1st post.

I have decided to try to take a deer (or two) with a handgun during the upcoming deer season(s) in Iowa. I have only hunted deer with slug guns (too easy) in the past but Iowa allows the use of handguns during their shotgun seasons and/or muzzleloader seasons so I want to carry a handgun during those seasons so I finally got off of my butt and took my DD214 (former military) down to the sheriff's office and put in the paperwork for my carry/purchase permit and I'll be picking up the permit early next week.

I have a 22-250 rifle that I'm going to trade for a handgun and I'm torn between the auto's and the revolvers. I have trade offers in the works including a S&W .460 revolver and a model 1911 .45 ACP auto w/5" bbl. I like the revolver platform, especially for hunting, but the 1911 could serve me as a dual purpose carry/hunting gun and ammo cost is much more reasonable for the .45 ACP from what I see out there.

Any advice for a new guy getting into handgun hunting?

Thanks.

Trevor

Hey Trevor. My first handgun was the 460 S&W built by the performance center. Big ol 12" barrel, so heavy it could be used as an anchor for a yacht, and had to be carried with a wheelbarrow. The 460 is a great long range gun, but a beast to carry around. I have since sold that revolver, and had a 460 single shot made, and I LOVE it in that platform. Still heavy, but serves a specialized long range purpose.

The 45acp, at appropriate distances, certainly works for deer (do a search on here and you'll find tons of good info for deer loads).

If the 460 and the 1911 are your ONLY choices, I'd say the 1911 would serve ya better. Like you stated, it can be used as a carry gun also. If your going to get serious about handgun hunting, I'd recommend getting into reloading. Its the best thing you'll ever do for yourself. I can promise you that you will eventually end up with more than one hunting handgun, but for now, ask yourself one question...

Which one do ya WANT??!!

Oh, and once you have your new handgun in possession, pictures are REQUIRED! Otherwise, it never happened...

Keep looking. Neither is what I would consider a good first hunting handgun. One is a touch too much and the other too little. Perhaps better to sell the rifle and open up your options a bit.

If one gun must suffice for both hunting and concealed carrying, a .357 Magnum revolver would work. A M1911 .45 a.c.p. with a .460 Rowland conversion kit would be a consideration.

I don't like the one gun does all theory. If you truly want to handgun hunt deer or other animals make the commitment and buy a hunting handgun. A Ruger Blackhawk or Bisley in .44 mag, lots of good ammo choices ,or a .45 colt if you reload ,although there are some good factory choices out for the .45 also. Lots of practice and know your limitations and stick to them,bullet placement is everything . good luck and post pictures.You won't go wrong with one of these and they will only be a starting point .You will find ways to add more,you have been warned!L.o.L.

Welcome Trevor!

First piece of advise, "keep it fun".
2nd piece of advise, practice, practice, practice!!! Then practice some more!
3rd piece of advise, keep looking for guns...
I loves me a good 1911, & have had a tone of them (used to live & breathe IPSC), & I love big revolvers, but for your purpose I think you could do better.
A 44 mag or 45 Colt revolver would likely be a better choice, & you should be able to find a nice trade. Hunting ammo is readily available. Lots of guns to choose from. Ruger Blackhawks, Super Blackhawks, redhawks, Super Redhawks..., S&W mod 29, Dan Wesson, are just a few of the choices out there.

My first handgun is a 460 S&W, but I absolutely cannot recommend it to another beginner. Am I a hypocrite? Maybe, but please just take my advice. If you don't reload, a 44 magnum would be your best bet. Hunting ammo's easy to find, and it has power to spare for whitetail. The 45 Colt would also work as long as you can find adequate hunting ammo, not that cowboy action shooting stuff. Also, there isn't a deer out there that will stand up to a well placed 357 magnum bullet, as long as it's a legal caliber in Iowa.

While the 460 is a blast to shoot (pun intended), it's not for everyone. And, although some members of this site have used it effectively, I think the 45 ACP is a little light for handgun hunting.

i'm gonna disagree, i think the 460 is great. get the right holster and it carries well. has less recoil than almost any other big bore with the weight and compensator. the smith is accurate, without a scope it's actually easy to shoot offhand even with the 8 3/8" barrel and just plain easy to reload for. a great pistol and just an awesome gun.

I like the 460 also, but I'm with TN Wolf-- I wouldn't recommend it as a first hunting handgun. It was my first as well, but if I had it to do over again, I would pick something else.

