Lets say a new handgun hunter came to you and wanted your advice on what to buy to start hunting with a handgun. The person in question has been shooting guns for a good while and is good with a rifle, and fair with a handgun. The person has $1500 to spend and wants to get one handgun for hunting big game (deer and hogs) at close range <50yds. and one handgun for small game (squirrels and rabbits - must be rimfire). What would you pick out for him, and why? Nothing is off limits, however if you plan to have him use a scope, it must be included in the $1500.

I think both platforms should be similar, and I have a couple of sets. One is a SBH Bisley ($650) in .41 and a S-Six Bisley ($350) in 22/22 Mag set up the same with ORH peep rear and F/O front sights with the option to scope if necessary. The other is a Blackhawk 4-5/8" ($425) .41 and a S-Six 4-5/8" ($350) with bone stock sights. This way you keep familiarity between formats. I would go with a Weaver Classic 1.5-4X scope ($200) if you need optics.

The other obvious choice is a Contender but for 50 yards and closer I like the wheelgun.

That's good advice. Super Blackhawk all the way, but I would suggest a .44 mag as there is sooooo much good ammo available for it which is important especially if said person doesn't reload.

both are good advice but i would go with the 44 to.
and no scope for the ranges you said.
larry

I agree about not using scopes on your first handgun for hunting, nor for the distances. Open irons all the way......

What ever you get you will find something else you want more after you get your on experience so I wouldnt spend the whole $1500. For me The TC contender is where it is at. If I built you a handgun to start with I would build a old style blue contender with a 14 inch 30-30 barrel. This can be bought for $350-$450 in my area {Cheep}. Add $50 scope mount and put a top end varible scope with a bottom end no heigher than 3 power $250-$350. this setup will bring you in around $700. Now I would buy a snap-cap and watche TV every nighjt with it in my hands and Practice seeing how close the cross hairs are to the target after the triger has been pulled as it was before. Every comercial mock-shoot the door hinge. Then Then Practice ,Practice And Practice. I know this advice would have help me. My first hunting experience with a handgun ended with a 3 leged wonded deer and a $1300 gun that I wanted to throw in the ditch. Handhun hunting is adictive but is is a different dicipline fromm rifle hunting.

And what if he wants to carry it on his belt? This is why I suggested a six gun as it is packable.

I agree with the SBH's in 41 or 44.Either will get the job done.Iron sights all the way for those ranges.

I agree with the Ruger SA crowd here. Blackhawk or Super Blackhawk .44 mag for big game, Single Six .22 rim/mag convertable for small. As previously stated; similar platforms so as not to confuse and to solidify familiarity. Both reasonably light, easy to shoot, holster, and carry comfortably. Both affordable and extremely reliable. And hey, it doesn't hurt to have six (or more) in the cylinder!
Renster

With $1500 you can buy either a Super Blackhawk or a Redhawk in 44mag along with a Single Six convertable and have some money left over for ammo. If you chose a Redhawk you can get the 7 1/2"
barrel with the scope rings included or you can try and locate one of their single action Hunter models which also include scope rings.A brick of low cost 22 ammo allows a cheap way to practice which, as the other members stated, is more important when it comes to handgun hunting then it is with any of the other weapons you can use.

I'm going to be a little different and along the lines of James. I'd opt for a Super Redhawk in 44 mag. The gun comes with rings so it can be scoped and removed with just a screwdriver.

The 22 would be a Ruger MKII or MKIII. Great accuracy and the MKIII comes drilled and tapped with a scope mount so you can swich back and forth as conditions or tatse very.

The super redhawk 44 mag 9 1/2 barrel is the most accurate handgun I ever owned. Although I know longer own it I have had more handguns than I can count. The the SRH is still the best.

As seen above, I know a lot of people have good luck with Ruger and SRHs but becareful. Mine came new from the factory and after ~$400 of relaoding supplies and components, the best accuracy I could get at 50 yards was 6 inches. Sent the gun back and they were not able to tell me what was wrong with it. The only thing the woman at the desk (who undoubtedly couldn't distinguish a Ruger LCP from a TC Contender) was that the gun was "Unable to be sent back to the customer." I got a refund and bought a PC S&W. A lot of Rugers are good, just not the ones I have purchased. Ruger's customer service in my experience has been worse than bad. However, it appears that it may just be a coincidence that I've had 4 Rugers go bad and each time had bad experiences with CS. MOST everyone here has had good experience with Ruger and highly reccomends them, as seen form this and many other posts.