Hunting/competition pistol?

[Travis224]

I've read for hours trying to figure out the model(s) that would work the best for me. I'm wanting the caliber to be 38/357 for my deer hunting and so i think that i should be looking for a minimum of 5" barrel. I do want to either have a model cut for moon clips, or i will cut it for moon clips. I don't know what shot cylinder i need for quick reloads so a 6 shot or 7 shot for ease of reloading is what i'd like you guys to tell me. My range is usually set up for a total number of hits required for the run is 24 shots, no misses.. I actually don't have a preferrance to manufacturers, but i hunted with a borrowed Security-Six and it worked for that very well. But i am skeptical as to how well it'd do on steel.

I do want to be able to mount a red dot sight on the thing, i may not, butbi want the option...

Any ideas? And please help me out by telling me more than the model, i am not too afraid to spend money on a good gun, just want the ONE gun that will handle the two things i am asking. Thanks to all that help!

[Hi-Power Jack]

Wouldn't a .45 be better? Heavier round for deer and you can load the gun faster with

the shorter cartridges. I'd think a S & W .45 set up for USPSA would be a winner for

you.

[toothguy]

What type of competition do you want to use it for?

[COF]

What are you shooting on the range? Steel or paper? Hits or knockdown? Be hard to go wrong with a 6" GP100 or 686 cut for moonclips. You can shoot competition with 38 short colts in the moonclip and hunt with full magnum loads

I've got a 6" GP100 I've shot for ICORE and a 4" 686 I've shot ICORE and IDPA with. If you go with the 6" 686 get one with the Classic front sight that you can use interchangeable blades with or have it milled for the Wiegand front sight base that gives you the same option. The GP comes with the

Whichever one you get get the action tuned and chambers chamfered.

Edited April 14, 2013 by COF

[GOF]

What are you shooting on the range? Steel or paper? Hits or knockdown? Be hard to go wrong with a 6" GP100 or 686 cut for moonclips. You can shoot competition with 38 short colts in the moonclip and hunt with full magnum loads

I've got a 6" GP100 I've shot for ICORE and a 4" 686 I've shot ICORE and IDPA with. If you go with the 6" 686 get one with the Classic front sight that you can use interchangeable blades with or have it milled for the Wiegand front sight base that gives you the same option. The GP comes with the

Whichever one you get get the action tuned and chambers chamfered.

+1. It's hard to argue with the 6 inch GP-100 if you want a .357 (which I think is a bit light for hunting... but that's just MHO). The only place the 6 inch wouldn't be legal for competition is IDPA... but it's a great ICORE gun, and works in USPSA.

[Travis224]

I knew there would be questions, haha...i mostly shoot multi stage steel and understand the 45 route but i fear that the range of the 45 is shorter than the full 357 mag loads. I do also want to have the most accurate pistol i can, tho it seems that neither Smiths or Rugers are really lacking in the accuracy department. On steel tho, I will be hopefully shooting lead bullets with light powder charges as my range doesnt differentiate major/minor loads.

[Steve RA]

How about a Ruger Super Blackhawk in .44Mag ?? You can download one to a pretty light load and it has more range than a .357, also more killing power. Extra weight makes it more stable for accuracy and you can scope one easily.

[Steve RA]

I realize the single action might be a little slow to reload, so, could consider a "Dirty Harry" double action.

[Toolguy]

The one revolver that will cover the broadest range of uses is a quality 6" .357. Smith and Ruger are both in that category. I choose Smith because you can get a better double action trigger pull. The .357 is accurate to 100 yards and beyond if your skill level is up to it. What I would do for deer hunting is get in a tree stand with a red dot scope and shoot them from 10 to 40 yards. A .44 would work too, but the ammo cost and recoil is more.

A .45 ACP is not enough for hunting. A .45 Long Colt is about the same as a .44 Mag. in terms of cost and recoil.

