Just wondering how many hunt ONLY with handguns during gun season? Last week, I was invited to hunt for two days in an area that holds Boone and Crocket class whitetails (I saw one during archery season). This place has many wide open areas where shots could exceed 400 yards.......I must confess..... my 300 win mag rifle was my tool of choice! I didn't take a deer, but I passed up a 9 point buck that I would have taken without a second thought anywhere else. Funny thing is, I could have very easily killed the big 9 pointer with my 44 mag revolver or crossbow, he came within 25 yards and never knew I was there.

I put down my rifle about 5 years ago and never looked back.I would not shoot at any deer over 200-250 yards anyway i know that is about my limit and make a clean kill.A guy has got to know his limitations with any gun.
just my .02

Mark,

Greetings! I still use rifles, but mostly these are rimfire rifles for Varmint hunting, or a Van Horn 223Rem 24" full bull barrel for the same.

I am not opposed to using a rifle for deer etc, but have not been moved to do such since 1994, though my next turnbolt rifle purchase will be a Tikka 595 Sporter in 308 Win, specifically for Deer at long long range

Mark,
I have not used a rifle to hunt big game since 1986. It has been either a revolver or a specialty handgun. Come to think of it, the majority of both varmints and big game have been taken with a 7mm (7mmTCU, 7mm-08, and 284 Win.). I don't have any regrets. Rifle hunting got boring, plus I have always been fascinated with handguns.
xphunter

hey guys;

Well I stopped using a longgun about 10 years ago.After I bought my first Contender in 44mag.Killed a doe at 75 yards open sites.I have not picked up a long gun other than my T/C 22 Contender Custom Shop 21" barrel for tree rats,and my 16" 45/410 with a folding stock.For other small game.

Still use a shotgun for ducks,geese,but that is about it.

Wade

I sold all my rifles 15 years ago and have never regreted it. I knew if I had a rifle I would most likely chose it over a handgun. Most all my deer have been taken with my contender in .375 JDJ, but I have taken a few with a .44 mag as well. I hunt mostly in the woods so my longest shot has been about 150 yards, most are 50 yards or less. The biggest difference I have had to get use to is the limited field of view looking through a handgun scope as opposed to a rifle scope! I will hunt exclusively with a handgun for as long as God will allow. I love it!

I quit hunting with rifles in 1979. Hunt with TC's, XP-100's, Savage Strikers and revolvers.

My father told me "If you bring a rifle, you'll use it". So, I never do.

Yep. I stopped hunting with a rifle two years ago.

I sold all of my Rifles in 1982, and took up Handgun Hunting. It seems I go through cycles, I go for about 4 to 6 years then I get the bug to try a long range rifle again. However from here on out it will strictly Handguns. My right lung is glued to my chest wall, and shooting a .270 Winchester this fall almost seperated my lung from my chest wall, so no more Rifles for me.

Larry

I use both. Whether it's a long gun or handgun, it's a challenge with a single shot.
I don't carry my bolts or pumps as much as I use to, but I always have one or the other in the truck.....along with a shotgun.

I've hunted with only a Contender for three years now. I shoot a 14inch 375jdj and a 14inch 309jdj.Gave up the 7mag after it became shooting instead of hunting.I got a 3x3 Backtail the second year.
This year I got a little 3x2 mule deer. Even when I've seen bigger bucks or bear at ranges I wouldn't take the shot I'm still happy I,m carrying the handgun.

hey guys I have been hunting with a handgun for about thirty years. I have been hunting with handgun only for all but the two first years. I have been hunting with blackpowder handgun only for the last five years. If you take your rifle you will shoot most of the game with it instead of the pistol. I finally had the little talk with myself that if you take only your pistol to the woods and you miss the big buck dont complain to them you did it yourself, guess what; I did it except I did not miss a 185 pound 8 point with a 20 inch inside spread and about 40 deer later I am still handgun only.

i've killed several deer by all methods. the handgun is the most rewarding for me, and is what i will use mostly from now on. any deer is a trophy with a handgun, even at close range.

I'd say I do perhaps 75% of my hunting with handguns, but when I do use rifles, it'll either be an Encore, Contender or one of my sweet-shooting 6.5x55 Swedes.

I have handgun hunted exclusively since 1997, but sinned a few weeks ago when I took out a pre-war Savage 99G for blacktails - was feeling sentimental (and was hunting for meat since no moose this year). Got three deer in two days, including one nice buck. Whoever says hunting with a scoped contender isn't really handgun hunting is joking. The open-sighted 99 was a piece of cake to hunt with compared to a TC.

