I have started practicing. I have a new load and had some good results from 50 yds today that I did not expect. I don't know if I will have time to get this rascal lined up but it is encouraging. I would like to take a deer with the little SBH this year. The circled 3 rounds are from the SBH. I was encouraged by the two together. I was aiming at the bull on the right but I think I can get it shooting good.





Hope the pics work.

Chief,

If you will use the tags [img] [/img] around the URL's then they will display. Or you can use the insert image button on the editor toolbar.

I fixed your post to display the images.

If I can make a sugestion I would move from the #5 as a powder for the 44Mag I have used it before on light bullets like the 180 XTP. I found that the pressure was extreme even with a moderate load. I am a 2400 nut but there are others that like the H-110 and 296. If you want full power loads 296 is hard to beat but you must make sure you use a heavy crimp and magnum primers. The same goes for the H-110. I think the 240 & 300 XTP
Make great hunting bullets in the SBH. If you are dead set on the cast bullets I have had awsome results with the 310 WFNGC True Shot. JMHO I would try about 18.5 grs of 2400 on the 240 XTP and 15.5 grs of 2400 on the 310 WFNGC. The recoil on these loads should not be bad and I would expect sub 2" groups at 50 if you do your part.

I agree with H20BUG, the AA#5 is way to fast for the 44 Mag. I have loaded mostly H 110 in my 44 Mag and a little bit of 296.
My Ruger SBH Hunter 45 Long Colt shoots best with H 110. I shoot the same bullet from Beartooth in 300 grn in my 45 Long Colt Ruger and it will shoot about 2" at 50yds and about 5" at 100yds with scope. You should be ready by deer season with your Ruger if you keep your shots to a range you are comfortable with. I know it will hammer them if you get a good hit on them.
Mike

I've found the H110 to be the best in all of my revolver cartridges and they all like max or near max loads the best. The calibers I've used it in include the 500 S&W, 460 S&W, 475 Linebaugh, 45 Colt, 44 Mag, 41 Mag, 410 GNR, 357 Mag, and the 32 H&R mag.

I wish I could outline how I got to the AA#5 load but it would take a book. I actually got this load for the 1894 Marlin. I was kinda wondering about pressure in the SBH but I figured it could take it. Since I have a concern and you guys have a concern also I will look into it further.

Thanks

I enjoy hunting with my 44Mag SBH. It is a pleasure to shoot and carry. I use Hogue grips that have been modified to accept an Uncle Mikes sling stud. I made a loop and placed that around the barrel. When I get to myhunting stand I usually remove the sling. The only draw back to the Hogue grips is the palm swell with heavy loads. It does bite some.
My one handgun kill was with this pistol using a 240 grain slug ataround 900 fps. My target round that shot so good I used it for hunting. Deer could not tell the slug was not going 1400FPS.
With a load the pistol likes it will shoot groups like the one above the powder container all day.
Good luck getting it set up for hunting season.

It is funny how different toys have different temperaments. My SRH likes H110 and my SBH likes 2400. Lucky for me, the 2400 does not kick anything like the H110 in the SBH. I have also learned not to argue with what works. So find what works for you and go with it!

Just bought a new SBH in 44 Mag and am working on loads for it now, new at handgun hunting.

Welcome to the Sight DKA. If there is anything we can help you with let us know. There are a lot of users that use a 44 in a SBH on this sight!

I use my SBH with factory loads and open sights. Know your limits and shoot within them. New at it myself but so far I've had decent luck with mine. Took the 8pt in my other thread with my pistol last season on the opening day. Hoping to rack up some points in a Handgun hunting competition this year. Been practicing on moving armadillos on my lease this year. haven't missed once yet.

Rob

I used a SHB with a 5.5" barrel .44mag to take a Deer a few years ago using the Federal 300gr cast cores. It worked really well. I'm looking forward to getting something with my new SBH Hunter .44mag this year. I've used 2400 when I was reloading for the older .44mag and found it very accurate using 240 and 300gr. XTP's. I want to try heavier cast bullets this year if I get around to setting up my reloading equipment. (Small Apartment, not much room) Have fun and good luck, also welcome to the site!

Excellent! Practice makes perfect and further proof that a deer is not some big-boned, heavy-hide, armor plated beast that some would have you believe. Way to go!

This will be my first year hunting with a handgun. I have a New Model SBH w/ 4 5/8bbl in .44mag. Started practicing with factory ammo at 40yds off of a rest. Not yet what I would consider good enough to hunt with. A couple of cylinders printed about an 8" group, and a couple were all over the place. The ammo was differant brands and weights. I want to get some Hornady Xp and get serious about practice. I never lost an animal with a rifle, and I should do no less with a pistol. Any and all advice would be welcomed and appreciated.

(I'm in middle Tennessee, and it's whitetail to start with)

Briarhopper, are you shooting with open sights or a scope? What is the average shot distance you expect on deer? Do you handload? If not I would highly recommend it. I have yet to find a factory load that will do under 5-6" (2X scope) at 100 yds in my SBH. While those loads may work fine in the field, I have much more confidence in my handloads that cut those groups in half. Once you find a round it likes, put in plenty of practice from field shooting positions. Good luck!

pab1, Right now I have open sights and am shooting factory ammo. I wouldn't mind a scope, but would have to go with another gun with a longer bbl, or a red dot. Never been too keen on red dot.