[lee blackman]

How about an STI Perfect 10, 10mm, and have a .40sw barrel fitted for it. Drop in the 10mm barrel when you gun, push a 200gr projectile about 1400fps thru its 6" barrel (871ft lbs energy) and heavier recoil spring for hunting. Then you can have a 40sw barrel fitting for the slide, and a lighter recoil spring for competition. Later you could fit a whole lightened 40sw slide with that same barrel just for competition.

In comparison to the .357 mag to a 10mm in a 5" or 6" barrel, you can push really close to the same energy. And if you really really want a .35cal projectile you can always go with a 9x25 dillon barrel.

[revoman]

S&W 610 6.5 barrel, use 10mm for deer and use 40 S&W for plinking and steel. Best of both worlds and it is a revolver. Already cut for moon clips and plenty of mounts on th market

Edited April 14, 2013 by revoman

[56hawk]

So many choices for what you want. I'm not much of a hunter, but my first question would be is 357 enough? If it is then I would suggest getting an eight shot S&W 627 the extra two shots is likely to be more important than the reload times. You can get a 6 or 7 shot S&W 686 cut for clips, but I don't see how it would be better than the 627.

If 357 isn't enough for deer, my suggestion would be to get a S&W 629 44 Magnum cut for clips. In competition you can shoot 44 Russians and have reloads about as fast as a S&W 625.

[Travis224]

I used the Ruger security-six with Barnes bullets and got 2 deer last season. Im in Iowa so its shotgun only for the deer hunting and to be honest, 80yd buck (standing still) was a very confident shot. Both deer had full penetration as well, so the power isnt a factor for me. I am still inbetween the Smith and Ruger revolvers as i can load them super light for the steel matches...Ruger has the one model, the Smith models are vast and was fishing for a model that covers my uses...

[snertley]

S&W 610 6.5 barrel, use 10mm for deer and use 40 S&W for plinking and steel. Best of both worlds and it is a revolver. Already cut for moon clips and plenty of mounts on th market

I agrea the 610 is best of both worlds. You can drive a 180gr bullet well over 1350fps with no problem and shoot all the .40 s&w range brass you can get your hands on.

[Koppi]

I like the 610, got one when it first came out. Used it for all, deer, IDPA, USPSA, ICORE. It is a four inch, killed 3 deer from 20 to about 70 yards. I loved the Winchester Black Talon rounds. Those bullets Do The Job! [deleted]

Edited April 23, 2013 by Flexmoney

[pyrrhic3gun]

+1 On the 627. If you get into revo competition, that means ICORE. You're gonna want an 8-shooter (Limited or Open category). They're set up for moon clips and you can get good quality clips. Plenty of hunting bullets available for .357, too.

[hopalong]

I have been hunting deer with handguns for about 5 years now. Started off with a Ruger Super Redhawk chambered for 454 Cassull Plenty big for deer and Elk at close range (70 yds would be my personal limit) The 454 is WAY too much for deer, and I soon started using 45 long colt loaded with good Hornady xpt bullets. Loaded almost to 44 mag power (don't do this in any other 45colt but Super redhawks). I ran across a Smith 657 6 inch(41 Rem Mag) and havee been using it since and have had good success with it out to 125 yds. The suggestion of a 610 is a valid suggestion. using the 40 S&W for your steel matches with maybe 155 grn round nose for a soft shooter. Then hunt with 10mm as it is almost identical to the 41 magnum and will do all you ever asked for deer sized game (Pretty darn good on Hogs too). 1 gun several uses !!!! Hopalong

[anachronism]

Here's what I'm doing. I have a 6 in GP100 "safe queen". It never gets to go anywhere, except for an occasional outing with light loads. I had originally set it up to hunt deer, I did an action job on it, replaced the grips with rubber Hogues, and added a blaze orange Millett front sight. Then I lost my favorite hunting place, and hunting fell by the wayside. About a week ago I decided to change a few things around and ordered a Wiegand scope base/rib, and dug out my old Pro-Point, which was languishing in semi-retirement. It take about ten to fifteen minutes to remove the sights and mount everything, then I took it out last night and sighted it in at the indoor range. What fun! I plan to use it for bowling pins, and probably steel challenge. There are also Bianchi matches locally, so that's a possibility, as is Hunters Pistol silhouette. I'll probably send the cylinder to TK for a moon clip conversion, just to have more options. I still have my 686 for other matches if the mood strikes me. I am utterly amazed so far at what a difference a simple red dot sight makes. I have also ordered a Safariland 002 holster for it, and will experiment with speedloader pouches and belts when everythings here. And deer hunting is still an option for the old girl, the .357 is plenty for deer to 50 or so yards.

