# Want a hunting handgun!



## Scooter

Looking for advise on a first hunting handgun. I have shot pistols all my life but never hunted with one. I have used everthing up to a .44Mag ang want to know what other think is a good starting setup. Also what does everone think of the new S&W X-frame cannons.


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## Whelen35

If I was going to get a first time hunting handgun, and it was not a single shot, it would be a ruger blackhawk or super blackhawk. If I did not reload, 44mag it is. If I did reload, then 45lc or a 44 mag if one came my way cheap. I might even find one of the hunter models that had the scope rings milled into the top of the barrel/frame if I wanted a scope or red dot type sight. The rugers are very well made, rugged, shoot very well, and tough. I don't even shoot heavy hunting loads in my S&W's anymore. The ruger will take heavy hunting loads all day long, and you will likely want to stop before it does. When handloading, both can be loaded down to very quiet gentil plinkers, or up to large game slayers. Very versital, and can be shot quite cheaply if reloaded for.


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## TN.Frank

T/C Contender would be my first choice for a "Hunting" handgun. You can buy a few different barrels and use it for many different game animals. Second on the list would be a Ruger Redhawk in .480 Ruger. It's suppose to deliver pretty good down range punch without all the recoil of some of the other "big bore" handgun ctgs. One thing to remember, you can always load a powerful ctg. down to a comfortable level but it's hard to load up a weak ctg. to get power. I had a Taurus in 454 Casull when they first came out. I loaded it with 250gr HP's to 44 Mag specs and recoil was very controlable and it gave me all the ower I needed for deer. If I wanted to go for something bigger I could always load it up.


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## Burly1

I'm not usually a "latest and greatest" kind of guy.....but the new .460 S&W has my interest. Credible performance way out to 200 yards and chambered in a double action handgun. What's not to like? Well there is the cost I suppose. :lol: Good shooting, Burl


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## Azian

What would be a good price for a brand new Super Black Hawk .44 mag with the scope rings? I found one with a 7 1/2 inch barrel for 549.00 and am very tempted to buy it.


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## Alaskan Brown Bear Killer

If your hunting anything bigger than a whitetail I'd stay away from the liter weapons and go for the 454 to 500 mag.
Dirty Harry days are over, the 44 mag isn't even close to a 454 or 500 mag.


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## Remington 7400

i disagree, the .44 is just as powerful today as it was in Dirty Harry's time. The .44 is still alot of gun, far from a "litter" gun!


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## fishless

I shoot a 44 mag super redhawk 9 1/2 in barrel, red dot sight, very accurate out to 100 yards. And I know the old 44 mag has lost alot of power over the years, but fortunately somebody forgot to tell the deer. :sniper:


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## wyocarp

Scooter said:


> Looking for advise on a first hunting handgun. I have shot pistols all my life but never hunted with one. I have used everthing up to a .44Mag ang want to know what other think is a good starting setup. Also what does everone think of the new S&W X-frame cannons.


Scooter, you don't say anything about the type of hunting being done and what kind of animals are the targets. You asked about the S&W cannons. I have several of them and like them. I don't get to shoot as much as I would like, I only put maybe a couple hundred rounds through them each week. Any of them would be great handguns. They aren't cheap shoot if you don't reload though. And I would say that any of the larger handguns need to be bought with a set of reloading dies and bullet casting molds if they are going to do more than just sit in a gun safe.


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## Scooter

wyocarp,

I would hunting muldeer, whitetail, and pronghorn with my handgun. I'm giving serious consideration to the .460 S&W for a hunting handgun.


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## wyocarp

Scooter said:


> wyocarp,
> 
> I would hunting muldeer, whitetail, and pronghorn with my handgun. I'm giving serious consideration to the .460 S&W for a hunting handgun.


