hunting with a USP

[softmentor]

I was talking with my cousin who lives in Kansas. He is a bow hunter but he told me that he knows a fellow who hunts deer with a hand gun. I am trying to imagine a 45 at the kind of close range that bow hunters are accustom to. Any one doing this with an HK USP?

[TexasJim]

Iowa, has a hand gun season, for Deer hunting. I think you can hunt with a 9mm, 40S&Wcal., 357Mag, 44mag, 45acp, & 50. Plus a host of other large cals. I think if you look up Iowa .com on a search and then go to a page for the DNR ( Department of Natural Reasores,) you will find lot's of info about hunting with hand weapons.

I also have known many of people who have gotten good sized white tail with 40 cal. TJ

[H&K 4 LIFE]

Personally I would not use an semi-automatic handgun as a hunting gun. I would go with the classic Thompson Contender chambered in some rediculous large caliber round. Your only going to get to fire one shot so why have a semi-auto? Also, the Contenders fixed barrel is going to make it more accurate over greater distances then the semi-auto. Even a large revolver (S&W X-Frame .500) would be more effective.

[Solidgun]

Personally I would not use an semi-automatic handgun as a hunting gun. I would go with the classic Thompson Contender chambered in some rediculous large caliber round. Your only going to get to fire one shot so why have a semi-auto? Also, the Contenders fixed barrel is going to make it more accurate over greater distances then the semi-auto. Even a large revolver (S&W X-Frame .500) would be more effective.

+1 on this idea

I think it is simply poor sportsmanship to use low caliber handguns to hunt large animals. I respect other living beings and if they are going to give up their life for me, I will kill them with respect and dignity in one shot.

Although if they are suffering because I F'ed up...then I wouldn't hesitate to pull out my 45 and put one in the head.

RESPECT

[softmentor]

I'm inclined to think the same way, go with my classic Brit .303 riffel but I would think that a .45 a close range, say 40 yards, like bow hunter range, does plenty of dammage and would stop a deer with one shot. anyone actually do this?

[sfguard]

Not much of a hunter any more but I don't see any reason why you couldn't do it.

[JLStorm]

I cant remember his name, but I used to work with a guy that only hunted with his 1911 during deer season when everyone else hunted with a rifle. He seemed to do pretty well and had a very high one shot kill record going from what I remember. I got the feeling he practiced a lot too though, I dont know if he had the 1911 scoped or not. Course he always struck me as a sort of...odd, like the kind of guy that you wouldnt be surprised to find out was a serial killer. so take it with a grain of salt lol.

[BachelorJack]

I would feel more than comfortable hunting deer with a 45 Hk. I've killed a few with a Suppressed 45acp Marlin Camp 45. I'm thinking a mk23, or the new hk45 plus a suppressor would be ideal withing 60yds.

[softmentor]

I cant remember his name, but I used to work with a guy that only hunted with his 1911 during deer season when everyone else hunted with a rifle. He seemed to do pretty well and had a very high one shot kill record going from what I remember. I got the feeling he practiced a lot too though, I dont know if he had the 1911 scoped or not. Course he always struck me as a sort of...odd, like the kind of guy that you wouldnt be surprised to find out was a serial killer. so take it with a grain of salt lol.

Oh, great, sheesh
ok, I think I can hunt without becoming a serial killer. Unless you count serial deer kills.

I'm assuming you would want to use a hollow point round? maybe a +P too?

[BachelorJack]

Soft lead points, hollow points to the head/neck. Ball to the body.

Seems to work quite well.

[Big Bore]

I've hunted deer with a handgun for over 25 years and IMO there is no handgun that HK makes that is suitable for deer sized game. The lightest caliber IMO that is suitable for deer is the .357 Magnum and then at only 50 yards are less and with bullets of 180 gr. or more. The lightest I have hunted with is the .44 magnum and even a small deer can take a hit from it and keep on going if shot placement is not quite perfect and large deer can soak up even a perfect shot and keep on going. Shot placement is EVERYTHING. If the shot goes off a hair with lighter rounds you are not going to recover the deer and it is going to die a slow and painful death, and they deserve better than that.
I got sick and tired of deer even when solidly hit with the .44 magnum running anywhere from 25 to 100 yards before dropping and moved up to the .45-70. That tends to drop them in their tracks even with just a lung shot. The .454 Casull is just as good as is the .50 Alaskan which I currently hunt with. And the .50 AK is to the .500 Smith as the .44 magnum is to the .44 Special or the .357 Magnum is to the .38 Special.
Over gunned, sure I am, but even when the shot is less than perfect the deer are down for the count right where they stand and that is the secret to some great tasting venison. No adrenaline gets released into their system to taint the meat and you don't have to spend time tracking them down before field preparing them. And solid hard cast wide meplat bullets do not destroy a lot of meat like a high powered rifle bullet does that works on rapid expansion.
IMO nothing made my HK in the pistol line up has any business in the deer woods unless it is there to protect you from two-legged creatures when bow hunting.

