Thinking about hunting pistol this year...need advice

[Gdbyrd]

Hey guys, been awhile since I've been here.  This upcoming season I'm looking into hunting with a pistol but I need as much advice as you can provide.  First, let me give you a scenario of the land I will be hunting.  I'm from the south, deep..deep south Tx.  The brush has patches of being very thick and parts that are opened.  I plan on hunting on a straightaway(will get traffic on both sides, good brush there).  I highly doubt any shots will be made without a rest, and I will be carrying shooting sticks anytime I'm not sitting with a good rest.

Now, to the guns.  I am not at all sure of what a pistol is capable of.  In the past I have made many, many kills out to 300 yards with confidence(using long guns).  Where I will be this year, the longest possible shot is 75-100 yards.  I will be shooting from the ground level, with a rest.  It's in a valley and protected by brush so little to no wind.

At my disposal are:
SRH 44 mag with 8"
Encore(I have a 460S&W as well as a .45-70 barrel)I believe both are 12" barrels
Contender(.223 barrel)10"
S&W .357 I think it's a 6"

I can always get a different barrel for the contender if you have a recommendation.  Only the .223 barrel is scoped, so I will need to go scope shopping.

What do you think?  Would I be better off taking a long gun and using a pistol as backup?  Or will one of these fill my needs?  Keep in mind I will not be reloading so I will only have factory available ammunition. 

I want your opinions/suggestions before I go to the range to do some tests of my own. 

Thank you very much!

[Tom W.]

If you take a rifle, you'll use the rifle, and wait for another time for the handgun, so leave the rifle home. The Encore will be good, altho any of the mentioned handguns will do admirably. There are those that will say that the .357 and the .223 aren't good, but I'd just say that the other calibers may be a better choice.

A heavy cast bullet should do anything that's needed in the larger calibers, I can't comment on the JHP or JSP bullets, I don't use them.

[Redhawk1]

Of the rounds you have, the 44 Mag, 460 and 45-70 would be my choice, which everyone you choose, just practice with it and get proficient with it at the distances you plan to shoot..

[Ken ONeill]

The .460 Encore with an expanding bullet would be my choice in the Brush Country. Your deer are usually not large deer, but you want them to drop as quickly as possible in that country. Number 2 and 3 choices would be the .44 Mag., then the .45-70, both with hollow points.

[Travis Morgan]

Whatever you use, you need to start putting 100 round a week downrange AT LEAST. Practice at 100 yards or more. Do this for a couple months, then start learning where to hold at 25, 50, 75, etc. yards. Practice further out, as well. Learn to estimate range. If you have a laser, use it.

[Gdbyrd]

Thank you guys for the advice.  I think I will use the 44 mag.  I don't mind practicing, so I'm looking forward to that.  I need to get into a decent scope though.  What would you recommend?  I have a 1.5-6x S&W laying around, anyone have and advice/reviews on that scope?  I was also looking at simmons 2-6x and burris 2-7x, as well as Bushnell 2-6x.

I would choose the .460 over it, but it's too difficult to find ammunition for it locally, and it's almost 60$ a box.

[Graybeard]

The Burris 2-7 is a good scope but often are plagued with floating bits of trash otherwise they are one of the better choices. I like the Bushnell 2-6 either Trophy or Elite matters not to me really but they do have a more narrow FOV than the Burris.

The Burris 2-7 at 2X and the Leupold 2X both have the same FOV which as I recall is about 21' at 100 yards which by rifle scope standards is pretty narrow. Go up in magnification on the Burris or go to ANY other variable and that FOV drops drastically. Up close like your shots sound like they might be that really matters to me at least. Most of my shots are inside 50 yards and often within 25 yards where even the best of them have only a 5.25' wide FOV. It's certainly do able even with less but makes fast shots more difficult as it does shots when the deer are moving even at a slow walk.

The .44 magnum is certainly plenty to a bit more than 100 yards as I've taken at least two at that range and lots at lesser ranges. To me a Leupold 2X is an ideal scope for a .44 magnum.

[Mohawk]

If that were my inventory I would stick to the .44 or the .357 and keep the shots at bow range. The others would seem to me as short barreled rifle hunting, as I hunted for years with a carbine. Now hunting with the .44 and .357 will be "handgun" hunting. When your shots have to be close, it make it a lot more enjoyable. Just think and hunt like an archer and you'll be fine.

[Hank08]

If your going to handgun hunt then handgun hunt.  If your going to put a scope on it then you've missed the point of handgun hunting and might as well take a rifle.  This is just my opinion, there are many people who carry a scoped handgun that is heavier than many rifles and call it handgun hunting.
H08

[Gdbyrd]

To each there own I guess.  Some people may consider hunting with a modern day smokeless cartridge not real hunting. 

I think I'm going to go ahead and look into that Leupold 2x scope.  Going to have to order it as the local gun shop closed : / 

Picked up a couple boxes of .44 today.  Wish it hadn't been over a hundred today :*(  Really want to go shooting.

