Rethinking Handgun Hunting

[tinkerpearce]

I have to admit, I've never seen the point of handgun hunting. The way I saw it a handgun didn't do anything a rifle doesn't do better, so why bother? Frankly is seemed more like a stunt than anything. I remember a few decades back there was an article where a fellow was extolling the virtues of .35 Remington as an excellent cartridge for hunting lions with his Thompson Center Contender Super 14.  'You muppet,' I thought. 'In a different article you said .300 Win Mag was the smallest rifle you'd consider for African game. But .35 Remington is magically transformed by being fired from a 14" barrel?!'

When I took up hunting again a few years back I started hunting on a property where there's a fair amount of dense brush, and even on the trails the average shot is 7-20 yards. I carried a handgun (because I do) and on more than one occasion I found myself leaving the rifle in the blind and stalking with the handgun. The tool just made sense for the circumstances. The best gun I had for the use was a 6" S&W Model 28,, so I stoked it with heavy softpoints and called it good. The Model 28 and I parted company, so last time out I took a .45 Colt.  Now I've bought a .44 Magnum and this weekend is going to be my first handgun hunt for deer. We'll have a rifle, but I plan to rely on the handgun.

I can already see how this is going to go. Get a deer at close range then start thinking about pushing it out further. Next thing I'll be obsessing about loads and shooting at 100 yards... then putting a scope on it. The can of worms is open...

[azshaun]

I am in no way an expert in hunting nor in handgun hunting. I have only started learning a few years back. I have only successfully hunted once. So, take my story as it is...

Since I am starting out so late in life, I don't have any teachers. So, I am starting off small. Rabbit hunting. Year long season, and generous bag limit here. I would do Jacks or coyotes, but have never even seen them in the desert. Anyway, was walking in the desert and flushed a cottontail. Ran about 10 feet under a cactus. Pulled my .22lr hand gun and.... MISSED! 10 feet and missed! Anyway, rabbit spooked and stopped about 20 feet away in the opening. I never moved... Tried again... HIT. Caught him on the left side, bullet crossed over through right by the right shoulder. Few seconds later rabbit in hand! First ever successful hunt. The big point
to mention is that I used my Taurus PT22! I proved to myself that the "small mouse gun" is able to do the job and if I had to, my little pocket 22 will serve me well hunting, defense, and fun if I do my part. Was a lot of fun, and how many others can say they blooded their carry gun?

[seak89]

When I decided to hunt with a handgun I started thinking like a bow hunter instead of rifleman. Yes I mad e this switch when I moved to Alaska and Larry Kelly was my hero of sorts. I probably passed fifty bear before I finaly pulled the trigger second year of hunting them. The shot was ten yards with a Kelly load of 25.5gr.296 under a JDJ 320 hc bullet. Passed through both shoulders dropped right there. I have done the deed with 44mag,45colt and 454. At seventy I just got a GP-100 3" barrel grove for rear sight and yesterday I put 12 rounds in a 3"x5" card at fifteen yards double action about four seconds per six shots. The load was the Double Tap 200gr hc fp. My hands did not hurt nor my wrist. Have taken thirteen bears handgun and don't care if I take another,I won't be hunting them but won't back down if pushed. I tell folk I pick my bear by weather their eye lashes look good. Leave the rifle home and think bow hunter. Now if the family will starve if you don't bring home meat take a rifle and a 22 for small game.JMOFO

[whitworth]

On paper, our beloved revolvers - even the most powerful of the lot - look anemic in contrast with even "pedestrian" bottlenecked rifle rounds. No escaping the rather mundane numbers. What those numbers don't tell you is that muzzle energy in and of itself (a calculated figure) is a piss-poor (that's a technical term) measure of lethality. Placement and adequate penetration (necessary no matter what your chosen hunting weapon) are still paramount. When you have enough, more doesn't really buy you anything additional.

I'm glad to hear that you are rethinking this!

[magnumwheelman]

I agree... I started handgun hunting deer, because I'm not much of a shotgun guy, & where we live does not offer a rifle season... I can use my Contenders ( or revolver ) during shot gun season... I love going up north, where I can use a rifle, but I much prefer a handgun to a shotgun for deer locally

[rangersedge]

Growing up I read lots of gun articles, but especially those articles featuring handguns in hunting.

I think it was only natural that i got into handgun hunting when old enough to purchase my own firearms. Bow hunting was more exciting than shotgun hunting (can't use rifles for deer in Il). Handgun hunting is more convenient and satisfying to me than shotgun hunting or archery.

[bula]

Am bummed, my 'Smith just called and is bringing back my 4 5/8" 480. Says Ruger should fix the hitch in the action and so he didn't install the Sixshot front sight either. Was hoping it would be a simple thing and he could knock out easily. No luck. Buying bear tag tomorrow. Will take the 6.5", but wanted to take both. Grrr !

[magnumwheelman]

so ya got a hitch in your giddy up... that's too bad... hopefully they treat her really well while she is there

[bula]

My 'Smith said hiring the handicapped is a good thing, but maybe not for firearm manufacturing and assembly. The joke being he has a bum arm that he's never let slow him down. 

[jsh]

Bob Milek was my major reason. I saw the Buck Rogers looking space gun and have been a nut ever since. I was in school and reading a magazine I had taken to school with me. Teacher confiscated the "contraband" and never returned it. Lol I am still mad about that.
Then IHMSA got me going. I was down to just one center fire rifle for a long long time. Never saw need for a rifle in my local for years.
Jeff

[bula]

Will pack the 6.5" 480 into the laurel jungle for bear in a few weeks. If you know laurel jungles, you know a long gun near to useless. This laurel jungle on a steep hillside lavishly sprinkled with rocks from fist to garage size. Likely a few bear will den there later. Everything hides there. IF I get a bear there, will just start a fire right there and eat it. Easier that way. Burp.

[sixshot]

Using a sixgun puts the hunting back into hunting. In many cases you aren't handicapped by packing a sixgun. Places where the cover is thick & the shots are close a sixgun just makes sense, plus it puts the youthful excitement back into hunting. As mentioned, "knock down power" or muzzle energy is over rated, a big sixgun slug can & will do a lot of damage if placed properly. An animal wounded with a 458 magnum is still wounded.

Dick

[dougader]

Bula/Steve hunting pic:

Oct 27, 2017 11:21:13 GMT -5 bula said:

Will pack the 6.5" 480 into the laurel jungle for bear in a few weeks. If you know laurel jungles, you know a long gun near to useless. This laurel jungle on a steep hillside lavishly sprinkled with rocks from fist to garage size. Likely a few bear will den there later. Everything hides there. IF I get a bear there, will just start a fire right there and eat it. Easier that way. Burp.

[bigbrowndog]

I concur with most of the sentiment here about handgun hunting, I still hunt with rifles, a lot, but even those tend to be handicapped in some way. Either irons sights, or lever guns which are my favorites. I have foreign hunts planned for coming years and a lot of those areas do not allow handgun hunting, so rifles will be used. But the vast majority of those trips are more for the enjoyment of others company, friends I haven't seen in awhile and such. For simple hunting thrill and enjoyment I really like challenging my self so handguns, archery, or iron sights are what do it for me.

I am a competitive shooter, and have sponsors who support me. So I feel an obligation to utilize their products and promote them, one is an optics company Burris and the other a rifle manufacturer, JP rifles. So I try and use their product on at least one successful huntig trip, as well as all my competitions, after that I hunt my way.

Trapr

[sixshot]

Trapr, can't bite the hand that feeds you. Wouldn't make much sense to be supported by JP & then hunt with a Boomerang, plus I've found it's hard to throw the old one away!

Dick