Having shoulder surgery in 2 weeks and I have 9 deer tags. Of course it's my right hand dominant side so here's my question: can I practice lefty and be good enough to shoot in a month? Also, what caliber for whitetail out to maybe 30 yards max? Not looking to be a hero with long, difficult shots......just wanna fill some tags.

Encore in 243? Contender in 30-30? Scope or open?

PS....I don't have wrists like Paul Bunyon either.

A 44 spl or 44mag loaded down or similar 41mag.
It would be helpful if you have shot left handed a bit .
Shoot every day for 30 days , that should work at that distance !

A 30-30 Contender has quite a bit of recoil. If recoil sensitive it is not a good option, but you may be able to shoot it left handed better than a revolver.
Scope or irons depends on hunting conditions.
To learn to shoot left handed start with a low recoil gun, like a 22 or 38 special, when you get good move up in power.
I shoot both right and left.


M

For the distances you describe a 357 Mag or 10mm will work just fine. Shooting non dominant hand is a matter of educating that hand. Shoot every day and do dry fire drills too. Even just holding the gun in your hand and practicing aiming will work wonders. Do this every day and you will be more than ready to hunt left handed.

Time for my public safety announcement. Remember all dry fire drills done with a triple checked unloaded gun.

Thanks. I shot 30 rounds with my 9 glock yesterday out to 20 yards and I was shocked at how well it went. I know it's a huge leap up to 243 or 30-30 but it was a start. I'm not typically recoil sensitive but I've shot a 44 super magnum before and hated it.

I'd go .357 180gr loads out to 50 yards. 10mm would be good, too, but your regulations might not allow it. Not sure what the regulations for firearms are in your state.

A 6" or 8" .357 wouldn't be tough on you recoil wise either.

Jeremy

quote:

I'm not typically recoil sensitive but I've shot a 44 super magnum before and hated it.

You sure will not like a 243 or 30-30 hand gun then.

I would go with a with a light loaded something.

A 357 44 45 loaded with a heaver for caliber bullet at 1000 or 1100 fps. What about a very lite carbine that one can shot one handed.

I have a 16.25 inch 4.5 pound TC carbine in 357 max that one could hand easily with one hand.

Or does it have to be a handgun.

"Hand guns with a arm brace". are more lite weight carbines then handguns. In a pistol caliber are almost recoil free.

At the ranges you are talking about almost anything well work with a well placed shot.

Doesn't have to be a handgun.

Have you considered a 12ga with buckshot shot from your weak side? You said 30 yards and under and, weak as buckshot is, that's well within the kill zone. You don't have to be as accurate with buckshot as when shooting a rifle or pistol. Yes, you need to get on target, but pinpoint accuracy is not required to place a group of pellets where they need to go.

That's not a bad idea grenadier.

7mm TCU from a Contender may well fit your needs.

So unless one of you in the know steers me differently I'm going with the contender in 45/410. I think 45 long colt will kill deer inside 30 yds and I can shoot birds and ducks with hevishot loads.

What say ye?

quote:

Originally posted by Norton:
So unless one of you in the know steers me differently I'm going with the contender in 45/410. I think 45 long colt will kill deer inside 30 yds and I can shoot birds and ducks with hevishot loads.

What say ye?

If that's what you have and can shoot it, it will do just fine.

Otherwise, I was gonna say a .357, or .44 spl or 44 mag loaded similarly.

Just read an article in 'Sporting Classics'magazine about this gent taking a Cape Buffalo with a 1911 in 40 S+W. Not me.

.45 Colt is plenty for deer.
I've killed anything from whitetail at 30 yards with 255gr LRN cowboy loads to mule deer at 140 yards with +P+ .45 Colt using 300 gr XTP

At 30 to 50 yards practically any factory ammo is enough for deer. Just practice so you can make a humane shot. Weak hand shooting takes lots of practice. You're basically trying to re-wire your brain.

one of the original parameters for the 45 colt was it needed to be capable of penetrating into a horses chest and incapacitate it.
a deer is not going to be a problem unless another one is standing behind it.

.41 magnum or .44 magnum for me, both have taken deer for me

The 45 Colt will work well. Will most likely have an exit hole from almost every angle shot.

