I have purchased a Ruger Super Redhawk chambered in 480 Ruger with a 7.5" barrel. I have decided to leave my Weatherby chambered in 25-06 at home this upcoming Deer Season and only hunt with my new revolver for the challenge. Just curious how many hardcore handgun hunters are on the forum and what type of rig you are hunting with?

Going to top my pistol off with a Weaver Classic 2.5-8x28.

Have you shot that 480 yet? Wondering about recoil?

I've got an 8 3/8 629 I'm going to try this year, hopefully. It's just got iron sights, but I'm going to try to get proficient out to 50 yards.

I am actually considering doing the same thing. Almost posted it up a couple of weeks ago.

Most of the deer I kill are well within range of my SRH if I do my part. It sure is nice carrying a handgun vs a rifle.

I have killed 4 does and a cull with my ruger super redhawk in 44mag. I have a Nikon 4 power scope on it. I bought it at Paul's outdoors here in tuscaloosa about 20 years ago.

Recoil is not too bad. Longest shot was about 45 yards. I can hit I paper plate at 75 yards.

I take it when I am hunting a couple of climbing stands that have short sight distances. Easier to deal with a pistol in a climber than a rifle

wear earplugs the sound coming out of my 44 with a ported barrell is not worth a trophy deer. it gets alot worse with trees around.

I use to. That is the most frustrated that I've been while hunting. They are too big of a pain in the azz for me to tote and deal with in a treestand. I've killed a couple does with both setups and an Antelope buck with the T/C. Good luck.

My rigs:

Ruger Super Red Hawk 44 mag

T/C Encore 308

Btw, I have a pistol scope that I might sell. Pm me for more details.

Are you related to Bill Dillard? If so, just use your revolver like a club and whack em in the head.

I've shot quite a few deer with my TC 7-30 and S&W 44 mag. Keep in mind it's quite challenging at times to acquire a deer with a scoped handgun. Lower power and wide field of view helps. However if you hunt where there are antler minimums, low power doesn't do much in determining if the deer in front of you measures. The higher the power, the more difficult it is to acquire the target. That's mostly the reason I don't carry the TC anymore. Love hunting with it, just can't acquire and judge a deer quick enough. Before you settle on the weaver, compare the FOV with other handgun scopes. My preference has been the Burris 2-7X32. Good field of view and more affordable than the Leupold.

I have killed a few does with handguns. 357 S&W revolver. TC 223 pistol. TC 30-30 pistol. AND 1 with a 7-30 Waters.. I have shot a Tarus Raging Bull 454 before, i can amagin the kick of a 480!

I killed a couple of deer with my TC 7x30 several years ago and now have a S&W .44 Mag that I've hunted with but have not killed anything with yet. Also have a .50 CVA muzzleloader pistol but have not hunted with it.

Practice. Biggest thing I'd suggest is to practice. If you are going to shoot the gun as-is, meaning no tweaks to the trigger or anything, practice will be your best ally to get used to things. Practice from a bench rest, a shooting stick, freehand, etc.

Think about where you'll be hunting. Box blind (shooting house) with windows? Take some small beanbags to put in the window sills for a rest. Ground blind or treestand? Practice with a shooting stick and freehand.

I love mine. Just need to practice with them and hunt with them more. Too many options! Good luck.

I agree the outher posts, Walkers makes a ear muff that's water proof & good sound control , My 629-44mag w/2-6 scope is good in the under brush, creeks & small thin areas, BUT do wear ear protection. & practice ,practice.& learn to point shoot , action can come fast good luck.

I have a CVA muzzleloader pistol. Carried it on blackpowder hunts last year but didn't get anything. Can't say I will commit to it completely this year but going to hunt with it a lot more. Also have an 1873 Colt clone in .45 Long Colt. Going to tote it some too.

Haha my first was a doe the day after I bought it. Open sights from a shooting house that was not eleveated. She came out and proceeded to walk directly towards the house snorting and blowing at me. When she was about 15 feet from the shooting house I shot her between the eyes.

I made the HUGE mistake of not wanting to spook her so I did not stick barrel out the window. Shot thru the curtain.

It was so loud I dropped the gun and swear I was blind for 5 minutes and I know I was deaf for a couple of days.

Never again will I do that.

LOL at Sumpter. I think we've all made that mistake. Damn sure only takes one time.

The Walker's Muffs with dual protection and enhancement are a plus, for sure, IMO. Good stuff.

Optima ?

I just bought a rock island arms 1911 in 10mm definitely going to hunt with this up coming season. Thinking about ordering a red dot for it.

I bought a redhawk 41 magnum in college about 20 years ago. Missed one deer with it.

I pulled it out year before last and missed twice more!

Finally killed a doe with it this year.

Never have been very good with a pistol....but at least now I can say I did it!

I have killed several deer with a handgun. My favorite is .357. I have killed them with .38, .357, .41, .44, .45 and maybe a couple of more I can't remember. My most memorable moment was not hunting but shooting a Ruger .44. t was memorable for all the wrong reason. I was 17 yo. Grabbed the pillow off my bed to shoot off of in the backyard. Mom, "Boy, where are you going with that pillow?" Aw, just out back to shoot my new pistol. "You better not mess up that pillow!!" I lay that pillow up on the toolbox on my truck and take a few shots with my hand and gun resting in the pillow. I walk down and check the target. When I turn around that pillow is on fire on my truck. Guess the muzzle blast set it on fire. Mom wasn't happy!!

I shoot a remington xp-100 7br topped w/a burris 2x7 , got a mcmillan custom stock for it .
The stock needs a rear action screw drilled and tapped then I'll bed it and hunt with it this year -the stock is their newish 'rino' camo lt. grey/dark grey/flat black .
As stated a pistol is a joy to carry.