That being said, I also agree with Tradmark. I bought an Encore Pro Hunter frame, put a 14" compensated MGM bull barrel on it in 460 S&W, and it is my go to gun for anything over 100 yards. It is easily a 200+ yard gun with accuracy to spare. It is heavy, and I don't hike around with it. But when I'm sitting still and watching a large field / meadow, it is the gun of choice.

IMHO,,,,,,,,,I believe you should start with a 44 mag or if you handload a 45 colt [a strong one ] The first time for handgun hunting, buying a 460 is more of a specialized revolver and more expensive to shoot. If you have to pick from the two you mentioned the 45 acp is the way to go but, semi's are not legal for hunting in all states. I'm just saying test the water before you jump in.

Welcome,the 44 mag will serve you well,ammo is common everywhere, if you choose to handload,you can load it mild to wild. with some time and practice you can work up to the 460,leave the 1911 in the safe.

Another vote for the .44 - started a sickness that seems to be terminal!

Thanks for all the replies gentlemen.

My local gun shop owner/friend had also suggested the 44 mag as more of an ideal caliber but also said a good .357 would work well also.

My thoughts on the dual purpose of carry/deer gun have faded. I will looking for a hunting handgun 1st and foremost and I may end up with a carry gun at a later date. I have been considering attending some 3 gun competitions next year and thought the .45 ACP would work ok for that.

I guess I'll go look at some guns/ammo today at a Scheels near me and get a better idea of what all is available.

Thanks again.

Trevor

Get a ruger super blackhawk in 5 or 7 inch barrel. Get some 240 & 300 soft point. Then go get a deer, then research and read lots of articles. Decide what to get next, my bet is you will stay with the 44.

I looked at a used 44 mag Ruger Super Redhawk w/a 9.5" bbl and a Leupold FXII 2x20 scope today. The price was $900 and I am considering it.

I am also still considering a trade deal from a guy for a used S&W 460 XVR 8 3/8" barrel w/a Leupold 4x28 scope, a bandolier style shoulder holster, RCBS 3 die set , and around 50 empty new brass and 50 loaded and I would be trading off a 22-250 rifle with dies/brass/ammo/etc that I value right around $1250-$1300 for everything I have. Does that sound like a fairly even trade?

Base price on smiths is going up pretty fast. It could be an investment if you dont like it. Why is he getting rid of the cannon?

Not sure. I think we're going to talk to each other on the phone later tonight and I'll see. He only lives an hour away from where I live so if we do a deal it would be a FTF and I can see the gun, possibly shoot it before I make up my mind.

Although a 44 mag might be ideal, I feel this trade deal might be a good one. We'll see.

I like 460's, so yeah, if it were me, I'd jump all over that deal.

I did end up talking to the guy tonight about the S&W 460 XVR. He just hasn't used it hardly at all and wants something he thinks he'll use. We're meeting this coming Tuesday evening and we've tentatively agreed to the trade so if it happens I'll let y'all know and maybe throw in a few pics. The nice thing is I'll have all the dies/components for it right away as he's throwing all that stuff in the trade deal as I'm throwing in all my 22-250 stuff for him as well.

It sounds like a good deal to me. It sounds like alot of gun for your first one. But. But if you do 'get into the handgun thang' and you don't get this gun, you will kick yourself for years to come. It is the top of the heap, and that's never a bad thing. You might find you want something less later, but I'm sure you will alway keep this gun, or sell it after the first cylinder ;-)
Post up some pics when you get her.

DB

I doubt very much I'll sell it after the 1st cylinder. LOL

I have shot other people's .357 mags, 44 mags, and even the 500 a couple times over the years so I think I know what to expect as far as recoil. I've always had a great knack for shooting so I expect pretty good results with this gun and I'll definitely post some pics of her and some targets later if I do in fact get it Tuesday.

I have just decided I wanted the fun/challenge of handgun hunting. In the last several years all my deer have been one shot/one kill using a shotgun with deer slugs and I wanted to change things up a bit, and there's an outside chance I might head to TX this winter to try some hug hunting and I wanted a revolver to take with me if I do end up going.

I'll keep y'all posted and thanks everyone for all the help/replies.

Trevor

Nice thing about the 460 is you can shoot 45 Colt init if you want to...

I'm sure I'll get a box or two of the 45 long colt and some 454 casull as well just to see how they shoot and to get used to the gun and I'll probably chrono them so I can get some accurate ballistic drop charts figured out for everything with the ft/lbs of energy at various distances with all the different ammo I can use in it so I know what I'm dealing with.

I don't see any reason not to use some factory or reloads in .460 for when I'm hunting just in case a longer shot would present itself but if I can get decent performance using some 454 stuff I may try some for hunting.