As for ammo, I'm not really in a position to set up for handloading, for a number of reasons. Average shot distance where I am is probably going to be 40 to 80 yards, I'm guessing.

The 4 5/8 barrel is on the short side for shooting past 25yds but it is possible with lots of practice, the issue isn't the gun but your sight radius. I have a custom 475 with the same barrel length and I shoot about 5" at 50yds off a rest and I have hundreds of rounds and at least a dozen different loads I've worked up. I would say find a load that prints good at 25yds and then work your way out in range but 80yds is going to be pushing it and although there are guys that can do it once you get past 50yds with iron sights accuracy is hard to come by. I shot a coyote at 115yds with my 475 but it was on the third shot on a open hillside after I used the first two shots to gauge how far I needed to lead him and the other day I was showing off for my kids and shot a milk jug at 150yds with it but it took 4 shots because even though I'm dead on at 25yds I was hitting 2ft to the left at that range.

You said it better than I ever could!

Rod,
I agree completely. One thing I've found too is that when a deer is moving that really ramps up the challenge factor with iron sights. Also, in order to be able to place the shot laterally where I want on a deer I like to get zeroed so I can put the top of the sights just about even with the belly line or maybe up a couple inches. This means you'll be shooting considerably higher on "paper" than what you might be if you were just shooting targets.

Here's my best with a short barreled gun, a 10 pt with a 4.75" 454. I was in a tree when he came by chasing a doe. Whacked him right there on top of the shoulder and the bullet exited just behind the front leg about 2" up from the brisket. He went about 5 yards. Bullet was a Cast Performance 335gr. at about 1475 fps. No blood from the entrance or exit hole but he was bleeding from the mouth. In fact I thought I was going to recover the bullet until I gutted him and found the exit. Initially I missed it when I looked to see where the bullet exited. Hunting with a short barreled revolver is just about exactly like hunting with a bow and most of us would be well advised to keep our shots in about the same distances as a bow hunter. I consider it one of the ultimate challenges in handgun hunting.

Nice shoot'in Gary. I shot on Friday. I decided on getting my sights adjusted in at 50 yds since it seems things have changed in the last 5 or 6 years.

I have a SBH with factory adjustable sights and I can't seem to find my instruction book at the moment. The windage and elevation adjustments seem to be endented and click into place. Is this true. It seems they could jar out of position if not careful. Is there no lockdown on these sights?

I went back to my old Green Dot load for the 240 gr bullet. It seems to be printing well. I think it will be more than enough accurate at 50 yds but it will be low pressure for the hard cast Beartooth 240 gr. WFN PB sized to 4.315. I hope I do not get excessive leading due to blow by with this round. The Hornady soft swagged 240 gr SWC does not lead much at all. It shoots fine but I wanted to hunt with the Bearttoth if possible. Wider meplat ya know.

That's good information, guys, and just what I need. I appreciate it. So it comes down to either having the woodcraft to hunt out to about 25 yards or so with this particular gun, (after I'm sure that I'm consistently accurate enough), or trading up for a longer bbl and probably a scope.

I'm no greenhorn with a rifle, but all of my hunting over the years has been out west with the rifle. Takeing up handgunning is a challenge I've eyed for a long time, but I want to approach it logically, knowledgably and responsibly. For my sake and for the sake of game I would be drawing a bead on..

No they don't "lock" into place and are click adjustable. I suppose if you dropped the gun or something that could be a problem but I've never had a problem with them getting out of adjustment due to screws moving. You could always take some fingernail polish and mark the position of the elevation adjustment for a visual indicator that they are staying put. I don't think that would be possible with the windage adj. though.

Nice buck and shooting Gary. briarhopper, I have a fine gold bead and v notch on my two 475's which seem to work better for me on accuracy and I know it's just the opposite for some people but the only way you could do that with the sbh would be to have a gunsmith install a new front ramp so you can experiment with different sight combinations. I would, (if possible) keep the the sbh for a belt gun and short range gun and then depending on what you like pickup a good single or double action revolver in 44 with a 7.5" barrel or a single shot like the contender or encore with a scope so you can extend your range. I would rather carry my short barreled 475 than anything else I own but do to a physical condition I can't stalk like I used to and treestands don't work real well where I hunt deer at here in Oregon so I have a couple longer barreled revolvers and a contender for longer shots but even if I'm carrying a rifle the short barreled revolver is on my waist in a cross draw holster as weapon of opportunity and for unfriendly critters that get to close. Good Luck and welcome to the site and we'll do our best to help you in your endeavor to start handgun hunting.

