Whitetail Sidearm
 

A Glock 17 or a Glock 23? Either would accompany my .30-06. Maybe use it if I was presented a shot under 20 yards.

Out of the two, definitely the 40. Hornady makes a 180 grain XTP in 40S&W, I'm sure it would do the trick.

I would carry the G17. People killed alot of deer with calibers that we consider pretty anemic today. Inside of twenty yards a double lung shot with either is game over.

I carry a pistol when I hunt for protection against two legged predators. You never know who could be using your property for a meth lab or outdoor grow. A scope rifle is far from ideal up close and personal.

I dont know who started the rumor that deer were armored. They are not hard to kill.

Regardless of which caliber/load you choose, just treat it like bow-hunting and engineer your shot accordingly. I've taken a deer with a 17L (ammo was a 147 gr. XTP which expanded nicely) and it was a very rewarding challenge.

The point is not IF you can do it, but whether you can do it consistently & humanely. Hunting is a sport, not a game. It is the hunter's obligation to kill the animal in question as humanely and quickly as possible as the animal is entitled to a noble death.

On a range I'm capable of making hits consistently out to 50 yds with either, but that's too far when you're nerves and adrenaline are jacked up. 20-25 is the max. I'm kind of leaning towards a 124 gr bonded +P round, either PDX1, Speer GD, or Underwood GD.

The .40 in a 165 bonded or 180 HST/XTP isn't out of the question.

The double lung was what I was going to aim for.

I agree with you in principle, but there is no such thing as a noble death. Death is death. Bleeding, squealing, kicking. Taking bad shots and causing a slow, agonizing death is one thing, but there is no such thing as a noble death.

The G23 without any question. I would probably load it with a stout 180gr JHP or hardcast. A far more ideal whitetail sidearm is a 4"-6.5" .44mag.

G23. Here's one article about G23 hunting
http://www.gunblast.com/JoeRiekers-NewAmmo.htm

Depends on your state I guess. In many states a 9mm is not allowed for deer hunting. not sure .40 would be either. here in VA, we are allowed to use anything bigger than a .22, but when I lived in ND, we could not use anything smaller than .357, but now it has changed there to be anything bigger than .35 caliber so 9mm would be ok.

Anyway, double check your regulations, don't want to get in trouble with johnny law out in the woods.
Have Fun!

Centerfire 22 or larger

Neither, 357 mag minimum, 44 better.

ditto on the last post. Both of those caliber makes for a better hunting caliber than a 9mm.

Given only those 2 choices, the g23 with 180 gr bullets would be my pick.

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Drop a 357SIG Glock 32 factory barrel in your 23 and you have the best option of your two pistols. Bill

All of the testing I've seen, the 165s are penetrating more than the 180s. I think if I do use it I'll go with 165 pdx1.

When I go deer hunting, I carry my Mossberg 550 with 12ga slugs, my S&W 629, and my G17. I carry a Spyderco Clipit Endura knife as well.

Why the two handguns?

I looked at the underwood 155xtp at 1300fps. That might be a good choice.

Well, my G17 in a shoulder holster makes for a quieter finishing shot on a wounded deer. I carry my .44 just to back up my shotgun.

That makes sense.


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I remember my first deer hunt in VT. A giant buck ran across the road in front of our car. By the time we stopped and got out of the car with our handguns, the buck was on the other side of a bare farm field standing there looking at us. I had my .44 Magnum out and on target, but I didn't shoot as the range was well over 100 yards. We never saw another deer like that for 10 years.

Regardless, you did the right thing. As a hunter I found it my duty to make sure any kill was quick and humane. Any shots outside of my abilities had to be passed.

I have since given up hunting, I now prefer to just watch wildlife. However, I realize and respect that others choose to hunt and have absolutely no objection to hunting.

Upland bird hunting was always my favorite, I'd do that again if given a chance to hunt in a place with decent pheasant numbers.

My hunting friends thought that I should have taken the shot . . . . :upeyes:

I'm not big on service calibers for any large game animal. Consider they are marhginal for stopping a 200# man, It's not agood choice for those that take hunting seriously. If you want a 25yd handgun shot, start toting a 41 or 44mag.