Still use the rifle sometimes for bear. Even though I hunt mostly with my Encores or contender
My winchester model 70 in 300 win mag is too close to my heart

Fireball

I have used a contender almost exclusively for seven years. I had bullberry make me an encore custom .270 rifle barrel and wood two years ago so I would have one nice rifle. Killed one deer with it and retired it. "Bought a MDM muzzleloader two springs ago, got it sighted in and bought a VVCG 50 cal. pistol barrel for my encore, killed a nice doe with it and promptly retired the MDM before ever using it to hunt with. (It's a good gun but is for sale.)I do sometimes carry a Marlin 45/70 for deer drives but it seldom sees any use.

Vic L.

This is First Blood for the 15" 308 Encore barrel my wife got for me. I have a Warne base and QD rings so I can switch from my Leupold 2.5X8 to my Aimpoint when I need a good field of view. I heard this boy coming but it was hard to get a spot to shoot. I finally held in front of a tree and let him step into view. I did not have time for a carefull shot and thought I missed him. Actually, first shot went through the heart and exited on the other side with a hole about the size of a quarter. The shot that took him down, hit him in the spine but did not exit. I was using 165 grn. Nosler BT. Next year I may go with Swift Scirroco.

Handguns only since 1989. Do use a shootgun for dove opener (tried a Contender .45/.410 one season, what a hoot) and just this year started using rimfire rifles for squirrel and rabbits up until this season it was also a Contender for that.

In 1979 I bought a Ruger M77 Varmit in 308, People said I was crazy why would you want that???
Well check out the Racks at the Gun shop now!!!
Senderos, Coyotes, Tactical,ect.
Yep I was ahead Of my time.

1984 Ruger SuperBlackHawk 10" and a Redhawk w/rings, A scope on handguns what a crazy thought
it will never catch on!!!
1985 I got my first Contender, Then a second and so goes the story, many short barrels later and 2 long tubes: 22lr and one at Bellm's getting the 222 REM MAG IMP chamber.

It could be we are still amoung a small group of people way ahead of our time!

Still only one long bolt gun in the safe, why get another this one shoots 1/2 moa all day with just about any ammo. Not much of a challenge to hunt with it.

Yep 90% of the hunting is with handguns 22lr up to 308 Bellm. Just got another 14" Hunter Barrel in 44 Mag...Could be a 444 in the makings

KENTX

I have been hunting with handguns since 1985. Almost exclusively since 1989 (after I had custom 280 Ack Remington 700 built and is now gathering dust). I use T/C Contenders for my long range shooting, all 14 - 15" barrels. The EAB Co. 17 Rem barrel for woodchuck, fox and yotes, 45/410 barrel for squirrel, rabbit, grouse and even informal skeet (no doubles tho), 7mm Super Bower for Deer, Black Bear and yotes (took 3 deer this year so far with it from 85 yds - 200 yds, one of which was a nice 8 pt buck), and my first T/C caliber, the .358 JDJ for deer on up. All T/Cs except the 45/410 are scoped. I also use Rugers for my SA and DA revolvers almost exclusively (nothing against other manufacturers but I just ended up keeping the Rugers); 44 Mag SBH, 45 Colt 5-shot Custom Gary Reeder Ruger Bisley, 44 Mag Redhawk w/2x Scope and a real fun MKII Competition slabside 22 LR with 1.5-4x Scope.
The only handgun I need now is a Blackpowder single shot pistol for the muzzleloading season. Any suggestions welcome. Anyway yes I hunt exclusively with handguns...Good Hunting...RW

I hunt only with a handgun myself but not for the difficulty factor. The places that I hunt have few deer but also very few hunters. And the hunters that I do see are the same ones I see every year and we always stop and talk. Now those are real friendships. So obviously I wasn't getting many animals. So about four years ago I decided just to carry what I really love which are handguns. So far I have one blacktail taken last year with my 44 Mag SRH. I do love 22 LR rifles though. I have a Winchester 9422 which I dearly love and I think I will pick up one of the Savage Falling Block single shot 22LR rifles when they come out. Iron sights on rifles and Scopes on handguns--what a combination! Slim

Grey Eagle-
Congrats on the deer...

If you choose to use the Swift Scirroco bullets, you may be disappointed. At the velocity level you'll be using them at, you'll get lots of penetration but minimal tissue destruction. They are best in cartridges with at least the capacity of the .270 WCF or '06 and in rifle-length barrels (and top-end loads).

Bobby Tomek, are you sure you are thinking about the Scirroco or the Swift A-Frame? I have never used any Swift bullets but was under the impression that the Scirroco was at it's best on nothing larger than White Tail Deer because of it's quick expansion. Any advice is appreciated. I also considered the Trophy Bonded Bear Claw. Do you have any experience with these?

Thanks,

Grey Eagle