Straight Wall Cartridges (Pistol) in PA

I was reviewing the 2022 PA Game Commission Regs and saw that Straight Walled Cartridges are legal now in "Regulated" Areas in PA. I hunt in one of those regulated areas and was excited to hear the news regarding the change. I love my Savage slug gun (20ga) and it is deadly out past 100 yds but the challenge of using a handgun for deer has always interested me. I have a good compliment of handguns I never thought I would get the opportunity to hunt with and now it appears possible in 2023 for me. The regs allow for Semi-Auto and Manual gun types (CORRECTION: MANUAL ONLY FOR NOW) - I will primarily use revolvers in the calibers specified.

I am looking for opinions on cartridge selection for deer hunting (next year after I practice!!) -- Expected shot distance is 50yds or under shooting from a stick rest. Currently have the following caliber selection -- 45ACP, 45LC, 44MAG, 357MAG, 10mm. Would be interested to hear experience, results and recommendations if you have used any of the proposed cartridges on deer. Also any thoughts on scope versus open sights based on what I am proposing. Thanks.

- Jim

have taken a few with a 10mm, they work! this one was taken at 70 yards

I see nowhere in the regs that allow semi-auto handguns anywhere in the Commonwealth.

pg. 17 specifically says "Hunting with semiauto handguns is prohibited".

pg. 31 (Special Regs Areas) refers to semi-auto shotguns

I have a 357 max contender barrel. Dad killed a couple deer and an antelope with it.

Awfully nice of the government to allow you to use certain firearms in certain areas.

I have killed two deer with a 357 magnum revolver. Both under 50 yards both just dropped right there. 16 grains of W296 and wheel weight lead cast bullet. Shot both of them in top of the shoulder. That shot ruins a little meat but you dont have to look for them. A well made commercial hollow point right behind the shoulder I bet they wont go far. I figured that hard lead 158 grain round nose would just zip right through so I shot that top of the shoulder shot.

X2.
Not legal now

Maybe theirs something proposed for 2023 June hearings to be considered for 2023/24 ??

CVA scout pistol 350 legend

I hunted exclusively with a handgun for over 20 years. Longest shot was 224 yds. With a .454 Casull in an M.O.A. Corporation Maximum.
That said I would use the .44 Mag. Or the .45 Colt.
If you’re using revolvers a longer barrel helps.
If you reload you can do much better.
If using factory ammo in the .45 Colt do your research. Lots of ammo for it is pretty mild so as to be used in older revolvers. .44 Mag should be good.
I handloaded everything I shot.
I would stay with at least a 6” barrel.
Invest in a single shot pistol and you can really reach out there beyond 150 yds.

I use a Smith and Wesson performance center magnum hunter, 44 magnum. My hunting partner loads for me 13 grains of blue dot with a hornady 240 grain XTP bullet. It prints six shots all touching at 25 yards. I have it topped with a holosun red dot with a 2 MOA dot. I killed a bear with it at 63 yards. I shot it facing me between the left shoulder and the neck the bullet was under the skin on the same side hip. It traveled the length of the bear. The recovered bullet weighed 238 grains. The pistol has a 7.5 inch barrel with a muzzle brake. It's a mild load and showed 1068 fps at the muzzle average. I hope this helps.

so, Alaska allows fully automatic rifles for hunting?

.22 rimfire for moose? Grizzly?

un-plugged shotguns for waterfowl?

41mag with 210gr jacketed hollow points does the trick for me. Got a redhawk, a Blackhawk and Smith in it. Also bought myself a Henry chambered in it. Looking for a Marlin. Also have a couple of 10mm s.

I hunt pistol but I think I might be doing it different

one township we hunt is shotgun and pistol only so I built a 300 blackout pistol 2x scope , you have to be 18 or older to hunt with the pistol , could have built one in 308

dumb ordinance

I have killed several deer and hogs with a 357 magnum using 158 grain JHP currently using the XTP and a 240 grain JHP in a 44 magnum also currently using the XTP but used to like the 240 grain Remington JHP bullets when you could buy them as components. I have had no complaints with the performance of either round with those bullets.

