I shot 2 deer this past season with a ruger 44 SBH with 7.5" bbl. One was ~105 yards and the second was ~115. Yardage measured with Bushnell laser range finder.
Most of my shots have been within 25 yards, though.
This last year was slim pickins though! These were the only two I got.

I shot them from a very solid rest (side of the box stand).
I used 250 grain cast "Keith" bullets and 20.7 grains of 2400 with open sights. Both dropped dead in their tracks. Hollow points are not needed for whitetail. I do use soft points and the partitions on hogs occasionaly. Both the 270 grain gold dot from speer and the winchester partition gold bullets have performed great on hogs.

I have shot deer with the 270gr. golddots before with good results, but the deer did run a little way. So I stick with the cast bullets, they're more accurate anyway out of my gun.

Both were shot opening weekend, and I had shot over 1,000 rounds that summer and fall most of which were at a half-size NRA Sillhouette ram at 100 meters and the half-size Chicken at 35 meters.


I would suggets you only take shots that you have actually practiced before and know your ranges before hand. I do not use the range finder while hunting, but did use it before the season and then to check the distance later.

The most important thing is to know YOUR limitations and abillities.


David