[BachelorJack]

A 45acp is just as powerful and efficient as a Bow. Shot placement is always key. A 230grn to the head or neck and they just fall as well.....

[Big Bore]

Unless of course you are a little off and don't make quite a perfect shot in the head and neck, then a deer dies a needless and painful death. Real sporting...:(

[jonbondave]

Unless of course you are a little off and don't make quite a perfect shot in the head and neck, then a deer dies a needless and painful death. Real sporting...:(

I'm inclined to agree. It's simply irresponsible to go out after deer with anything less than a .357 magnum. and even that is a stretch to me. I don't think most shooters attain the level of precision needed to get kill shots with service caliber handguns. and you're risking maiming an animal which in my opinion is just cruel.

[kingofwylietx]

I tend to agree with BigBore, go with a larger caliber for hunting. I use a .454 Cassull revolver w/a scope. I consider .45acp to be anemic for hunting large game.

One of the most important and limiting factors for handgun hunting is you and your weapon. Take the kill zone of your prey, lets use a 4" diameter circle, for example. Limit your shots to the distance you can reliably stay tight within that 4" circle. If you can only keep all shots within the 4" kill zone at 15 yards, you should consider that the maximum distance for using that weapon. When determining your kill zone distance, fire the same way you will be firing when hunting (don't use a bench and sandbags if you will be shooting off-hand in the field).

Handgun hunting is fun, it falls between bow hunting & rifle hunting.....though it is MUCH closer to bow hunting. Without a high-power big-bore scoped pistol, you'll probably find you are effective at 15 or so yards (I could be off, as I don't have a clue to your shooting abilities).

[G11er]

I hunt in Germany and I don't want to sound disrespectful but I consider hunting deer with a .45 (40 yards, lmao) unethical and some smartass comments here seem to come from amateurs that have never hunted before ...
my 2 eurocents

[derekste]

As someone who lived in Iowa where it is legal to hunt deer with handguns, let me just say that it can be done.

I didn't really look at it as "Gonna go out with my handgun and bag me a deer" but instead decided to bring a handgun with me while pheasant hunting, since the two seasons overlapped. We've all been out in the woods and stumbled across a deer (or had a deer stumble across us), so I brought my handgun and deer tag for these situations. No, you probably shouldn't be shooting at a deer with a .45 at more than 25 yards, but with the amount of deer in SE Iowa, your chances of getting within 25 yards of a deer on any given day are near 100%.

:740:

[JLStorm]

Unless of course you are a little off and don't make quite a perfect shot in the head and neck, then a deer dies a needless and painful death. Real sporting...:(

Good point, there is no need to make an animal suffer, a quick clean kill the way nature intended is the least we owe them.

[HKTSM]

Make sure you check the regs in your state- where I live there are very specific rules at minimum caliber. I would agree with those saying bigger is better. I'm a hunter and kill animals but I don't like them to suffer....

[Kost]

We are discussing hunting right? NOT sitting in a tree, waiting for deer to walk under, so it can be shot at close range. << Thats not hunting, its stalking...and I wont take it back.

I grew up in Montana - we hunt out there, MT state law prohibits tree sitting...no exceptions for bow either, and requires the hunter to wear 400+sq. inches of orange above the waist at all times - white tail are pretty easily spooked...the hunter will need to know how to hunt to tag one. Bow hunters are not required to wear orange.

I dont see using any HK pistol to hunt deer...distances are too far & calibers are too light.
I have got a few whitetail with a TC Contender in .30-.30 Win. in Montana

[softmentor]

I have hunted since I was to young to remember how old I was. Squirrel hunting with a single shot .22 bolt action when I was about 8 I think, and just for the record I whole heartedly and completely agree about a clean quick kill and not letting an animal suffer.
Sounds like a large cal is possible. I must admit I am a little surprised that a 230 grain .45 would not do the job, given that most dear, even rather large white tail, are under 300 pounds and that is about the same size as a person. Given the talk about the damage a .45 does to people you would think you would loose a full quarter of good meat from a deer. (Expressions like a .45 nearly tore his arm off) A .45 is a lot bigger hole that my .303, but I also understand the physics of velocity.
Interesting perspectives.
well, I think I'll stick to riffle. I may just carry a side arm while in the woods as was mentioned, but I'll think twice about taking a shot since it doesn't sound like I can be confidant of dropping the game.
I do wish I could get out and hunt more often. When you live in California, it's a major expedition.

[TexasJim]

If you can put down a 300-400lb man with a 9mm then your good enough to do it to a deer. I would say stay with in effective bow range and then shoot them. As I do not know of anyone getting a white tail with a 9 mm. I do and have witnessed a white tail doe go down on one shot with a 40 S&W. You don't have to decapate the annimal to kill it.

I do agree that hunting is a sport and when you shoot an annimal do your best to make it a clean kill! TJ

[AviatorDave]

I'm inclined to agree. It's simply irresponsible to go out after deer with anything less than a .357 magnum. and even that is a stretch to me. I don't think most shooters attain the level of precision needed to get kill shots with service caliber handguns. and you're risking maiming an animal which in my opinion is just cruel.

