I had no background with handguns. My father did not like them. He owned 2 guns, a 22 rifle & a M94 Winchester. He did not believe he needed more (and he did not). I hunted with rifles exclusively until about 15 yrs ago.

A close friend was "into" hunting with handguns. He insisted that I buy a couple & go on a handgun only hunt and shoot. I was not excited about it, but I took his advice and purchased a S&W M657 and a contender in 6.5 JDJ. My limited experience shooting handguns made it difficult for me to believe that I wanted to use one on a game animal.

After spending the summer shooting these two, I was hooked. I went on the hunt that fall & saw the 6.5 drop one easily. I have not used a rifle for hunting since. I used the contender for about 3 yrs, and its efficiency caused my to change to the revolvers. It was sorta like shooting a short barreled rifle. By that time I had acquired a Freedom's 454 and a 41. I have used the FA revolvers (those and others) on every big game hunt since.

The reason is the additional challenge and the uniqueness of being a "handgun hunter." As most of you are aware, the uninitiated are in awe of someone who will use a "handgun" for big game hunting. They do not appreciate the effectiveness of these tools. Single shots have more range and are more forgiving than are revolvers. I am past the stage of life where just shooting (killing) an animal gives me a thrill. But when I make a good shot with a revolver, the satisfaction is still there.