I've been looking at the Ruger SBH Hunter if I was to get a second gun. (Don't tell my wife, though. I'll have to save up some brownie points in advance). When I was shooting the other day, as I talked about above, the bottom edge of the grip started digging a chunk of meat out of the inside of my hand at the bottom inside edge of my palm. My hand was overlapping the bottom of the grip by about 1/4 inch. It really started to play hob with accuracy. I don't have giant hands, but I can palm a basketball on a good day, and if I get higher on the grip I'm in danger of getting a hammer in the web between my thumb and trigger finger. I've had that happen before with heavy loads. Will the Bisley grip help this, and what about the bird's head grip that I've seen on aftermarket websites? Gary Reeder says that their TrailRider gip on the Ultimate 44 was designed specifically for absorbing recoil. Any feed back or advice?

The bisley will make a big difference in felt recoil, it will shove back instead of rolling back and which bothers you more is a personal thing. I personally had Reeder build My short barreled 475 with a standard SBH sized grip because it comes to faster natural point of aim for me and that gun is mostly a back up belt gun if I'm just messing around in the woods or for back up for another weapon. I had my 6" 475 and my 410GNR set up with bisley grips for a little more control when shooting and because I may have either one scoped at any given time I'm not as concerned about a "quick draw" type scenario with them. As far as the wife is concerned remember it is always easier to ask forgiveness than permission.LOL

Bottom line though is if you have access to a bisley gun is try shooting it and see how it feels to you, some people really like them others not so much. I would however stay away from the birdshead grips on anything with heavy recoil, I think you'll find a loss of control on recoil.

Hogue wood grips make my SBH very comfortable to shoot. They fill the palm and seem to distribute recoil better than stock grips. It also extends the length of the grip. They look nice too! I tried a Hogue rubber grip on this gun, but the grip frame extended beyond what the grip would cover. It was not fun to shoot with the rubber grip.

The Bisley grip is alot more comfortable for my hands with heavy loads, but everybody is different.

You might want to try a custom grip on the gun you are shooting now. That will take the bite out of it. Here is a place to start;

Badger Custom Grips

I carried a .44 mag SBH for 8 years in Alaska as backup, and felt recoil was never a problem, even with heavy bear loads. Nor is it a problem now, as long as it's not physically removing meat from my hand with the bottom edge of the grip.

I don't know why it's a problem that is just showing up now.

Thanks Gary. That was exactly what I needed to know.

AA #5 is a very good powder for moderate 44 Mag & 45 Colt loads (~ 1100 FPS in my 45 Colt), which is more than adequate for deer. Shoots very clean, accurately and low extreme spreads. I believe it is comparable to HS-6, but without the muzzle flash.

Well, every one was right. Practice, practice practice. I went to town last night and picked up a couple of boxes of Winchester 240 JSP to start working on ME with. I measured out 25 yards to the target this afternoon, put a mat on the ground and sat cross legged with a pair of shooting sticks I used to use for Sharps competition. Laying the BBl in the sling between the sticks and resting my elbows on my knees, I started slowly, carefully working my way through a box of shells. I found that when I had fliers, they were almost always up-and-down, rarely left-to-right. Which obviously says "shooter problem", but maybe not flinch. I don't know. I also did better when I started using the ball of the tip of my finger instead of the joint behind the first knuckle to pull the trigger. My last cylinder was pulled in to a 6-shot pattern of 5 1/2 inches. Not hunting accuracy, not even very good accuracy, but I was encouraged to see a definable improvement over the first time out. The only things I see that would help on the gun end of things is a lighter / smoother trigger pull and some way to keep the front sights from fuzzing and blurring out. If I get this worked out, I may just save my money and hunt close with what I've got.

One thing you may consider is a different way of resting the gun. Resting the bbl directly on the rest is rarely a good idea as bbl vibrations can vary depending on the amount of pressure you exert pushing the gun into the sling. This can affect your accuracy.

My advice would be to rest only your wrist on the sling between the sticks and then still get your elbows on your knees if possible. Eliminating direct bbl contact with the rest should shrink your groups considerably. The trigger job you mention would definately help also. Good luck and have fun.

Oh, I forgot.
Try to focus on the front sight and let the rear sight and target blur.
That was the hardest thing for me to learn.

That's why I like these.

You quickly are drawn to the front sight and the rear takes care of itself.

s4s4u, a little more info .... please?

If you focus on your front sight,your brain knows where the target is and you don't have to worry about it and you will notice a big improvement in your grouping. If you are shifting your eyes from target to front sight then your rear sight then back to your target you will never get good groups. Consentrate on that front sight. Good Luck and remember practice practice practice.

Sorry, my bad. I meant information about those particular sights in the picture you posted :). Who makes them, who carries them, are they easily installed, are they adjustable ...?

Not your bad, I was just adding on to sight picture. I haven't used peep sights on a handgun, so I couldn't tell you about them. One of these day I would like to try them out.

they are called "one ragged hole" sights and you can get them from midway.

You can get the rear peeps from Buck's website:
http://www.oneraggedhole.com/The_RUGER_One_Hole_Sight.htm
The front on my SBH Bisley .41 (in the pic) is made by Marble's:
http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=334505&t=11082005
Side view:

If you don't have the Hunter, but your front sight is pinned, HiViz has a BH/SBH fiber optic blade:
http://www.hivizsights.com/Ruger-C10.aspx
I really feel that without the fiber optic, or gold bead, front sight you cannot truly appreciate the ragged hole peeps.