You don’t hear a lot about handgun hunting these days, and I don’t know why. Maybe it’s the rise of the autoloader—I’d argue there was more interest in handgun hunting when six-guns were the norm. Or maybe it’s just because hunters interested in the up-close-and-personal action have moved on to archery equipment. Maybe it’s because they decided that blasting away at long-range targets Elmer Keith-style is too difficult, and they want to make clean kills with a rifle that requires less practice.
Whatever the case, there are still more than 40 states that allow you to hunt big game with a handgun, and in some cases, handguns are actually the best tool for the job—especially if you’re hunting predators with hounds. In that scenario, you typically need your hands free for brush-busting, and shots at treed animals are close-up. You could also use a handgun for hunting bears over bait.
A lot of hunters only use their handguns as backup during archery season; they don’t want to get caught by a predator with only a broadhead between them and a mauling. While these hunters are not pursuing big game with a handgun, their needs are the same.
Below, see some suggestions for handguns that suit this purpose well, but before buying, make sure you check your state’s regulations too.
Hand cannons @ TFB:
Ruger Super Redhawk
Ruger has a few options for revolvers capable of downing big game, including short-barreled versions that are made for self-protection carry. The double-action Super Redhawk with full-length barrel might be your best option if you’re looking for something to purposely hunt with. It’s available in the common .44 Magnum and .454 Casull chamberings, and also the .480 Ruger if you want 50 percent more muzzle energy than the .44 Magnum! A Hogue Tamer Monogrip that helps you keep the recoil of those cartridges under control. The rear sight is adjustable, aiding you in accuracy, and stainless steel construction keeps corrosion at bay while your sweaty hands grip the revolver as you chase a mountain lion through the rough stuff.
You can get barrel lengths anywhere from 2.5 inches in the Alaskan model to 9.5 inches on the standard Super Redhawk. Weight is 47 ounces to 53 ounces, depending on barrel length. MSRP is $1,549 on all standard models, and $1,449 on the short-barreled Alaskan. More details here.
Smith & Wesson Model 500
One of the best-trusted names in the self-defense business also makes a revolver for hunting. The Model 500 is built on their extra-large X-Frame platform, and chambered in .500 S&W Magnum as well as 460 S&W Magnum. As with the Super Redhawk, the Model 500 can come in shorter-barreled versions that are better for self-defense against bears and mountain lions, as well as longer-barreled versions with different front sights that are intended for longer-range accuracy. The Performance Center model seen above is a good example of that.
These revolvers are made of stainless steel for all-weather rust resistance, and they all come with a beefy oversized grip that will help you keep the magnum-caliber recoil under control. A ported muzzle is standard on most Model 500 revolvers, which also helps a lot. They all have an adjustable rear sight. Pricing ranges from $1,629 at the low end to $2,179 at the high end. More details here.
Rossi RM66
Not all of us have a thousand bucks, let alone two thousand, to buy a revolver. Rossi’s RM66 might not be as flash as the Ruger and the S&W mentioned previously, but it does have adjustable rear sights on a 6-inch barrel, an oversized grip, stainless steel construction, and it’s chambered in .357 Magnum. If you can shoot, that’s enough power for deer—and if you can’t, you shouldn’t be hunting with a handgun of any size.
Bullet selection arguably matters more with the .357, but generations of R&D from cartridge manufacturers (not to mention handloaders) mean there is a wide variety of choices to get the job done—people have been knocking over deer with revolvers in this caliber for many, many years. MSRP for the RM66 in stainless, with a 6-inch barrel, is a very reasonable $680.99. See more details here.
Magnum Research Desert Eagle
Not the first magnum semi-auto, but easily the best-known. The Desert Eagle uses a gas-operated action, definitely a rarity in the handgun world. Some hunters might want the added magazine capacity the Deagle has in some calibers, as compared to a revolver; it comes with a nine-round mag if you buy it in .357 Magnum, or an eight-round mag for .44 Magnum, or a seven-round mag for .50AE. Or maybe they want the semi-auto capability, or the exotic finish, or maybe they just want it because they saw it in a movie and they think it’s cool.
All current-production Desert Eagles come with a Picatinny rail built into the slide for optic attachment, and you can also get a version with a threaded barrel (if you want a suppressor on your hunting handgun, this is a definite advantage for the Desert Eagle). It’s an expensive handgun, but it’s iconic for a reason. Prices range from just under $2,000 to just under $4,000 for the more commonly available Desert Eagle models.
Thompson/Center Encore ProHunter
The break-action Thompson/Center rifle design easily works for a handgun as well, as long as you’re OK with a single shot. And just as some hunters want all the firepower they can carry (hence the Deagle), others want a single, well-aimed shot. For Thompson/Center’s customers, the icing on the cake is that they can easily change their pistol to a different caliber; they just have to buy a different barrel.
After years out of production, the Encore ProHunter pistol frame is back in production, thanks to Thompson/Center restarting manufacturing under owner Gregg Ritz. At this point, it looks like the pistol frame is going to cost you $530, and then whatever barrels you want are extra. Keep an eye on Thompson/Center’s website here for more details.