[Tom W.]

http://swfa.com/default.aspx

A good place to look...

[blhof]

I've got scopes on most of my pistols, and a laser on the ones that aren't scoped; the home defense ones.  I have good distant vision, but can't see the front sight on a pistol, so a scope or holosight is the only way to sight in on a target.  I keep with fixed power for pistols as they are usually lighter and brighter.  I also recommend the Leupold as practically indestructable and a great warranty as well as excellent customer service.

[Redhawk1]

If your going to handgun hunt then handgun hunt.  If your going to put a scope on it then you've missed the point of handgun hunting and might as well take a rifle.  This is just my opinion, there are many people who carry a scoped handgun that is heavier than many rifles and call it handgun hunting.
H08

WHAT... It is still a handgun, therefor it is handgun hunting... People have some strange ideas and misconceptions when they talk to other hunters... Hunters and shooters are our own worst enemies...  If someone told me I was not handgun hunting because I put a scope on my handgun, I would tell them to get bent...

I handgun hunt with open sights, scopes and red-dots... It is all handgun hunting.... Quit nit picking our sport.. That is just my OPINION!!!!!

[Cheesehead]

For stand hunting, a scoped Encore is hard to beat. For walking/stalking a revolver with iron sights is what I like. This of course is just my opinion. Put a scope on your Encore and you will have a great variety of hunting handguns.

Cheese

[Cheesehead]

I would get a Contender barrel in 30-30 and hand load it with pointy bullets.

Cheese

[Gdbyrd]

Well hell, I'm going to go shoot the 44 tomorrow..but I've been thinking/discussing..I really want to use my Encore.  It was a gift when my 1st son was born.  Almost 3 years now and I have shot it maybe 5 times.  So if I wanted to go with that gun, what barrel would you recommend?  A friend of mine is really trying to talk me into getting a rifle caliber for it(specifically .243/.308) specifically for ease of finding ammunition.

It's been over two months since I've seen 45-70 ammo, and again, 460 is running around 60-70$ a box of 20.

What's your suggestion?

[Cheesehead]

I have an Encore pistol in 6.5x55 and my brother has one in 308 Winchester. Both are powerful and fun to shoot. I would recommend the 308 for ammo options.

Cheese

[Gdbyrd]

what's the recoil like? I'm a little worried about that.

[Tom W.]

I had a 30-06 in an Encore, and It's "sporty".   A 7mm-08 would be nice. You do realize that the .460 will also shoot .45 Colt and .454 cartridges.. so it's pretty versatile, even more so if you handload...

[Graybeard]

While I see your point and to some degree agree with it I also to some extent agree with Hank. For many years I used the TCs both Contender and Encore to hunt with and I also called what I was doing "handgun hunting" at the time. But as time went on I personally began to question if what I was doing with them really was handgun hunting and the answer for me personally was no. That's not to say the idea should apply to others and if they want to use the specialty pistols and call it handgun hunting for them I have no quarrel with that for them. But for me personally I gave it up and sold them all off.

I will still use a scoped revolver occasionally but when I go "handgun hunting" for the most part it's gonna be with an iron sighted revolver. Sure I do and will still use a scoped revolver at times but even then will have an iron sighted one along for shots within my personal range limitations for it. Before I'll again carry a 14" to 16" barrelled single shot that weights within a pound or so of my light weight carbine rifles I'll just take the rifle as it's more convenient to carry anyway.

If your going to handgun hunt then handgun hunt.  If your going to put a scope on it then you've missed the point of handgun hunting and might as well take a rifle.  This is just my opinion, there are many people who carry a scoped handgun that is heavier than many rifles and call it handgun hunting.
H08

WHAT... It is still a handgun, therefor it is handgun hunting... People have some strange ideas and misconceptions when they talk to other hunters... Hunters and shooters are our own worst enemies...  If someone told me I was not handgun hunting because I put a scope on my handgun, I would tell them to get bent...

I handgun hunt with open sights, scopes and red-dots... It is all handgun hunting.... Quit nit picking our sport.. That is just my OPINION!!!!!

[jsh]

