# Anyone hunting with a Handgun this year ? Are you ready ?



## SDHandgunner (Jun 22, 2004)

Just curious if there are any other Handgun Hunters out there. I have been hunting with Single Shot Speciality Pistols since 1982. Over the years there have been T/C Contenders, T/C Encores, Remington XP-100's and a Savage Striker along the way.

Recently I picked up a Stainless-Steel Super 14 7-30 Waters Contender Barrel. I have hunted with a 7-30 Waters several years ago, but it was with a 10" Contender.

At any rate upon receiving my Barrel I also received a set of RCBS Reloading Dies, 100 New Remington .30-30 Winchester Cases and 100 Nosler 120gr. Ballistic Tip Bullets.

To make 7-30 Waters Brass out of .30-30 Winchester Brass the first step is to neck the .30-30 Brass down to 7mm. During this process the necking down process leaves a false shoulder on the long .30-30 Case Neck. I adjusted my sizing die so as to form a tight fit for that false shoulder in my chamber to try to eliminate any case stretch during the fireforming process (required to blow out the case body and put the shoulder in the right place).

I read an article on the net about fireforming without using bullets. The article stated to neck the brass down (I had done that) and then fill the case to the case mouth with a fast burning pistol powder and weigh the amount of pistol powder. The article went on to say that the charge weight of the pistol powder would be approximately 10% to 14% of the total capacity.

Once the charge weight was determined the article said to put a plug of toilet paper on top of the powder charge (the author used 1/4 sheet) (which I did). The next step was to fill the case (on top of the pistol powder and toilet paper wad) to the bottom of the case neck with Cream of Wheat. I set up a second powder measure to dump the right amount of Cream of Wheat in my cases. The article then said to put another 1/4 sheet of toilet paper wad on top of the Cream of Wheat.

Well I loaded up a couple cases and headed out of town to see what happened. Wow this worked like a charm, and upon firing I had formed 7-30 Waters Brass fireformed to my chamber. I should note that barrel clean up after firing these Cream of Wheat Fireform Loads was a snap and took only a couple minutes. Once all my cases were fireformed to my chamber I neck sized the brass, and trimmed to length.

I then set out to work up a load with the 120gr. Nosler Ballistic Tips. I have been using Hodgdon's H-4895 Powder in my .223 Loads for a year or so, so that is what I had on hand. I went to the Hodgdon Web Site and copied their starting and maximum loads for a 120gr. Nosler Solid Base Flat Point Bullet with H-4895 Powder.

After a trip to the range with a bunch of test loads I ended up with a good shooting load. The average for 5 - 3 shot groups at 100 yards came in at .969" with the smallest group going just slightly over 3/4". I then came home and loaded up the rest of my fireformed brass with this new found load and headed out to chronograph it. I was hoping for 2450 FPS with the 120gr. Nosler Ballistic Tip, and wasn't disappointed by much. My load averaged 2436 FPS for 5 shots over the screens of my Chronograph with low extreme spread and standard deviation.

I have my 7-30 Waters all sighted in and ready for Deer Season to roll around. Yeah I will be out shooting up a few rounds between now and then, verifying my zero and just plain practicing.

Just curious if there are any other Handgun Hunters out there, and if you are all ready for Deer Season this fall.

Larry


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## Burly1 (Sep 20, 2003)

Just curious Larry, have you ever hunted with a revolver?
I have limited experience with the .44 mag on deer, but the one buck I did take (the only one I've ever shot at) was a very rewarding experience. 
I once owned a T/C hand cannon in .35 Rem, but it was just too unpleasant to shoot to make the whole adventure worthwhile. I guess I'll just stick to a rifle for the bigger centerfire calibers.

Burl


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## SDHandgunner (Jun 22, 2004)

Yes Burl I have given Revolvers a go a time or two. Most of the time the area I hunt in offers longer range opportunities that I am comfortable with using a Revolver.

It is funny that you should mention the .35 Remington in a Contender as I have been doing so research on the cartridge and have been trying to decide if I really need one. In the end my next barrel will either be a .35 Remington or a .445 Super Mag, just not sure which one as yet.

Larry


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## peter trivero (Jun 29, 2008)

killed my first deer last year with my xp 100 7mm bench rest rem 65 yards tryed many gears just never seen any thing to shoot at untill last year killed 3 with a mod. 19 s&w iron sites over the years from 10 feet to 40 yards


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## SDHandgunner (Jun 22, 2004)

Welcome to the forums.

The very first Whitetail I ever took with a Handgun was back in 1982 with a Remington XP-100. However it wasn't a 7mm BR, even though it started out life as one. I had had mine rechambered to the 7mm I.H.M.S.A. Cartridge as I didn't want to go through all the trouble and expense of forming brass from Remington BR Basic Brass (there was no factory formed 7mm BR Brass at that time). The 7mm I.H.M.S.A. was much easier to form, simply run a .300 Savage case through a 7mm I.H.M.S.A. Full Length Sizer Die, load and go shooting.

I took a few Whitetails with that 7mm and finally traded it for a small bolt face XP-100 which I had rebarreled to 6mm-223.

Again welcome to the forum.

Larry


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## dakotashooter2 (Oct 31, 2003)

My hangun hunting is almost exclusively with a revolver (41 mag) but I do use a TC in 308 on occassion. Had a contender in 35 rem many years ago and traded it for the "extra" range of the 308. One of my bigger gun trade mistakes. That 35 rem would consistently shoot under 3/4" and usually around 1/2" at 100 and was a pleasure to shoot. I rarely get under 1 1/2" with the 308. The only centerfire rifle I even own is an encore barrel in 243.


