My handgun hunting thread...

Ridgerunner665

Handloader
Oct 28, 2008
2,507
260
I'm changing gears...as I sometimes do.

I've spent most of my life hunting and shooting at longer ranges, though I have done a fair amount of bow hunting with some success as well.

But places to shoot/hunt at long range are getting scarce in my neck of the woods...I'm seeing quite a few VERY nice "backyard bucks", I've got one there on my own place...a really big and heavy horned 9 point, spotted him last year in the neighbors back yard. Easily the biggest deer I've ever seen in the area (3 counties of area, BAE land not included).

He's not the only nice one I've seen...just the biggest...I have a very well established mineral lick on my own property there at home (2.74 acres), its been there for several years and has many, many regular visitors...it looks a lot like a hawg wallow....I use Black Magic (https://www.sportsmansguide.com/product ... oCU7rw_wcB )

Thing is I have NOT seen this big buck visit that lick, not even once, it is monitored year round with a game camera...I've got about 2 dozen does that are regular visitors, and 4 pretty decent bucks, just not the big one.

I'm not sure if he just hasn't found it or what...but anyway.

I'm all about the handgun hunting now...I'll be using the Glock 40 MOS, 10mm Auto, with a Leupold Deltapoint Pro optic on it< I do not have the optic yet.

I need some practice...I'm a fair to middlin shot for combat accuracy with any decent handgun, and can do OK most of the time on out there a ways with a 1911, but that Glock trigger takes some practice. I've come to realize the mechanical accuracy of most any Glock just isn't very much at all behind even the finest 1911's...that may hurt some peoples feelings, it did mine at first, but dang it, it is true!

A $2,000 1911 will shoot 1.5" at 50 yards in the right hands...or a Ransom rest....with the right ammo.

A $550 Glock will shoot 2.5" at 50 yards in the right hands...or a Ransom rest....with the right ammo.

The difference is the triggers, as is well known...a monkey could shoot pretty good with a finely tuned 1911 trigger...but that Glock trigger takes a fair amount of getting used to, coordination, and concentration.

My G40, it came with the 4.5 pound Glock trigger (actual pull weight measured 5 pounds out of the box), I have went through and polished the trigger parts to smooth things up a bit, no spring changes or anything and that put the pull at the advertised weight of 4.5 pounds.

From a solid rest, I have shot enough 50 yard 2 inch groups with that pistol that I am comfortable calling it a 2" pistol....a great big ole ugly accurate Glock, imagine that! Bone stock, factory barrel and all...

Offhand, with no rest...20-25 yards is about all I'm good for at this point...thats not the pistol, its ALL ME...I believe the Leupold Deltapoint Pro will help some if/when I get the funds for it.

My primary hunting rest is a set of shooting sticks...with the sticks I'm currently shooting around 6-8" at 50 yards...like I said, need some practice.

I hope to get to a point where I am comfortable and confident with this pistol at 75 yards...that is my goal. It has no trouble knocking the steel at 100 yards, its amazingly flat shooting, and has plenty of power at that range as well, equal to 45acp +P at the muzzle, a round I've used to take quite a few deer in the past...but, 75 yards is gonna be my max.

My load is a 200 grain XTP at 1,216 fps...SD: 0.179, BC: 0.199...safe, accurate, and homemade.

I think I'm gonna do most of my hunting from a ground blind...I have 2...a one man blind (Primos Gunhunter) and a big one the whole family can enjoy (almost :lol: ). I really like the small one, its easy to pack, carry, setup, repack, move, and setup again.

The holster is a Guides Choice from Diamond D Leather...REALLY like that holster...quiet, comfy, well made.

I'm excited about all this....I've handgun hunted before...but that was mostly 45acp bullet testing that happened to put meat on the table. Now, I'm going all in and hoping I can enjoy success hunting in a whole new way.

 
Sounds like a plan! Once you get used to the Clock trigger you'll do fine. They also seem to smooth up a bit with use. I've shot a lot of Glocks over the years and they'll shoot up there with anything. I messed a bit with the Sig with their version of the Delta site... Yeah, that'll do fine for handgun hunting at the ranges you're talking.
 
If you really want to get in to handgun hunting pick up one of the single shot pistols with inter changeable barrels where you can shoot light rifle bullets. A TC Encore would be my choice and for deer I would get a 35 Remington barrel and that way you can reload using pistol bullets or rifle what ever you choose. 300 Blackout would be another good one. There are several calibers that will work and some custom wild cats also.
 
As a pistol the Contender is a little more trim and manageable. The encore makes a great rifle/BP but is needlessly heavy as a pistol. Anything you want to run in a 14" barrel you can generally run in the Contender. The 35 rem is an excellent choice. It is very effective on deer losing very little over 20 carbines.

