lookin for best deer handgun
12-06-2006, 10:25 AM
#22
Typical Buck
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Northern Indiana
Posts: 579
RE: lookin for best deer handgun
I was also going to suggest an Encore pistol. In Indiana we don't have the straight wall restriction so we can use any of the Encore, Contender or XP-100's selections as long as your round is .243 or larger.
I love Ruger wheelguns also. I have a Super Blackhawk. But I think you should still go with an Encore. You can geta 15" 460 S&W barrel for it and if you can hold it still, you have 100 yard setup.
Good luck!
I love Ruger wheelguns also. I have a Super Blackhawk. But I think you should still go with an Encore. You can geta 15" 460 S&W barrel for it and if you can hold it still, you have 100 yard setup.
Good luck!
12-06-2006, 05:04 PM
#23
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,618
RE: lookin for best deer handgun
ORIGINAL: Clever User Name
I came to these forums hopfully to get some advice. I have been contemplating getting a handgun for Ohio's deer shotgun season. I am not very familiar with handguns though. My shotgun doesnt shoot for crap and I so far have only carried my muzzleloader, but am seriously thining about a handgun atleast for certain hunts (would still carry my front end loader for going on watch).
Ohio requires handguns to be straight-walled cartridges .357 caliber or larger with 5" minimum barrel length. So what would be a good choice? The only handgun I am familiar with for hunting deer would be what my dad used - a TC Contender single shot 357 Rem Maximum. It seemed to be quite effective but no longer in production although I do se them pop up from time to time.
It seems the 'straight-walled cartridges' eliminates most of the more popular handgun options that I see discussed.
Any thoughts?
Oh, and one last thing... does a buttstock attachment make it no longer legally a 'pistol'? Like how you can get a buttstock on a TC Contender?
I came to these forums hopfully to get some advice. I have been contemplating getting a handgun for Ohio's deer shotgun season. I am not very familiar with handguns though. My shotgun doesnt shoot for crap and I so far have only carried my muzzleloader, but am seriously thining about a handgun atleast for certain hunts (would still carry my front end loader for going on watch).
Ohio requires handguns to be straight-walled cartridges .357 caliber or larger with 5" minimum barrel length. So what would be a good choice? The only handgun I am familiar with for hunting deer would be what my dad used - a TC Contender single shot 357 Rem Maximum. It seemed to be quite effective but no longer in production although I do se them pop up from time to time.
It seems the 'straight-walled cartridges' eliminates most of the more popular handgun options that I see discussed.
Any thoughts?
Oh, and one last thing... does a buttstock attachment make it no longer legally a 'pistol'? Like how you can get a buttstock on a TC Contender?
375 winchester , it wont kick like what I'm using but it will do the job on them deer
12-06-2006, 05:11 PM
#24
Fork Horn
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 227
RE: lookin for best deer handgun
With the right handgun such as the super redhawk or even the model 29 S&W. The felt recoil can be less than the 357. I have a 29 in 44 mag and a super redhawk in 480 Ruger and my 357 magS&W model 686 smarts the palm harder than either of the larger cartridges.
12-06-2006, 06:40 PM
#25
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location:
Posts: 9
RE: lookin for best deer handgun
I suppose with a heavier gun and a lighter round the recoil would be less than one would think... which brings me tothe Encore .460 S&W with 15" barrel, this combo sounds intriguing. With the 200Gr or 250gr bullet I wonder what kinda recoil such a combo would have? I couldnt find any reviews of it in the encore, but some reviews of the 460 in the x-frame said it wasnt too bad for recoil. After researching the .460 and realizing its available in the Encore my interest has been renewed in a pistol that could possibly compete with a shotgun for deer taking capability. Free arm I would have to practice alot, but out of my stand (with a shooting rail) or with some shooting sticks, etc, I would think something like a 460 with sst's would have 100yrd range at the least, some have even claimed 200 yards but I dont even try that far with my smokepole.I figure 75% or so of all my deer are taken between 40-60 yards. Actaully in Ohio I think I have only taken 1 deer over that, pobably 80 yards, though I have missed 1 longer shot but I have also missed a couple close range shots as well (runnin' deer).
