandkids getting there hands on them.   Funny that not one gun had any rust on them being in the bags for 10 years.

[Mikey]

Then be a good brother in turn and let him gain his skills with a decent 22.  It doesn't have to be a target piece but it should be something absolutely fun.  The Sig Mosquitos, Walther P22s, the Whitney Wolverine, the basic Ruger, and there are others; heck, for that matter a 9 shot 22 revolver would still be fun and accurate enough to allow him to gain some skills with a handgun.  And what's this stuff you stepped in about being old timers? 

[SHOOTALL]

Redhawk w/7.5 bbl. factory scope mts. in 45 Colt or 44 mag. The SRH is alot of gun to shoot 45 colt.

[temmi]

If you hand load get the 45Colt/454..

If not the 44Mag

Super Redhawk