The Firing Line Forums

Go Back   The Firing Line Forums > The Hide > The Hunt

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old March 6, 2016, 10:05 AM   #1
BfloBill
Senior Member
 
Join Date: August 2, 2010
Location: Buffalo, N.Y.
Posts: 457
Handgun Hunting with a 10 mm

Has anyone taken a whitetail with a 10 mm handgun? If you have, how was it's performance compared to other handgun calibers you have used? I can stare at ballistics charts and speculate all day long, but I would rather hear how it performs in the field from someone who has experience.
BfloBill is offline  
Old March 7, 2016, 10:13 PM   #2
CCCLVII
Senior Member
 
Join Date: April 16, 2012
Location: Idaho
Posts: 432
I have taken Mule deer with a 357 magnum. Im sure you will be ok so long as you can make clean shots. Go with a heavy bullet.
__________________
Always looking for a good hunt!
CCCLVII is offline  
Old March 8, 2016, 02:04 PM   #3
TimSr
Senior Member
 
Join Date: March 8, 2013
Location: Rittman, Ohio
Posts: 2,074
I have not.

As you say, the ballistic numbers are there, but it looks to me like your greatest limitation is bullet selection, especially if you are buying factory ammo. The heaviest XTP bullet should do the job, as they perform well on deer in other calibers, but those wide flat nose bullets are probably out that a lot of revolver hunters use on larger game.
TimSr is offline  
Old March 9, 2016, 09:28 AM   #4
BfloBill
Senior Member
 
Join Date: August 2, 2010
Location: Buffalo, N.Y.
Posts: 457
I was looking at the Buffalo Bore Ammo, they have a 180 gr bullet that is advertised at 1350 FPS, and the page included test results from a 4.6 inch barrel (1311 FPS) and 2 different 5 inch barreled guns (1337 and 1351 FPS). I was looking at a 6 inch barrel, so it should be a bit more than the advertised 1350.

They also have a Hardcast 220 gr that is advertised at 1200 FPS, but no actual test data.
BfloBill is offline  
Old March 9, 2016, 10:46 AM   #5
wizrd
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 26, 2012
Posts: 232
Haven't shot any deer with my Dan Wesson Razorback, but a friend has shot several with his Glock 20 - at ranges from 90 to 120 yards. Furthest distance traveled a few dozen yards. He swears by it. Take it out and shoot at some distances, you will be pleasantly surprised. Heavier bullets, as mentioned above.
__________________
Sumo magis ammo
wizrd is offline  
Old March 9, 2016, 03:30 PM   #6
buck460XVR
Senior Member
 
Join Date: December 28, 2006
Posts: 4,341
Quote:
a friend has shot several with his Glock 20 - at ranges from 90 to 120 yards.
.......things that make you go hmmmmmmmm.
buck460XVR is offline  
Old March 9, 2016, 03:46 PM   #7
TimSr
Senior Member
 
Join Date: March 8, 2013
Location: Rittman, Ohio
Posts: 2,074
Quote:
.......things that make you go hmmmmmmmm.

hmmmmmmm
TimSr is offline  
Old March 9, 2016, 05:57 PM   #8
ligonierbill
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 20, 2007
Posts: 2,437
Ted Nugent shot a deer from about 50 yards on his TV show. Assuming an accurate portrayal, and you never know with these, it was very effective. Don't remember what ammo he was shooting.
ligonierbill is online now  
Old March 9, 2016, 08:02 PM   #9
Ruger480
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 23, 2013
Location: Central Iowa
Posts: 720
Double tap has a 200gr WFNGC round advertised at 1300fps. Just FYI
Ruger480 is offline  
Old March 10, 2016, 12:03 PM   #10
wizrd
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 26, 2012
Posts: 232
These will probably make you go ....Hmmmmmm.... too. Deer, - 125 yards with a .357 Mag. -- deer, - 135 yards with a .44 Mag. - done this! -- 65 yards head shots are a given with my H&K .40 USP. Haven't you guys ever read any of Elmer Keith's books?
__________________
Sumo magis ammo
wizrd is offline  
Old March 10, 2016, 02:42 PM   #11
TimSr
Senior Member
 
