# Caliber of your hunting handgun



## CraigX2 (Aug 30, 2011)

My handgun experience up til now has mostly been target and personal protection. I really enjoy shooting and hunting but mostly bow. Haven't carried a rifle in 3 years but have a hankering for new revolver to make dual purpose. To keep in my truck and to conceil and to try to take my first deer with. I was thinking .357 / .44 six inch barrel?


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## CraigX2 (Aug 30, 2011)

Not my first deer in general, my first with a pistol.


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## Boar Hog (Aug 30, 2011)

I hunt with a Taurus 44 magnum 8 3/8" ported barrel. Perfect for anything we have in Ga. I've killed hogs running at over 75 yards with iron sights.


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## Win1917 (Aug 31, 2011)

> To keep in my truck and to conceil and to try to take my first deer with.



Just my .02, I'd tend to ignore the concealed carry part and evaluate the guns based on their suitability for hunting. Chances are, what you're going to want to use for one you're not going to want to use for the other.

A good .44 magnum is pretty tough to beat for a hunting round.


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## maximusmagee (Aug 31, 2011)

If you don't reload I'd probably say a 44 mag would be best as your able to purchase ammo almost anywhere.

If you do reload...  41 magnums are good fun.  Alot of folks also like the grand old 45 colt when used in a sturdy Ruger.  It can be every bit as powerful as the 44 magnum when used in the appropriate gun.


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## Okefenokee (Aug 31, 2011)

I have a .44 Redhawk that I  want to use for Deer hunting this fall , not sure if I should use a 210 grain or the 240 grain hollowpoint.


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## maximusmagee (Aug 31, 2011)

Okefenokee said:


> I have a .44 Redhawk that I  want to use for Deer hunting this fall , not sure if I should use a 210 grain or the 240 grain hollowpoint.



Either one should do the job.  Whichever shoots best in the Redhawk.


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## pnome (Aug 31, 2011)

Gonna try to get one with a .454 this year.


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## Silver Mallard (Aug 31, 2011)

.44 mag. T/C Contender with a super 14 barrel. Looking to acquire a 7X30 Waters barrel for it in the future.


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## Win1917 (Aug 31, 2011)

Gotta love the 7-30. I just put a Burris 2-7 on mine and sighted it in last weekend. I'd say it's good to go


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## CraigX2 (Aug 31, 2011)

Nice group! Kinda leaning more toward the .44 but I think I am going to try iron sights at first with a shooting stick as long as I can put some decent groups together.


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## frankwright (Aug 31, 2011)

It is kind of hard to conceal a 6" barrel. If I absolutely wanted a carry/hunt gun I would get a Glock in 10mm.

I love my 7-30 waters. I cut the barrel to 10" and it will still make a 3 shot clover leaf at 100 yards.

I also hunt with a .41 Magnum and a .44 magnum.


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## the r.o.c. (Aug 31, 2011)

x2 with boar hog...taurus 44 mag 8 3/8s but mine has a bushnell red dot scope. im old and got bad eye sight. lol.  but man does it ever shoot good. i would take a 100 yd shot and feel very confident.


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## ejs1980 (Aug 31, 2011)

I have three 44's a 30-30 contender and a Glock 20 in 10mm. The 44's are hard to beat for most kinds of hunting. I haven't had the 10mm but a few months and am trying to find a load I'll be happy with. Right now I'm not happy with the accuracy past 25 yards. Only problem with a six inch revolver for defense in your truck is if you ever used it for self defense without sticking the barrel out the window is the cylinder gap area is in your face. If you are planning on using the same setup you use for bow hunting and no scope a  four to six inch barreled 44 will be all you need. I don't get much benefit shooting my scoped contender unless I have a shooting rest tree or shooting prone.


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## LanceColeman (Sep 1, 2011)

I have a 357 mag ruger BH I've been known to carry when I carry other weapons, but my  main two are a scoped red hawk in 44 mag and my all time favorite, a 7.5" barreled customized SBH in 44 mag. I shoot her iron sights.


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## golffreak (Sep 1, 2011)

Glock 20 10mm.


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## Okefenokee (Sep 1, 2011)

Dang it man you guys shoot pistols better than I do a rifle.


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## GaryD (Sep 1, 2011)

I have a T/C G2 Contender in .375 JDJ amd .223 Rem


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## sandhillmike (Sep 2, 2011)

I don't actually hunt with a handgun, but I carry a .44 mag with me most of the time.


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## GAGE (Sep 2, 2011)

Colt Anaconda 44 mag.


