PA Doe and Dan Wesson 741 Magnum

Around 4:30 PM Saturday, I had a lone large doe come in behind me, she was up wind of me and had no idea I was hunting her. She got ever so slightly quartering away and at about 20 yards I shot her. I was using a hand load of 21 grains H-110 and a Swift A-Frame 210 grain bullet with a Fed #155 Primer. Looks like my shot placement was a little back and a little low as I completely took out the lower part of her liver and some of the far side lung. There was hair in the spot where I shot her and I followed her track about 20 yards until I picked up blood. It was a profuse blood trail deep red and at some places watery other places bright red and bubbly. About another 30 yards into the trail I jumped her and she ran. I backed out got some dinner and went back three hours later to find her about 30 yards from where I jumped her, blood trailing was easy. She didn't go 100 yards from where I shot her. The swift A-frame passed through and the liver was destroyed. The DAN WESSON 741 with a green fiber optic front sight did its job. The bullet and the hand load did its job. The doe was recovered and will make fine table fare, but my shot placement should have been about 3-5 inches farther forward for a double lung/heart shot. I am happy with my first ever handgun hunt taking a PA doe.

Congrats on your first. Do you have any pictures?

Congrats. You will never forget your first handgun deer.

Congrat's on #1. More to come I am sure.

DW, You used a nice gun and load to take your first

Just joined here, still got to figure out how to post pics. I got a couple.

In the Forums drop down menu click on the Bragging Board and you should be able to take it from there. You can copy the image address once your pic is uploaded and paste it into your post.

Congrats,good shooting !

A big congrats on your first. Icing on the cake by using a great handgun with your own loads.

Wow, awesome job! Thats an exciting hunt and good job tracking.

Hooked?? Congrats!!

Thanks for the positive comments. Got pics on the Bragging board now just gotta figure out how to post them here.

I have been an avid bow hunter in PA for over a decade and have also enjoyed rifle, inline muzzleloader and flintlock hunting. I reload for every caliber I own and only own double action revolvers and semi-auto pistols. No single action revolvers yet. I started to really enjoy these older Dan Wesson Revolvers and have enjoyed collecting and acquiring varying barrel lengths. I am very much enjoying this open sight handgun hunting. I own two handgun scopes with rings for my Ruger Redhawks and a nice base for my Dan Wessons, but I am enjoying the open sight hunting for the time being. When my bifocal wearing eyes finally get so bad I can't make a shot using open sights, I think I will switch to the scopes.

Good shooting! My first big game with a handgun was a record book black bear with a DW 741. Still kicking myself for selling that one.

A FRIEND OF MINE SHOT IHMSA STANDING WITH A 741. HE IS A VERY GOOD SHOOTER AND THAT 741 WAS MAYBE THE MOST ACCURATE IHMSA REVOLVER I EVER SAW.

Congrats on the doe and I can't wait to see pictures. I almost had my first doe this past weekend with my Dan Wesson but she turned too soon. Glad to see someone else using a DW. again congrats.

Grats!!

Congrats

Trying to post pics hope this works.

Awesome job and huge congrats on your first handgun kill!!!

That is awesome about the back bear. Got one in New Brunswick, Canada with my bow. Too bad about the 741 you sold. I shot the doe with an 8" but I have a 6" and a 4" that go on the 741 as well. One of the fun things about these DWs is the interchangeable barrels. If I ever have to sell some guns there are several that will go in front of the DWs.

Looks like I finally figured out the pics. Which DW are you using on whitetail??

Beautiful DW and nice looking doe.

I have the 15-2 in .357 with a 6in barrel.

Congrats!

Congrats! on your successful hunt. Your DW is a great looking rig.

Are you using factory ammo with your 15-2 or are you reloading for your hunting round? It was a toss up for me to use the 741 or my 15-2 this year. I will certainly hunt next year with my 15-2 and an 8" barrel. My hunting load for the 357 was a 180 Grain Swift A-Frame and 13.7 grains of H-110 with a Small Rifle Magnum Primer. Good luck hope to see you post a pic here with your DW and a big Whitetail.

Nice Job, and I hope you harvest many more with a handgun.

I stopped at a new gun shop the other day that had a Dan Wesson 44 Magnum. WOW are they proud of them. Best that I remember I believe they wanted around $1100 for it.

Bob

Congratulations!

I was looking for the 180gr Buffalo hard cast but the in Kansas City and in Wichita were out. at the local gun shop I found some Hornady 158gr XTP's. That's what I've been carrying. Once I get the reloading dies and a few other items I would like to bump up to a 180gr projectile. I also wouldn't mind getting an 8in barrel from EWK.

Congratulations!