Im 15 should I get a .44mag .357mag or 9mm pistol for hunting Va. whitetail deer?

Question

Im a good enough shot to cleanly kill one out to say 45 yards if the pistol shoots as true as my .22 pistol

Answer 1

If you can talk your Dad into buying one for you, I'd say go ahead and get a .44 RemMag, in my opinion a Ruger Super Blackhawk, or Redhawk would be the best choices.

But first, check state laws to make sure you are meeting minimum caliber and barrel length requirements, and minimum age requirements.

Forget the 9 mmP as a hunting cartridge, it ain't one. If your Virginia Whitetails are as skinny as our Mississippi Whitetails, a .357 Magnum will work at short ranges. But the .44 will give you another 25 to 50 yards of usable range.

With that said, I suggest you stick to hunting with a rifle until you've had a bit more experience, and until you can routinely put five shots on an 8" paper plate at a variety of ranges out to 150 yards, using various hunting stances. Practice with a .22 is great training for centerfire handgun, but you still need practice to transfer what you've learned on the .22, and you need to learn to handle recoil. Don't be in such a rush to become a handgun hunter before you become a veteran handgunner.

Good Hunting,

Doc

Answer 2

CG, I don't need a picture to tell you that a 9mm anything except for the 9mm Winchester Magnum would be good to hunt deer with. In OK it is not a legal round to use, probably other states as well. The 9mm commercial hollow point ammo would not penetrate very deep, and would cause severe wounding and a lot of damage to the meat. You are right.

Answer 3

Get a rifle in a proper caliber for whitetail deer.

While the magnum pistol calibers are worthwhile for hunting purposes in some situations, for a beginner hunter they would have many drawbacks. Don't hunt anything with 9mm, ever.

There's a whole lot of opinions on the perfect caliber for whitetail, and most are correct. That's another question. I would recommend .243 or .270 for a 15 year old.

Answer 4

Out of the calibers you have selected 44 mag would be my choice. Ive used this caliber for the last 10 years in a Desert Eagle (I would not advise using one due to the trigger pull and weight of the gun with scope), Ruger bisley single action, and Thompson Center contender. For the best accuracy go with a contender (also the encore is worth a look).

Answer 5

a 9mm is out of the question. My personal preference is for the 41 mag. You have to reload to shoot that though (why do the best rounds never get/stay popular?).

Both the 44 and 357 are effective and accurate. Most people don't shoot the 44 that well (they get jumpy)

Answer 6

.357 Mag is too light for deer, even with the heavier bulleted rounds, 9mm will just sting them badly and go right through them. 9 mm is no good whatsoever for hunting game. Get the .44 Magnum.

Answer 7

If you get one, I would get a 44mag or 41mag revolver with the longest barrel you can find. And the reason I recommend a revolver over a automatic is revolvers are usually easier to scope, And the longer barrel helps accuracy

Answer 8

Most people think 357 is marginal for deer, and 9mm is certainly too small. You might consider 41 magnum if you think 44 will be too much.

Answer 9

Marlin makes a nice 1894c lever action rifle in .357...
then get a .357 as a sidearm- best of both.
The rifle is a better choice for deer.

Answer 10

If you try to take a deer with a 9mm pistol...You better have on your hiking boots....It may take you days to find it.......
Hunt with a rifle or shotgun only.....