[Norther]

The 10/.40 idea has merit, but you could gain some power by getting a 625 and shooting .45 Super for hunting. Or, get the chambers lengthened slightly and shoot .460 Rowland. With bullets available like Hornady's Flex-tip, you should be able to get a decent trajectory.

[AultGM]

+1 for a 5 - 6" .38-.357 S. & W. Revolver. I carried my 6" Python for many years on Deer & Hog Hunting Trips (to augment my .264 Win Mag Model 70) and actually took a Deer cleanly with a single shot on one occasion.

A 686 or 627 (with appropriate loads) would be great choices for hunting Deer or

Wild Boar in the USA, as well as Revolver Competion(s).

If you are considering hunting Canada or Alaska, I would certainly opt for a much larger

caliber, say .44 Mag and Up.

I made several trips to Kodiak Island while stationed on Adak Island as a Flight Engineer

in a US Navy Anti-Sub Patrol Squadron and carried a Brand New 8 3/8" Model 29 at

all times. It was mostly Wilderness in the 1960's, and Brown Bear could "pop-up" at any

given moment while wandering around "off Base".

The guys in the Parachute Loft crafted a very comfy shoulder rig from Heavy Canvas

and Leather, so I looked like "Dirty Harry" before he even existed.

p.s. - That Model 29 cost me $105.00 shipped direct to Adak Island. NO Background Check,

NO 10-day waiting period, and NO paperwork whatsoever. Cash and Carry, Baby !!!

Edited April 16, 2013 by AultGM

[ihocky2]

I'll chime in and add another for the 610. I have the 6.5" and love it, my dad has a 5". Either would be great for anything but IDPA and the 10mm is almost the same as a 41 mag for hunting. Depending on the yardage the 10mm is even more than you need. I have a stash of 41's and my practice load is 210 gr lead semi wadcutter at about 850-900 fps. I took a deer with that at around 40 yards and it went down quick. What was nice is it is a small area I hunt in and over-pentration is an issue, the lead bullet never even exited, it just turned into a silver dollar inside.

The 610 reloads faster than a 357 chamber, though not quite as fast as a 45acp. But watching Josh with his 610 is still impressive. The 200 grain bullets make major without as much abuse and the 155 are great for static steel. It really is an all around gun. The only problem is you can get 357's for less money and they are easier to find.

[Travis224]

Im kinda holding to the 38/357, i have the reloading components for it and like its hunting usefulness. Is the 686 the best all around model?

[Toolguy]

That depends on who you ask. I say yes.

[gunnut315]

I like the L frame over the N frame for competition, I have shot several deer and hogs with a 686 I prefer the 4 inch barrel.

[COF]

I had a 646 and a 610. Shooting .40 in both, there was no comparison - the L-frame 646 was much faster, even shooting major. Given the choice of using it as a hunting tool, I'd probably go with the 610 just because of the capability of shooting 10mmM. I am solving that issue though because I am having my GP100 converted to 10mm so I'll have my L-frame sized gun and the capability to shoot 10mmM. Guess I'll have to get rid of my .41 Redhawk then - NOT!

Travis, I'd shoot both the 686 and the GP100 before I made a decision. Like Wayne said - it depends on who you ask. My GP100 is tuned and the action is every bit as good as my tuned 686 so don't let anyone tell you that the GP can't be tuned. You'll have to decide for yourself which you like better. They're both great revolvers.