Well new thing must come small. This year I will be deer hunting with my 10" 30 Herret and my 12" 7mm TCU. This will be my main guns but I would like to try my 10" 357 Herret and 10" 30-30 and see how they do. What will you use this year for deer hunting

My 15" 30-06 encore factory barrel with a Redfield ESD and a VVGC 14" 6.5X55 that came in the brown truck today. I have a 2X burris to mount and then its off to break in and test.
Rick

It will probably be my .357 maximum. I do have a 14" .444 Marlin and a 12" .44 magnum as well for my contender. Both have taken deer here in Ohio. So I thought I would let the .357 maximum catch up a bit.

[ 08-21-2002, 04:01: Message edited by: Fisher ]

Good, a hunting topic (not enough of these here). Intend to use my 14" 6.5X50R Bellm or 10" rimmed .300/.221 in Contender and carry my .45 LC for a quick running shot at close range in case I jump a deer at 10 feet like last year. It was on the other side of a short bush when it jumped and it scared the bejesus out of me (bears make us a little nervous here in AK).

Might actually go look for a buck or two this weekend.

Right now I have 3 barrels to try out for sure.
1st - 308Bellm converted from 14" hunter barrel.
2nd - 45 Colt 9 1/4 " Bullberry barrel.
3rd - SSK 10" 300 Whisper barrel.
If I have it back maybe even my 21" 7 TCU carbine barrel. Don't ask me when or where. I guess that I'll be switching around as hunting areas dictate.
Rich Jake

For me it will be the TC contender with the 14" bull bbl in 35 Remington,I lucked into one that shoots like a house a fire with the 180 cor-bon load,

First year of handgun hunting for me.

I'll be using a 15" .270 Win. Encore factory barrel topped with a Bushnell Trophy 2-6x32.

Well that and my Model 7 in 7mm08.

I'll be using the Bellm 8" 44mag with brake for most of my Deer hunting, from a 16' ladder stand. I have a nice area that overlooks several Deer paths, and will also do some stalking etc through the really thick pine/hardwood areas.

For Woodchucks & Varmints, the Bellm 22mag always gets a workout now, + I'll be using the Bellm/VVCG 223 14" quite a bit, and once my 14" Bellm 22short and 14" Bellm 17HRM reliner barrels come in, I'll be giving them some good workouts

probably be Encore all the way. I'll start Muzzle loader season with the 209x50. When rifle season starts, I'll go to the 13 3/4" 250 Imp that the brown truck brought today. If I get desperate (meaning I have less than 5 in the freezer) toward early January, I'll use the 260 Rem 24" barrel. All will be topped with Burris glass. 3x9 Compact, 2x7 LER and 4x12 Fulfield. Makes me hungry just thinking about it.

Rick

I've got a good shooting 15" 357 Mag barrel for my Encore that I may use this year, but I'm holding out for a 445 Super Mag barrel that Mr. Bellm is doing a muzzle brake on for me. He did the re-chamber to Super Mag and it's deadly accurate!

[ 08-21-2002, 10:08: Message edited by: UMB ]

I have to go out muzzle loader season (just because) and will be carrying my T/C .50 Black Diamond (sorry). After that I will switch over to the Contender for regular firearms season with my 14" .308 Bellm. If/when I am successful with that I'll go to the 14" 45-70. Both are relativly new to me and shoot fan-damn-tastic! If I have the time and need to fill a couple more doe tags after that, I'll probably do the 14" 7-30 Waters again or maybe the 14" .357 Herrett or Max. Too many barrels, not enough time or tags! Mike

Hey guys, I like the topic and have enjoyed reading the responses thus far. My plans for the upcoming deer season will feature some barrels I've never hunted w/ thus far:
16 1/4" 50 cal Contender muzzleloader barrel (will be putting the e-mail order into Dave Van Horn tonight!)
14" 6X50R Bellm Contender w/ either 3-9X Burris or 2.5-8X Leupold
14" Contender 7X30 Waters w/ Burris 2-7X
15" Encore 250 Savage w/ 3-12X Burris
14" Striker 308 Win w/ 2-7X Burris (I've hunted w/ this gun before, but never shot at game w/ it)

Old standbys that will also see action:
14" Contender 6.5 JDJ w/ 2-7X Burris
12" Contender 300/221 w/ 2-7X Burris
Possibly? 14" Contender 375 JDJ w/ 1.25-4X Burris

Obviously, I'll not have enough time/tags to harvest a deer w/ every gun, but I'll give it the old "college try!" Gary T.

