Backup handgun for surprise close hunting situations.

[ATH]

If this is truly a backup consider when it is getting too big/heavy to be a viable backup gun. A 4-5" revolver is about right for me.

I have no problems getting hunting accuracy in bow range with a SW329PD. It kicks but it carries easy. I'd have no issues taking those types of shots with my 41Mag or 44Mag. Proper bullet selection is the key. Whitetails are OK with hollowpoints, I think I'd want a solid wide meplat for elk. You can get plenty of penetration from a 44.

If you like and can carry bigger, the animals won't be less dead. Not sure how much more dead.

 

[sp6x6]

My back up is a 4'' 44,and Ive taken deer,bear,and finished elk with it.My son shot a bear with his 40 a couple years ago,he was at 30 yrds. Carry on a 2.5'' ring that helps it ride below pack for access and swivel as walk,tied down.Kid has it on as he was lead

 

[entoptics]

As it seems there's still a little confusion, I'm not talking about defensive use, as most places I'm likely to hunt don't have anything that needs a serious revolver. I was more thinking about shots of opportunity at close range. For example, trudging up a gully with your rifle slung, and you bust an animal at 60 yds.

Sounds like the consensus is that a 44 mag is sufficient for elk at "archery ranges", so either my 454 or 475 should be good. Just crunched a few numbers, comparing my 4-5/8" 44 mag Blackhawk, which runs a 240 XTP at about 1300 fps (my handholds).

At 20 yds, the 44 has 1250 fps and 840 ftlbs.

475LB with 400 gr pill has velocity match at 35 yds, energy match at 200 yds!
454C with 300 gr pill has velocity match at 125 yds, energy match at 190 yds!

Obviously, I wouldn't take a shot on live game with an iron sighted wheel gun past about 80-90 yds, but I might investigate putting a red dot on my FA 454. Think it would push my "ethical range" out to 100-120 yds. Is a quality micro red dot gonna stand up to 454 recoil though?

 

[xsn10s]

I competed with my revolvers and pistols in PPC, IDPA, 3 gun, Steel Challenged, ICORE, and even IHMSA. I considered shooting pigs with my 44. I'm no expert but I'd still opt for my rifle for elk.

 

[jebel]

I would look at something like the Barnes Buster bullets, if I were considering it.

 

[entoptics]

I would look at something like the Barnes Buster bullets, if I were considering it.

Probably gonna run some wide flat nose, hard cast bullets, with gas checks. I've shot a fair amount of wet phone books, and those puppies will sink deep and leave a ping pong ball sized channel with both 454 and 475. The XTP Mags are devastating too, but definitely don't go as deep. They tend to shoot a little better than even the high end lead, so I might consider them, but I think I'd prefer the extra penetration with the WFN.

A good 30 cal rifle bullet should experience about 1.5X expansion in the first couple inches. That's about 45-48 cal...

 

[DXHI]

When i archery hog hunt in texas, i carry a judge on my hip. Alternate 410 birdshot with 45 In the cylinder.
Shot is for rattlers , the 45 is for ****ed off pigs that want to charge...

Had the charge happen once, poor shot ..stuck a show with 10 pigleits...was a scary feeling..couldn't get the pistol out of the holster quick enough as it ran by..luckily there was a tree between me and her as we played ring around the rosy....

 

[CUTTER1]

If you are talking about meeting something that's willing to challenge your position on top of the food chain, your best bet is a can of bear spray.

I tell friends and clients in Alaska all the time that "if you have an adverse bear engagement please don't spray the bear as he will for sure
Hurt you....instead spray yourself head to toe as the last thing a bear will do is eat you then .... Maybe he will bit you once but he won't like how you taste and he will be done! And please don't spray me cause I have to be able to see to shoot"

 

[memtb]

I've always wondered "WHY", do you attempt to "season" the bear .....before you shoot it? Kinda like putt'n salt and pepper on the hen, before she lays! memtb

 

[VLD Pilot]

Just spent the afternoon shooting revolvers, the smallest being a 4 5/8" Blackhawk in 44 mag, and the biggest being a 8 3/8" 500 SW. Kinda weird to consider 475 Linebaugh and 454 Casull as "intermediate handgun cartridges", but that was how the day went.

Anyway, got me thinking about a backup gun for close range "surprised in the timber" situations. I can hit a 12" plate, offhand, 8 outa 10 at 100 yds with all my big revolvers (give me a fence post or tree, and that's 10/10). It occurred to me that they'd be excellent for shooting in tight spaces that my 300 WM would just be terrible for.

Anyone here have handgun hunting experience? I'm curious what sort of "minimum values" are ethical for something like elk with a big bore handgun.

1) Impact Energy
2) Impact Velocity
3) Sectional Density

I have a 4 3/4" Freedom Arms 454 Casull, and it chucks a 300 gr XTP mag at about 1550 fps. It's a handy "little" gun that's perfectly suitable for hip carry and shoots 3" at 20 yds offhand. My gut instinct suggests that would still flatten an elk at 100 yds (4" drop, 1100 ftlbs, 1400 fps), but I have absolutely ZERO experience with handgun terminal performance.