Join Date: March 8, 2013
Location: Rittman, Ohio
Posts: 2,074
Quote:
These will probably make you go ....Hmmmmmm.... too. Deer, - 125 yards with a .357 Mag. -- deer, - 135 yards with a .44 Mag. - done this! -- 65 yards head shots are a given with my H&K .40 USP. Haven't you guys ever read any of Elmer Keith's books?


hmmmmmm
TimSr is offline  
Old March 10, 2016, 08:59 PM   #12
P71pilot
Senior Member
 
Join Date: November 23, 2014
Location: Cincinnati
Posts: 728
I used to have a Glock 20 and planned on using it for hunting large Ohio whitetail. However my accuracy with even factory wimoy loads was atrocious. I never got nearly good enough to hunt with it after about 400rds. The grip was just too large for my hands. I now have a .45 1911 for woods purposes, and if I find land to hunt in Ohio somewhere near me, I will use it, as it's legal in Ohio and I am confident in my accuracy to about 50 yds and am confident in the cartridges power when using proper loads.

My next pistol will be a 10mm 1911, but that is far down the road. I love the 1911 and love the 10mm cartridge. When loaded to full potential it is a beast. You will not have any issues using it on any sized deer, especially if you use a deep penetrating tough hollow point or a heavy hardcast wide meplate lead bullet. I have seen ballistic tests on YouTube that are amazing.

But that bullet where it counts and it will end that deer quickly
__________________
Without the 2nd amendment, all other rights would not exist
P71pilot is offline  
Old March 14, 2016, 02:41 PM   #13
TimSr
Senior Member
 
Join Date: March 8, 2013
Location: Rittman, Ohio
Posts: 2,074
Quote:
I now have a .45 1911 for woods purposes, and if I find land to hunt in Ohio somewhere near me, I will use it, as it's legal in Ohio and I am confident in my accuracy to about 50 yds and am confident in the cartridges power when using proper loads.
Does it meet the 5" minimum barrel length for Ohio?
TimSr is offline  
Old March 16, 2016, 04:25 PM   #14
bamaranger
Senior Member
 
Join Date: October 9, 2009
Location: North Alabama
Posts: 8,273
not quite

I've taken a G20 hunting, more than once, but I have not taken a whitetail with it. In my instances, I used it just like a bow, climbing tree stand, and handgun range equals bow range, for me.

My eyes are to the point that I do not shoot the G20 or any iron sights as well as I used to. The new red dot ready long Glock 10mm is calling, but that would be a lot of cash for a new pistol and a quality dot. But I will almost have to if I want to keep shooting well without special glasses, at least for a while.

While deer scouting this fall, I killed the world's most unlucky coyote. I topped a rise, and he was quartered away, looking the other way, at what turned out to be about 60 paces. Produced the G20, held toward the forward middle, and shot off my walking stick. The 180 truncated FMJ hit him just behind the ear. That will likely be the longest handgun iron sight shot I ever make, ever again.
bamaranger is offline  
Old March 16, 2016, 07:38 PM   #15
CaptainO
Junior member
 
Join Date: February 27, 2015
Posts: 489
Bamaranger:

If you purchase a 6" barrel (drop-in fit) for the Glock 20, you could find your way to making 50 yard deer kills. There's no reason you shouldn't be able to kill deer with consummate ease and skill. Believe me, that Glock Model 20 is a true "bad boy". When the 6" OEM barrel has been installed, the increased velocity and flatter trajectory will make it more efficient at harvesting deer.

Hell, I'm 61 years old and will still rely on my peep sights when I finally get hold of my M1 Carbine. If there are any nasty little varmints (even Whitetail deer) within 100 yards, they will be history! (As well as delicious).
CaptainO is offline  
Old March 17, 2016, 09:17 AM   #16
jmr40
Senior Member
 
Join Date: June 15, 2008
Location: Georgia
Posts: 10,792
Unless required by law I wouldn't worry with the 6" barrel. Those laws are pretty senseless anyway. The only REAL advantage the extra 1.5" offers is more distance between the sights and you don't get that with just a barrel. A 180-200 gr 40 caliber bullet between 1200-1300 fps from the factory barrel should do just fine.
jmr40 is offline  
Old March 17, 2016, 09:46 AM   #17
MarkCO
Senior Member
 
Join Date: October 21, 1998
Location: Colorado, USA
Posts: 4,296
This is my DW Razorback sitting on a 550 pound cow elk in 2003. Shot at 80 yards with a XTP. She was on the ground as the pistol came out of recoil. I have shot several deer, mostly mule deer, with it from about 20 to 120 yards.