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## dgmeadows (Sep 2, 2011)

Taurus Tracker .44 mag with 6 1/2" barrel and red-dot scope.  I use it as a "defense" back up hunting bear and hogs during archery season (that's why I got the lighter weight Tracker) and as a primary weapon when gun season is in.  Got it last year and did not get a chance to kill anything with it, but it shoots targets very well for me using the Hornady LeveRevolution ammo.


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## bowhntr (Sep 2, 2011)

My favorite the last few years has been the Contender in .357 Max . I also have the 7-30 Waters and a .358 Alpo . In Encore I have .307 Win , 7-08 , .260 Rem , .204 Ruger and my new .284 Win that is going to be cut down from a rifle barrel .


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## LanceColeman (Sep 5, 2011)

GAGE said:


> Colt Anaconda 44 mag.


 maaaannn........... you just hadda go throw the big snake in there didn't ya.... wanna get rid of it??


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## truthfulhawk (Sep 5, 2011)

*boom*

I have hunted for years with a Contender in a .44 mag with a 10 inch barrel and iron sights. I took one deer at 90 yards with it and a several closer. I tried a Super BlackHawk in .44 and found that without some major gunsmithing it wasn't a good hunting choice for me. Now I am interested in trying my .45 ACP but I need to make sure it is legal in my state. Anyone here hunt with a good old 1911 .45?


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## Craig Knight (Sep 8, 2011)

Kimber 1911 in 10mm with stiff handloads of 180 gr hp's, 5" barrel, and will keep it under 40-45 yards due to iron sights.


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## Troy Butler (Sep 8, 2011)

S&W performance center 44 mag with nikon scope.


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## keyfitter (Sep 8, 2011)

truthfulhawk said:


> I have hunted for years with a Contender in a .44 mag with a 10 inch barrel and iron sights. I took one deer at 90 yards with it and a several closer. I tried a Super BlackHawk in .44 and found that without some major gunsmithing it wasn't a good hunting choice for me. Now I am interested in trying my .45 ACP but I need to make sure it is legal in my state. Anyone here hunt with a good old 1911 .45?




I own a couple of them. I really love the 1911 .45 ACP, but IMO, I don't think it has enough penetration for hunting and that is from years of shooting experience .

I started a thread back in July, asking about the .460
Rowland. Nobody here has done much with that cartridge.
I recently bought a SA 1911-A1 for $460.00 and now 
have almost $1200.00 into it. I am almost finished  with
it, but it turned out to be an expensive little project.
There isn't much original left on that pistol!.  

Now I can't wait to get it finished and try it out on a few hogs.


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## dadsbuckshot (Sep 8, 2011)

Bfr .45-70


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## Alan in GA (Sep 8, 2011)

*44 Mag Redhawk, and 45/70 Contender...*

The Redhawk was used with home hard cast 250 Keith SWC out of an RCBS mold over 22/2400/250.
Now I have a 12 1/2" barrel G2 Contender in 45/70 that is loaded mild and probably just over the 44 mag energy. Have not loaded up much...yet, but will get some warmer loads worked up.


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## 3darcher (Sep 9, 2011)

500 mag performance center s&w with 350 grain arrows


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## Bhrama (Sep 9, 2011)

I shoot a Virginian Dragoon. 
It's a single action in .44 magnum with a 7 and 1/2 inch barrel. 
I usually shoot Hornady 240 grain XTPs.
I don't shoot at the ranges that most of these fellas do but it kills deer fairly dead.


This one isn't mine but it looks identical.


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## EMC-GUN (Sep 10, 2011)

.44 Mag 7.5 SBH. 250gr. 429-421, 20gr. 2400.


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## br6ppc (Sep 10, 2011)

44 mag SBH Hunter 300 gr XTP's or 320 WLNGC. I also have a 7mm TCU barrel  on order from MGM for my contender. It might get some use


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## cblack2925 (Sep 10, 2011)

The rule book for Georgia states any handgun producing 500 ft/lbs of energy or more is legal. However not all 10mm, .357 mag  or .45 LC loads produce that much energy. I'm not aware of any .45 ACP load that produces that much energy. That being said, are those calibers legal for deer hunting?


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## tv_racin_fan (Sep 10, 2011)

UUMM That rule went out several years ago and as far as I am aware has not been reinstated for this year.  

