Handguns in hunting season?

[Adam Helmer]

I am curious to know how many folks here carry a handgun hunting small game or deer. I like to carry my M686 .357 S&W or .41 Magnum Ruger SA when I hunt anything here in PA.

I carry those same handguns year-round when I run the tractors or cut back the dozen trails on the farm. The only PA restriction is on semi-auto handguns for hunting, so I use revolvers.

Who else carries a handgun hunting?

Adam

[wrenchman]

i have carryed a revolver but the most the time i carry my concealed peace as a finish peace.

[Dan Morris]

In Co, I can shoot small game...grouse n rabbit....with a 357. To be leagl on big game, it's gotta be my 44 Mag! Harry is kinda
uncomfortable to carry! LOL
Dan

[Adam Helmer]

Dan,

I carry a handgun most days here on the farm. I like a certain favorite M1911A1 .45 and carry that afield. I have shot at a coyote or two and told them it came from a "wheel gun." So far, no complaints have been filed. LOL.

Adam

[Dan Morris]

Ya gotta word play........illegal ....a sick bird.....
Dan

[Tater]

I carry a 4" Ruger GP100 .357 when hunting. Never had to use it yet but it sure does feel good having it on my hip

[Larryjk]

Legal in Wyoming for certain 357 and larger. I never carry a handgun when I am hunting with a rifle. Just extra weight. But I never go "afield" without a gun and if I don't have a rifle I certainly will have a handgun.

[Catfish]

I have used nothing but a handgun to hunt deer with ever since it became legal here in Oh. I`ve killed most of my deer with a .44 mag. revolver, but in the last few year I`ve killed afew with an Encore in .357 max. I started carring a Ruger .454 while walking, but have yet to shot it at a deer.

[RagingBullPa]

along with a trusty long rifle , my choice in the revolver is a RAGING BULL 8 3/8" stainless in 454 casull , i shoot 260 grain partition loads out of it , rocks the house, Ihave taken deer out to 100 yardsthat have dropped like they were poleaxed when i had the scope on it just recently removed it after having twin cataract surgery, my rifles depends if i hunt a bean field or dense woods, power lines super long shotswhich i don't condone any over 300 yards but when necessary my 300 rem ultramag 180 grain swift scirroccos, anything else i play meeney, miney , moe with the 7 mm mag, .280 , or 30-06 or which ever one screams out and says take me today:D , i love em all and they all shhot well

[RagingBullPa]

anyone need a scope mount for a taurus Raging Bull 8 3/8 inch along with 2 scopes , ones a ncstar 4x the other a simmons4x that one has adented tube but seems ok give me a hollar

[buckhunter]

In Taxachuetts you cannot carry a hand gun hunting deer no way no how even if you have a conceal permit. Same goes for bow hunting.

I never carry one anyway. Ju st another hunk of weight. If my rifle or shotgun can't kill it then I'm in big troble anyway. I go light as possible.

[RagingBullPa]

with the crew you got running that state its funny they don't have you throwing baseballs , The Red Sox need all the help they can get:D, sorry thats the Yankee Fan in me , but at least you have the Celtics best there is bar none, on a serious note our state Pa isn't getting much better, the law has many grey areas in it for handguns and hunting , basically it says you can't carry a handgun in a car loaded unless you you have a concealed weapons permit, but the game law says you can't have a loaded weapon in a vehicle when you are hunting or going to hunt , figure out that bull , now the sportsman permit says you have the right to carry an unloaded weapon in your vehicle on your person, also the game law states a legal weapon for big games any manual operated or single shot firearm-center fire larger than 22 caliber except elk, so that means if i take my pistol unloaed in a pistol case in my car unloaded i can legally hunt with that pistol and not need a permit at all , what bullcrap, just another way for Ed Rendell and his anti Gun Activists putting the bite on Joe the Hunter here in Pa

[buckhunter]

With all the crap with hand cannons in this state you can pretty much hunt anything with them except deer. Believe it or not even bear which are becoming a problem.

I do hunt mostly coyotes with a handgun. I do have a Class A so loaded or unloaded in a vehicle isn't a problem. The laws are really getting weirder each year although our F&G department does the best in can with the demo rats that run this state.

With muzzleloaders you cannot use a breakopen type during the muzzleloading season but you can use that breakopen ml during the shotgun season. Go figure. I jsut don't understand that one.

