Folks, Returning to the boards after a long hiatus. How many use their trail guns for hunting and their hunting guns for trail? I like my shorter barreled revolvers for big game down and small game with obvious caliber limitations. A few in the pic: Colt .45 Gold Cup; S&W 34 .22; Reeder El Diablo .45 Colt; Reeder Bacpacker 2 .45 Colt; Reeder modified FA .454. All leather is by Mike Barranti. Great guns and hope to spend more time with them soon.
Just bought this one and hope to have it in the woods in November. Reeder S&W custom .44 Spl.

For me, and no judgements intended, it keeps the challenge in the hunting. Just wondered if anyone else felt the same.
Respects,
Jeff

I have killed mule deer and a couple of whitetail deer with a 1911, I have killed deer and pigs with a S&W 4" Mod 29, and I even killed a whitetail doe with a H&K P7 in 9mm.

I have taken quite a bit of game for the pot with hnadguns a well, most of it with CCI Shotshells in the 45 ACP and 44 Mag.

450, Back when I was guiding, I could only afford my .45 people/guide Colt 1911. It worked well enough. I just find comfort in the duplicate capabilities. Of the guns in the photo, the 454 is obviously my primary hunter and the .45 Colt is a backup. I've shot a dozen or so hogs with the ACP but would never recommend it, especially with people loads. Frankly, the little .22 kit gun sees more action than the others. BTW, love the doubles and just got my first.

BTW, where I live the .45 ACP is not legal for deer but I still find it to be extremely accurate enough and powerful enough-just bureaucracy. Like you, I used the CCI shotshells in a bulldog to dispatch running quail and pheasants back in my dog training/guiding days. Interestingly, they never seemed definitive enough on the snakes to suit me.

Jeff

JeffM Re Snakes:

Funny thing is I have killed snakes with the 22LR, the 22Mag, 38 Special, 9mm, 44 Mag, 45 ACP and 45 Colt.

I have never had to shoot a snake more than twice with any of those calibres.

I have killed several snakes with my S&W 2" kit gun, including several large rattlers, the last one was 54" long. I eat them all as well.

Just in the last 2 weeks I have killed 2 snakes here on my place with my Freedom Arms short barreled 22 Mag Mini Revolver, one was a 5 foot Diamondback Watersnake in the wifes chicken coop...

The wife has also used them quite a bit in 38 and 44 as well.

I never go to the field without them.

Also I agree the 45 ACP is not what I would recommend for deer hunting, but if you happen to be close, and can shoot, it will get the job done.

I think the best all round field handgun is a 4" S&W Mountain Revolver.

However I am having a lot of fun using a USFA
4 3/4" Single Action in 45 Colt.

Of course I always carry the 45 Colt SAA "Wild Bunch Style", ie with a 1911 in 45 ACP on me as well.

Also I will add that I have been carrying my 2" S&W Nickle Mod 34 Kit Gun in my left front pocket 100% of the time while hunting.

I have found it most useful, I have killed several snakes with it and several squirrels, and a few cottontail rabbits for the pot.
I have also used it for a finisher, head shot, on a few pigs. So far it has always found the brain, even on a couple of big pigs.

I am going to give the FA 22Mag a try on finishers first chance I get.

The thing about a 22LR or 22Mag is that you can carry 50 rounds in your pocket and not even know they are there...

You seem to have had a lot more luck with shotshells than I. I had a rat infestation in my pigeon coop at one point. .22 ratshot just seemed to irritate them so moved up to .44. Of course it worked but only when very close. I'm sure many died but they ran off.
Rattlers and cottonmouths didn't hardly seem to notice unless I was already too close.
That said, my 34 kit gun loaded with regular rounds is one of my favorite. It's a trapline gun; small game gun; and normally the first I grab. I'm more confident using it at close range than using shotshells. Great little gun. Best to you.

I carry my 4" S&W 681 .357 most of the time when I'm in the woods. It's almost a triple purpose gun. I've hunted with it, carried it as a field gun, and I've carried it concealed. It's a bit on the large side for concealed carry but it works under winter clothes. I'be used it to take a whitetail doe, a few grounds, and a couple coons.

I use my Glock 20 10MM for woods carry, deer and hog hunting sometimes, and for 2 legged varmints.

For a number of years I had 1 gun. I daily carried my 10mm. And I killed squirrel, groundhog, possum, raccoon, beaver,snake, and deer when I was hunting.

