Deer hunting with pistols

[DixieReb]

I’m a firearm nut some say, I start off each deer season hunting only with a handgun. Every morning that I leave the house that’s all I carry to the woods, later in the season when the rut begins then the rifle comes out. But here’s a few of my hunting pistols. The top pistol is an encore in 7mm-08, have killed deer at 200 yds with it using a sandbag in a shooting house, in the middle is a contender in 35 Rem, it’s a bone crusher out to a 100 yds easily and on the bottom is a 223 contender, it’s accounted for many bobcats and a few coyotes while deer hunting. Then I’ve got a 10.5” barrel Ruger Super Blackhawk 44 mag, it’s dialed in at 100 yds but I haven’t killed a deer with it yet, it’s been on several hunts with me but haven’t pulled the trigger yet, I just got it before deer season came in. It’ll account for some in the years ahead. I’ve got a 7.5” Ruger SBH that I started handgun hunting with years ago with just iron sights that turned me on to pistol hunting, love the challenge of it...

 

[DixieReb]

Phil says it best, he’s telling the gospel brother !

 

[Jdcujo]

I've gotta ask how is the 35 rem out of the contender. Have a 3030 contender ( and lever action) and a 35 rem marlin. I keep looking at trying to find a 35 rem contender barrel but ya.

 

[DixieReb]

It’s a handful, when I first got it and was sighting it in I believe it cracked one of my knuckles from the recoil, the trigger guard hitting my knuckle that is. Not bad to hunt with but multiple shots sighting it in left me with a hand so sore I couldn’t put it in my pants pocket for days when I’d need to grab my keys and such, had to use my left pants pocket for several days

 

[DixieReb]

A guy that I work with can tell a funny story about the first time he shot his 45-70 contender pistol, we still laugh about that

 

[SAWMAN]

Couple of mine - - > Magnum Reserch Lone Eagle .. 16" with brake .. chambered in 243Win .. 85 and 95gr handloades. Killed some of the bigger deer in Maine some nice coyotes,bunches of woodchucks,and prairie dogs in S.D. Scope is a 2-6X Weaver.
Glock 20 with Viridan green laser. Glock OEM "hunting bbl". The laser has since been replaced by a Lasermax Guide Rod Laser in green also. I shoot 200gr WFNGC (hardcast). Have taken deer,hogs,and a several coyotes ( one at 6yds while calling) over the years. Biggest hog was in Eglin. He was just shy of 300lbs.
Love those hunting handguns. ---- SAWMAN

 

[DixieReb]

Hey Sawman,
That 243 hand cannon is sweet ! When I use mine hunting I sit in shooting houses with a small sand bag. I have killed a few up close propped up on a shooting rail on tree climber . Usually won’t try a shot over 40 yds or so out of my climber. When I first got in to hand gun hunting I was looking for that thrill to come back as I was burnt out on hunting, guess I’ve killed way to many in my life. Folks that have never tried it or knock me for carrying a pistol don’t know what they are missing. With our rut it full swing right now I don’t handgun hunt now, need the rifle for long running shots if needed, I prefer my Remington 7600’s during the rut, 30-06 and a 270.

 

[SAWMAN]

Yeah,the Lone eagle is a unique design with its cannon type rotateing breach.
Back in the day you could buy different bbls for the action. They offered about 10-15 rifle type chamberings and 4 or 5 in pistol. The bbls came in different lengths also. ---- SAWMAN

 

[Rebel_Rider1969]

Would like to try it but can't afford to practice!!! Technically this is a pistol 450B and 6.8.

 

[Bowhntr6pt]

I like my T/C in .30-30, have taken a couple hogs and a 6-pt with it.

I have a .221 Fireball barrel but the few times I've carried it with me there were no volunteers.

 

[Rebel_Rider1969]

Yeah,the Lone eagle is a unique design with its cannon type rotateing breach.
Back in the day you could buy different bbls for the action. They offered about 10-15 rifle type chamberings and 4 or 5 in pistol. The bbls came in different lengths also. ---- SAWMAN

Ran across one in 308 last year, after days of haggling he decided to keep it, dammit.

 

[FowlHunter13]

I started off shooting IMSA matches on Hurlburt AFB when I was about 10-11 with a 10” T/C contender in 7mm TCU and .357 Maximum. I asked my dad one day, since I was shooting 200 meters with open sights at a deer sized target, why couldn’t I deer hunt with it? He said give it a shot, and I have been hooked on it ever since. I still shoot the 7mm TCU and the .357 Maximum but have also added a 12” .44 Magnum Barrel to the mix, all with open sights. I also have added a S&W 629 Classic in 6.5” and 8 3/8”, a 7.5” Ruger Super Blackhawk and a 9.5” Ruger Super Redhawk(only scoped pistol so far). All the revolvers are .44 Magnum and I normally shoot the 225 grain Hornady Leverevolution rounds in the .44’s. I have a Ruger 77/44 and 77/357 that I love to hunt with as well at the shorter ranges under 125 yards or so. Something about hunting with a pistol round, even in a rifle, is very fulfilling to me.

 

[DixieReb]

I looked for a 30-30 for a long time, no telling how many pawn shops, gun shops and gun shows I’ve been to trying to find one. So I settled on the 35 Rem when I stumbled up on it at a pawn shop. We don’t have any hogs on my lease, sure would be fun to pop a few. I guess we’re lucky, hogs all around us and only had one trail camera picture of one in a food plot 3 years ago. No tracks or sightings since the one picture. I figured since Alabama legalized corn that we would have hogs all over the hunting club now with so much corn being dumped out and getting rained on and souring.

 

[BowChamp]

Super BlackHawk Hunter here. I've killed several deer with it and have had no problems at all.
With iron sights, it prints very very well at 100 yds.

My hunting load has been Rem 240gr. Semi JHP's or Honady 240gr XTP's sitting on top of a stiff charge of Win 296 or H110.

 

[Rebel_Rider1969]

Super BlackHawk Hunter here. I've killed several deer with it and have had no problems at all.
With iron sights, it prints very very well at 100 yds.

My hunting load has been Rem 240gr. Semi JHP's or Honady 240gr XTP's sitting on top of a stiff charge of Win 296 or H110.

44 or 45c?

 

[SAWMAN]

Ruger Super Blackhawks were never produced in the 45LC chambering. Gotta be 44Rem Mag. --- SAWMAN

 

[J pace]

I love my XP 100

 

[J pace]

I practiced during squirrel season only head shots

 

[SAWMAN]

What chambering is that XP ??
Had one in 221Fireball some years ago. --- SAWMAN

 

[J pace]

221 zoom in to the deer's eye that was a hundred yard shot