Shot the 45 colt yesterday....pounded the target offhand lefty (I'm a righty) at 20 yds with open sights.....I know that's not far but I have no intention of taking long shots one-handed lefty.

Here's my follow-up question: are smooth bores in say .410 for a hunting handgun illegal? I had no idea and thought I'd be able to shoot birds also.

Why not install a red dot of some kind? Shooting from a rest with a single aiming dot should be very manageable even shooting weak hand. It should also give you the accuracy you need for a good shot.
Peter.

Norton: Barrels without rifling are not legal at handgun length without a tax stamp. That is why Thompson Center has a special choke tube on the 45/410 barrel. The older barrels had an external choke tube (Hotshot) and special shot containers. The newer 45/410 barrels have an internal choke tube. You can shoot 45 colt in Contenders if you remove the choke but accuracy leaves a bit to be desired because of the long jump to the rifling. This can be eliminated if you load the 45 caliber bullet in a blown out 9.3 x 74R brass case.
Another option is the Taurus Judge but I have no experience with that handgun.

quote:

Originally posted by bobmn:
Norton: Barrels without rifling are not legal at handgun length without a tax stamp. That is why Thompson Center has a special choke tube on the 45/410 barrel. The older barrels had an external choke tube (Hotshot) and special shot containers. The newer 45/410 barrels have an internal choke tube. You can shoot 45 colt in Contenders if you remove the choke but accuracy leaves a bit to be desired because of the long jump to the rifling. This can be eliminated if you load the 45 caliber bullet in a blown out 9.3 x 74R brass case.
Another option is the Taurus Judge but I have no experience with that handgun.

Yes....it does have the removable choke but won't I foul the rifling shooting birdshot through this barrel?

The accuracy seemed fine at that close range. If I wanted long range accuracy I would've chosen a different caliber.

Are you not shooting 410 shotgun shells with a plastic wad? The purpose of the choke tube is to stop the spin imparted to the wad by the legally mandated rifling. Allegedly the patterns improve if the wad is not spinning when it leaves the barrel. To remove plastic build up from a barrel I use spray brake cleaner. Incidentally, if you ever need to remove leading from a barrel cut strips of copper Chore Boy pot scrubber and wind them around a bore brush. Strips the lead out as well as or better than the Lewis Lead Remover at a fraction of the cost.
I am relieved you are satisfied with the accuracy of your 45 Colt loads in a 410 chambered barrel. I was not. I agree that there are many more accurate cartridges for the Contender and I own quite a few. However, it is much quicker to spin out the choke tube when switching between shot and solid projectile than it is to unscrew the forend, punch out the hinge pin, switch barrels and reassemble. And then there is the issue of $150-$180 bucks for another used barrel.

Yes, standard plastic wad. I guess my concern was others telling me if I shoot a buncha shot through the rifling it would ruin it.

Shot a pair of roosters lefty 3 days postop....easy peasy. Reality is.....if not for being pointed pheasant giving me time to draw the hammer and get ready it'd be tough as hell. Forget grouse or woodcock.


How does one post photos now?

45 colt deer load suggestions? Thanks gents.

Edit.... picked up some jacketed soft point that oughta do the trick. I'll let you know......hopefully.

At 30 yards and under a 357 will work just fine. I know a rancher that been killing his buck every year on the homestead with a combat magnum 6" barrel in .357 and he mostly uses factory silvertips or whatever else he has on hand..

For recoil sensitivity, you can't beat .223 Contender or .22-250 Encore (both handguns). I've used 40 gr. and 50 gr. BTs. Has worked fantastic out to 175 yards.

So Norton, what if anything did you end up using and how was your success?

quote:

Originally posted by TCLouis:
So Norton, what if anything did you end up using and how was your success?

Got the Contender 45/410.....killed a bunch of pheasants and snowshoe hare so far.....never got in front of a deer despite trying. I like it so much for hares I'm not going back to a shotgun.

I don't think I would consider hunting left handed with 30 days practice, you more than likely going to wound some deer even at 30 yards with a rest...I seen a lot of policemen mess up the left handed part of the PPC course at the 25 yard mark with the rest..

I would recommend a light rifle like a 222 or 223, they kill very well at under 50 yards or at up to 200 yards..even a 22-250..Use the 60 gr Hornaday SP or HP, both work.