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Hunting With A 10mm?

3K views 16 replies 14 participants last post by  DubfromGa 
#1 ·
With all the usual caveats about shot placement, skill level et al, will a potent factory10mm round (from a Delta Elite) be adequate for shooting Texas Hill Country whitetail small bucks or does at 50 yards or less?

Just as a data, I’ve been a 1911 shooter since the late 1960’s, so I’m familiar with the platform.

Any practical experience would be welcome. Thanks and God bless.
 
#3 ·
The 10mm overlaps the ballistics of a .357 magnum. If you would hunt with a .357 magnum revolver, a 10mm pistol will perform similar.

I prefer a .44 magnum revolver for hunting.
 
#4 ·
The kill zone on a deer is...

...8-9 inches in diameter. With a 1911, that's pretty do-able at 25 yards with a stationary target. Easier still with support. But at 50 yards, you increase the likelihood of a non-lethal hit. Is that a risk that you're willing to accept?

Is there a reason why you wouldn't want to use a rifle?
 
#5 ·
I understand the appeal of a more challenging hunt. But as Phil_gretz said, it's not a Deer-Size target.

It's a Dog Dish size target. At 50 yards.

Unless you can consistently (10 out of 10) hit a dog dish, UNDER PRESSURE, I wouldn't do it. It's not sportsmanlike.

BUt if bringing that target in closer 25-30 yards gets you into the ten outta ten hit ratio I say go for it! Meaning, don't shoot unless you can ambush or commando in that close.

Also, should you be able to pull that off I'll be impressed, That's Indian Brave skills!
 
#7 ·
To answer your question the 10mm is completely adequate. Hunting with a handgun is not much different than hunting with a bow. 30-40 yards would be my max. Your might be different. I have hunted Texas whitetail many times. Some of the doe won't go over 70lbs. Average buck 110lbs 2 years ago while hunting out of SanAngelo I took a buck that weighed 139lbs and it was the largest bodied deer in camp that week. If hunting with an outfitter tell him what you want to do. Texas allows baiting deer and there are corn feeders located all over the lease. The outfitter can set up a portable ground blind providing you with a 25 HD shot. They do it for archery hunters all the time. Good luck and have fun
 
#14 ·
Yea Mike! Good practical thoughts, especially for deer around here.

"I let a lot of deer walk on over the years for any number of reasons also."

^^This^^

Hardluk1 talks sense as well.

I like the 10mm and think it is a great auto-pistol cartridge. I'd have a lot of confidence in it for deer hunting around here. I fully intend to get "a round tuit" and take a deer or hogs with the 10mm on hand here. I've carried the 10mm while deer hunting, but haven't yet made opportunity to shoot something with it.

Over the years I've taken five deer with handguns: two with .38 Special, two with .44 Magnum, and one each with the .41 Magnum and the .357 Magnum. The deer taken with the .357 Magnum a few years back represents the longest shot taken at 39 steps with revolver rested on the window frame of the box stand. A good sized Texas doe, it was DRT, shot through the heart with a heavy 158 grain hand load.

I've also shot a coyote, a bobcat, and incidental small game with a handgun while hunting from a deer stand.

I really need to add the 10mm to the "deer getter list."
 
#8 ·
Thanks to all for the responses. I appreciate the advice. You’ll note that I said 50 yards or less. As for being sportsmanlike, I would never take a shot that would risk wounding an animal and in my little mind, handgun hunting is as sportsmanlike as bow hunting. That said, even the best of rifle hunters have had wounded deer. I know my abilities and would not exceed them just to take a shot. As for shooting under pressure, I was a LEO and have experienced pressure. Hunting is for pleasure. No pressure, just fun.

Modell45, your comments were what I was looking for, will the 10mm do the job if I do my part. Having limited experience with the 10mm I wanted some real world experience advice. Reading about a particular cartridge is not the same as someone’s anecdotal information.

If anyone else has other helpful information, please chime in. Thanks again to all who replied and God bless.
 
#10 · (Edited)
Took many good sized Kentucky bucks and does using an IAI Javalina longslide 10mm. All deer were taken from a tree stand in mixed cover woods and within 3yds to 25yds. Gun preferred Hornady's full power 185gr XTP, deer never went more than a few steps after being shot. Most were head/neck shots but a couple did go broadside thru both shoulders & heart/lungs.
Only 1 doe needed a second shot and that was because she was standing almost directly below my stand and I forgot that I needed to aim low because of the angle and my first shot went right thru her ear. Doe barely flinched, looked around for where the sound came from before I put the second shot in her neck.
Always looked at handgun hunting as the same yardage and shot restrictions as bow hunting.
 
#11 ·
Hunting ethics, one shot one kill, a good accurate shot, a good clean kill.

I handgun hunted before. My question is what are you going to do when that 16 pt buck shows himself and is out of range? I have a 300 lb buck lurking around but it’s been said he stays out of range or the shooter won’t make or try that shot. To me personally I say let him spread his dna, that’s a bypass from me to him.
 
#13 ·
Whit Your tread seems like a common sense issue to me . You know your skills so why ask us ! I used a 9" DW 15-2 revolver since '76 for hogs mainly . Added a early 2moa dot optic in '78 and all though I could sit at a bench shooting from a rest place 6 rounds inside 4" . The red dot is a big step up for the average hunter so YOU need to be honest with your open site shooting skills while hunting . It ain't bullseye shooting ether . I limited my yards to far shorter distances unless a tree is handy to use as a rest while stalk hunting . My thin skin hunting loads was a speer 170sp at 1400fps but I found it marginal for deer at any distance where you can't seriously control bullet impact point . I still use a ultra dot 2moa on that ole revolver today .

As it is I've taken a couple deer for camp meat with a 155gr 1318fps 40sw out of a tree stand shooting straight down about 20 feet with good expansion noted by tissue damage and full pass thrus .

So You figure you what works best for you and at what distance .

I let a lot of deer walk on over the years for any number of reasons also .
 
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