Back up handgun for surprised target game animals OR back up handgun for surprised dangerous game animals ? Huge difference. For intended game animals the big bores fit the bill as you'll have plenty of time for the shot to be on target and if not, the worse case scenario is, the animal walks off. Recoil and follow up shots aren't a consideration. For the Mama bear protecting her Cubs or and angry territorial bear, the manageable auto pistol is a consideration. Certainly not saying a 400 corbon, 10mm or heavy 45 acp is good bear hunting medicine. I believe they'll kill a bear easily with good shot placement BUT much better options for hunting bears. For a bear in attack mode, the fast, accurate follow up shots from an auto with heavy penetrating bullets IMO Trump's a heavy recoiling revolver with 5-6 shots. Bears move fast so shots will need to be fast. Don't see the big revolver putting shots out fast AND accurate. The auto will put out 3 times the shots twice as accurate as the big bores. These are my opinions only. I've carried a 44 mag in bear country back packing mountains on elk hunts. Never had an issue. I now carry a 10mm with heavy loads. I Hope to never have to prove which gun would have been best. I think either choice is good but everyone has a choice and not all ours are the same. Another consideration is carry location. Chest carry is my choice but some still prefer waist carry. Lots of variables to consider.

 

[Locknload]

Everything is relative to your experiance and personal choice. I happen to carry a 357 model 66 with 162gr RCBS water dropped hard cast over 16grs of H-110, in a cross draw Anderson rig. But I have shot pins, plates, world speed, 3 gun and IPSC with autos and revolvers and SA revolvers in IHMSA in state and regional competition for decades. Given a choice I will always use the rifle on dangerous critters, but in a push I will use the fast handling handgun with manageable recoil for DA shooting, if I need it. I have tried the DW 445 Super Mag with 240s and 300s and it is to heavy and the recoil prevents a quick follow up. I have shot hogs on the ground with a 357 Blackhawk OM, 44 Blackhawk OM and a 30-30 Merrill 10" single shot. The Single shot was a 300 lb boar on the charge at 25 ft, one shot slightly to the left, between the eyes with a 170 Speer flat point. The bullet was in the right ham, traveled down the spine in the neck and through the innards.

We do not have big bears here bouts but you can run up on a 600 pound plus porker without trying real hard. I prefer an AR if out with or around hogs. I have two 358 MGP AR-15 guns I built, that are similar to a 358 Win in performance. They will do right at 2,400 fps with a powder coated RCBS 200. They will anchor a hog or bear with the 200gr and with a 16 inch barrel they are real handy.
Ed

 

[gator378]

Back up handgun for surprised target game animals OR back up handgun for surprised dangerous game animals ? Huge difference. For intended game animals the big bores fit the bill as you'll have plenty of time for the shot to be on target and if not, the worse case scenario is, the animal walks off. Recoil and follow up shots aren't a consideration. For the Mama bear protecting her Cubs or and angry territorial bear, the manageable auto pistol is a consideration. Certainly not saying a 400 corbon, 10mm or heavy 45 acp is good bear hunting medicine. I believe they'll kill a bear easily with good shot placement BUT much better options for hunting bears. For a bear in attack mode, the fast, accurate follow up shots from an auto with heavy penetrating bullets IMO Trump's a heavy recoiling revolver with 5-6 shots. Bears move fast so shots will need to be fast. Don't see the big revolver putting shots out fast AND accurate. The auto will put out 3 times the shots twice as accurate as the big bores. These are my opinions only. I've carried a 44 mag in bear country back packing mountains on elk hunts. Never had an issue. I now carry a 10mm with heavy loads. I Hope to never have to prove which gun would have been best. I think either choice is good but everyone has a choice and not all ours are the same. Another consideration is carry location. Chest carry is my choice but some still prefer waist carry. Lots of variables to consider.

I have both the 44 and a 10mm. If you are down to pistol versus bear I was told to save the last round for yourself.

 

[SidecarFlip]

460 and Swift A Frames for me.

 

[tooth doc]

As it seems there's still a little confusion, I'm not talking about defensive use, as most places I'm likely to hunt don't have anything that needs a serious revolver. I was more thinking about shots of opportunity at close range. For example, trudging up a gully with your rifle slung, and you bust an animal at 60 yds.

Sounds like the consensus is that a 44 mag is sufficient for elk at "archery ranges", so either my 454 or 475 should be good. Just crunched a few numbers, comparing my 4-5/8" 44 mag Blackhawk, which runs a 240 XTP at about 1300 fps (my handholds).

At 20 yds, the 44 has 1250 fps and 840 ftlbs.

475LB with 400 gr pill has velocity match at 35 yds, energy match at 200 yds!
454C with 300 gr pill has velocity match at 125 yds, energy match at 190 yds!

Obviously, I wouldn't take a shot on live game with an iron sighted wheel gun past about 80-90 yds, but I might investigate putting a red dot on my FA 454. Think it would push my "ethical range" out to 100-120 yds. Is a quality micro red dot gonna stand up to 454 recoil though?

Yes, it will, and will get the job done!