Hey Tom, couple of things, 44 mag is actually a little big for elk and deer, but I wanted a dual purpose gun for carrying and hunting. A 300 grain is a 300 grain, the magnum is an awesome gun, and I know it will do the job just fine. You can actually hunt deer and elk with anything 23 caliber and larger. And I do have a CWP and I carry mine all the time. I could buy a rifle, but the new challenge is hunting with a scoped pistol, and its a lot easier climbing through the brush with a pistol in a shoulder holster than a rifle hanging up on everything. I never carry the gun empty, what's the point. I can't wait for hunting next year in eastern Washington.

 

You have got to be kidding me! ok first of all, an ethical amount of energy needed to kill a dear is 2000 ft/lbs. This is recognizes all around therifle/handgun/hunting industry. ok out of the muzzle yours only produces 931ft/lbs. This is not even close from point blank. Second, yes you can hunt anything with .24! cal an larger in Washington, but this is for rifles. You need to look into the handgun regs. Handguns are required to be much larger. If yours has 6" or longer barrel yours will be legal. Third, even though you have a CWP you cant be shooting off you your bike, or be on it, touching it, or around it as it is running. So basically you have as much luck as anyone in a 4x4. Finally, GOOD LUCK. not only you aren't going to be able to get close enough to get a decent ethical shot in eastern Washington during modern firearm season. You will be competing with people with high powered rifles that can spot and kill the animal from a lot further away. Your best bet is to stay on the west side. stay in heavy brush where the only shot you get is close range. For the animals sake, don't hunt with that gun. It wont die quick, and an in experienced hunter wont be able to find it after it dies hours later. If you want something compact get a 30-30 or even better a 45-70 lever action. sorry to rain on your parade.

 

Hey Tom before this gets out of hand, I never said I was going to shoot anything from my bike. I've heard some debate about the suitability of the .44 Magnum for big game hunting in terms of both power and accuracy. Neither of those arguments hold much water. Since its debut in 1956, the .44 Magnum cartridge has been thechoice of handgun hunters and has taken just about every game animal in the world. All the carbine does is make it better with improved velocity and accuracy. The cartridge has proven time and again that it is capable of superb accuracy and those who claim that it isn't may be blaming the cartridge for shooter errors of trigger control or flinching. As far as getting close to deer, we got as close as 50 yards plenty of times, but getting the right shot is another story.

Here is a good article on handgun hunting. Don't confuse my inexperience with what the gun can actually do. I know I have a lot to learn, but my attitude is I really don't care if I ever get a chance to shoot a deer or an elk with my handgun, I just like getting out and walking in the woods, if a shot does come up then I will have to decide then what I will do based on the conditions.


Hunting larger game
Centerfire hunting revolvers, autoloaders, and the T/C Contender single shot pistols are chambered for a variety of powerful, flat shooting cartridges. The current selection of revolver cartridges includes the .30 Carbine, .32 H&R Magnum, .357 Magnum, .41 Remington Magnum, .44 Remington Magnum, .454 Casull, and .480 Ruger. Auto pistols are usually chambered for the .38 Super, .357 SIG, 10mm Auto, or .45 Winchester Magnum. The Contender has been chambered for most of the cartridges on both lists at one time or another.
All of these cartridges have the power and trajectory for 100 yard shots at appropriate size animals. The old 9mm Luger, .38 Special, .44-40, and .45 Colt cartridges will also do for shorter-range hunting with expanding bullets (as far as 50-75 yards, depending on the load and the size of the target).
The .30 Carbine, .32 Magnum, 9mm Luger, .38 Special, and .38 Super are primarily useful for animals of 50 pounds live weight or less. The others are pronghorn antelope and deer cartridges within their range limitation. The most powerful cartridges, the .44 Rem. Magnum, .45 Win. Magnum, .454 Casull, and .480 Ruger can be used to take larger animals, perhaps up to the size of elk, under favorable conditions. Of course, all of the "deer" cartridges from the .357 Magnum on up have been used to take far larger animals on occasion, but this is more in the nature of a stunt than responsible hunting.
It is important to choose a gun you can shoot accurately with hunting loads. If you find shooting a .44 Magnum intimidating, don't be ashamed. A standard .44 Mag. revolver shooting full power hunting loads kicks with something like 22.5 ft. lbs. of recoil energy. This is way more than most people can handle (although few will admit it). Try a pistol chambered for a less powerful cartridge.
If your goal is to hunt deer, you do need be able to handle at least a .357 Mag. It is possible for most shooters to learn to handle a .357 and its 8-9 ft. lbs. of recoil energy, although it may take time and lots of practice. Mastering a magnum handgun places a premium on concentration and self-control. You must strive for a consistent surprise break. Concentrate on the front sight and squeeze the trigger gently until the gun fires. There is no short cut to excellence with a handgun, particularly a magnum.
For deer hunting, the hunter (with a deer pistol and hunting loads) must be able to consistently put his or her bullets into an 8" circle. This determines the maximum range and from what position the shooter can shoot a deer, out to the maximum effective range of the cartridge.
For example, when shooting a hunting pistol chambered for a 100 yard deer cartridge, if I can keep my shots within an 8" circle shooting with one hand from a standing position at 25 yards, I can shoot at a deer from that position at that range. If I can keep all of my shots within an 8" circle from a two handed standing position at 50 yards, that is the range at which I can shoot a deer from that position. If I can keep my bullets in an 8" circle at 75 yards from a sitting position, I am good to go from that position out to 75 yards. If I can keep all of my bullets in that 8" circle at 100 yards from a sitting position with a solid rest, I must be able to assume that position to engage a deer at that range, which is also the maximum permissible range for my cartridge.
Centerfire DA revolvers
Any number of good double action hunting revolvers chambered for various of the revolver cartridges above have been made by Colt, Smith & Wesson, Ruger, and (more recently) Taurus. Because there have been so many, it is impossible to mention all the decent DA centerfire revolvers suitable for hunting. I will try to mention a few of the standouts.
The first of these would have to be the Colt Python .357 Magnum. This famous revolver was introduced in 1955 and set the standard all others have been trying to match ever since. Barrel lengths for hunting are 6 and 8 inches. You can read more about the Python in the gun test The Colt Python .357 Magnum. The less expensive but still very nice Trooper Mk. III and its successor the King Cobra Mk IV came with 6" barrels in .357 Magnum caliber. The biggest of the recent Colt DA revolvers was the impressive Anaconda .44 Magnum. This heavy duty .44 Mag. was perhaps the most accurate of all the DA .44's. It was available with 6" and 8" barrels for the handgun hunter.
For smaller game, the Colt Diamondback with a 6" barrel was for many years the ultimate .38 Special. All of thes

