Hi Guys, As some of you know, i'm pretty new to guns and hunting. I've decided to leave my long guns home this year and just hunt with my handguns. I figure my .44m is good for 100 yards, and my TC .270 is good out to 200 yards. I realize I'm not the best shot, not anywhere near it, but I'm ok. My question is how to become a better shot? Do I just send more lead down range? Find a guru that is closer than Mandison Wiss? I had picked up a single stalk shooting stick the other day. I went down to my range and, with the .44 shot like poo. I was having problems hittng the paper at 25 yards. Sober. I was going to throw my self a hissy fit, but I was afraid I'd miss. I was sitting at a table with the gun on a rest. go figure. Yesterday I went down and, starting at 15 yards, just stooting out of hand, and backing up to 30 yards, I put 4 of 6 in a 1.5" group, and all 6 of 6 in a 2.5" group. Good shooting for me. I then moved out to 50 and 75 yards and was hitting 10"steet plates. Why the inconsistancy? Is there a trick to shooting with a stick? I used Bert's 3stick at KC and that seemed to work fine. I was shooting a 6" s/w 26 with iron sites. The barrel was resting with 2 inches beyond the stick. Should I have that prop right up against the frame? Just spend more time with it? Only look for deer under 10 yards away? : It's the great outdoors, lets go a hunting!
I finally took my first deer with a handgun last year so I'm no expert by any means. I use a Ruger SRH .44mag with a 9.5" barrel and open sights. Somewhere in my closet is a nice scope for it that never gets used because it just doesn't work with any of my holsters. Anyway, about that stick thing, I don't know how that would affect your shot groups by changing the barrel harmonics or not. Most things that come into contact with a rifle barrel will change the POI but that may or may not do the same to pistols. My rule of thumb is not to shoot a deer at any distance that I can't consistantly put six shots in a paper plate at. For me that's just at the 100yd mark on most days. If I'm feeling shaky I don't take the shot. The best advice I can give you is to keep practicing with the same ammo and keep moving the target back a little farther as you get better. Handgun hunting is as challenging as bowhunting and very rewarding. It's all about shot placement and stealth. Keep posting about how your shot groups are getting as it could be that you were just having an off day or something.
You know, now that you mention it, keeping your shots within bow range is a great idea and provides a great challenge. Being that close to a deer and knowing all that can wrong if you make one little mistake makes a person a much better hunter.
Keeping shots at a range that you know you can hit also makes a person a better sportsman . I never take a shot unless I feel 95% sure that it should be a kill shot. I hate tracking wounded game and would never leave one in the field without making a very decent effort to collect it (it is also required by most states game laws). Believe me tracking a wounded animal all night is not a fun thing to have to do. I use a Ruger New model .44 mag Super black with a 7" barrel for most of my handgun hunting the other is a Dan Wesson .357 mag with a 6 " barrel. Grizzly
Hey Grizzly, what part of GA are you in? I'm just north of Atlanta, up 400. I agree, I pass on lots of shots that are not sure things, even with squirrl. After I shoot sompfin, I pet it and thank it for feeding me or my dogs. You won't find me taking "Texas Brain Shots" or the like. I've a "son in law" who poaches, he will take any shot, any time of the year. Not my idea of hunting. PM me if you want to get together and do some hunting this year. Lop
I have never tried this before. Its harder down here in TX trying to do this cause of the area. Most people think TX is all country, but they are gravely mistaken! And when you are in the woods its very cluttered and brushy.
I had a barrel made for my contender by Mike Belm in the 308 Belm cartrage. It was a 444 marlin case necked down to a 30 cal. this was done by running the marlin case in a 308 winchedster die. It was a good thumper that shot 165 grain bullets. I shot a couple of deer with it and took it on a elk hunt but did not see anything within range to shoot. I am glad I took it on the hunts that i did and think you will enjoy it as well. Good Luck!
Here in Okla I have taken deer at 150 yds with my Ruger 44 Mag. But I also used to shoot the same gun in metalic shillouette and had the best load for it and also had the sight settings for targets out to 200 meters which is 220 yds.
I hunt with a Ruger SBH 44 and with iron sights. I also believe in keeping all my shots close at 50 yds or under. Too short for some, but works for me.
A little overambitious arn't we? My idea of handgun hunting is walking through the woods with a 22cal. and shooting at a squirel or bunny. A perfect way to blow a couple hours and maybe a critter or supper. Ed
It certainly increases the challenge if you approach it like bow hunting and limit your shots to 50 yards or so. I've managed 4 so far with a handgun, and they have made for challenging and memorable hunts. I've used 10mm, .308win, and 357 mag and had success with all of them. .308 was a bit more than truly needed in a hand cannon... There is a lot of standing corn where I hunt and a handgun is perfect to stalking deer in the corn!