Illinois has three seasons (four if you count archery).
For firearms season: primary gun will be my TC 50 cal. scoped Thunderhawk, secondary a Rem 870 slug gun.
For muzzleloader season: primary gun will still be the Thunderhawk, secondary a TC New Englander 50 cal. open sights.
For January handgun season: primary gun is Encore 13" 30 Bellm with Burris 2-7X, secondary a Contender Armour Alloy 14" 44 Mag.(working on a scope or red dot for it now).
Thanks for the post Paul.
Greg

The primary this year will be my new 14" .338JDJ#2...the load is either 52gr RL-15/180gr NBT or 47.3gr RL-15/225gr Hornady Interlock. Both loads shoot super! Optics are Burris 3-12x32...IMHO the best handgun optics available!! My back-up sidearm will be a RBH .41 Magnum 4 5/8" barrel I just picked up which will be loaded with 210gr Keith style SWC bullets. Not sure what powder yet...I'm still playing.

If I get another scope (would like to try the T/C 3-9X) for the 7-30 Waters, it may see some use. It would take me 20 years of hunting in PA to kill a deer with all my barrels!!

Last year I carried a 15" .357 Herrett topped with a 4X Tasco Pro Class. It dropped two deer at around 80yds and 130yds. The 180gr Hornady SSPB did great. The MV of this load is about 2100fps with H4227.

I will using my 7.82 Patriot XP-100, 284 Win. XP-100, and a 260 Rem. in a M.O.A. Maximum. All are stainless barrels from 14 inches to 15 3/4 inches. All handguns are topped with Burris 3x12 LER's with the Ballistic Plex reticule. Plans in the next year or so is that I will be back in the family with a TC or G-2, chambering and type of barrel yet unknown. The bigger question for me is what state or states I will be hunting deer in this year.
xphunter

Two guns. My 357Max will be used during high power season and my 209X50 will come out during muzzleloader season. The remaining time will involve a lot of bow hunting.

I'll be using my old standby 7TCU with 120 BT's and case full of H-4895.

I started out my handgun hunting for deer with a 10" 30 Herrett barrel. With the 110gr. RN it killed as well as a 30-30 rifle. No kidding.
I then bought me a 45/70 12" barrel and used it. Overkill.
After I gave that barrel to my brother, I found a used 35 Rem. 14 incher that shot like a varmint pistol! Used it for several years.
I got in the mood for a 357Herrett, so I sold the 35 Rem. this year and got a 14" 357 Herrett. I still have a few hundred of the now discontinued 150gr. Rem. SP's, so I'll try to find a good load using them.
If I decide to use a rifle barrel, I have a 30 Herrett carbine barrel made by Fred Smith that will do the job just fine.
T.D.

That's a tough call. More than likely, the 15" 7TCU Van Horn barrel (120 grain BTs or Hornady 120 SSP @ 2440 or 130 grain Sierra SSPs @ 2325 fps)will see some action, but so, too, may a 14" 6.5x50R-Bellm (120 grain Speer @ 2455 fps). If I get to partake in any doe/spike hunts, the 15" 6x45 barrel (80 grain Sierra at nearly 2700 fps)from Virgin Valley may get the call -- or I may just take ol' reliable, a 9 1/2 Ruger SRH that I've hunted with for a while now (this will be its 10th season).

But I also have a 20" Bullberry carbine full-bull barrel in 7mm Bullberry that is a joy to carry. I've had it since the spring; thus, it has only been subjected to some varmint shooting.

I may just stick with the Van Horn barrel for most of my hunting. It has been a pleasant surprise with velocity higher than any other 7TCU barrel I previously owned. I guess I've lost a little interest in the Bellm barrel (originally a 14" Bullberry in 6.5 TCU). I didn't get to hunt with it last fall, and when I received it in the spring, deer seasons had closed, and my spring exotics hunt was over as well.

The accuracy is wonderful, but the "newness" is gone. Also, I've taken a load of game with 6.5mm 120s at 2400 fps MV, so there's nothing new in this arena either. I may just move it on and see what "new" caliber/barrel I want to try out next.