12-06-2006, 08:31 PM
#26
Fork Horn
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location:
Posts: 153
RE: lookin for best deer handgun
A shoulder stock on a Contender or Encore with a pistol barrel would be an illegal weapon anywhere.I also live in Ohio and have not been able to get an answer from the DNR concerning a 45-70 Encore pistol.The 45-70 sure looks straight walled to me. I hunted with my 460 this year and blew an easy shot on a beautiful buck,not the guns fault though,just a case of buck fever.
12-07-2006, 01:05 AM
#27
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location:
Posts: 9
RE: lookin for best deer handgun
Damascus - have you inquired about that recently? I emailed them from the link off the hunting regulations page and they responded next-day. You might try again.
Yes, I realize that now about the buttstock... I just really dont know much at all about handguns until I just recently started thinking about the possibility. Most of what I know of pistols is from my dad, but thats pretty limited since I was young lad he hurt his wrist and has since only shot a 22. He shoots some kinda ppc league or something like that and usually places first or second with his high standard victor 22. Its so much more accurate than the big bores, but unfortuneatly that doesnt mean much for deer hunting.
Yes, I realize that now about the buttstock... I just really dont know much at all about handguns until I just recently started thinking about the possibility. Most of what I know of pistols is from my dad, but thats pretty limited since I was young lad he hurt his wrist and has since only shot a 22. He shoots some kinda ppc league or something like that and usually places first or second with his high standard victor 22. Its so much more accurate than the big bores, but unfortuneatly that doesnt mean much for deer hunting.
12-07-2006, 07:50 AM
#28
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location:
Posts: 145
RE: lookin for best deer handgun
ORIGINAL: Clever User Name
Sounds like your talking about the .357 mag not the .357 Rem Maximum that I mentioned. Its more comprable to (or even better than)a 44 mag than a 357 mag IMO. My dad used to have one and considered it accurate to 50 yards free hand but capable of killing a deer to 75 yards with the factory load, 100 yards with custom load & dead rest. He only got rid of it after he injured his wrist (had a contender withthe longbull barrel some 15 years ago or more). Here is a pic, you can tell its a bit bigger than the common 357 mag:
Ridge Runner - your correct about the butstock. Ohio DNR replyed to my email and said if it has a buttsotck its a shouldered riffle not handgun. Oh well.I was hoping I could get handgun as lethal as a shotgun for deer season, but without a buttstock I can tell you my accuracy is 50 yards max. That just wont cut it - I'll look into getting a nice 20-guage perhaps. Thanks for all the discussion though, its nice that its atleast an option to hunt with a handgun here.
FWIW I did a quick ballistics search comparing the .357 mag, max, and 44 mag using the hottest loads:
357 mag 125gr 1450fps 583#
357 max 158gr 1825fps 1168#
44 mag210gr 1495fps 1042#
I dont really know how accurate the info was, just took it from a ballistics chart found with google.
ORIGINAL: hldeerhunter
The .357 is only good out to about 30 yards if you are lucky.
The .357 is only good out to about 30 yards if you are lucky.
Ridge Runner - your correct about the butstock. Ohio DNR replyed to my email and said if it has a buttsotck its a shouldered riffle not handgun. Oh well.I was hoping I could get handgun as lethal as a shotgun for deer season, but without a buttstock I can tell you my accuracy is 50 yards max. That just wont cut it - I'll look into getting a nice 20-guage perhaps. Thanks for all the discussion though, its nice that its atleast an option to hunt with a handgun here.
FWIW I did a quick ballistics search comparing the .357 mag, max, and 44 mag using the hottest loads:
357 mag 125gr 1450fps 583#
357 max 158gr 1825fps 1168#
44 mag210gr 1495fps 1042#
I dont really know how accurate the info was, just took it from a ballistics chart found with google.
