MNGunTalk.com

What firearm is everyone using for deer hunting this year? Also, what ammo/load are you using?

I hunt in a slug zone. This year will be my first attempt at taking a deer with a handgun.

Ruger Super Redhawk - 7.5" barrel - open sights - .454 Casull

Winchester 260 gr. Supreme Partition Gold

Remington 700 ADL 270 with a Leupold scope, this has been my main deer gun since 1977. The rifle really liked the Remington 130 Extended Range bullets, but Remington quit making them. Still using Remington 130 grain Express Core-Lokt.

We have the main stays in camp 32 Special, 30 30, 308, 270, 30 06, 7 mag and a couple of the short mags. the short mags do seem to waste more meat.

Model 70 in .270 for opener The ammo is in my trunk and I can't hit those sites from work. 150 Gr Winchester something or other

plblark wrote:Model 70 in .270 for opener

Also, what ammo/load are you using?

Come on plblark read more slowly and complete all questions.

stainless Marlin 1894 in .44 magnum. Open sights. Also, won't be using it, but I'll probably have a .45acp with me too.

Trusting my reloads as they feed much more reliably than factory loads.

.44 magnum - Speer Gold dot 240 gr JSP over a max load of W296. Winchester LP primer. Might have gone with a 300gr bullet, but ran out of time to reload/sight in with another load. But, what I have will do.

Remington Classic in .35 Whelen with 200 grain pills for the long shots and a Freedom Arms model 83 in .454 Casull with 250 grain pills for the closer shots.

Haven't decided for sure yet. Either my Ruger mini-30 with 2.5 Weaver scope or Ruger Number 1 in 7MM Magnum with a 2X7 Leupold. After opening weekend, if I don't have a deer, I'll be using a Ruger Super Redhawk with a scope or a .44 Mag lever action.

PSL....

Benelli M2 with Remington Managed Recoil Slugs open sights.

Smith 686+ 357 Mag for close in shots. 158gr XTP's going warp Factor 6 (we are going to kill them AND cook them all in one shot.)

Pinnacle wrote:Benelli M2 with Remington Managed Recoil Slugs open sights.

Smith 686+ 357 Mag for close in shots. 158gr XTP's going warp Factor 6 (we are going to kill them AND cook them all in one shot.)

Funny I'm using the same formula in my GP100.

This year I bought a Rem. mod. 798 in .458 Win. that I want to go to Africa with. I have loaded it down to 1830 fps with the 405 gr. 45-70 bullet just to say I shot a deer with it. I have shot much deer with the 45-70 at 100 fps less. I've shot deer with .22 rimfire, 12ga slug, 7m/m mauser,30-30 ,32spcl, 30-06, 338win. mag. 340. weatherby, .358 win., .350 rem. mag. .45-70, 357mag, .45 acp. (edit,forgot the 243)

John

Deer Stand
Remmington Model 7400 30.06
Leopold Vari X II 3x9
Federal Cartridge 165 grain Trophy Bond Bear Claw Trophy Tip

Brush pounding
Winchester Model 94 30-30
Open sites
Federal Cartridge 185grain CoreLoct

old guy wrote:This year I bought a Rem. mod. 798 in .458 Win. that I want to go to Africa with. I have loaded it down to 1830 fps with the 405 gr. 45-70 bullet just to say I shot a deer with it. I have shot much deer with the 45-70 at 100 fps less. I've shot deer with .22 rimfire, 12ga slug, 7m/m mauser,30-30 ,32spcl, 30-06, 338win. mag. 340. weatherby, .358 win., .350 rem. mag. .45-70, 357mag, .45 acp.

John

I dont know if that 458 is going to cut it at 1800 FPS for these HUGE MN Deer....

I would drank it up a little just to see f that makes a difference.... (Get your orthopod on speed dial and video tape full house loads... good humor) All BS aside - you are SMART shooting a tremendously reduced load - that ought to be perfect for deer.

mnglocker wrote:

Pinnacle wrote:Smith 686+ 357 Mag for close in shots. 158gr XTP's going warp Factor 6 (we are going to kill them AND cook them all in one shot.)

Funny I'm using the same formula in my GP100.

Do you guys know if there's XTP bullets available locally?

Also, do the MN regs specify a power floor or just, as I seem to recall, minimum caliber & case length for handgun?