How many of y'all will be hunting deer this season with a handgun? What firearm/load combination do you plan on using?

First up to bat will be my .38-40 Bisley. I'm using a 200 grain LFN at a nominal 1,300 fps. One of the .45 Colts will see some use with the 260 grain Lymans I cast for it. For single shots, I plan to use my .309 JDJ and .45-70. Two more and the .309 will have 60 whitetail under its belt. I usually shoot 150 ballistic tips with 51 grains of IMR 4350. The .45-70 will see trapdoor loads in it.

For me it will be Alaska, next week, with an Encore 7mm/08 handgun.

In November it will be Shotgun/handgun season here in Delaware, and I will be using my Ruger 480 and S&W 460 Mag.

For a few days this season, I'll be carrying a Contender with a 14" SSK barrel in in 6.5mm JDJ using 34.5 grains of Re-15 under a 120 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip for just over 2400 fps. It's wearing a TC 2.5-7x in Warne rings on a Match Grade Machine steel base.

On deer, it is utterly reliable.

I may also break out a Ruger SRH 7.5" .44 Magnum using Cast Performance 320 grain WFNs at 1350 fps.

S&W model 57 41Mag. 220gr SWC hard cast bullet from National bullet.Topped off with a Nikon
MM

I will be initially using my Ruger SRH in .475 Linebaugh using a 420 grain WFN (bfrshooter's design) at 1,350 fps. I may break out one of my M29 .44 mags loaded with a 277 grain LFNs at 1,300 fps.

I need to get to the range and try out my Encore barrel in 475 Linebaugh. I might want to use it also.

using the 44mag redhawk like norm and maybe once in awhile bring out the 475 linebaugh

Contender 14" 35 Rem with a 2X Nikon.

In December here in Iowa, the SRH in .454. Might drag the smokepole along too for a long shot.

I'm thinking about breaking out my .454 SRH too, but it's third on the list!

Hey Marko, I read in the paper that the chance of hitting a deer here with your car is 1 in 45! You might have to find people to give meat to.
I seen a deer today down the road that is half white. You can't shoot her!

quote:

Originally posted by bfrshooter:
Hey Marko, I read in the paper that the chance of hitting a deer here with your car is 1 in 45!

I'll be sure to drive carefully when I come up on Sunday -- I don't have a tag for car season........

FA M83 .454 Casull. I'll be shooting a 240 gr Hornady XTP/Mag over a good dose of W296.

i will be using my smith 585 with 8 3/8 in in 357 for the river bottom using norma 158 gr hps

Well, the tree stands are up........shooting lanes have been cleared........just waiting for the season to open.......

454 RB

quote:

Originally posted by Swede44mag:
454 RB

Load??

The deer are pretty tough on Arkansas. I'll be using my .45 Colt Bisley with Montana Bullet Works version of the 310 grain Keith over 24.0 grains of H-110. For the smaller deer I'll be using a 250 grain H-XTP over a nice charge of H-110.

I hope to get 4 deer lined up (4 being the bag limit in AR) and try the heavyweight load. I wonder if the forth deer will stop it?

Since my back injury I will most likely be using my S&W model 586 in .357 mag with 6" barrel for my East Texas deer hunting and alternate my Win model 70 in .243 with it in far West Texas. I really like the model 586 and have gotten better with it by practicing with it's little brother the model 617-6 which is the sme frame, sights etc. Rodney.

Always good to have an understudy to practice form with.

im taking my FA 454 4 5/8s and my 44 mag 3.5 inch redhawk.

For the general firearms season, I will probably use my Encore 15" 30-06 shooting a 150 grain Hornady SST. I was drawn for a special managed hunt in January and I'll use my 15" 6.5x55 Swede Encore with 120 Nosler Ballistic Tips. On both hunts, I'll be carrying my 510 GNR African Hunter with 350 grain Montana Bullet Works LBT style bullets.

Ruger Bisley in .41 mag. Do not reload so I will use Federal Classic 210gr Hi Shok. Also
use Ruger No 3 in .30/40 Krag and Winchester 180 gr Power Point.

My deer arsenal contains a T/C Encore in .308 Win w/ Remington 150 gr. Core-Lokt, a Super Redhawk in .480 Ruger w/ Hornady 325 gr. XTP, and a Bisley Hunter in .44 Mag w/ some Win. 240 gr. stuff.

In all of my deer hunting adventures, I've only taken one deer with a rifle and all the rest with a handgun of some sort. And on the Africa trip, all game was taken with a handgun except the greater kudu. Fun, fun.

whitworth why you make bfr do all the work while you took pics

This year my handguns for deer hunting are, Ruger GP 100 topped with a Ultra-dot 357 Mag with 158 gr. hard cast bullets, or my Reeder 475 Linebaugh Alaskan Hunter 5 shot topped with a Ultra-dot using 400 gr. Hard cast bullets, or my Redhawk 410 GNR with 210 gr. Hornady XTP's topped with a Ultra dot, or my Encore 510 GNR topped with a Ultra-dot Match-dot with 315 gr. hard cast bullets, or my 510 GNR 5 shot 510 Hunter with open sights using a 350 gr. hard cast bullet and finally my BFR 500 Mag using a 440 gr. hard cast bullet topped with a Ultra-dot.

