Handgun Hunting Thread

[Drycreek3189]

I shot this doe last night with my Pietta 1851, 25 yards. 34 gr of pyrodex P, .454 round ball, 800 fps, complete pass through. I shot a little over 100 rounds though this gun and felt comfortable at 25. I was getting 1025-1050 fps using 40gr charge, but velocities were not consistent. This may have been from too many rounds between cleaning. I’m still tinkering with loads.

Pretty good for a front stuffer !

[Randy M]

I shot this doe last night with my Pietta 1851, 25 yards. 34 gr of pyrodex P, .454 round ball, 800 fps, complete pass through. I shot a little over 100 rounds though this gun and felt comfortable at 25. I was getting 1025-1050 fps using 40gr charge, but velocities were not consistent. This may have been from too many rounds between cleaning. I’m still tinkering with loads.

That’s outstanding! Congrats on a great kill with a very cool set up!

[Sshierry]

I get to add one to this thread finally. Got a cull 8 point. Shot was only 25 yrds, heart shot and he only went 30 yrds from the feeder pen. I know its 240 grain jacketed soft point, but not sure what powder my dad loaded with.

[splitbeam145]

Some awesome pistol kills guys. Really enjoying this thread.

[DaveC]

Congrats on the most recent kills fellas.

I sat down to do the SuperRedhawk spring swap today and began with seeing at what # she broke.
Double action was 12.5#, single action was 4.5. (This is lower than what stock pull should be according to folks on the interwebs).

I then checked my Taurus Raging hunter and it came in at
DA- 14, SA- 7.5#. (The difference is easily felt)

SO, I skipped fiddling with the Ruger springs for now as there is a good chance one of the two previous owners already swapped them or had them swapped.
4.5#’ in single action mode felt light enough for me. It actually felt really good to point the only glitch that occurred on post #70 is on me and my brain to trigger finger execution.
Double action felt polished smooth, way smoother than the mechanical feel of the Taurus- but I don’t see ever shooting either of these in DA mode so that’s irrelevant.

I know I like 3.5 for a hunting rifle. One # wasn’t worth the tear down and rebuild only to find I ended up higher than I was pre-fooling with it.

Our lease manager has the same gun, I’m gonna see what his breaks at and offer him the springs if it’s above where I’m at already.



Back to hunting-
Bring on more dead animal pics 😁

[John316]

I get to add one to this thread finally. Got a cull 8 point. Shot was only 25 yrds, heart shot and he only went 30 yrds from the feeder pen. I know its 240 grain jacketed soft point, but not sure what powder my dad loaded with.

Congratulations. Very nice!

[Randy M]

I get to add one to this thread finally. Got a cull 8 point. Shot was only 25 yrds, heart shot and he only went 30 yrds from the feeder pen. I know its 240 grain jacketed soft point, but not sure what powder my dad loaded with.

well done! Congrats bud!

[Randy M]

Congrats on the most recent kills fellas.

I sat down to do the SuperRedhawk spring swap today and began with seeing at what # she broke.
Double action was 12.5#, single action was 4.5. (This is lower than what stock pull should be according to folks on the interwebs).

I then checked my Taurus Raging hunter and it came in at
DA- 14, SA- 7.5#. (The difference is easily felt)

SO, I skipped fiddling with the Ruger springs for now as there is a good chance one of the two previous owners already swapped them or had them swapped.
4.5#’ in single action mode felt light enough for me. It actually felt really good to point the only glitch that occurred on post #70 is on me and my brain to trigger finger execution.
Double action felt polished smooth, way smoother than the mechanical feel of the Taurus- but I don’t see ever shooting either of these in DA mode so that’s irrelevant.

I know I like 3.5 for a hunting rifle. One # wasn’t worth the tear down and rebuild only to find I ended up higher than I was pre-fooling with it.

Our lease manager has the same gun, I’m gonna see what his breaks at and offer him the springs if it’s above where I’m at already.