I used a S&W 500 to drop a giraffe in South Africa. I also use it to educate young men who think they can handle any amount of recoil. (600-gr. hard lead bullets)

One shot 30 yards 45 Super makes an excellent self defense and/or field trail pistol in my experience

Well done. And there's still enough squirrel left for the dumplings. I like all my guns but the .454 and .22 would be my go to duo. The .45's are my "walk around" guns that can serve both (or all three)duties.

Talking about 22birt shot I had squirrel problem in my garage. between traps and the 22 bird shot I took care of it.

I found that my marlin 22 with micro groove rifling handled it the best. I could kill them dead at 20 feet with it. My other 22s did not work very well.

When the outdoors or game is a chance to be found, it has to be a revolver. As a young man, a model 19 was my everyday gun for a few years. I had a DiSantis Cross draw inside the Waist band holster that hid it under a loose tail shirt and with a 250 SW hard cast in front of a medium load of Blue Dot, it shot through both front shoulders of an elk.
On horseback I preferred the 5" SBlackhawk with the same loads or the 45 LC Colt Clone. Nowadays it is a 357 DA gun most of the time. All work just fine.
When Game is not planned, then the 1911 is my gun most of the time.

A 250SW gr out of a 357 what bullet where you using.

I have to believe he meant to type "29". The 250 is stock fare from the 44...

That what I would think also but he did type 19 and mention a DA 357 in the last line ??

FOr years I packed a S&W 4" model 15 and kept it loaded with home made snak shot first up and followed by flat point lead, took seceral small deer with itand some tree rats to boot, but once I found a J frame 22mag I have never looked back it loves the old Federal 50grain load and CCI snake loads work wonders on short neckers

I did some research on the shotshells. Found an interesting recipe for building them out of 444 Marlin brass for the .45 Colt. May have to give it a try. Frankly if it wasn't for the crazy bipeds in my area and the occasional deer while running traps, a .22 mag would seem superb. That said, a nice 32-20 would get my attention but they don't seem to exist.

Jeff, while you can make shotshells by using a longer type of brass, and gaschecks, it is a LOT of work.

The CCI/Speer shotshells for the 45 Colt seem to work as good as the ones in 45 ACP and 44 Mag, as far as I can tell, I have killed a skunk in camp with the 45 Colt.

Also if you want larger shot you can buy the Speer shotshell capsules, and put you own shot in them.
I got some from Midway to load in 45 ACP or Auto Rim cases as the 45 ACP shotshells will lock up a revolver, as they are made different than revolver shotshells.

In the past I have loaded my own in 44 Mag with No 7 1/2, and No6 shot.

That's interesting .450. Again, I didn't have much luck with the shotshells. That said, I'll relate an embarrassing story about my father. He wanted to sell a Ruger Security Six. He carried it with 2 shotshells backed by HP's. The man that wanted to buy it didn't believe Ruger mad a double action revolver. So in the parking lot of GM, Dad unloaded the revolver, looked at the rounds, pointed the gun inside his truck cab and pulled the double action trigger. He refused to have the truck repaired as he felt the hole and rust spots in the door panel were a reminder of gun safety, no matter how old you are. The birdshot round that stuck in a chamber had fired. I hadn't thought of that in years until I read your post. Frankly, I'm just brainstorming projects for the day I get to return to the States and use my guns.

Jeff: you can get a Ruger Blackhawk in .327 Federal that might fit your needs. You could load mild 32 S&W loads for dispatching trapped animals and small game, or full power .327 fed. for defensive purposes.

I have a Glock 20SF I carry a lot and use when deer hunting. I will try and take a whitetail this fall with it.

KJJM, I've looked at the .327. It does look like a great round. Once I get back to the States, I'll give them a closer look. I have an original Colt Lightning Pump Rifle in 32-20 and love the round. I would like to find an old Ruger in 32-20. It's always fun rationalizing the need for a new gun.
Random: Good looking Glock. My Glock 20 is most likely in a gangbanger's hand in Louisville after being stolen. I live just north of L-ville when I'm home. Truly hope to start hunting KY as your laws are a bit more palatable than IN. Have a great season.

I was born in New Albany, IN a long time ago ! Good luck to you.

It appears that you upgraded to Idaho. There's a lot of good things in S. In. but it's not as good as when I was younger. Drugs and poachers seem to have taken over some of the forest lands.
Jeff

quote:

Originally posted by Randominator:
I have a Glock 20SF I carry a lot and use when deer hunting. I will try and take a whitetail this fall with it.

I really like that sight setup. Is that a Leupold Delta point (with glock adapter base)?