Help me pick a pistol

[highfinblue]

I'd like to start hunting whitetail deer with a pistol.
My max range will be 30 yds and I would like to use an optic
I am an experienced rifle hand loader

What would be a good place to start?

I love my S&W model 19 with Winchester 145 grain silvertip hp. These are personal protection loads, but their performance on watermelon, gallon water jugs and the like is absolutely unbelievable. When you shoot them, it is obvious they are a souped up load and handloading I cannot compare. I have not run them through a chronograph, but I am certain they would make an excellent hunting load. Super accurate out of my pistol and I do not have optics on it, if I were hunting with it I would. Just a suggestion, but I have never used a better 357 load.

 

[Buzzsaw]

I'll go with the Anaconda with their scope rail and a GOOD quality optic.

 

[bigred1]

Ruger super red hawk 454 Casull with 300 grain buffalo ammo. At 30 yards a deer is a bang flop. I love mine and it has held up well after several hundred rounds down the tube.

 

[Central FL Mike]

Ruger Super Redhawk, .44 Magnum. with a 7.5-inch or 9.5-inch barrel will do nicely.

 

[mkk]

Thanks all for the solid advice. Right now I'm leaning towards the .357 because I have powder and dies in hand.
As far as optics go I'm leaning towards the micro red dots.

 

[asd9055]

Thanks all for the solid advice. Right now I'm leaning towards the .357 because I have powder and dies in hand.
As far as optics go I'm leaning towards the micro red dots.

MThe favorite revolver is .357! I enjoy it more than my .44 mag

 

[Coyote Shadow Tracker]

As you can see from my post #15 when I carry for hunting I have a .44 mag S&W Model 29 MagaPorted.

Jill carries her .357 mag S&W Model 19 with 6" . Barrel Pined, Target Trigger & Sights and recessed cylinder. Tack driver and not much recoil!

 

[nksmfamjp]

Personally, I really like S&W revolvers like Ernie. The 686 is a great tool. They have them in 4-6" Which make good 0-50yd guns. Often, they have good triggers….especially made before 1984.

The 629 in 44 mag or 625 in 45 Colt could be perfect too. I wonder how the 69 would be to shoot in 4.25" and a reflex sight.

 

[PatrickC]

Been deer hunting with a pistol/revolver for 15+ years. I use a Ruger Super Blackhawk 10.5" barrel in 44mag. I like the single action only of the Super Blackhawk. At 30 yards, all you need is iron sights. I use my own reloads with Hornady 240gr. XTP's with H110.

 

[TonyRumore]

Thanks all for the solid advice. Right now I'm leaning towards the .357 because I have powder and dies in hand.
As far as optics go I'm leaning towards the micro red dots.

That will work just fine. I started handgun hunting at age 13 (1979) with a 4" Ruger Security Six. I killed several hogs with that gun out to 50 yards before replacing it with a 6" 629 in 1982.

Tony Rumore
Tromix

 

[Sealesniper]

My anaconda (44 mag) has been a great weapon for deer, hogs and bear. It has the 8' barrel and loves my hand loads. It can have optics mounted as well. I also have a 686 with a scope in 357 that has taken its fair share as well, but I find the anaconda to be more kind to my wrist and ears (with muffs) over the 357.

 

[Mark37082]

To level set, I have not harvested a deer with a handgun yet. I have always shot revolvers more accurately than pistols. I shot at a deer with 500SW one time, and it about knocked me out of a tree stand. It was a clean miss at 50 yards. Just picked up a 6" Python and was ringing steel at 50 yards. The 158 gr Hornady in 357 feels like a 22LR compared to the 500. I'm thinking a red dot will be great addition. The 500 destroyed my last red dot.

 

[moonrunner02]

I've only been serious about handgun hunting for a handful of years but have learned alot from members here and on a couple facebook groups. I definitely recommend a dot style optic. For me, anything inside 100 yards is dot territory and there are those that shoot them well beyond that with accuracy more than capable of ethically taking game. I'm actually starting to prefer dots over traditional handgun scopes for this distance. I have a slight preference for green dots over red but I think that's due to my astigmatism which can make things a little wierd, especially in low light. I also wouldnt want a dot larger than 2 moa personally. 357 mag is plenty inside this range but if your looking for one gun to do it all, I'd step up to 44 mag. Also, Hogue big butt grips and a lightweight shooting bag really makes life easier!

 

[moonrunner02]

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