It sounds like I'll have a decent amount of brass to work with that I'm getting in the trade deal so figuring out reloading for it will be 1/2 the fun as well.

Trevor,

Sounds like a reasonable choice. You'll find reloading a straight wall pistol case much more "fun" than a bottleneck rifle round. It sounds like this may be your first handgun reloading. We have covered this a bit here if you do some searching. The other thing I would caution is using his 50 reloads. They may be perfectly safe, or they could wreck your gun. Always a gamble. Pulling 50 rounds would suck, but you still get the brass, with no risk to the gun or your body. Even if he says that this is a pet load that the gun loves, you will have to reload this combination with your scale and settings to verify and work up, so might as well do it properly.

If you do a little digging on the web and reloading books, you will certainly find reduced pressure and velocity 460 recipes. While being able to shoot 45 Colt and 454 would be nice to have and know in a pinch, you will have less possible issues with leading, pressure and probably accuracy by fiddling with different 460 levels in 460 brass.

As to the trade, if you get too hung up on dollars of value, you will go insane. Sounds like you are trading complete guns and reloading setups, and each is getting what is wanted. If so, it's a fair trade. No dollar bills out, no gunshop fees, etc...

Good luck with the trade, and have fun,

Craig

Heck, I'd take that deal, and I already have a 460.

You know, the funny thing is I sold my 22-250 to help pay for my 460, too.

"As to the trade, if you get too hung up on dollars of value, you will go insane. Sounds like you are trading complete guns and reloading setups, and each is getting what is wanted. If so, it's a fair trade. No dollar bills out, no gunshop fees, etc..."

That was very well put. I second third and forth it. If you are both happy, it's all good.

Just some info. I got a 10" .454 barrel for a t/c. I'm perfectly happy with the 'wimpy' casull. I did buy some Winchester 250gr? factory rounds that were much lighter shooting than the 240gr hornady's. Almost a special/mangnum difference. I didn't clock them, but I did had a 14" point of aim difference at 50 yards. The much slower winchesters shot high. I'm guessing that .45 colts out of a sited in .460 would be more of a poa issue.

l guess l am an old/new handgun hunter.... l recently bought a '' S&W 629 Hunter''inc reddot site for the purpose of taking a nice fat South Carolina doe before the season ends on Jan 1..Twil be my first outing for deer with a handgun in nearly 30 years... This latest persuit is an extension of my resuming IHMSA matches after a similar lapse...l chose a reddot because my old eyes have aged in these decades... So, Here l am going to Shooters every other day to get the feel of my new ''Hunter"... My load will be 180gr 44 ammo.. lt served me well in the past.. l think it will do so again.. Sadly l just cant buy my favorite 180gr SUPER VEL any more

SW,

I wish you much sucess. Most here would not even know what Super Vel was. Ain't a dang thing wrong with red dots. I am guessing I am a touch younger than you, and can still somewhat see irons. But my Casull is set up for irons or a red dot. I am guessing my days are numbered for irons, but not for hunting. Give 'em heck......


Craig

Thanks Bear for the encouragement.... l am now Soc Sec age and want to renew a couple old interests..

Lee Jurras started Super Vel in 1963.. He is credited with almost singlehandedly inventing modern expanding handgun ammo... He was a pioneer big handgun hunter and did a lot to popularize Thompson Center and AutoMag....

SW,

I suspect you have his book, co-authored with Nonte. It seems a little dated when you read it now, but all of these folks paved the way for us younger folks. I reread my copy all the time. One of the nice things about getting older, I don't feel bad about forgetting and rereading.

I've only handled a Desert Eagle in 44 mag, and it felt pretty much much like a brick. I suspect if I ever ran across an AutoMag in the flesh, I would would surely be smitten........ probably a handloading nightmare trying to rustle and form brass, but I sure would love to give it a try. As the 56 T-Bird is to car guys, the AutoMag must certainly be to handgunners.

Not sure whether it is marketing, or just being ahead of the curve at the wrong time, but some of the early pioneers do not get a lot of credit. Careful with the old interests, you might find yourself looking up old girlfrends on Facebook ;^) You never know where this electronic age will get you.........

If you are ever out NM way give me a holler, and we can visit the Whittington Center, and you can show me how to hit steel a long ways out. I could use the coaching......

Craig

Oh no!

It sounds like you caught the same bug I did - I just did it with a SRH in 44 Mag.

I noticed the hog hunting reference too - a word of caution though: HANDGUN HUNTING IS EXTREMELY ADDICTIVE!!!