Anyway go Red Sox

[Rapier]

I now always carry a 4" Model 66 in 357 with stout reloads. I have carried a 10" TC in 357 Harrett, a 10" Merrill in 30-30, a 445 Max DW (to big and heavy) and on ocasion an old 6.5" flat top 44 Black Hawk. I do like the 66 in the cross draw rig under my jacket, it saves banging up the rifle with the hammer spur.
Best,
Ed

[MtnMike2]

I have a 4" S&W M66 too and it's my usual concealed carry weapon. When afield I pretty much always have a gun but don't always carry a pistol. When camping (and when I do carry a pistol hunting) I usually have with me a good ol' Ruger BH in 45 LC carried cross draw, out of the way. I take it because I don't mind beating it up a little here and there...it takes a lickin' and keeps on tickin'.http://www.huntchat.com/images/smilies/tongue.gif

Mike

[toxic111]

I wish I could.. :( stupid Cdn laws...

[Rapier]

Nice 66s are getting harder to find.:D
Ed

[petey]

I've killed several deer with revolvers and TC contenders

.357 Dan Wesson Heavy barrel
.44 Ruger Redhawk
30-30 TC Contender 10" barrel
.309 JDJ TC Contender 10" barrel

Do I carry a pistol along with a long rifle? No

I either hunt specifically with a handgun or another weapon of choice. I never carry both. At least now-a-days ;)

[Adam Helmer]

petey,

I am getting a .35 Remington Contender next week.

A funny story made the rounds hereabouts 2 deer seasons ago about a guy who was deer hunting with just his rifle. He was on the Game Lands way over back when a guy came along the cart road on horseback. The horseman stopped and chatted with the deer hunter and asked to look at his nicely scoped Weatherby bolt rifle. The hunter unloaded his rifle and handed it up to the horseman. After looking the rifle over, the horseman asked if the hunter had a handgun on him to which he replied, "No." The horseman turned the horse about and trotted off with the Weatherby!

Ok, it is a good story and may be true. The moral of the story is to answer in the affirmative, "Yep, I got two revolvers under my hunting coat." LOL.

Adam

[Mr. 16 gauge]

Michigan has some really screwy handgun laws in the southernmost part of the state during deer season...I can't give all the details right now, but my .380 Walther is a legal firearm, while my 1911 .38 Super isn't (holds too many rounds).:rolleyes:
....but in a word, yes...I usually carry some type of pistol while hunting. Sometimes a Ruger standard model .22 or my Colt .357 magnum or my .38 Super.....it all depends on the season and what game I'm in pursuit of.

What I need to do is find a good stainless steel carry piece....took my S&W M39 on a salmon fishing trip last fall; between the heat, neoprene waders, perspiration, and water, it ended up with a nasty case of RUST!!!!:eek:

[Rapier]

That is the reason you see a refrence by a few guys on this site to the 66 Smith. The Combat Magnum is probably the best 357 that Smith ever made, for cary, weight and power. Made in stainless it is the now discontinued Model 66. I went looking for my 66 and was lucky enough to find one, a three inch, in excellent condition for $400. I bought a new barrel and put a four inch on it. In my way of thinking the 4 inch 66 is just a fine gun to wear in a holser for hunting, ranch or farm use. My holster is in an Andrews cross draw rig which I prefer when sitting or carrying a rifle in my strong hand.
Best,
Ed

PS I think the 66 will just keep going up as it is usefull and has never been out done by the L frame guns, especially when weight is a consideration.

[GOLD-PAN]

Since i picked up my Encore pistol i havent left the house without it...

[kt]

definately carrying ever since it became legal. i carry my every day glock, my main concerns arent game animals. i have met far too many not so neighborly flash lights in the pitch black, and despite my towering 5'6 frame i like the back up. a few years back turkey hunting i got snuck up on by two very large mutts that showed a lot of teeth and snarls, being a dog lover i was not anticipating the next move. as it turns out i pulled down my face mask and they both started wagging their tales the one even let me rub its belly, they had collars on so im glad it went like it did, despite my kindness one of them ripped up my hen decoy!

[Pre-64]

I carry a Ruger Redhawk in 44 Mag when Deer and Bear hunting. I have worked out a darn good load with hard cast bullets for it and they hit like thor's hammer. Like one of the posts before, If you carry a rifle leave the handgun at home if you are serious about hunting with one! In my past experiences and with several other hunters I've talked with you will go with the long gun every time. If its just a walk in the woods I have a real nice Dan Wesson model 15 that I can change from a 2 1/2" Stubby to an 8" 357 Mag in about 2 minutes.