Hello all. I am new to the site and I am an amateur when it comes to revolvers. I am very proficient with semi-auto pistols, but do not own a revolver. A buddy of mine brought a 44 mag, not sure of the make to deer camp this year and I fell in love with shooting it immediately. From that moment own, I vowed to own a revolver and plan to use it for deer hunting only. I am looking for a good starter revolver to shoot a bunch in the off season and plan to use it next season after I become proficient. Looking for some information on where to start.

You'll get a lot of info here from some very knowledgable people, but I'll offer you my thoughts on the matter. If I had to do it all over again I would start with a S&W 629 Classic with a 6 1/2 inch barrel. If I could find the "DX" version, I would pick that one. Excellent single action trigger out of the box. Double action can be lightened with a simple spring swap. They are already drilled and tapped if you want to mount a scope. They will handle any standard loaded ammo which will be adequate for most animals. They are beautiful, well balanced, and are quite addicting! Just remember I said I would start with that one, but there will be more! Welcome aboard!

That .44 will do what you want and factory ammo is everywhere if you don't reload. A Ruger new model Blackhawk, Ruger Redhawk or Super Redhawk, BFR,or Smith&Wesson,pick your poison.If you reload the .45 Colt in the above mentioned guns is SUPERB! Good luck,don't over gun yourself and practice often.We will answer any and all questions {read all the back posts on this question] And enable you to buy more guns anytime we can.
Welcome to the best site on the web.

Was the gun you shot a single action, meaning you have to manually cock it each time you shoot, or a double action where you have the choice to manually cock, or just pull the trigger and the cylinder revolves cocking and firing in one motion?

Knowing this would help members to assist you more in a choice.

Welcome and good luck.

It was a single action with a hair trigger. I think I?d prefer a double action though, so I?d have the choice to manually cock.

As mentioned above,smith and Wesson 629 would be a good choice

Can't go wrong with the Ruger Blackhawk Convertible 45 Long Colt and 45 ACP cylinders. Practice with the cheaper 45 ACP ammo, and use heavy 45 LC loads for hunting.

ALL GOOD RECOMMENDATIONS ABOVE. YOU SHUD ALSO CONSIDER A 357 MAGNUM, A RUGER GP100, A S&W L FRAME OR N FRAME, THE LARGE FRAMED RUGER SINGLE ACTIONS, ALL WITH 5 1/2 INCH OR LONGER BARRELS, AND MY FIRST CHOICE IN 357 MAGNUM, A FREEDOM ARMS 353. THIS SEASON MEMBERS HAVE POSTED SOME GOOD DEER KILLS WITH THE 357, IT IS CHEAPER AND EASIER TO SHOOT THAN ANY 44 MAGNUM, AND IS A GOOD STARTER CALIBER. IF YOU ARE LIKE THE REST OF US, IT IS JUST A START, YOU CAN THEN PROGRESS TO THE MORE POWERFUL STUFF.

PLEASE LET US KNOW WHAT YOU DECIDE.

So after getting the pistol hunting bug with contenders and encores. I branched out last Friday and picked up a GP100 with a 6" barrel to play with (first revolver) off a local classified. At $450 with a no drill scope mount included, it was a lot cheaper then the 44 mag offerings I had seen posted. Also cheaper to practice with. It's a solid pistol and recoil is nearly non existent. I'm looking forward to lots of learning. Good luck with your adventure! My only suggestion us to make sure it fits your hand, or know what you need to do to make it fit before you buy. As mentioned, a 357 will easily take deer.

If you want a double action 44 mag, I would look at a Smith and Wesson model 629 Classic 5" or a Ruger Redhawk 5.5". Longer barrels might be better but I really like these.

Dan

All good advice here, you can't go wrong with any of them. If there's an indoor shooting range close by most of them have rental guns where you can try different models & calibers to see what you like. Or, perhaps some of your buddies have a big bore revolver you can shoot a bit. Trying as many guns as you can will make it easier & cheaper in the long run.
Don't worry too much about accuracy at first, you're checking for balance, feel, how you like the sights, trigger, etc. The guns will have adjustable sights, you can make it shoot where you want later. Good luck. Oh, those 629 DX's are sweet!

Dick

My recommendation would be a Super RedHawk.
I am no fan of the older RedHawk design.
No mention of you reloading. That can have an impact on what will work best for you.
If you are going to buy ammunition the 44 Magnum is by far the best choice.
If you reload you could go with a Super RedHawk in 41 Magnum, 44 Magnum, 454/45 Colt, or 480 Ruger.

If you get a Super RedHawk that is a few years old you will have one with a Quick Change Front Sight. Easy to install a Fiber Optic Front Sight.

I also recommend purchasing a Hogue "Tamer" Rubber Grip which comes on the Alaskan. They have a Smurf Blue Sorbothane Strip down the inside back of the grip to soak up recoil.

