This past spring I bought a S&W 460 to begin handgun hunting deer with. I've hunted since I was 7 but never with a handgun. A couple months ago I decided I'd also buy a CVA Optima v2 handgun to hunt a public hunting area where center fire cartridge weapons are prohibited. I topped it with a Leupold scope and zeroed it at 50 yards using 100 gr of Triple 7 pellets and 240 gr Hornady xtp mag. I was very impressed with the accuracy of this handgun. Today I took it to the public land I hunt. I went to an area I had seen deer activity before and set up underneath a cedar tree. I hadn't been set up for about 20 mins when I big doe appeared. I watched her for a few mins and when she stepped from behind a tree about 35 yards away I squeezed the trigger and the smoke rolled. I set tight for about 20 mins then went to check where she had been standing. I followed the blood trail for about 60 yards and recovered my very first handgun kill. I am now hooked and I'm looking forward to getting the 460xvr some action, hopefully this weekend.

Congratulations it is nice feeling I own many rifles but I love to hunt with my handguns more than anything.

Welcome to the addiction.

Congrats!
Welcome to handgun hunting

I feel your excitement and reminisce of my first successful handgun hunt. Congratulations and it's good to hear you're hooked! Good luck with the 460, too.

There's nothing like the first. Congrats!!!

Nice job! I got my first this September. I know how you feel.

Congratulations! You've done well! Welcome to the fold!

Nice work RR! The affliction gets worse from here...

Awesome.

Outstanding. Glad you connected. I need to get one of those CVA pistols and try it. I use a Ruger Old Army with cast conicals and they drop deer in short order but with the open sights I'm limited to just a short distance from my stands.
I had an Encore 15" blackpowder barrel but in a weak moment I sold it to a friend.
Good shooting and wish you luck the rest of the season.
Mike

Congrats on your first handgun deer. I'm sure there will be many more in the future. Welcome to the madness.

No looking back now....you are officially hooked!

Congrats on your first handgun kill and black powder to boot
I have the same gun and have taken four deer in the last two seasons and am still hunting with it.

Welcome to the group.

Congratulations! Way to go. Welcome to what is a serious addiction for most of us here.

The first of many, good going, welcome to the addiction!

Congrats on your first, and good luck with your 460!

Nicely done! You will have many more but the first will always be special.

Congrats RR.

My first handgun animal (pig) was with a front stuffer too, congratulations!!!

SWEET!!! Congrats, and welcome to a new way of life! My first handgun critter was taken with a 460 S&W as well! Thought it would be my "only" hunting handgun since it could shoot 45 Colt and 454 Casull also. Boy was I wrong.... It's like a potato chip- ya can't have just one hunting handgun!!!

Well done!!!

Hook for life!

Ain't that the truth.

Congratulations. Welcome to the addiction.

Great Job on your first handgun deer.

I have a couple questions. Could you tell anything about bullet expansion using the Hornady 240 grain XTP "MAG" bullet? It is rated by Hornady for a velocity of 1200 - 2300 fps. That puts the Optima handgun on the lower end of that scale.
I like the double lung shot to keep meat damage to a minimum. With that in mind, I had decided the MAG bullets were probably a little hard for non shoulder shots for me. BUT I could be wrong with no experiance with them.

How were you packing your Optima on the hunt?
Are you using bulk Sabots? Which ones?

Again Great Job with your first Handgun Deer.

Bob

I was using 100 gr of triple 7 and Harvester crush ribbed sabots, they work great and load easily. The shot was a through and through shot through the rib cage. The exit hole was decent, about The size of a quarter or slightly larger. It absolutely destroyed the lungs. The reason I decided to use this bullet was because I have stocked up on them to reload my 460 mag and it makes things simple for me because I can use the same bullet in both handguns. But I have been impressed with the accuracy with it out of the Optima and I was impressed with the results on this deer. Hopefully I'll have more opportunities to test it out this year. I bought the Scope shoulder holster for the Optima handgun on Amazon for $35, I think is by Federal and sold by Holsterman it fits great and I'm very satisfied with it, especially for the price.

It sounds like the MAG bullet worked pretty well.
Sounds like we like both like to keep meat damage to a minimum.

I put mine back together yesterday. I added a sling swivel stud AGAIN. This time one with a Nut, and I used a flat washer on the out side. I hogged the inside of the forend out with a drimmel tool, then epoxied the nut in with P7 Epoxy Paste. I think it will stay this time.
I also swapped the factory scope base for an EGW (Evolution Gun Works) Picatinny Base that has lots of slots, and is longet than the factory base. I now have 3 Zee Rings holding the Burris 2-7 Plex Scope, and also have the scope mounted further forward than it was.

Good luck with Deer #2. Now to Optima or to use the 460. I have the same problem. To use the 480 SRH, Contender in 6.5 X 30 JDJ, 35 Bullberry, 357 Maximum, or the Optima.

Bob

Yeah that's always a hard decision, which one to take. I love both guns, if I think my shot maybe a little further I take the 460 but I really love hunting with the Optima and its lighter to carry. Good luck to you as well.