Pistol Hunting

[Ugly Dogs]

A friend of mine has talked me into trying pistol hunting for deer. This is new to me so I am looking for advise. On everything Cal., sights, style etc. I have his advise but I like multiple opinions. The only thing that I am not interested in is a TC or any single shot style. I used to shoot a 9MM a lot and understand that I would need more practice before ethically hunting with a pistol. Any advise would be welcome. Thanks.

 

[2400]

I have done a lot of handgun hunting over the last 45 years,

I've used a 22LR and a 44 Mag for rabbits, squirrels, coyotes, a 9mm, 40 S&W, 10mm, 45 ACP, 357 Mag and a 44 Mag for coyotes, javalina, mountain lion and deer, I've killed a turkey, 2 deer, 2 antelope and 3 elk with a 44 Mag. I use open sights and a red dot, I like open sights and they seem to be the best for me. I tried a buddy's gun with a scope and it was alright, but I would need more practice before I used to for hunting

Handgun hunting reminds me a lot of archery, it's fun and rewarding. You have to be accurate, patient and quiet when you're hunting.

If you're serious about handgun hunting, my advice is get a pistol/revolver in 22LR and practice a lot while you research your big game hunting gun/s. There are single shots, revolvers and autoloaders in calibers that you can use to hunt with. Try and borrow as many different guns and calibers as you can to help you make a decision on what you want to hunt with.

 

[LBrandt]

Like 2400 said, get a 22lr and practice, practice, practice. When your good at gophers and rabbits get a 44 mag in same style and practice, practice, practice. Use common sence on distance and you should have good hunts. Good luck to you.

 

[Wild and Free]

I have shot numerous deer with a Ruger Black hawk single action .45 lc revolver and also with a 454 casull i no longer have.

 

[PrairieGhost]

I have killed deer with 357, 44 mag, and 45 ACP with a 24lb recoil spring and pushing 230 gr bullets to 1200 fps. I had a TC, but in 223. A friend has shot half a dozen deer with a TC in 45/70 and that sucker boots. For a while I was really interested in the Savage Striker in 308. Now I keep thinking about a Glock 10mm with extended barrel. The only advise I can give is with the low velocities of most handguns it's best to use large diameter like 40 caliber and up. I know it was like night and day between the 357 and the 44 mag. With that said a TC with the 16 inch barrel and you can shoot about any caliber you want, but if you go with a barrel that it shorter your better off with 44 mag or 45 colt.

 

[Wild and Free]

I have a 10 mm i have been carrying and wanting to drop a deer with too but have not had a good opportunity to yet.

 

[PrairieGhost]

The 10mm is about the same as the 41 mag. I notice many people carry it for bear. I forget the guys name on the hunting show, kind of girly boy with blond pony tail. He shoots some big animals in Africa with his 10mm.

 

[thriller1]

I have killed deer with 357, 44 mag, and 45 ACP with a 24lb recoil spring and pushing 230 gr bullets to 1200 fps. I had a TC, but in 223. A friend has shot half a dozen deer with a TC in 45/70 and that sucker boots. For a while I was really interested in the Savage Striker in 308. Now I keep thinking about a Glock 10mm with extended barrel. The only advise I can give is with the low velocities of most handguns it's best to use large diameter like 40 caliber and up. I know it was like night and day between the 357 and the 44 mag. With that said a TC with the 16 inch barrel and you can shoot about any caliber you want, but if you go with a barrel that it shorter your better off with 44 mag or 45 colt.

I didn't think 45 ACP was legal for deer in ND?

 

[KDM]

I hunted with my TC last year for deer and I learned several things. First, you need to hunt the shot just as much as you hunt the deer. Low light shots are MUCH more difficult and pushing not ethical many times. Seeing the sights at arms length requires much more light than sights close in. Thick cover does the same thing as low light. It is VERY difficult to thread bullets between trees and branches at distance when you can't really see the trees and branches when you're concentrating on the sights. Most times it pushes those shots into the unethical category as well. Being steady, even with a rest is again, MUCH more difficult with a pistol. Practice will help, but when that deer is in front of you, controlling your breathing, heart, and body become more problematic so be prepared for that. The sight picture is easier to put together, but it's yet again, MUCH more difficult to put the proper sight alignment on the deer when the sights are at arms length and the deer is say at 50 yards. The sights almost cover the deer. I used a scope on my TC, but that didn't alleviate ANY of the aforementioned issues. The field of view on a pistol scope is N. A. R. R. O. W. to say the least. Finding the target in the scope is a challenge. Keeping the target in the scope is just as challenging and keeping the crosshairs where you want them is even more challenging. IMO, killing a deer with a bow is easier than doing it with a pistol. I'm MUCH more stable with a bow. That being said, taking a deer with a pistol is VERY rewarding and is a significant accomplishment IMO. It was such a blast using my pistol for deer last year that I'm going to use my pistol again this year so be careful what you wish for. It might just be addicting. If you do use a pistol, let us know how you do. Good Luck!!