Practice. If you don't reload you better have deep pockets, then it is still not all that cheap with the price of things today. Practice in  "field position". Shoot in all of the ways and off of what you think you might use as a rest. I have seen this happen over and over, Guys go to the range, put the bags up on the bench. Shoot a few groups and call it good. Then go and shoot out of a tree stand or try and shoot from akneeling or sitting position and have a bad shoot or miss. Then it is the gun or the ammo being the problem. Rifles are a bit more forgiving than "buttless" guns.
As to caliber you mentioned the 243 or 308 being a thought. I myself shoot a 308 in an encore hand held platform and it does have a scope on it, 2-6 bushnell.  Bullet selection and performance in the 308 is a lot better ,imho, than the 243. I have not looked for any 308 ammo, but, have heard it can be hard to find and pricey.  I wouldn't turn up my nose at a 30-30 either. Factory ammo will perform as well as it does in a rifle, and it may be a bit easier and cheaper to find.
I started off handgun hunting because I disliked archery. First handgun was a SW 29 44 mag, witha 10 5/8" barrel. I killed a lot of deer with that and iron sighted. I had guys make the comment that it wasn't a handgun. Then I went to TC's and was making longer connecting shots on deer than they could with their rifle. It was a 30-30 so much for the myth that a 30-30 pretty much just stops and falls to the earth past 100 yards. Most shots were 200-250. It was getting shot right around 100 rounds a month, along with some other shooting too. Then I got back to rifle hunting.................sorry killing. I was fooling around with a 25-06 and needed to cull some deer. There was just no way to get into any kind of close range, short shots were 300 yards, with most being around 400. That isn't hunting that is just killing, imho. Now, I have come full circle and bought a bow. I have yet to "harvest" a deer with this and this coming fall will be my first attempt.
BTW, I have already been told this isn't bow hunting as it is a compound with a peep and pin sights.
I figure a  true sportsman will use what is available to help him do his best to cleanly take the animal he is after in humane way and not try to over do his know ability. If we didn't all up grade we would still be running buffalo over cliffs and chunking rocks and spears.
jeff

[Travis Morgan]

jsh,

    I hear ya; I was RSO on an indoor range last year, and I was AMAZED at how bad some of those guys are! Some couldn't shoot a group off of a rest at an indoor range, so they'd have me do it, then they'd think they were good to go for hunting! I thought I was pretty thoroughly disgusted with the average shooter before that.

[Gdbyrd]

While you guys are here, don't want to start another thread, what's the difference between a trophy and elite scope?  I found the elite for 269 and the trophy for 169.  What's the real difference and is it worth paying the extra 100?

[Graybeard]

Nope not in my opinion.

[Travis Morgan]

I'm not too interested in buying any more of Bushnell's crap. I've had more than enough of it fall apart on me.

[Gdbyrd]

I was actually going for Bushnell over Burris based on reviews.  I don't mind spending more money on something if it's going to be quality, but at the same time I don't want to spend more money on something that's not going to be any better, or hell possibly worse.

[Travis Morgan]

    I've had good luck with BSA's, so far. Some have not. If you want a sure thing, buy Leupold or Weaver.

    Remember, most people on the internet never shoot enough to wear out anything but a deskchair.

[Graybeard]

    I've had good luck with BSA's, so far. Some have not. If you want a sure thing, buy Leupold or Weaver.

    Remember, most people on the internet never shoot enough to wear out anything but a deskchair.

You are knocking Bushnell and hyping BSA? Now that's one warpped sense of quality in my experience. Even the cheapest of Bushnell scopes is a cut above the top of line BSA tho some few of them BSA scopes do OK on air guns and rimfires.

Any Bushnell from Banner up are solid buys. The rest are for rimfires mostly but fine for them.

For handgun scopes I use Bushnell mostly when I still use them or the Leupold fixed powers but never their variable.

[Gdbyrd]

    I've had good luck with BSA's, so far. Some have not. If you want a sure thing, buy Leupold or Weaver.

    Remember, most people on the internet never shoot enough to wear out anything but a deskchair.

You are knocking Bushnell and hyping BSA? Now that's one warpped sense of quality in my experience. Even the cheapest of Bushnell scopes is a cut above the top of line BSA tho some few of them BSA scopes do OK on air guns and rimfires.

Any Bushnell from Banner up are solid buys. The rest are for rimfires mostly but fine for them.

For handgun scopes I use Bushnell mostly when I still use them or the Leupold fixed powers but never their variable.

Is there any particular reason you don't go with the Leupold variable scopes?  Is it mostly price or another factor? 

[Travis Morgan]

    I've had good luck with BSA's, so far. Some have not. If you want a sure thing, buy Leupold or Weaver.

    Remember, most people on the internet never shoot enough to wear out anything but a deskchair.

You are knocking Bushnell and hyping BSA? Now that's one warpped sense of quality in my experience. Even the cheapest of Bushnell scopes is a cut above the top of line BSA tho some few of them BSA scopes do OK on air guns and rimfires.

Any Bushnell from Banner up are solid buys. The rest are for rimfires mostly but fine for them.

For handgun scopes I use Bushnell mostly when I still use them or the Leupold fixed powers but never their variable.

    I got a good deal on the BSA, and it's done okay for me. A friend that owned a gunshop north of here runs several on his guns, and likes them. We both shoot a LOT more than most folks. ALL of my Bushnell stuff has crapped out on me.  I'm done with them.

    I want to try out some of Millett's stuff, and plan to, as soon as I can get back to work.

    BTW, the BSA is on my .30-06 that I play with when I'm RSO-ing all winter at the indoor range. It's in and out of the car daily and in and out of cases and closets, gets banged around on benches, and shot plenty; I load my own ammo, make my own bullets, and get a discount on powder and primers.