As to the glock there are several good after market triggers and a simple connecter is cheap and a definite improvement. The 200 XTP Is a great bullet but you could probably pick up a little velocity with the 180 or even 165gr bullets. The 155 Barnes and 165 Speer or double tap bonded will also work very well.

I used the 165 gold dot on several whitetails back in Michigan. Lots of solft tissue damage on broadside shots. I never shot one over 20 yards or so as I mostly used the pistol while hunting standing corn.

I also recommend the 6" lone wolf barrel. I've had two of them and been impressed.

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If I had a Contender in a rifle chambering I think I'd go with a 7-30 Waters.

Nothing against them, but to me those are just short barreled rifles with no stock... I don't really see them as handguns.

Bullet weights and speed... Yeah, I've seen/read about using 165's and such. I'm sure they work but I've always favored slow and heavy in handguns, preferring to ensure plenty of penetration.

I could use 180's with no reservations, but the 10mm was designed around the 200 at 1,200 and seems to perform well there in my limited shooting with it.

I do wish Federal would come out with a 200 grain version of their Trophy Bonded flat point...I think that would be "the stuff" right there.

I learned with the 45acp that given adequate sectional density, tremendous speed isn't required for clean kills on deer.

I've leveled several deer with 230 grain XTP's at just 850 fps.... With either complete or very near complete penetration on all of them... The 10mm 200 XTP has virtually identical sectional density, and almost 400 fps more speed.

I have come to really like the simplicity of the Glocks. I have carried one for my CCW since, I think, 2009....

I fired 100 rounds today, all sitting using the shooting sticks, at 50 yards, all but 7 hit the paper plate.... And that is using the crappy factory sights, the one thing about Glocks I still hate.

The lighter factory trigger in the G40 is really pretty good.... The 4.5 pound weight is fine, its the spongy that I'm having to get used to, but I'm getting there... If Hickok45 can do it, I can too.
 
No doubt!

But I think I like the bigger clearer window of the Leupold...I think... I have no actual experience with either, just a lot of reading.
 
I think you're going to have an awful lot of fun with your handgun hunting! (y)

Enjoy, and please keep us posted.

Guy
 
Got another 100 bag of Starline brass today, didn't really need them.... But they were hanging there.

Prepped half of them....

Now if I can beg, borrow, or steal a day off work to get to the range.

Lol, I'm lying.... I can take off if I want, but things are busy and I prefer to make hay while the sun is shining... Just waiting for things to slow down a bit.

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I find handgun hunting to be the most challenging I've tried. Been doing it for about 5 years and have only killed 2 deer. I kill one every year bowhunting and several with a rifle, I find handgun hunting by far the hardest. It is also the most rewarding to me. I've always used a 44 Magnum. My oldest brother killed his first one with a handgun this year using the glock 40 mos in 10mm. I think he's is hooked now too.


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If you have any, I'd love to hear more details about your brothers deer with his G40..... Ammo, bullet performance, range, etc....

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Range as I recall was 15-20 yards on a big doe. Roughly 120 lbs I'd say. I know the load was a double tap 180 JHP. Deer only ran about 50 yards with no blood and no exit. The JHP had textbook expansion and really did a number on her inards. Fairly high behind the shoulder shot. I believe he he would of got an exit with a 200-220 gr JSP or hardcast.


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I'm not a big glock fan, but it is a reliable weapon and he shoots it well out to 50 yards. He has had the trigger worked on and it's at 3.5 lbs. I can shoot a glock so so off a bench, but not so great off hand compared to other handguns. Shooting his though has given me a lot of interest in the 10mm. Especially loaded to its full potential and not some of the watered down factory loads. I believe federal also released a 200 gr JSP in there vital shok line with a 1300 fps mv. Sounds like a potent round.


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I hated Glocks for years myself...

Always knew and recognized that they were reliable and more accurate than most give them credit for...all you have to do to witness Glock accuracy is watch a Hickok45 video on YouTube.

Those steel targets (chickens, turkeys, pigs, etc.) are 40-60 yards away and he plugs away at them...offhand.

I'm one of those "if he can do it, I can too types"...I'm getting better with practice.

I'm looking into some trigger mods myself, I'm not sure they make a huge difference in reality, but I'm probably going to upgrade mine a bit even if its just for my own confidence.
 
On the Federal 200 grain round...

I hope they did, but I haven't seen or heard about it....I'd be all over a 200 grain Trophy Bonded JSP at 1,200+ fps...like a chicken on a june bug!
 
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