I am not suggesting 10mm for elk BTW. It took me several trys to get a shot at an elk I was okay with. Middle of a huge bowl with no timber for 2 miles in any direction, fresh snow on the ground, standing broadside and a hunting partner holding my .30-06 standing right beside me.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg RZ2.1.jpg (66.3 KB, 38 views)
__________________
Good Shooting, MarkCO
www.CarbonArms.us
MarkCO is offline  
Old March 18, 2016, 12:15 AM   #18
979Texas
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 24, 2015
Location: Houston, Texas
Posts: 177
I use my Glock 20 very frequently and I love it. It is my sidearm whenever Im outside in the country. Although I take it on ALL of my hunts, unless i'm in very thick cover though it is just a backup to my rifle. I have it used to dispatch of a few hogs that were wounded and couldnt get up. But the only thing that I did drop with it, and this is ironic due to the nature of some of the amazing shots listed above, was a 230 lbs. boar that was at a dead run 65 yards away from me. I dropped this boar with one shot while shooting my G20 free handed standing. It took one shot for me to hit him and he dropped on impact. I was using Underwood 200 grain XTP's, and thats the only thing I use in the field unless i'm just dispatching a wounded animal or a snake then I use whatever cheap fmj target rounds I have.

But its a great woods and hunting pistol, and for the OP's use with deer, I would go with a full power round offered in XTP, or another reliable tough hollow point. and the minimum weight I would go is 180 gr. just to ensure penetration. But I would also be curious to see how some of the full power heavy cast bullets and wide metplats perform on deer. And even though I do take my Glock 20 deer hunting with my every time, I have never had to use it on deer due to having my rifle with me. But you have made an excellent choice in a pistol, and it is far more than capable of cleaning taking down a deer with the correct bullet.
979Texas is offline  
Old March 18, 2016, 09:45 AM   #19
Wyosmith
Senior Member
 
Join Date: December 29, 2010
Location: Shoshoni Wyoming
Posts: 2,713
I have killed several deer and antelope with 357 magnum handguns and a few bigger animals (elk, bear, buffalo as well as cows and horses) with 44 magnums and 454 Casulls.

A heavy well made 357 bullet is wonderfully effective on animals up to about 250 pounds. So the full power 10 is going to be at least that good and probably better.

As with every other situation the real question is not about the gun or the cartridge as much as it is the skill of the man shooting it.

If you can pass the "party plate test" you are good to go.

The "party plate test" is something I came up with 30 years ago.

In camp when I was guiding I always took a stack of 6" paper party plates, like those you use for the kids birthday parties. You serve food on them and then just throw therm in the fire so there is no clean up.

But my test to see how good my hunters were (and therefore what I was going to have to do to get them to a piratical range for their shot) was to place a 6" plate on a stake and let them back away from it to a range they think they can hit it 4 out of 5 shots.

It didn't matter if they were shooting a bow and arrow, a handgun, or a rifle.

At the range they can make 4 out of 5 hits is the ranger they can shoot from that position. As a rule rests made it easier, so one hunter may be a 75 yard off-hand shooter but a 200 yard prone shooter and so forth.

Test your self that way.
The range you can hit 80% on a 6" target is your personal max range.

If you have good ethics and you hold to that range, you will do just fine with your 10mm. Be a man of integrity and never exceed that range until you can shoot farther at the same target and hit it 80%.

It is a great way to see your progress and it also brings home the meat and the good memories instead of the bad ones of wounded and/or lost game.
Wyosmith is offline  
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 12:36 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
This site and contents, including all posts, Copyright © 1998-2021 S.W.A.T. Magazine
Copyright Complaints: Please direct DMCA Takedown Notices to the registered agent: thefiringline.com
Page generated in 0.07946 seconds with 11 queries