12-07-2006, 10:34 AM
#29
Guest
Posts: n/a
RE: lookin for best deer handgun
ORIGINAL: Clever User Name
I suppose with a heavier gun and a lighter round the recoil would be less than one would think... which brings me tothe Encore .460 S&W with 15" barrel, this combo sounds intriguing. With the 200Gr or 250gr bullet I wonder what kinda recoil such a combo would have? I couldnt find any reviews of it in the encore, but some reviews of the 460 in the x-frame said it wasnt too bad for recoil. After researching the .460 and realizing its available in the Encore my interest has been renewed in a pistol that could possibly compete with a shotgun for deer taking capability. Free arm I would have to practice alot, but out of my stand (with a shooting rail) or with some shooting sticks, etc, I would think something like a 460 with sst's would have 100yrd range at the least, some have even claimed 200 yards but I dont even try that far with my smokepole.I figure 75% or so of all my deer are taken between 40-60 yards. Actaully in Ohio I think I have only taken 1 deer over that, pobably 80 yards, though I have missed 1 longer shot but I have also missed a couple close range shots as well (runnin' deer).
I suppose with a heavier gun and a lighter round the recoil would be less than one would think... which brings me tothe Encore .460 S&W with 15" barrel, this combo sounds intriguing. With the 200Gr or 250gr bullet I wonder what kinda recoil such a combo would have? I couldnt find any reviews of it in the encore, but some reviews of the 460 in the x-frame said it wasnt too bad for recoil. After researching the .460 and realizing its available in the Encore my interest has been renewed in a pistol that could possibly compete with a shotgun for deer taking capability. Free arm I would have to practice alot, but out of my stand (with a shooting rail) or with some shooting sticks, etc, I would think something like a 460 with sst's would have 100yrd range at the least, some have even claimed 200 yards but I dont even try that far with my smokepole.I figure 75% or so of all my deer are taken between 40-60 yards. Actaully in Ohio I think I have only taken 1 deer over that, pobably 80 yards, though I have missed 1 longer shot but I have also missed a couple close range shots as well (runnin' deer).
12-07-2006, 05:15 PM
#30
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 126
RE: lookin for best deer handgun
ORIGINAL: Ridge Runner
It is a federal law about the butstock on a pistol, rifles must have a barrel length od over 16". By law if you buy a contendor or encore and its registered as a pistol, you can't legaly put a butstock on it period, even if you buy a 24" rifle barrel, its still a pistol so it can't have a butstock. another one of those ATF laws.
RR
It is a federal law about the butstock on a pistol, rifles must have a barrel length od over 16". By law if you buy a contendor or encore and its registered as a pistol, you can't legaly put a butstock on it period, even if you buy a 24" rifle barrel, its still a pistol so it can't have a butstock. another one of those ATF laws.
RR
I believe it is the other way around. If you buy an Encore as a rifle, you can not change it to a pistol unless you pay a $200 processing fee each time you want change it. (Of course you must follow the 15” or less for pistols (handgrip) and 16” or greater for rifles (buttstock) barrel regulations.) However, if you buy the Encore as a pistol it is registered as a pistol (thus the additional background check and longer waiting period in Wisconsin) and you can change it back and forth as often as you want with out notification to anyone (again following the pistol and rifle barrel length regulations you stated). I called the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) offices in Wisconsin and didn’t get a clear response. But the forums I read before purchasing my T/C Encore pistol gave that reasoning. Certain stores only sell the encore as a black powder gun, because they do not sell handguns. This means you wouldn’t be able to legally change that Encore to a pistol (pistol grip and 15” or less barrel) with out registering it has a hand gun first. So my understanding is that if you are going to buy an Encore and want to use it legally as a pistol, purchase it as a pistol with the additional paperwork and then buy the buttstock and barrel of your rifle, shotgun, black powder (with appropriate fore end) accessories as you need them.
