input on handgun hunting

[c_brutsche]

Hey guys, just got a ruger blackhawk .357. heard these were half decent for hunting hogs and white tailed deer. has anybody heard or have personal stories on whether the blackhawk .357 is a reliable hunting revolver?

[P89]

I can't comment specfically on the Blackhawk...but I've done it with a Redhawk.
Any way you look at it a Ruger is an excellent choice, then again I am a little bias.
Hunting with one is not easy...invest in a ghili suit. Ever bow hunt? That's the only thing I can compare it to.

[noslolo]

Sounds like a lot of fun, I have been tossing around the idea of using my S&W 686 6inch barrel. I have found it to be very accurate.

[kmrcstintn]

had a used GP100 6" that was destined for handgun hunting; traded it in on a S&W 629 PowerPort...wanted a bit more snot for deer & bear; if sticking with .357 magnum for deer/bear, then use the ruger's strength to your advantage and run the heaviest loads you can...CorBon, Double Tap, and Buffalo Bore all have great heavier hunting loads that the Ruger can benefit from; the other thing I would do is get a good Hogue or Pachmayr rubber grip with finger grooves for recoil control and shooting stability

[27hand]

I have taken my 4" S&W mod 66 and drew on a doe 2 yrs ago but it was early in the day and did not take the 35yd shot. I didn't get a deer that day.

I shot a deer with my Ruger Redhawk this past season at about 40 yds.

I would think the .357 is as good as you practice with it. I would guess out to about 75 yds or so. JMO.

The .44 about the same if not scoped. That's just as good as i can hit consistantly. The guns may be able to do better.

27hand

[XUSNORDY]

You made a freat choice. Ruger Blackhawks are very strong, and reliable. However, 357mag is the MINIMUM I would use for medium game. Especially hogs. Hornady has good ammo for hunting. I used XTP's for deer (although it was a GP100), with good results. But you must practice. No room for error with the 357mag on game. It is fun to shoot groundhogs with though!! (since you are not worry about recovery on a deer or pissed off hog). Hornady is coming out with the Leverevoloution round for 357mag....can't wait to try it (44mag too).

For my serious hunting I use a Ruger Super Blackhawk 7.5bbl...handgun hunting is a blast!

Have fun!

[knight0334]

The 357 will work on both hogs and deer. The hogs will require a bit better bullet placement though, and more than likely a couple shots.

I hunted in FL with my Colt Python years ago. ..Taking a couple nice(for FL) bucks. One was pretty much dead in it's tracks, the other I had to track for a couple hundred feet. I used 125gr JHP's zipping along at 1900+ FPS MV. They did frag, but the core was as big around as a 50 cent piece and made it through the heart and lung area to the inside of the far shoulder. ...was very much like soup above the diaphragm.

As for the Blackhawk - they are damn good guns in any chambering. The only problem I've heard of is the barrels turning out on a couple year's production runs. Other than that, they can take some serious abuse. Today the only revolvers I have are single action, and I take them with me in the field when I hunt just incase there is a close shot that can be made with a handgun.

[handgunhunter]

As far as a .357 being adequate for deer, this is a pic of my first deer taken with a handgun 19 years ago (long before antler restrictions). 4 point taken at 55 yards with a 1960 S&W .357 with a 8 3/8" barrel. One shot. Hit in the lungs and went 30 yds. Bullet didn't exit. Remington 158 grain hollow point. Since then I have upgraded in the power department to a S&W 629-3 .44 for all my big game hunting but I still believe a .357 is adequate with a properly place shot.

[Pa. Patriot]

I too prefer a 44MAG

[ssom003]

This is my deer handgun...
Smith & Wesson 629-2 8-3/8" BBL Classic Hunter...
With Leupold base, rings and 4x scope...
44 Rem. Mag. 180 Grain Jacketed Soft Point...