I have a few other handguns but they are not ones I will use this year for hunting. My gun of choice always depends on my mood of the day...

BULLSHIT! Redhawk, your choice in handguns depends on the your mood of the MOMENT, not of the day.

I've seen this guy, on the morning of the hunt, trying to decide which gun of THREE CHOICES he was going to take and end up taking a FOURTH ONE THAT WASN'T EVEN CONSIDERED INITIALLY.

And you don't want to get me started about your punctuality. You'll be late for your funeral one day.

quote:

Originally posted by TBEAR99:
whitworth why you make bfr do all the work while you took pics

Just so that you would ask......

Hey, why did you wait a year to ask the question??

quote:

Originally posted by Redhawk1:
This year my handguns for deer hunting are, Ruger GP 100 topped with a Ultra-dot 357 Mag with 158 gr. hard cast bullets

Say it isn't so!! Aren't .38s and .357s inadequate for deer??

I'm boring, I'll probably be taking my .475 out this year again -- same load, same set-up, but maybe, just maybe my Model 36 might make an appearance.......

i've been busy working long days missed this thread

ok this year will be the tried and true 475 linebaugh with 420gr lbt wfn 1350fps

the 500 linebaugh 435gr L.B.T.-L.F.N 1300 FPS

and last the 41 mag redhawk with 240 gr pthp

6.5 JDJ contender with 120gr BT's and a custom Reeder ruger blackhawk "El Diablo" in 44 special. Many to choose from but these are the ones that scream "take me" the loudest when I open the gun safe. I am not yet sure of the loading for the 44 special...still considering one.

quote:

Originally posted by Whitworth:

quote:

Originally posted by Redhawk1:
This year my handguns for deer hunting are, Ruger GP 100 topped with a Ultra-dot 357 Mag with 158 gr. hard cast bullets

Say it isn't so!! Aren't .38s and .357s inadequate for deer??

I'm boring, I'll probably be taking my .475 out this year again -- same load, same set-up, but maybe, just maybe my Model 36 might make an appearance.......

I just knew you would jump all over that one...lol... I never said the 357 Mag would not kill a deer, because when I was much younger, and had a Ruger Blackhawk in 357 Mag, I killed a bunch of deer with it. But the key was, I stayed under 40 yards with my shots and made sure I had good shot placement (double lungs). Never gave a thought to use a 38 Special, and still don't intend on doing so... I will leave that for others that may want to venture down that road.

quote:

Originally posted by george roof:
BULLSHIT! Redhawk, your choice in handguns depends on the your mood of the MOMENT, not of the day.

I've seen this guy, on the morning of the hunt, trying to decide which gun of THREE CHOICES he was going to take and end up taking a FOURTH ONE THAT WASN'T EVEN CONSIDERED INITIALLY.

And you don't want to get me started about your punctuality. You'll be late for your funeral one day.

You are right about my choice of gun, but you are worse than an old lady about your time. I am always ready to go, you just show up early and think you are on time. 2 O'clock is not 1:50.

You show up early and bitch, then you drive like an old lady on Sunday, but you don't account for how much time you loose there. .

George wakes up on the wrong side of the bed everyday.. Grumpy old fart is what comes to mind...

quote:

Originally posted by Redhawk1:

quote:

Originally posted by george roof:
BULLSHIT! Redhawk, your choice in handguns depends on the your mood of the MOMENT, not of the day.

I've seen this guy, on the morning of the hunt, trying to decide which gun of THREE CHOICES he was going to take and end up taking a FOURTH ONE THAT WASN'T EVEN CONSIDERED INITIALLY.

And you don't want to get me started about your punctuality. You'll be late for your funeral one day.

You are right about my choice of gun, but you are worse than an old lady about your time. I am always ready to go, you just show up early and think you are on time. 2 O'clock is not 1:50.

You show up early and bitch, then you drive like an old lady on Sunday, but you don't account for how much time you loose there. .

George wakes up on the wrong side of the bed everyday.. Grumpy old fart is what comes to mind...

LOL!

quote:

Originally posted by TBEAR99:
i've been busy working long days missed this thread

For a year??

I'll be using my S&W 657 41 mag. Plane Jane, no scope, but that's how I like it.

As I am out of my old bullets, and the new ones are on backorder, I am still working on a load to use.

The year will be a 45 caliber hunt. My primary gun will be, Mjolnir, my Marlin 1895G, using 300 gr hollow-nose softs. I'll pack along the Bisley Blackhawk 45 Colt in case the deer try to sneak up on my right side when I sit in my stand. I found some 250 gr Gold Dot HP factory loads in my ammo locker so I'll give them a try.