Scooter, I think that the .460 would be great for those animals. There are some unique bullets made for the .460, unique for a pistol anyways. Of course I really like the .500 and deer fall over like they are dead before the bullet gets there.[/url]


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## MACKDRIVER431

HEY GUYS, I'M NEW TO THIS SITE AND HAD A QUESTION FOR WHELEN35. YOU SAID THAT YOU DONT SHOOT MAG LOADS IN YOUR S&W ANYMORE, IHEARD SOMEONE ELSE SAY THOSE SAME WORDS AND WAS WONDERINGARE YOU GUYS SAYING THAT S&W REVOLVERS CANT HANDLE LOADS THAT THE ARE BUILT TO SHOOT. IF SO THEN WHAT GOOD IS THE GUN IF YOU CANT LOAD IT WITH FULL HOUSE LOADS LIKE IT WAS MADE FOR.I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THIS BECAUSE I AM GETTING READY TO BUY A REVOLVER FOR WHITETAILS.


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## Cleankill47

Mackdriver, I don't mean to jump in front of Whelen to answer you, but the reason you don't shoot full-on 'Hot' loads all the time in S&W or any handgun is that it wears the barrel and action faster than when you use light loads. A hunting handgun is designed to fire the expected number of hot rounds at a few game animals a year, anything more puts more wear on the gun than is necessary. Using light loads doesn't wear the gun nearly as fast.

At least, that's my reasoning for it. Whelen35, feel free to jump in...


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## People

You can get a new BBL how does it affect the action?


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## Cleankill47

People, I'm going to guess that you asked how hot rounds affect the action, even though your question can be interpreted as asking how the BBL affects it.

Hot rounds put more pressure on the action, frame, and barrel of the revolver simply because of the higher pressures involved.

As for the BBL, never had/used one, so I don't know.


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## Burly1

The constant pounding of heavy loads will loosen the fit of the crane to the frame on S&W revolvers. Such damage can be repaired, but the cost involved is seldom worth it. I am talking primarily about the model 29. The newer magnums and supers are made to take a licking. When the model 29 was developed, it was plenty strong for all available factory loads. With the advent of new powders and bullets for the .44 mag, some loads are just more than the gun was made to take on a regular basis. You won't destroy it with a few heavy loads now and again, but your primary loads should be something that is a little less powerful. If you want to shoot a gun that will take all the .44 can be made to put out, get a Ruger single action or a Thompson Center Contender or Encore. If anyone is shooting the .460 S&W, I would like to hear about your experience with it. Good shooting, Burl


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## MACKDRIVER431

HEY GUYS THANKS FOR THE INFO ABOUT SHOOTING FULL MAG LOADS FROM A REVOLVER IT WAS HELPFUL,BUT I HAVE A QUESTION FOR BURLY 1,YOU MENTIONED THE M29, ARE THE ONES BUILT TODAY UP FOR THE TASK? I'M CONSIDERING A 629 PERFORMANCE CENTER MODEL FOR DEER, ANY THOUGHTS?ONE MORE THING, WOULD SHOOTING SAY 158GR. 357MAGS FROM ALSO A PC REVOLVER DO ANY DAMAGE, I SHOOT 75-150 RDS. PER WEEK. SORRY FOR THE MILLION QUESTIONS BUT THIS IS ALL NEW TO ME, JUST LOOKIN FOR GOOD ADVICE


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## Burly1

I would have to defer to advice from the custom shop. Perhaps their performance center models are up to the task. I'm sure they would be happy to answer your question via e-mail. Burl


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## Whelen35

After reading the intended game, I would say get a contender in 7-30 waters, put a 2-6 scope on it and you would be good out to 250yds or so. If you want more range, then an encore in 7-08 or 308 win would both be good out to 325 or so. Past these ranges bullet performance can turn into something unpredictable unless you make proper choices. Most relvover choices run out of usefull (for me) range and power at about 150yds. And yes I have read about the 460 and 454 being used out much further, but if I am going to be shooting further than 150yds, I will pick a contender or encore and get more range with less recoil, or more range with a large ammount of power gain. I tend to like to pick the right tool instead of an adjustable wrench. Be carefull, handgun hunting can lead to the purchase of many guns and more fun than you may be able to withstand. :lol:


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## Scooter

I can handle alot of fun and always welcome the purchase of more guns! But thanks for the warning Whelen35.