Considering the revolvers limited range (125 or so yards) I would go for a MatchDot II Red Dot optical sight as the next priority. Why a MatchDot II over an UltraDot? The UltraDot has ONE Dot Size 4 MOA. The MatchDot II has 6 aiming point choices. Only 2 are important to you 4 MOA and the smaller 2 MOA Dot. The 2 MOA Dot Early and Late in low light will Bloom Less.

You can probably get into a used Super BlackHawk or Black Hawk in 41 Magnum, 44 Magnum, or 45 Colt for less Money. Something to consider if your budget is limited. If you buy right, you can always save up some additional money, and sell or trade the Single Action for a Super RedHawk down the road.

Another budget option would be the 6" GP100 in 357 Magnum.
The GP100 will take the same Hogue Tamer Grip as the Super RedHawk. An Adjustable Sight GP100 will also have a Quick Change front sight that can be swapped to a Fiber Optic Front Sight easily.
You can add a Weigand Combat Scope Base down the road, and a MatchDot II 30mm Red Dot down the road when you can afford it.
With the 357 Magnum I would try and go for shots broadside at 75 yards or under.

The GP100 might be a good place to start Handgun Hunting. Cheaper to shoot, and much lower recoil. Also cheaper to buy initially. Do not be afraid of a Blued one either. They normally can be bought even cheaper than a stainless one.

Just My 2 Cents

Bob

don't forget Dan Wesson if ya can find one that they don't want your first born for. just as nice ( better !?) than S&W. don't know about the CZ made ones. i traded my 44 red hawk for 5.5. super black hawk, couldn't see the need for a "fast" DA second shot. owed DA 44s for a dozen years or so and can count on one hand how many times i fired a cylinder full in DA. lastly if ya liked the 44 stick with it. there is no real world difference between the 44 and the 45lc, no matter the #'s thrown around. ( no deer is going to say to its self i was just hit with a ".42 mag, that's nothing just glad it wasn't a 45LC. OH look at those apples over there) plus you can find 44mag ammo anywhere. ammo suitable for hunting, not so much with the 45lc.

Thanks for all the help thus far. You guys are a wealth of information.

I like my old Redhawk 5.5" 44 mag. It has never let me down. I have killed 5 deer with it with open sights and one with a reddot. I am getting a 4x scope to try on it next year.

I agree. This does wonders for felt recoil. My 480 was a pussycat with the Tamer grip.

THIS!

Also 45 MAN's post:
"ALL GOOD RECOMMENDATIONS ABOVE. YOU SHUD ALSO CONSIDER A 357 MAGNUM, A RUGER GP100, A S&W L FRAME OR N FRAME, THE LARGE FRAMED RUGER SINGLE ACTIONS, ALL WITH 5 1/2 INCH OR LONGER BARRELS, AND MY FIRST CHOICE IN 357 MAGNUM, A FREEDOM ARMS 353. THIS SEASON MEMBERS HAVE POSTED SOME GOOD DEER KILLS WITH THE 357, IT IS CHEAPER AND EASIER TO SHOOT THAN ANY 44 MAGNUM, AND IS A GOOD STARTER CALIBER. IF YOU ARE LIKE THE REST OF US, IT IS JUST A START, YOU CAN THEN PROGRESS TO THE MORE POWERFUL STUFF."

I guarantee you'll have a lot of options and be stuck between the top 3 or 25 recommendations by the end of this thread.

The fun part is yet to come!

All good suggestions you?ve gotten from people who know way more than I do.

I?ll say that I wish I had initially bought a .357 when I headed down the handgun hunting path. I think it a much better place to start than I did with 10mm. A GP100 offers a great deal of potential in the ability to change sights or later add an optic.

One more suggestion for you. Taurus raging bull in .44 mag. Great gun! It's also usually a little less expensive than others. And with the .44 mag you can also shoot 44 special which is considerably lighter recoil.

You have been given so much good information. Please try to rent or borrow as many guns as you can to try out,, to begin to experience the different traits of each type and caliber.

My suggestion is the one or both of two excellent calibers and that is the 357 or 44 mag. But I do this for 2 reasons.
(1) Is the vast variety of ammo available for each one. (hint) this can offer you a larger window of opportunities when hunting. Ex: a little varmint hunting.
(2) You can practice with some milder and sometime cheaper ammo than going full house mag cartridges all the time.

If you choose a 44 mag DO NOT Discount the 44 SP cartridge. It is sometimes referred to a s Gentleman's cartridge and rightly so. It will kill deer all day long and several other animals as well. It is mild shooting with little flash, and little recoil.

So much for calibers... When you do decide on brand and caliber be sure the trigger is good on your new pistol. Do not let a Butcher get into your pistol. One you make your purchase you can return here for more enabling Err I mean suggestions for a QUALITY GUNSMITH to do trigger work. I like a 2LB on the single action side.

Love my 629 with red dot for 40 yards and under. Since I ground hunt a lot it is quick to bring into action

Ended up with a new smith and Wesson 629 .44 mag with a 6? barrel. Looking forward to dialing it in. Thanks for all the help.

Nice choice.