I believe the specification now is that a firearm be of centerfire configuration and 22 caliber or larger projectile, muzzleloader must be 44 caliber or larger and shotgun 20 guage and larger.

http://www.eregulations.com/georgia/hunting/legal-firearms-archery-equipment/


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## tim scott (Sep 13, 2011)

for years used .45acp in both autos and revolvers. over 25 years ago i went to a 1911 frame with a pachmayr dominator convertion on it in .308.... minute of angle accuracy and more energy at two hundred yards than a .44 mag has at the muzzle.
tim


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## DeucesWild (Sep 13, 2011)

Ruger SBH Hunter 44 mag with 300grn XTP's and S&W 460 with 275grn Barnes


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## ATLRoach (Sep 13, 2011)

I hunt with in my contenders in 45/70JDJ w/ 300gr Barnes, 7x30JDJ w/ 120gr Barnes, 357Max w/ 180XTP and my Striker in 7WSM w/ 162gr SST.


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## Craig Knight (Sep 13, 2011)

cblack2925 said:


> The rule book for Georgia states any handgun producing 500 ft/lbs of energy or more is legal. However not all 10mm, .357 mag  or .45 LC loads produce that much energy. I'm not aware of any .45 ACP load that produces that much energy. That being said, are those calibers legal for deer hunting?



Been changed for quite a few years now


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## WTM45 (Sep 13, 2011)

A Colt Python in .357 works fine for me.
I know my abilities and my limitations.


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## 2011GADawg (Sep 13, 2011)

smith and wesson .41 mag, its more accurate than i am!


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## CraigX2 (Sep 13, 2011)

Guys thanks for the great advice. Let the shopping begin! I think .44 Taurus scope yet to be determined. My daily carry is a S&W 642 which I think I feel a little on the light side but is good to conceil. But at the same time I will look for a .40 to carry and leave the .38 in the truck.


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## Marlin_444 (Sep 14, 2011)

Either one of the following - 

Glock 20 with a 6" Lone Wolf hunting barrel, clipped with 15 rounds of double tap 200 Grain Cast, or

S&W 460 XVR 8 3/8 Barrel, Hornady 200 Grain Jelly Tips...  Looking to scope it but have not picked up the Bushnell as of yet...

*V*


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## 95g atl (Sep 15, 2011)

44: I have a super redhawk w/8+ inch barrel and it's mighty heavy.  Found my Taurus w/4" barrel can hit a round 8" plate at 100 yards....so i use that.
10mm: have a glock 10mm, haven't hunted w/it, but just made 20 rounds of ammo last night to try it out this weekend.  (stay tuned).

I tend to enjoying carrying a handgun in the woods better than a rifle.  Rifles get pretty darn heavy after a few hours of walking.


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## nickE10mm (Sep 16, 2011)

Here are my two 10mm's... The Glock is my carry/field pistol but my custom Fusion longslide is my primary hunting pistol when I'm in the deer woods.  The Fusion send my handloaded 200gr XTP out at 1300fps (750 ft/lbs).  Blows a nice hole through deer.    I try and keep ALL of my shots less than 25 yards and won't shoot over 50.  Think like a bowhunter!


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## Marlin_444 (Sep 16, 2011)

nickE10mm said:


> Here are my two 10mm's... The Glock is my carry/field pistol but my custom Fusion longslide is my primary hunting pistol when I'm in the deer woods.  The Fusion send my handloaded 200gr XTP out at 1300fps (750 ft/lbs).  Blows a nice hole through deer.    I try and keep ALL of my shots less than 25 yards and won't shoot over 50.  Think like a bowhunter!



NICE Truck Driving (Semi) Weapons...    

*V*


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## 1022 (Sep 19, 2011)

44 Mag in either Ruger SBH or Smith with 4" barrel,the short barrels carry easier and point quicker for me.


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## Old Coach (Sep 20, 2011)

Contender with  a 30-30AI 14"bbl-2X Burris
Glock mdl 20-Dawson fiber optics 
Ruger BH 45Colt-.rear peep and white dot frt site.
All have a purpose and are very accurate.

Coach


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## kweidner (Oct 10, 2011)

custom smithed 44.  300 xtp.


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## oaky-woods-8-pointer (Oct 10, 2011)

i carry  8"dan wesson 357mag or a 8"ruger super blackhawk 44 mag


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## Duramax (Oct 11, 2011)

I will be shooting my .308 Thompson Contender w/ wood grips.


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## 243SuperRC (Oct 14, 2011)

1911 Springfield, converted to 45 Super, 185 gr Hornady XTP, Hogue grip, Nitesiters (super photo luminescent dots).  Not using pistol as a primary hunting weapon -  carrying it hoping for the opportunity.


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## jerome (Oct 21, 2011)

I have a Contender with several barrels 2 supper 14's a.223 and 44 mag and a 45 long colt thats a 10 inch which would be the best for whitetail  ? just got them and never hunted with either.


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## Buckhead (Oct 21, 2011)

10" .44 mag Contender.


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