Handgun hunting

[mrblond]

any of you guys use a hand gun to hunt with. I am considering forgoing a high powered rifle in favor of a hand gun for something different. As its been stated here many times, most deer/elf kills are under 200 yards and a handgun will reach that easily.

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[2gr8dgs]

Yes, I have done it, & been successful. It is very exciting when it all goes down. All of my careful planning & strategies seem to go right out the window when my "buck fever" hits! I last used a 44mag revolver, switching between a scoped Bisley,& iron sighted Super Blackhawk. The last time I needed all 6 of my cartridges. This was for a deer hunt on the coast range. Like I said, I tend to get a little excited, you should give it a try.

 

[2gr8dgs]

I just want to add, It wasn't something I did on a whim. I practiced hard during the off season to develop my skills & get a feel for my limitations as far as distance. finding your target quickly in a scoped handgun is not easy with out a lot of practice...... well, It wasn't for me.

 

[mrblond]

I bet. I have been rifle shopping for a while but its hard to really find the right one. everyone has their own favorites. So, i went back to looking at a handgun, specifically the SW 500. Its suppose to be good out to over 200 yards and can take any thing walking. Might be a tad overkill though for whitetail.

 

[2gr8dgs]

I would pass on a S&W 500 for several reasons, first being the price of ammo to get enough practice in. do you reload?, that would help with the cost. Have you ever shot one? I beg you to try it, before you buy it. The world is full of barely used S&W 500's for a reason. A stout loaded 44mag is about as much as I can handle without developing a flinch after about 20 or so round in a session, but even then it happens & I don't consider myself recoil sensitive.

 

[mrblond]

I have never shot one as of yet and If i was to buy one, id get a reloading set just to reload for it so nothing fancy.

 

[2gr8dgs]

Good luck with whatever you decide to get, & practice, practice, practice.

 

[Mark W.]

I bet. I have been rifle shopping for a while but its hard to really find the right one. everyone has their own favorites. So, i went back to looking at a handgun, specifically the SW 500. Its suppose to be good out to over 200 yards and can take any thing walking. Might be a tad overkill though for whitetail.

Your hunting WHITE TAIL in Oregon? Good luck getting within 200 yards of the few we have. This year the trick isn't what you decide to drag around the woods with you for days. But just trying to actually see a deer.

I have been out 5 times already and working prime deer habitat and the best I have done is month old tracks and some Bear bubblegum from a month ago.

You already have your controlled hunt tag for the unit you think Whitetail are in? Umpqua closes Wednesday.

From the regs:

There are no changes to regulations
regarding protection of Columbian
white-tailed deer at this time. In 2012, six
(6) controlled hunts (2 rifle, 1 muzzleloader,
2 archery and 1 youth), which allow the
taking of Columbian white-tailed deer will be
offered in the Roseburg area. A very limited
number of tags will be offered. White-tailed
deer continue to be protected in all western
Oregon except for the Umpqua controlled
hunt numbers 123A, 123R1 and North Bank
Habitat controlled hunt numbers 123B,
123M2, 123R2, 623T1.

 

[mrblond]

not this year, I am looking at next year. Also, your report is alot like a few people I know who have been skunked this season. They saw nothing but a doe or two. I had a friend talk about trying Alaska next year or the year after which is why I looked at the 500 mag.

 

[BigStrapper66]

Buy a S&W 657 41 mag less recoil and works great on Deer .

 

[Mark W.]

not this year, I am looking at next year. Also, your report is alot like a few people I know who have been skunked this season. They saw nothing but a doe or two. I had a friend talk about trying Alaska next year or the year after which is why I looked at the 500 mag.

Western Oregon season is a long ways from over. I'll be hunting until Nov 2 Ain't been skunked till then.

 

[mrblond]

Buy a S&W 657 41 mag less recoil and works great on Deer .

How would that work on a moose or a brown bear?

 

[BigStrapper66]

I dont no to tell ya the truth I am sure some Hornady XTPs or some Speer Gold dots would work well
if your in close.

 

[mat33]

My uncle used to hunt deer with a scoped 629. He always said he was a horrible shot with a rifle for whatever reason, but was comfortable with the revolver. If you have some schitzo marksmanship like him, or just don't want to lug a rifle around, give it a go.

 

[mjbskwim]

A 500 would work,but not on every thing out to 200 yards.
Maybe on some smaller game or a small blacktail out to that far,but I would guess that a guide in Alaska would frown on it for a moose or bear. Well maybe at archery ranges.

But if you want to handgun hunt,look into the Thompson Encores or some of the bolt handguns.Then you can get a rifle caliber that will handle anything out to 200 yards.
Not sure about Oregon,but these aren't legal in firearms restricted areas any more.Obviously they defeat the purpose of the restriction.

But there are plenty of people using hand guns for big game.I watched a guy kill an elk,at about 20 yards,with a 10mm glock. Lots killing hogs also and they are harder to kill than deer.

Have fun and remember the pics

 

[Stomper]

I have a S&W 6" 28-2 (Highway Patrolman) .357 loaded with 158gr. SJSP that I'm wearing, along with my .308 Ruger American Rifle that's loaded with Hornandy 150gr. SST. That ought to cover heavy brush, and/or across open area situations for any deer.

 

[longcolt]

I think to use a handgun to kill anything at 200 yards is a dream. Maybe one of those long barreled contenders or something like that with a short rifle sized barrel.

Handguns are effective to maybe 75-100 yards and very effective at less distance. Like hunting with a bow you just have to track and stalk a bit closer than with a rifle. To get out much further than 100 yards you will have to have great eyesight, arm strength, shooting skill and not be effected by buck fever.

Some people will only take a bow shot at 40 yards or less, others that are masters of their craft can shoot out to maybe 80 yards. Longer shots than that are going to make their noses grow since they are stretching the truth.

I find that if you use a rangfinder to check distance it is usually a lot closer than one thinks.

During my bow hunt last year I had many shots that I ranged at between 100-120 yards. Branch bucks all over the place. But alas we did not get any close up shots within reasonable bow range.

This year I drew a rifle tag and never saw anything I could shoot at any range. Go figure.

 

[Greenbug]

I've been lucky enough to get 3 Blacktails with a handgun, 2 with a 1911 (both under 30 yards) and one with a Magnum Research Lone Eagle single shot in 260 Remington (about 70 yards). I had to modify the magazine on the 1911 to only hold 4 rounds to keep capacity down to 5 on the semi-auto as per Oregon regulations. I used Hornady 185 grain JHP XTP's over a healthy dose of Power Pistol at about 1025 FPS. I didn't set out for this to be my primary means of hunting, but rather for close up shots in the thick brush when I could not deploy my rifle easlily. Interestingly enough both the Blacktails instantly dropped with well placed shots to the neck with the 45ACP, the one I shot with the scoped 260 in the heart lung area traveled about 60 yards before he finally went down. +1 on the S&W 657 in 41 Magnum, I have one of these and am very impressed with the accuracy, power, and control as compared to other magnum handguns. I've never shot a big game animal with it, but I am confident it would do the job. I called in and shot a coyote with it once at about 60 yards and wow, he had himself a nice dirt nap as soon as he swallowed the 210 grain Nosler JHP!

 

[longcolt]

I always pack a single action Ruger 44 mag when I hunt as a backup but would not attempt any shots a much over bow range. Open sights and my older eyes keep me from attempting anything out much further. I would hate to wound an animal and cause it to die a long and painful death.