# Deer Hunting with Handguns and Hearing Protection!!!



## BandHunter

I just bought a Ruger GP-100 .357 and I put a Tasco Red Dot scope on it. I am looking foward to shooting a couple of doe's with it this year. It is a very good shooting gun. My question about hunting with handguns is does anybody ever use electonic hearing protection well hunting. The amount of muzzle blast on my .357 will leave someone with out hearing protection on their ears will be ringing for about 6-8 hours...Trust me I found out the hard way. So do the electronic ear muffs work? I would hate to not to be able to hear when I was out hunting. But i would also hate to not be able to hear for the rest of my life. Also if someone could give me a good brand that works well that would be very helpful?

I was also wondering what everyone else is using this year to hunt deer with a handgun? Caliber, Model etc....
Thanks a lot, 
Bandhunter

Also thanks for adding this Forum Chris.....


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## OneShotOneKill

Ear plugs, no I don't use all those ear bud or ear muffs gadgets. My pistols are load but I only fire once during a killing shot. I am using a Thompson Center Encore in 10" 7mm-08 Remington barrel using my handloads with 140 grain Nosler Partitions this year. It has a SSK industries three ring scope mount and a 2x28 weaver scope excellent deer slammer.

I also have harvested elk, deer and black bear with my Encore using either 12" 454 Casull also with a SSK industries three ring scope mount and a 2x28 weaver scope, and shot only deer with my iron sighted 10" 44 Remington Magnum barrel.

357 magnum is an excellent choice for deer hunting, I have one myself in Ruger New Model Blackhawk, but make sure to use a hunting type bullet for you 357 magnum and not the light 125 or 158 grain hollow or soft point bullets usually sold for the 357 magnum, because these are meant for stopping humans or punching targets not big game hunting. Either buy or hand load Hornady's 180 grain XTP jacketed bullets or 180 grain and heavier hard cast lead bullets. I prefer a hard cast bullet for straight walled pistol hunting cartridges. Look at the website below for excellent cast bullets.

http://www.proshootpro.com/
http://www.castperformance.com/
http://www.beartoothbullets.com/
http://www.creeker.net/

If you don't reload look at this ammunition for serious hunting.
http://www.buffalobore.com/ammunition/default.htm

Good luck and have fun,
OneShotOneKill


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## Bobm

Wear hearing protection, mine is deafening I use regular ear plugs I always have time to put them in, I'd rather lose a deer than "the rest of" my hearing. Shooting has not been kind to my ears because I didn't wear them when I was younger, and nothing is louder than my handguns. I have a contender in 30-30 and have yet to shoot a deer with it, but it sure is accurate with factory ammo. I bought it to carry bow hunting. I usually hunt with a bow during rifle season and inevitably some big buck ends up running around 50- plus yards away, next time I'll surprise him.... :lol:


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## OneShotOneKill

*Bobm*,

Excellent idea. The 30-30 Winchester chambering in your Thompson Center Contender should be extremely accurate, and nice deer killer. Also a great cartridge and firearm to start reloading using bullets like the Nosler Ballistic tips

I use ear plugs during target shooting but not hunting.

Good luck,
OneShotOneKill


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## Plainsman

Bandhunter

I liked my Smith 686 (357 mag) until I shot my first deer with a 44 mag. I use a 8 3/8 inch Smith. I use sonic ear plugs when hunting. Hearing is slightly impaired, but the concussion causes a small spring and washer to collapse and shut off the sound. I have used the electronic. They are kind of neat, you can turn them up and hear sounds that you would not otherwise hear. They shut down in I think it is about 1/450th second. My hearing is kind of going to pot because I was not smart enough to wear hearing protection when I was young. I forgot my plugs when shooting hot 300 gr loads in my 44 one day. It took hours for the ringing to leave, and I can not shake a case and hear the powder with my right ear anymore.


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## Whelen35

Here is another vote for the sonic ear plugs. In time, I would like to get the in the ear type of hearing protection that is now available. They work like the ear muffs, but fit in the ear like a hearing aid. I have taken deer with 357, 44mag, 45lc, 30-30, 357 herrit, 250 davage, 7mm tcu, 45-70. This year, the 309 JDJ will be on deck to slay the meat for the year. Once you start with the handguns, you will love the challange.


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## go4thegusto

Don't even think about firing ANY handgun without ear protection. My wife is an audiologist and if you hear ringing you have suffered permanent damage. I have tinitus (ringing of the ears) from guns and fireworks. This is no time to be macho. I wish I could turn back the clock and fix the ears and knees due to stupid behavior. This should be stressed in hunter safety. I use a set of Pro-Ears I bought in the Cabelas bargain room. They are awesome. Leave them on all the time in a goose pit, turkey blind, deer stand. Not only do they protect your precious ears but they enhance some sounds like songbirds. Do you wear seatbelts?!!!


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## GunRunner

go4thegusto said:


> I have tinitus (ringing of the ears) from guns


(me too)

wearing hearing protection is ALWAYS the best bet while handgunning. personally, after all of the years ive hunted /shot without it, im almost deaf now anyway, so in a hunting situatipn, i dont worry about it at all. only thing i ever shot anymore that rings my ears is my GLOCK 20C, but thats because the compensated barrel does increase the muzzle blast quite a bit.

also, ive never had to take more than one shot while handgunning deer, and at the moment of truth, im more interested in hitting my mark rather than if my ears are going to ring later from the shot.

DONT BE DUMB, IF AT ALL POSSIBLE, PROTECT YOUR HEARING, OR YOU'LL BE DOING LIKE I DO NOW, WHEN SOMEONE SAYS SOMETHING TO YOU, SAYING "HUH?"


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## scrollmaster

I also use standard earplugs that are hooked together and hang around my neck. When I see deer I slip them in before shooting. I use a 44 mag SuperBlackHawk I've owned for years and also picked up Taurus Raging Bull Pro Hunter in 454 Casull just before season this year but have not hunted it yet. Neither are as loud as the 30cal Ruger Blackhawk which I have hunted with but only shot one deer with it and probably misplaced the shot (approx 30yds) but tracked blood trail until it disappeared and no deer. Haven't hunted it since but really like the pistol.


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## farmerj

I have walker game ears for both the wife and myself.....

We have been comfortably wearing them for hours on end...I will put mine in at morning start and don't take them out until evening ends. about 11 hours now. I have had them in for as long as 18 hours comfortably. I actually passed up a shot on a doe because I didn't have them in on Sunday.

I have a documented hearing lose and the Army doesn't like it. (not service related). It came from a .308 shot at arms length.

Granted with the Walkers and having had Silicon ear plugs made we have over $800 in hearing protection for the two of us, but you gotta ask yourself...

Can you hear me now?........


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## james s melson

I use electronic muffs (peltor tactical 6-s) that cut out gun blast but amplify the human voice so you can hear range commands. I think that a good pair of standard muffs is the way to go though.


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## TailChaser

Peltor muffs are nice, I use a pair target shooting and most recently on a duck / goose hunt in Canada. There were 6 of us in lay-out blinds in a field so it was great being able to hear the geese coming, the guys yelling " take em " 30 ft. away + no muzzel noise.

I've tried the muffs turkey hunting and found it was tough to tell direction and they are also hard to use if its windy.


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