 

[PrairieGhost]

I have used a 2X6 power scope on my 8 3/8 inch barrel Smith in 44 mag. I have a much harder time with trigger control and have a tendency to jerk the trigger if I don't concentrate. It looks like the pistol is moving around much more than with open sights. I have the same problem with a red dot.
I read about Elmer Keith putting gold lines on his front sight for yardage. I should have used white paint first. I took off my front sight and ground two lines across it with a thin Dremel disk. Then I took it to my jeweler who inlayed gold. Should have used paint first. I am sighted in for 50 yards and I thought I could get 100 and 150 yards. I got 250 and 450 yards. Crap. Oh well at least I know can sight half way down to the first gold mark and hit well at 100 yards. I'll run down to my safe and take a picture to post and show you what I am talking about.

 

[SlickTrick125]

I have shot 3 deer (2 does and a buck) with my open sight 357 magnum revolver. I find that the Hornady LEVERevolution ammo shoots better than any ammo I've shot out of this pistol and none of the said deer took anther step after impact. I'm pretty much only a bow hunter, so I treated these hunts no differently and shot them all out of a stand at close range. I found each hunt to be very rewarding and fun. That being said this 357 is the only handgun I've ever owned, so I'm not a handgun expert by any means.

 

[PrairieGhost]

Thriller1 in the past there was a minimum case length for handguns. Currently it's only 4 inch minimum barrel length and minimum .35 caliber.
At 1200 fps it's not your every day 45ACP. Rather than 350 foot pounds it gives 735 foot pounds. You can't do this in the tactical Tupperware firearms, it has to be a model 1911.

 

[LBrandt]

SO a Glock 19 in 9mm with a 4" barrel is legal in ND to hunt deer?

 

[PrairieGhost]

SO a Glock 19 in 9mm with a 4" barrel is legal in ND to hunt deer?

If I am reading the regulations right. I have shot a 9mm a lot and I think it would be a little under gunned.

 

[LBrandt]

I think you would have to be in the bow hunting range to be alright with it.

 

[Ugly Dogs]

Thanks everybody for the advise. So I'm thinking that I am going to go with a .44. So now I am looking for advise on my options. What would you consider to be a correct set up for deer hunting with it (make, model, sights etc.). Like I said in my first post I have shot a lot of 9MM and consider myself a pretty decent shot with it. But I understand that there is a difference between the two and from shooting paper to hunting situation. Thanks again for your insight.

 

[Obi-Wan]

SW 629 Classic. 44 mag. 8 3/8 barrel with Nikon Monarch 2x20 scope

 

[LBrandt]

Your recoil is going to be a hell of a lot more. Be care full of getting flinch. Shoot a lighter load first and work your way up. The Inter-arms 44 mag that I used to hunt deer was nasty. After shooting 3 cylinders I would have to tighten all he screws because they would vibrate loose. It was still fun though and I took half dozen deer with it.

 

[PrairieGhost]

Ugly Dogs do you reload? You save a bundle reloading. My favorite plinking load is 9gr Unique under a 240gr cast. I shot nine cottontails one day with that load. It is a light load, but with good frontal diameter that would easily take deer at 50 yards and more. The 44 mag is a very versatile round. I have a 4 inch barrel and a 8 3/8 inch barrel. Both are Smith and Wesson. I have owned Rugers also including Super Red Hawk, and a Black Hawk. I like shooting cast bullets so preffer the Smiths that have a smoother bore and resist leading much better. Of course a Lewis lead remover makes short work of leaded bored if you like Rugers.

 

[SDMF]

Your recoil is going to be a hell of a lot more. Be care full of getting flinch.

It doesn't appear that I'll ever cure my flinch with a handgun. It's comical to watch it's so bad.