Same here. Having said that, Texas allows hunting with any legal centerfire semi-auto firearm. Just no rimfire, no suppressors, and no full-auto.

But I really think it's all about shot placement potential moreso than the one-shot kill ability of a particular caliber. I just can't see being able to accurately hit with the precision necessary at the distances most deer are typically taken at with a USP.

I could hit one generally about anywhere I wanted to with an HK94 at 50 or 100 yards, but not with a USP. Put me in the "somewhat irresponsible" column.

[BachelorJack]

It's these type of people that insist all hunters should also use a 300Win Mag to hunt 240lb white tails. This sort of logic that you hear over and over in the local gun store right before season opens. I like watching these clowns zeroing for their annual 3 shots in firearms training.

I'm in the south east. The woods can be pretty dense here. Deer have fallen at my hands to 45acp pistol while stalking in the dense woods of the east and while napping overhead in a tree stand. Different hunting locals mandate different hunting strategies and rules. I'm lucky enough to be able to hunt in a few different states each year.

Here is an easy way to do it. If you could shoot me at 40 yds with a kill shot, then you can shoot a deer at 40yds. It really is that simple. There comes a point when a 20MM would be considered an excellent tool to shoot and kill a deer with a one shot stop. Where some people draw the line at an appropriate killing tool and overkill differs. I suspect those of us that have been more acquainted with how fragile life actually is have a completely different outlook then most people.

It's really easy to kill something. You just have to know your abilities and how fragile life is.

[Shakey]

I wouldn't even go after a deer with my HK pistols. A .308 is a fine weapon to take most medium sized North American game (just so happens HK makes a couple fine examples) and a .357, or .41 Mag as a sidearm. The right tools got the right job.

[GZire]

I'm inclined to think the same way, go with my classic Brit .303 riffel but I would think that a .45 a close range, say 40 yards, like bow hunter range, does plenty of dammage and would stop a deer with one shot. anyone actually do this?

Keep in mind that arrows/bolts kill differently than do bullets. Arrows/bolts are designed to bleed out animals or cause collapse of their lungs.

I think it's a very bad idea to be hunting something the size of a deer with a 45 acp or 9 mm round. If you want to shoot varmints OK, but nothing deer sized and up unless someone can show good evidence of quick clean kills with it.

[hk_mtbr]

Keep in mind that arrows/bolts kill differently than do bullets. Arrows/bolts are designed to bleed out animals or cause collapse of their lungs.


And this isn't deemed cruel. And yet some offer that a well placed shot from 45 would be? A poorly placed shot is a poorly placed shot, be it an arrow or a 308 and that may be considered cruel. I'm not saying that I would use 45, I know I could kill one with a 45....wouldn't try with 9mm...whole different game.

<<fill in Nugent quote here>>

[kingofwylietx]

I went back to my "Ultimate Guide To Handgun Hunting", which is what I read before deciding to try handgun hunting. It has chapter dealing with deer (and other chapters dealing with different animals), it says to start at .41mag or .44mag. The only semi-auto was the .44 or .50 Desert Eagle. The Thompson Contendors were also recommended.

[ByteMeDammit]

I personally have never hunted deer with anything but a 7mm mag. Edit: Although, next season I am contemplating using my 8mm Yugo 24/47. A real dream shooter so far. My best friend likes his .243. His brother in-law only bow hunts. Another friend swears that his .300 wetherby isn't quite enough. <--This just makes me giggle. To each their own.

When you boil all the flotsam off the debate it really comes down to just one thing, personal accountability. If all laws are satisfied then you are the only person you'll be answering to when the shot is taken good or bad. Can you live with your choice? To date I've fired 6 rounds at live deer and dressed out 6 mulies. Never had to track my own. That sits right well with me and as my best friend's late grandfather always said, 'To me is'. <--No clue here either...

Byte

[HK9150600]

Personally I would not use an semi-automatic handgun as a hunting gun. I would go with the classic Thompson Contender chambered in some rediculous large caliber round. Your only going to get to fire one shot so why have a semi-auto? Also, the Contenders fixed barrel is going to make it more accurate over greater distances then the semi-auto. Even a large revolver (S&W X-Frame .500) would be more effective.

Why hunt with a T/C?? How about a Vector V51 .308 pistol :)

I am kidding of course.

[GZire]

And this isn't deemed cruel. And yet some offer that a well placed shot from 45 would be? A poorly placed shot is a poorly placed shot, be it an arrow or a 308 and that may be considered cruel. I'm not saying that I would use 45, I know I could kill one with a 45....wouldn't try with 9mm...whole different game.

<<fill in Nugent quote here>>

Point taken about a well placed shot. I think the problem is getting close enough to reliably place a shot where it needs to go under the pressure of the hunt.

In any case I would get arrested here if I tried to take a deer with a USP.