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## NDTerminator

Hard to beat a 44 mag for a great all around hunting/general shooting round. It'll do the job on anything from Norskie gophers to deer, and then some.

You can get a 44 mag in everything from a lightweight like the Taurus Tracker and S&W Mountain Gun all the way up to a behemoth like the Taurus Raging Bull. I prefer the medium-big models like the standard S&W Model 29 with 6" barrel, and the Taurus M44. In single action, I much prefer the Bisley Blackhawk over the standard Blackhawk or Super Blackhawk, but neither are as comfortable to shoot as the above double actions.

Bear in mind that the lightweights noted above are comfortable to pack but have nasty recoil, and the really big stuff are easier to shoot but are heavy & no fun to carry for any amount of time. Double actions cost more than single actions, but are much more comfortable to shoot.

My hunting handgun is a Taurus M44 6.5" 44 Mag. It is accurate, not too heavy, not to bulky, and about the most comfortable to shoot 44 mag I've come across. It cost less than a S&W Model 29 and is every bit as strong & well built...


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## wheelgun

The 44 mag is still a good one within its range.I have a blackhawk,redhawk,superredhawk and a contender in 44 mag.I keep all shots on game under 100 yards with scope and 75 yards with iron sites.


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## Sixgunner

Remington 7400 said:


> i disagree, the .44 is just as powerful today as it was in Dirty Harry's time. The .44 is still alot of gun, far from a "litter" gun!


7400 said it well. The 44 has done it all, African big five, brown/grizzly, elk, moose, wild hogs. There is no magic caliber you still need shot placement AND bullet construction. A buddy took his cape buffalo with a 44 mag after he used a 375 JDJ with a Hornady 270 grain bullet instead of a 300 grain solid. The 270 broke up on the bulls shoulder. Plenty of gun just wrong bullet.

We now have custom shops like Garretts Cartridge, Buffalo Bore, and Grizzly Cartridge Company putting out great ammo for this caliber. We also have companies like Cast Perfomance, Beartooth, and Belt Mountain putting out great bullets for the reloader.

When we lived in Alaska I carried my Mag Na Port custom Blackhawk 44 and never felt under gunned. I can shoot that gun pretty accurately with my full power handloads. I own a 454 but always seem to go to one of my two 44 magnums.


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## Remington 7400

> HEY GUYS THANKS FOR THE INFO ABOUT SHOOTING FULL MAG LOADS FROM A REVOLVER IT WAS HELPFUL,BUT I HAVE A QUESTION FOR BURLY 1,YOU MENTIONED THE M29, ARE THE ONES BUILT TODAY UP FOR THE TASK? I'M CONSIDERING A 629 PERFORMANCE CENTER MODEL FOR DEER, ANY THOUGHTS?ONE MORE THING, WOULD SHOOTING SAY 158GR. 357MAGS FROM ALSO A PC REVOLVER DO ANY DAMAGE, I SHOOT 75-150 RDS. PER WEEK. SORRY FOR THE MILLION QUESTIONS BUT THIS IS ALL NEW TO ME, JUST LOOKIN FOR GOOD ADVICE


The performance center models are no more up to the task than any other S&W, it is still the same 629 frame.


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## sixgunluvr




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## clampdaddy

Dirty Harry's days are over?!?! Take that back! Thats blasphemy! Whats next, bad mouthin' The Duke?!


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## Remington 7400

:bowdown: :bowdown: :bowdown: :bowdown: :bowdown: :bowdown: :bowdown: :bowdown: :bowdown: :bowdown: :bowdown: :bowdown: :bowdown: :bowdown: :bowdown: :bowdown: :bowdown: :bowdown: :bowdown: :bowdown: :bowdown: :bowdown: :bowdown: :bowdown:


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## Longshot

The 44 mag has been used extensively and for many years thought to be more then adequate. It makes me laugh that whenever they come out with something bigger the old tried and true is no longer any good. Thanks for the laugh.


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