I "wanted" to do it for a while, but never did. Now that I've tried it, I've found it to be a horrible addiction. My evenings are spent out in my back pasture shooting, or in the garage loading, or at work just to save money for another hog hunt!

Be careful with hog hunting too. I really have no desire to deer hunt anymore!

I will say though, that this forum is the greatest thing ever. Lots of helpful people with experience, as opposed to the "internet keyboard hunters".

My vote is obviously for a 44Mag, but if you can handle the 460 and that's what YOU want, then go for it. Just be careful of the addiction - it will get you!

Personally I'm partial to a .44 mag for someone who's got some experience with a handgun and wants to try out big game hunting, as many have previously said. Easy to find a wide variety of ammo, not particularly difficult to shoot, and your choices in guns are plentiful. I'm partial to revolvers, but I find the X frames to be a little too excessive when considered as a whole for hunting in my area (weight, length, "point-ability", and just plain packin' comfort) for the things we typically shoot at (deer and black bear are the biggest critters in these woods). Although, some people think that a .454 is excessive for deer, but I find that extra bit of horsepower is comforting.

That said, if you like the .460 and can shoot it well, go get it! If you buy something lesser than you want or need, you might end up regretting passing up the deal. My first handgun capable of big game hunting was a .454 SRH, which I shot terribly when I first acquired it. It has since been customized and fit to my liking, and is the rig I have the most confidence in.

As a handloader, you can always download if the power's excessive for a given chore.

I want to expand my hunting experiences and a co-worker has friends/family in E/SE TX that according to him have or have access to a lot of places to go hunt hogs w/o having to pay guides, etc. and I might get 4-6 weeks of lay-off time this winter (I drive a Ready-Mix truck) and he says he can hook me up if I want to go. It's something I've been thinking about trying for a few years now. I guess time will tell if I get a chance to go or not but it sure would be something I'd like to try at least once.

I'm sure the S&W 460 would be ample gun for the task.

I need to see about getting one of those see-through scope mounts as I think I'd like the capability of using open sights as well as the scope. Are any of you guys familiar with them?

I think I'll start googling and see what I can find.

IAshooter I never cared much for the see through mounts on rifles but know many that like them. I'm not sure I would trust them on a handgun as everything from the mount to scope and in between gets tested by handgun recoil. I work for a ready-mix company also but in south GA we pour 52 weeks out of the year. Good luck.

l quit handgun hunting (almost quit all types)after John passed in '84.. All the joy and friendship of the hunt seemed to die with him...His wife sold his SBH and l was fortunate to buy it as a memory... As far as caliber goes the 44 will be enough for me...l still remember Larry Kelley going to Africa and killing an elephant with his SBH with those special bronze bullets of his

You seem to have made up your mind on the 460. Can't say I blame you; it's one awesome gun.

Here are a few tips you might find helpful:

Invest in a good pair of shooting sticks. Trust me, you do not want to shoot the X-frame offhand. It's just too heavy to hold steady.

For reloading, H110 works well for full power loads (240 grain XTP-Mag at 2000+ fps) and A5744 for reduced loads (same bullet at 1200 to 1340 fps).

Always use hearing protection, even when hunting. Those full power loads create quite the muzzle blast.

Talked to the guy who wants to trade again tonight and it looks like it's a go for tomorrow evening to meet/trade so if all goes well I'll have it in my possession this time tomorrow night.

After doing some searching for see-thru type bases I think I'll give up on that idea.

I make my own shooting sticks, for sitting/kneeling shots anyway, but I want to look into something to use while standing. Any suggestions? I was looking at something like this.........

Primos Trigger Stick

Yeah, I decided against the see-through bases too. Of course, I did have a 2x power scope on it at the time.

I've never used the Trigger Stick, so I can't help you there. Might need to check one out, though. My old, cheap bipod needs to be replaced.

Since this thread started a few days ago, I've been secretly hoping you get the 460. Although it isn't the perfect choice for someone starting with a handgun, it does work. I did it, and so have some others. The thing is, if you WANT it, GET it! Like one of the guys said earlier, if ya pass up a deal you want, you'll regret it later.

Might I throw in another load for the 460 without derailing the thread? I am shooting 300g XTP MAG's, 40.5gr H110, and a large rifle primer. Best group to date is a three shot group of .532" with that load out of my scoped Encore Pro Hunter.

I agree that if there is a particular revolver you want, you should get that revolver. My only beef with the .460 -- or any X-frame for that matter -- is the size of the firearm. I recently went hunting with a muzzle loader and it reminded me why I rarely hunt with a long gun any more.