 

Here is another good article about hunting with a pistol.

http://www.shootingtimes.com/ammunition/hunt_121305/

 

Oh I forgot to mention, mine has the 7.5 inch barrel, its all good. Man this is interesting, thanks Tom for making me do more research, very interesting article here. http://www.gunsandammomag.com/ammunition/fifty_101105/ Don't forget page two.

 

http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/hunter/handguns.htm

 

I understand it is leagal to hunt with it, I am not arguing with that. I am just stating that it is not practical. Getting 50 yards from a dear is a common thing before season. The key is to get 50 yards from a legal dear, during season. This is a lot tougher than you might think. I encourage you to go out during season but keep in mind your limitations. Don't just go out blasting everything. Hunting is for the experience, not the kill. I still highly recomend a lever action for your needs. A lever action will probably weigh about the same as your cannon, and it wont stick up past your helmet when your ride.If you want power a 45-70 is a biggerround that is traveling a lot faster. You will aso need to practice a bit more. Get your groups with in 3" at 100 yards, then you will be confident you will get a clean kill.

 

I agree with Gomer. Having done a lot of reloading for my .44 and my high powered rifles such as a .308, while the .44 is a heavy bullet, it moves at less than half the velocity of a high power rifle, even with HOT loads. The rifle delivers so much more energy they are not really even camparable. I'd put the .44 probably in the same realm as those old muzzle loaders. Yes, you can hunt with them, but you have to be close and they are not very accurate. Whether its the gun or the shooter is a bit academic.

 

Thanks for the reminders, I would of course not go out "blasting anything" Like I said, I take hunting like I take fishing, I do it for the experience, I have been down the river in my boat 20 times in 2 years, and I have caught fish on 4 trips, now some may say I must be doing something wrong. Well its called fishing not catching. I have a great time, and come home safe every time, and that in my book is a good day. And you are so right about seeing animals before hunting season. A couple of days last week and then again yesterday as I turned onto the lawn and around the warehouse here at work there was a herd of Elk 20 yards in front of me. I don't know who was more surprised me or them. And as far as practice goes, you are absolutely right, I only have about 200 rounds through the gun, and a pistol hunter I am certainly not yet, but I will be with guys that are good hunters, and I always listen to them as I learn. Oh and that's also why I joined the gun club here in town, I know a lot of the guys in the club, and I value their knowledge and experience. Yea I guess I started late in life, hunting, shooting, drift boat fishing, first concert last year, and of course the great KLX we all have in common,but better late than never I guess. Thanks again for the information. Sorry if I got defensive. Just like getting back into riding, I very much value the great information and advice on here from everyone................................well almost everyone Oh and I couldn't help it I did a spell check on my post and it showed a couple of minor spelling errors in your post, and my OCD wouldn't let me ignore it, .....I know I'm sick........and I love it. [sm=violent053.gif] [sm=shootshoot.gif]