Back to hunting-
Bring on more dead animal pics 😁

Dave, this is certainly your business so don’t hesitate to ignore me. However…Rugers (both SA and SA/DA) are incredibly easy to work on. If it twere me, I’d go straight to the lightest spring you have. Put it back together, check the pull weight, make sure it resets itself after being pulled through, and then go shoot it. 4.5# is good but less is gooder.

[DaveC]

Dave, this is certainly your business so don’t hesitate to ignore me. However…Rugers (both SA and SA/DA) are incredibly easy to work on. If it twere me, I’d go straight to the lightest spring you have. Put it back together, check the pull weight, make sure it resets itself after being pulled through, and then go shoot it. 4.5# is good but less is gooder.

10-4, Im supposedly rained in tomorrow so inside work is easily doable.
When you say “make sure it resets itself after being pulled through”, what am I looking for there?
I’m familiar with a semi auto pistol reset, but not so much a revolvers.
Thx

[Randy M]

10-4, Im supposedly rained in tomorrow so inside work is easily doable.
When you say “make sure it resets itself after being pulled through”, what am I looking for there?
I’m familiar with a semi auto pistol reset, but not so much a revolvers.
Thx

Same concept. With an (obviously) empty cylinder, pull the trigger and when you release it, the trigger/hammer should reset itself. If not, the spring is too light. If you need help, don’t hesitate to reach out. But I’m sure it’ll go fine. Many videos on YouTube that show you step by step. I’ll send you a PM regardless, so you have my cell.

[M16]

Dave, this is certainly your business so don’t hesitate to ignore me. However…Rugers (both SA and SA/DA) are incredibly easy to work on. If it twere me, I’d go straight to the lightest spring you have. Put it back together, check the pull weight, make sure it resets itself after being pulled through, and then go shoot it. 4.5# is good but less is gooder.

I just want to add that after doing the work you need to check the ignition.Too light a spring can cause misfires. I had a Redhawk that the trigger had been professionally done. Federal primers functioned fine but every other brand had misfires. I put in a heavier spring and it would function with everything.

[DaveC]

Today’s Ruger Spring swap was a success. I went with the 10 pound trigger spring and 12 pound hammer spring and ended up at right under 3 1/2 pound break on single action and 9 1/2 pound break on double action.

After the spring swap I went to the local indoor range (it’s raining lol) and shot various ammo to make sure it would fire each time, and it did.

Then to make sure it was still on with my hunting ammo I shot it the max distance @ 23 1/2 yards - in both the federal 300 grain A Frame and Hornady 300 XTP‘s - both were on. This gun likes 300 grain bullets.

Here’s the last two rounds of my diminishing supply of 300 grain federal A-frame bullets. After they burn down I will switch over to the Hornady’s as they are more easily accessible & not so spensive.



next, I will research spring jobs on my Taurus Raging Hunter .
7 1/2 pounds is a bit much lol

makes me wonder where my judge breaks 🤔

[Randy M]

Today’s Ruger Spring swap was a success. I went with the 10 pound trigger spring and 12 pound hammer spring and ended up at right under 3 1/2 pound break on single action and 9 1/2 pound break on double action.

After the spring swap I went to the local indoor range (it’s raining lol) and shot various ammo to make sure it would fire each time, and it did.

Then to make sure it was still on with my hunting ammo I shot it the max distance @ 23 1/2 yards - in both the federal 300 grain A Frame and Hornady 300 XTP‘s - both were on. This gun likes 300 grain bullets.

Here’s the last two rounds of my diminishing supply of 300 grain federal A-frame bullets. After they burn down I will switch over to the Hornady’s as they are more easily accessible & not so spensive.



next, I will research spring jobs on my Taurus Raging Hunter .
7 1/2 pounds is a bit much lol

makes me wonder where my judge breaks 🤔

Awesome! Nice work.

[Randy M]

Super pumped to have filled my final tag tonight on this mature 10. 45 yard shot with my Freedom Arms M97 in .41 magnum. Load is a 180 XPB leaving the barrel at just over 1500 fps. Maybe a 15 yard death run after a pass through double lung shot.

[DaveC]

Heck yeah Randy, congrats on a great season.

Deer tags burned through? local pigs beware 😁