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WTR wrote:The point of killing a deer is to harvest meat, not to provide you a challenge. Use a rifle caliber with an expanding bullet to insure a humane and clean kill.Respect the animal.

I agree completely!

Shot placement, regardless of the caliber or projectile weight, is what guarantees a quick clean kill. Being an ethical and humane hunter means being a practiced marksmen, and understanding your own limits. (of both you and the gun) Just like in bowhunting, you may need to pass on a 15 yarder, if the correct shot doesn't present itself.

I used to hunt a lot with a handgun and took many deer with my S&W 27 and 5 screw 44 mag over the years, all a reasonable distance and excellent shot placement worked every time, dad always said never farther than you can hit an oil can 5 of 6 shots, I had markers in trees to show distances on all sides of blind, almost all the 44 shots exit the deer I bagged, not the 357, last trip was a huge hog with a Colt Officers 45 acp with ball, again shot placement was the trick, 357 Sig sure will put a coyote down for sure not like a 44 will though, for a 10 just like any other good round it is shot placement, try the oil can challenge my dad mentioned it will help, don't cheat 5 out of 6 hits is your range, I do not own a 10mm good friend loved them just not my cal.

Lena wrote:dad always said never farther than you can hit an oil can 5 of 6 shots,

Sage advice, your father was a wise man! (I bet patience and discipline paid off for him in the field)

Because we all tend to stretch that distance a little bit- I might take it one step further and say that if you don't hit it on the first 6 of 6 rounds, cold, each range visit, you should limit to closer. Here is why- range conditions and no pressure of the animal or 'buck fever' or performance anxiety, etc, usually equal much more precision than when you are in the field. Not to mention awkward positions, shooting from a tree, etc.will typically reduce your accuracy further.

For me all this means i would have to take my shot at a distance of 3 yards or less with my 44 mag. I could shot it and skin it all with one shot at that distance.

Many deer taken by my father and I with this old 44, click to enlarge, dad got it in 1956
The 2nd one is it's little brother a 5 screw 44 Spl a real dream to shoot

Lena wrote:

44s.JPG

Many deer taken by my father and I with this old 44, click to enlarge, dad got it in 1956

Beautiful

Lena wrote:

44s.JPG

44s.JPG

Many deer taken by my father and I with this old 44, click to enlarge, dad got it in 1956
The 2nd one is it's little brother a 5 screw 44 Spl a real dream to shoot

My .44 Special has half that barrel or less and definitely puts a thump in your palm when fired.

Little Charter Arms 5 shot. With the Crimson Trace grips, should make a BG fill his/her drawers.

I had a 5 screw 3" 44mag but was an idiot and sold it, it was the only one I have ever seen. I sure would like to have it back.