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## SDHandgunner (Jun 22, 2004)

Good to see some other Handgun Hunters around here.

I have never owned or shot a .41 Magnum Revolver. I have read good things about the cartridge just never bought one for some reason. I have had a few .357 & .44 Magnum Revolvers over the years though.

I don't have too much experience with Encores. I do have a couple buddies that each have an Encore. 1 is in .243 Winchester, and the others in a .284 Winchester. I have shot both and hunted with both actually.

I have worked up handloads for both of these Encores and load the ammo for my buddies. Both will shoot under MOA at 100 yards from the bench at 100 yards.

Are you handloading for your .308 Encore or do you just shoot factory ammo? Just curious I guess. I have a friend that used to have a Encore in .308 and he too had trouble getting it to shoot like he thought it should.

Larry


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## NDTerminator (Aug 20, 2003)

I pretty much share Matthew Quigley's view of bellyguns. None the less, I've killed several deer with 44 mag and 41 mag revolvers, using handloads with either 240 or 210 grain hard casts. All were taken at no more than 40 yards and most well under that...

Just the other day I picked up a new 6" 629 to replace the 4" Mountain Gun I traded in last year. The extra 2" of sight plane will buy me a couple more years of iron sight use (age related near vision issues) and I'll have a platform I can put a scope on when I have to. I'm going to avoid that as long as possible, as to my mind scoping a revolver designed to be carried on the belt pretty much negates it's utility...

Most likely I'll use the new 629 to take a doe or two come November...


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## SDHandgunner (Jun 22, 2004)

Nothing wrong with using a .44 Magnum Revolver. In fact I think the .44 Magnum is one of the most versatile revolver chamberings ever. As for the open sights.

I just don't shoot open sights well enough to trust myself much past 25 yards. However on my Ruger 4" Bull Barrel MKIII 22/45 I installed a HiViz Fiber Optic Front and Ruger V Notch Rear sights on it and they are working much better for me than regular post front / square notch open sights.

Good luck to all the Handgun Hunters this year.

Larry


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## NDTerminator (Aug 20, 2003)

I feel you on the open sight problem. Even though my distance vision is 20/20, like many older guys approaching old fart status, I have age related near vision issues which make using open sights an ever increasing chore.

I find the white outline rear/red ramp front on my 629 to work very well for me out to 50 yards, but as always I knock about 10 yards off that for my max range when a live deer is the target..

For what it's worth, this is my basic handgun hunting philosphy...

The only reason I use a handgun to hunt is to add a challenge, which is why I choose an open sighted revolver and will use one as long as I can.
Seems to me handgun hunting should be more akin to bowhunting, than hunting with a scoped rifle.

A couple decades ago I had a 10" heavy barrel TC Contender in 223 with a scope & bipod. I could lay behind that thing and kill beavers & Norskie gophers out to 250 yards. It also weighed as much as my lightweight sporter rifles and had to be carried on a sling over the shoulder (left handed bandolier holsters not yet being available). I got rid of it when I decided if I was going to carry a firearm that weighed as much and shot like a rifle but w/o the advantages (quick follow up shots and a stock), it might as well be one of my rifles...

A 6" large frame revolver is relatively easy to carry whether on foot, horseback, or ATV. It can be carried in any number of holsters from belt to a shoulder holster under a jacket in bad weather, and affords fast, fluid follow up shots when needed.

I like the 44 Mag round for it's KISS simplicity. As a straight walled case it's easy to load and most loads shoot very well to excellent. It doesn't need to rely on expansion to get the job done. a 240 grain or better hard cast is esentially pre-expanded and penetrates like mad even at moderate velocities.

My favorite all purpose 44 mag load is a CCI 350 primer, 17.0 grains of 2400 and a Laser Cast 240 grain SWC. This load generates 1200 FPS from most all 6"-6.5" revolvers I've shot it in, can be shot all day at the bench w/o discomfort, whistles through medium game w/o slowing down, and doesn't lead up the barrel...


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## Sixgunner (Jun 11, 2006)

I'll be using my 375 JDJ on a Bison next month and I hope to take a cow elk in Dec. Can't wait!


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## SDHandgunner (Jun 22, 2004)

Sixgunner said:


> I'll be using my 375 JDJ on a Bison next month and I hope to take a cow elk in Dec. Can't wait!


From everything I have read about the .375 JDJ that should work just fine. That cartridge has quite a reputation in the big game fields.

Make sure you fill us in on your hunts, and good luck.

Larry


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## mike landrich (Jul 5, 2008)

I've shot deer with both a 7x30 waters and 35 rem in a scoped Contender. Both worked very well. This year, I plan on using my 375 jdj and/or 480 Ruger Super Redhawk (both iron sighted), just to make it more challenging.


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## Sixgunner (Jun 11, 2006)

I went out and shot my buffalo. I used my 375 JDJ. It was really a shoot not a hunt. I was the only handgun hunter there with 3 other rifle hunters. I lung shot mine at about 70 yards so he was down quick, it maybe ran 20 yards. One rifle hunter that complemented me on my shooting shot his buff with one shot also. On rifle guy there shot 2 buffalo; one with 3 shots the other with 4 shots. I had to give him a hard time.


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## SDHandgunner (Jun 22, 2004)

Congrats on the hunt. That should make some fine eating.

Larry


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