Hey all,

I am relatively new to this site. Been lurking awhile but can't recall posting. Good stuff on this site. I have put my foot down and spit: I WILL leave the rifles at home and kill a deer with my 44 this season! You guys have got me motivated. The pressure is off now with a good 8-point taken last weekend with my muzzleloader. Now it's time to break out the revolver.

Early in the spring I started on this quest by trying to sell a rifle (I have a few) so I could buy a SBHH and Ultradot. But, no takers on the rifle (beautiful 7mag BAR Safari w/BOSS). Go figure. SO, I loaded some 44 mag 240 XTPs to about 1250fps and have been practicing with my Colt 6-inch Anaconda (open sights as this early model was not tapped). Paper targets are in grave danger at 25-35 yds which is close to my average deer killing range over the last 35 years. I still want and will have a tapped revolver and optics, but it is a bit late for the Arkansas season on Nov 10. I was tore between a scoped Smith and the Ruger, but I have owned Rugers before and they are tough to beat. I thought about haveing the Colt tapped, but geez, those things are selling for over a grand since they were discontinued. I would hate for a gunsmith to hose it up and I don't know a good local one. Anyway, I just wanted to share and will tell of the outcome. Advice is welcome on gun/optics choice as long as the package is less than $1K.
BFA

Welcome to addicted crowd. The SBHH you speak of is a great choice for handgun hunting. Optics is a toss-up, just take your pick from a reputable company.

I took my first handgun deer last season, a doe, and my first buck, last Sunday, both with a 44mag Super Blackhawk Hunter. I have a Burris fastfire iii on it, and really like the trim size and almost no weight of the sight. Its for sure worth checking into. Good luck this fall. The best advice for someone wanting to take a deer with their handgun? Be sure to leave your rifle at home! If you have a long gun, its always gonna get picked up first. Thats how I grew comfortable carrying my handgun only, that and alot of practice time. Lol.

Boot: I have thought about the Fastfire, but the "limited 1-year warranty" has me spooked... I have heard good things about it... but also good things about the toughness of an Ultradot and better warranty. Man, i do like the compactness of the little Fastfire type setup though.
BFA

Another option for a mini red dot is the JPoint. It's even smaller than the Burris; I really like mine....

Burris has always given me decent customer service. If my fastfire crapped out, and burris wouldn't help, I'd go to the ultradot. I'm hoping I never have to cross that bridge, as there are more than a few members here, who've used the fastfire on alot bigger cannons than a 44, and have been served well. The reccomendations from other members, coupled with the compact size, sold me on the fastfire, but like I said, if it ever has to be replaced with another sight, I'll probably go ultradot.

I found a no drill rib mount for a Taurus revolver. Check this
://www.opticsplanet.com/b-square-revolver-mounts-rings-not-included-taurus-44-magnum-607-608-6-8-barrel-aaeaeb.html

I'm with boot on the fastfire.

Hope you have good luck this year!

Good Luck from another Arky that will be setting in the woods this Saturday with his 41 GNR Contender hoping to take his first handgun deer. I looked at a used Ruger SBH at a local pawnshop and was thinking hard about adding it to the stable. Good luck this weekend and what part of Arkansas are you hunting in??

Southarkrob:
I'm in Saline Co. and hunt public ground west of Little Rock, Winona Management Area, Ouachita Moutains. I have been hunting there since the mid-90s and can find all of the deer I can legally take out there. Problem is I have to watch out for some of the new hunters from Little Rock that have watched too much Outdoor Channel and are in the woods for the first time. When i see two or three guys walking toward me with new, matching camo, a lanyard of deer calls and shiny new rifles... I am on guard for any novice dumb act they may perpetrate. I avoid the trucks with personalized license plates that say "huntnducks" or "mathews".

I hear that...that is why I quit hunting public land. Last time I hunted the local WMA I was 1/2 mile back into the woods and was the only truck parked at the parking area...had my back to a thicket in a climber and hear something crashing my way thru the thicket and it was a fellow with no orange on and sweating his tail off. He looked up at me and said he was tracking a deer...at a trot. I will be setting in Nevada county around Willisville for the next couple of weeks hoping to connect on a deer with either my 41 GNR tender or my 30 TCU contender. Good luck.

It took me 2 years to leave the slug gun at home,but when I did I got deer with my Redhawk 44mag and now I will not turn back! I think it take that big step of leavin that sure thing(gun) at home and just gettin out and doin it.The info and help one this sight is AWESOME AND UNLIMITED! I don't think I would of been sucessful without the help of the great people on this site!

Don't get me wrong. I absolutely love rifle hunting and rifles, slug guns too. I have many. Recent acquisition is a CZ American Full Stock (Mannlicher)in 6.5X55 Swede. But, I keep a diary of kills. I record the game (turkey or deer), weapon, and all of the specifics. It helps me recall those great days in the woods with my now late father since I have recorded stuff I may have forgotten. I will soon hit 43 years of age and as of today, my deer count is 70 animals, bucks and does. Frankly, shooting a deer with a 270 WSM or 6.5 Swede is just not as hard or thrilling as it was when I was 20. Suppose I am preaching to the choir.

Got my spot picked for Saturday opener. I will be nestled next to a tree watching a 30yd wide bottleneck, a steep divide in a tall hill that connects two large old clearcuts. I expect ample humanoid activity in the clearcut thickets to move some opportunity past the Anaconda.

Good luck Arky...I too will turn 43 shortly and hunting with a rifle isnt as thrilling as it used to be..I have 3 deer rifles at the moment... 2 contender carbines and a very nice sporterized 7.7 Jap rifle (Weatherby stock and will shoot under an inch all day long). I plan on only hunting with a Contender pistol either my 41 GNR or my 30 TCU til I kill a deer with each one of them...what really made me want to pistol hunt was last year I have several stands where I was seeing 10 to 20 does a morning under 50 yds and couldnt bring myself to shoot one up close with my rifle...this year I cant seem to buy a deer...been a slow start this year.. Good luck this weekend...keep us posted.

Burris has always given me decent customer service. If my fastfire crapped out, and burris wouldn't help, I'd go to the ultradot. I'm hoping I never have to cross that bridge, as there are more than a few members here, who've used the fastfire on alot bigger cannons than a 44, and have been served well. The reccomendations from other members, coupled with the compact size, sold me on the fastfire, but like I said, if it ever has to be replaced with another sight, I'll probably go ultradot.

Well although there is a bit of time left for me to get this done, my goal has gotten a bit de-railed for the better. My daughter and son (11 and 13 respectively) showed more interest than usual in hunting this year so I have been in the woods with them on most days. Son busted a big ol doe with one of my 6.5 Swedes Saturday and I have a really good chance to put my little girl on one in two weeks. I will blood the revolver in due time, but this stuff is golden.
bfa

Yep, gettin the youngin's out there is a joy and an opportunity not to be passed up. How's the hunting been lately?