My handgun hunting experiences started about 20 years ago whe I was out squirrel hunting and the action in the semi-auto rifle I was using, broke into pieces. I have always carried a handgun when hunting but never used one for that purpose and I did that day. I dispatched 6 squirrels with my .22 cal. Smith & Wesson revolver and was hooked. The next year I bought a Model 10 Smith in .38 special to start hunting small game with, then the following year started using larger calibers for whitetail. I've hunted with a Colt Python in 357mag, a Ruger Super Blackhawk in 45 long colt, a Smith Model 629 in 44 mag and finally settled on the gun and caliber that are my favorite and I have stayed with for the last 15 years. A Stainless Ruger Redhawk in .41mag, 7 1/2" barrel that came from the factory ready to mount a scope.....so my wife and sons bought me a silver Leupold 2x handgun scope. I mounted it and never looked back. I have taken multiple whitetails, hogs and even a book Fallow with this gun. I handload and have some loads that can literally shoot through an engine block and some that barely push the bullet out of the barrel. I found out many years ago that no one makes snake shot for a .41mag so I make my own. I take a case, load bullseye powder and shove a gascheck on top of the powder just as if it were on the bottom of a cast bullet. I load the rest with #9 shot and place another gascheck upside down inside the top of the case making it flush and giving it an ever so slight crimp. This combp makes a lemon into lemon mush at 8-10 feet. I have used it on a rather large water moccasin here in Texas once and there was no head lefr on the snake at about 10 feet away. Handgun hunting is really great and extremely challenging and I really love it.
Hey Sccdp,
If you ever get a wild hair to sell the 5 1/2" .41mag Redhawk, please let me know. I have been looking for one in that barrel length for 10 years and they are all owned by someone other than me. I currently have a Stainless Taurus in that caliber with a 2 1/2" barrel.......good gun but it just is not the same. If you do get ready to sell email me at
[email protected].
Ohio Anne,
May I make a suggestion.....get the largest bullet for the .357 you can shoot accurately. Whitetails are animals that have almost a superanimal will to live past the shot. I have seen them run with a perfectly placed heart/lung shot for several hundred yards and more. If the bullet is a little bigger the impact on the animal is greater and causes more trauma from the beginning. I started out with 110gr. and worked my way up to the 180gr. loads made by Federal. Most of my hunts with the Federal load have brought the animal down in much shorter distances and that is even if they run at all. JMHO.