Maybe a 24-26" barrel from Mike in 6.5x50R-Bellm is down the road...

Any suggestions?

[ 08-22-2002, 01:55: Message edited by: Bobby Tomek ]

Well guys, there are some interesting notes on this subject from about everywhere in the country. How about an input from Colorado and Wyoming?

I got serious about Contender hangun hunting when I worked with Mike Bellm on what I call the "Bellm Boomer Triad". Those three chamberings are the ones based on the 444 Marlin case. The 7 mm, the 308 and the 358 all are excellent hunting cartridges. As I finished the testing/load development of the 7 mm it turned out that I had a chance to go for antelope in Wyoming. It was a huge success with a 14+ incher. One shot at near 200 yds. About that time I decided that getting a big deer with the 308 would be neat and an elk with the 358 would really serve to fill out the "proof testing" for the Triad, so I set out for the big guy. First year I shot a little bitty 3 pointer (western) the last day of the season with the 308 Bellm at 15 yds. I had developed a load that would have taken one out at 300 yds and here I had to shoot one at 15 yds in the last hour of the season. That wasn't enough to brag about so I decided I'd have to do that one over. Last year I did get a very nice big 3 point (western) mulie in Colorado at 250 yds with the 308 Bellm, but am still trying for that trophy size one. Then to draw an elk tag here in Colorado is a long hard task - still haven't managed it. See the antelope and mulie at www.1cox.com/shearer

So this year after failing to draw the elk tag for the third year I did manage to draw a whitetail permit for Wyoming and another mulie buck permit for Waterton Canyon, Colorado which is just ten mile from my house. This year it will be the 308 Bellm all the way - - both for the whitetail near Riverton, Wy and the mulie here close to home. I do hope to be able to post a better picture after this season.

I also have found that the Snipe Pod, which is a bipod, is a very convenient way to get a solid hold. Take a look at it at www.snipepod.com. I have set one up on the forepiece that I use for hunting and it is simply the fastest, easiest, steadiest shooter assist device I've seen for field shooting.

Good luck all,

Don Shearer

Don,
What game management unit have you been trying to draw on for elk? 76?
xphunter

I'll be using my Savage Striker with the laminated stock in the .308. 150 grain Nosler Ballistic Tips.

Previously used my XP 100 in 7mm IHMSA. Can't count the Antelope and Deer I've take with that.

XP,

I can't seem to locate my map showing the elk game units, but the one I've been trying to draw to, I think is 49. It is the one up by Fairplay. And the reason for trying just for that one is that my party has already made arrangements for horses, they are familiar with the lay of the land and have quite a bit of experience with the elk movements in that unit etc. These guys, when they can draw, are quite successful, so I've opted to go with them whenever I can get enough bonus points to draw. Of course I will be the only handgunner. I do have three points now,, so I am optimistic about next year. Do hope I can draw before I get to be 100 yrs old though.

Don Shearer

I'll be hunting the Upper Deshutes Unit here in Oregon for Mulies with my new .308 Bellm
I will also have my Bullberry .357 Herrett along and probably my T/C 7tcu also.
For Whitetails in Texas, well that would be my .308 Bellm also !! This barrel is really fun to shoot!! And very accurate! Thanks Mike!!!

Bob

Don,
You can call fish a game and they should be able to tell you how many preference points you will need to draw. I don't have a clue what it would take for area 49, but it would take from 6-8 years for 76 several years ago. I don't blame you for wanting to hunt that area after you explained why. I usually hunt for cows two years then the next year get an over the counter bull tag. We don't use horses or 4-wheeler, we are the horses and pack the meat out ourselves on frame packs. The group I hunt with for elk is all handgun hunters. A couple of XP-100's, an MOA, and an Encore. I guess we try to cover all the bases, well, almost all. We have allowed a rifle hunter to be with us last year. He used my 284 XP some, and he will be purchasing a Competitor in 284 Win. next year. When hunting in open country in the mountains it is easier to carry a specialty handgun than a rifle and a lot more fun.
xphunter

im planning on using my t/c encore in 257 jdj and for back up id really like to see what my 45-70 barrel will do.anybody shot a deer with a 50ak? would like to know what it does to a deer. jason