Ive deer hunted all my life. Bow hunted, rifle hunted etc.. Im debating getting a new toy. Wanting either a new rifle for deer or possibly a revolver. I know there are revolver calibers out there that will easily do what rifles will. Im thinking I stay with 44 mag though. Is it a bad idea to try this?Or should I just get another rifle?

I enjoy hunting with my TC Contenders, S&W 629 and Ruger Super Blackhawk, go for the revolver if you want. 44Mag is plenty for any deer

There is no revolver out there that will easily do what rifles will.

At close enough ranges however, there are a number of revolvers that are great for deer hunting. Autos too, if chambered for 10mm.

A classic deer-hunting revolver would be the Ruger Redhawk, or a S&W model 29.

.44 magnum, of course.

Never owned one but will second on the TC.

44 mag open sights for very close range and put a good scope on it, good for inside a 100 yards with LOTS OF PRACTICE!!

S&W 460XVR will easily do what a rifle will at 100 yards. That's what I've used, although never killed a deer with it, but many pigs have died from its lead poisoning. Federal 275gr moving around 2100fps pits a whooping on hogs. It will take some practice shooting to 100 yards, but it's doable. You can also shoot 454 and 45LC out of it without changing anything.

I did this one time and bought a fancy encore set up. It sure looked nice. I quickly got rid of it because it was hard to shoot.

I would get some other rifle. If I got a hunting hand gun it wouldn't be a revolver. I would look into that new 10mm glock or a 1911 10mm

For deer, Ruger, .45 or.44 mag. Pic of my .44 I use a shoulder rig for both.

There are Many revolvers that will easily do what a rifle can. It's the Nut behind the trigger that's the problem.

I have shot deer/hogs with nothing but handloaded 44 mags, with home casted bullets for the last 10 years. I am good to 125 yards with the scoped SBH hunter. There are many fellas that shoot a heck of a lot better than me.

The 44 will generate more power than the .500 Smith when properly loaded in a hangun built for the pressures.

Even with a pistol, you don't have to have magnum calibers. Good old 45 LC or ACP will blow through both shoulders of a deer. 44 Special will work. I wouldn't pick a 9mm or 38 sp for the job but if its all I had, I'd gitterdun.

Nice SBH in pic above.

Here are my deer guns.



You gotta invest a little more time in the handguns to leqrn to shoot them well.

10mm wont even come close to the enery of a big revolver cartridge

Had a scoped Encore 7-08 that would hold 3/4" at 100 yards.

The question is "Revolver or Rifle", and the Encore is neither of those.

I agree with those who recommend the .44 magnum. It is powerful enough without being so bad about recoil that you have to haul around a four pound revolver to use it.

Nice SA guns pictured above!

Im still torn, thinking I want to just go rifle... But honestly I don't know. I have large calibers for big game, and a smaller 243 that I use here and there. Nothing in between... Don't even know what caliber I would go with.

Could get a lever action in .44 magnum!

Its not that hard. Just close your eyes and reach and grab. They should all be ready by now.

I love my .480 Ruger. A step up from the .44 Mag but still not bad on recoil.

Last year was the first time I took a deer with a revolver. I used my NMBH in 45 Colt. I honestly think that was more fun than bowhunting. 45 Colt with 250 gr hard cast is enough if you know your real limits in ability. No scope so I practice a lot at 50 yards.

I have been hunting for over 50 years, with rifle, handgun and bow. It just depends on how much of a challenge you want. The ultimate challenge is bowhunting, because you have to be within 30 yards or closer to make a good shot on game. Next would be the handgun and with a little practice and a good rest, you should be good out to 100 yards with open sights and if you want to go even farther than that get a revolver such as a 460XVR and put a variable scope on it and you can definitely be good out to 150 - 200 yards, if you can hit it that far!! Rifle extends the range out to about as far as you can shoot. For all around deer hunting I like a 270 or 270WSM. I have taken deer and elk at over 300 yards with 1 shot.

I have been almost exclusively handgun hunting for the past 10 years and the 44 mag is a very good choice for a starter. S&W's have much better trigger than Rugers, although Rugers are good guns. If you use open sights I would definitely practice and try to be within 50-75 yards of your target. I primarily use a 2x7 variable scope so I am definitely good to a little over 100 yards with it. A scope will just about double your range over open sights. Just make sure that you always have a good shooting stick such as the Primos Trigger stick for a solid rest. Good luck in your choice.

I hunt with both. One thing I learned quickly after I started handgun hunting....practice, practice and more practice!

I've taken allot of critters with revolvers and personal favorite it a 7 1/2 inch Ruger Blackhawk convertible in 45acp-45 Long Colt. I don't scope them but I do try to keep the distance workable. A good cross draw holster makes caring a longer barrel much more friendly. I can get in and out of the truck with mine no problem.

I've been a bow hunter over 50 years; I shot my first deer with a rifle four years ago due to a injury and now I'm going strictly pistol. Love my 44mag Ruger Super Redhawk with 30mm red dot. It's shoots so good and so much fun to shoot, with the 9 1/2 in barrel very little recoil. Good to 100 yards and the way I'm shooting wouldn't hesitate to shoot out to 150. It is the best shooting handgun I've ever shot including all my years in the military.

I own both and in no form or fashion is the above statement close to correct and I think we all know it.

10 shots at 100 yards using 245gr hard cast gas check bullets in front of 22gr of AA4100 from this Freedom Arms 44 magnum.