Any Handgun Hunters?

[Juggernaut76]

I took a MI whitetail last season with a handgun for the first time and man, I am hooked! I used a Freedom Arms M83 in .454 Casull with a Leupold 2X scope and probably won't carry anything else into the field again. At typical game-taking ranges here in MI (40-50 yds is about average for me), I do not feel like I am giving anything up to my rifle-toting friends. At these ranges, the 260gr Nosler Partition HG's cluster neatly into one hole. I think, however, that this is too much bullet for such an application: .45 cal hole in and .45 cal hole out; not much damage to the lungs (unless you consider a half-inch hole through the lungs "much damage"). The deer didn't take another step but lasted about 20 minutes after being shot.

 

[JD338]

Juggernaut76,

Congrats on your first handgun kill. I shot my first two WT this past season with my S&W 629 Classic 44 Mag using the Nosler 250 gr PT.
Both were heart shots, 30 yds and 60 yds. The bullet destroyed the
hearts and left exit holes about the size of a quarter.

Handgunning for deer is a lot of fun and more of a challenge.

JD338

 

[jjmp]

juggernaut-76, JD338, congrat''s to both you men, ive been hand gun hunting for the past 3 years 1st 2 years back 2 back i took whitetail bucks no trophys but each very special meriories for sure, its not as easy as it sounds but Very satisfieing when you conect, i hunt with a savage super-striker in a 308. regards ..jjmp :wink:

 

[Blaine]

I hunted with a 15" 308 Win on my T/C Encore last year. Didn't see any deer, though Since then, I have added a muzzle break and a rifle stock, and forarm. I still have a 243 Win & a 7MM-08 barrel for it in 15", though. This year I will hunt with.........(drum roll please) :roll: .............I haven't decided yet. :?

Blaine

 

[Greg Nolan]

Juggernaut;
Iv been hunting with a 454 casull for about 20 years and it's a great feeling to get your game that way. I've taken 4 hogs and a bear (missed the armadillo). If you're not satisfied with the bullet performance on deer try switching to a lighter weaker bullet I use a 229 gr. Speer mag-tip or the origional 240 gr. Freedom arms hollowpoints (big wide hollowpoint). I found the speer, especially, opens faster on thin skinned game like deer. I save the tough bullets for hogs and bears and hopefully a cow elk this year. Congratulations on your deer. Post some pictures if you would so we can all share in the celebration.
Good Hunting!

 

[Reloder28]

This year I will hunt with.........(drum roll please) :roll: .............I haven't decided yet. :?

Dude !!! That was my choice too, don't have a scope on it though!!!!

 

[Blaine]

[/quote]
Dude !!! That was my choice too, don't have a scope on it though!!!! [/quote]

I'm way ahead of you.......mine has a scope already.......I think.....unless.......no I think it does.

Blaine

 

[Juggernaut76]

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[Juggernaut76]

The picture above is a typical 50 yd group off sandbags.

 

[JD338]

Juggernaut76,

Nice group BUT you missed the penny!
I use the same bullet in my 50 cal Muzzle Loader and have had plenty of expansion. Somewhere on Noslers web site is a picture of a late season buck I took with a muzzle loader. You can see the exit wound and there was some expansion.

As for hunting this year, I plan on using my new (to me) 6.5 JDJ with a 120 gr Ballistic Tip. This is a SSk barrel for my T/C Contender. It will be fun!

JD338

 

[CamoWildcat]

Not only did he miss the penny - there are powder burns around the holes. :wink: :wink:

 

[honkeetonkin]

Juggernaut, if you enjoy handgun hunting that much and you like to read and learn from other shooters ( being humbled might be a better term) subsribe to The Sixgunner at 357 MAG bloomingdale, OH 43910. I'll give the email when I find it.

 

[big rifle man]

OK Guys, I've got a different one for you. I've got a competitor Arms single shot pistol, caliber 30.06. Also have a spare 7MM-08 Barrel. It is scoped with a Burris 2-7. The competitor has a cannon breech and is chambered in close to 300 different calibers. I use it with a muzzlebrake and can it shoot. One inch groups at 100yards if I do my part. Three one shot kills on whitetails with 165Grain Partitions. Definitely worth trying and extremely reliable.

 

[Reloder28]

Big Rifle Man,

I suggest you beware of dealing with this guy, Al & his lying wife Dorothy. He cheated me out of $487 about 10 years ago. If I ever see him I am gonna skin him and mount the hide on my wall.

I called the Attorney General's in his state but he told me it would cost me more than $487 to fly up there. He did say that he would hold him down whilst I skinned him if I did fly up there.

 

[Reloder28]

I just purchased a second 45 Colt so I could hunt with my original. I'll keep you posted.

JD,
Can you send your email address to Doug.Rogillio@nrgenergy.com?

 

[FOTIS]

Juggernaut76,

Congratulations.
Maybe just maybe I might put that 500 to work one day!

 

[big rifle man]

Reloader, I'm curious as to what happened. Al originally had his business in Massachussets but due to their stupid gun laws he moved to New Hampshire. I haven't had any contact with him for quite awhile now but I've also heard nothing bad about him. Where did he screw up?

 

[gravedigger]

I hunt with th T-C encore in 358 Winchester, I wouldn't hunt with any other caliber. It kills real well, has a fairly flat trjectory and don't kick real bad. Don't get any better than that. Iam sure there are better calibers but this works great for me.

DEATH BEFORE DISHONOR

 

[JD338]

I picked up a new to me 6.5 JDJ barrel for my contender.
She is shooting around 1" at 100 yds. I plan on fine tuning the load and taking a WT deer with it this fall. I will also shoot some woodchucks with it after the hay is down.

JD338

 

[sscoyote]

1) Custom .17 Mach IV XP-100/4-12X Burris Compact for coyote fur/pr. dogs.

2) Custom XP-100 20 BR/3-9X PFI Rapid Reticle will replace the .17 M IV as a dedicated fur hunter.

3) Custom Savage Striker .243 WSSM/Leupold 4.5-14 VX-III/ VH reticle/tgt. elevation turret for intermediate range late season coyotes.

4) Custom XP 6.5 WSM/8.5-25X Leupold Mk 4/TMR reticle/turrets for long-range late season coyotes/practical shooting comps.

5) Custom XP-100 7-270 WSM/3-12X Burris LER/ Ball. Plex for big game to intermediate range with the 200 gr. Wildcat bullet.