To the question of scope or iron sights with your stipulation of using it for deer and the range of 50 yards or less I would go with a red dot sight they are faster to pick up than a scope, more precise than iron sights and work better in low light dawn and dusk conditions than either the scope or irons.

my 44 mag load is a 240gr xtp also , if my 44 had a good option for a dot I would probably go dot it just makes hits farther out faster and more precise

my son has a tirjicon RMR on his glock 34 and it makes hit on steel at 100 yards almost to easy , you shoot , smile and shoot and smile

I have a Vortex Venom on my MKIII and it was good for pistol sihlowettes depending on the wind I held over the horns or the hams if no wind over the middle of the back

I have shoot deer with a Redhawk in 44 mag at 98 yards it dropped with 240gr sp. 357 mag has taken a lot of deer for us in a carbine and revolver. 308 in encore works.

They all will work just fine. Hunt with the one you like most or is the cheapest to shoot.

All of the above.

wv does, centerfire to hunt big game, or rimfire larger than 25. shotgun plug is federal.

I've found several sources that say fully automatic firearms are illegal under state law. and a quick look at Alaska's hunting regs show that your state DOES in fact restrict what weapons can be used in certain areas. Yes, you have less restrictions, but your state DOES have some restrictions in some areas.

My mistake. Thanks for correcting WM.

Thanks for the advice and insight. What I was looking for!!

Thanks for the advice and the red dot recommendation.

Yep -- I was jumping ahead!! Thanks for setting me straight.

What are you all shooting from (sticks, brace, freehand, leaning on a tree, etc...)? I am planning on using a 7" gun with a single pole shooting stick to keep it steady.

Pa regs confusing? NAAAh

Knew a guy that used a 30 carbine.
It was the only rig of the family collection that he shot well.
His Dad modded it from semi to manual.
He got quite the attention.

If you say so. Ain’t no rules in the bush.

10-4.

(but that's a different discussion)

Yote chaser, I always try to find some kind of rest. I carry a telescoping stick with a rest on top. I think it's called a trigger stick. Pull the trigger on the handle to adjust up or down. The bear I shot this was from a rest against the tree I was in. A rest makes all the difference in my accuracy.

lestan101 - Same here....I would not think of shooting any significant distance w/o a rest. I have seen the trigger sticks and will look into them a little more. Thanks.

Lever 357 magnum works fine for me.

what's your effective range, Karl?

My boy uses a .44mag but it's a rifle, albeit pretty short, Henry Carbine. I can tell you to steer clear of whatever Hornady uses in its lever-revolution for bullets. The HP Sig Sauer uses are much, much better....

ADC - Great information and pics.

have you found any more of the v-crown or is it still rare as hens teeth?

it is worth trying the XTP bullet also if you can't find the v-crown

No sir, I have not found any more. I have enough to get by a few years, if my boy's shooting remains as accurate as in the past, but would buy more if I could find them. They have been discontinued by SigSauer so I'm looking for old stock, not easy to get folks to give it up.

Hornady FTX 325 grain bullet is in the Leverevolution .45-70 ammunition that I use.
It works great, but much more horsepower driving it.
It would be worth a try to see what the gun likes.
Have fun!

125yds I am Comfortable

I have used 454 Casull, 45 Auto Rim, 44 Magnum, 44 Special, 41 Magnum, 357 Maximum. Barrel lengths from 4 to 7 1/2 inches. Longest running shot was the 4 inch 41 Magnum. Doe at 89 paces, she skidded 9 paces on her chin. Shortest shot was 6 or 7 steps in some heavy tag alders, running, with a 6 inch 44 Magnum. Longest standing shot was about 100 yards with a 7 1/2 inch Redhawk 44 Magnum (4x scope). It now carries an UltraDot red dot. My bullets of choice are my own cast bullets. Having said that the scoped Redhawk gets 200 grain XTP or 210 grain Sierra JHC. The Maximum is my prefered gun. It's a 7 1/2 inch Ruger Super Blackhawk with another UltraDot on it. Its prefered bullet is the 180 XTP. I can shoot it all day long with no ill effects using full power loads right around 1700 fps. The XTP's work well for me, never got one back and all good exit holes. I tend to wait for broadside shots thru the ribs. My cast bullets range from 215 grain in the 41 to 310 grain in my 5 1/2 inch 44 RedHawk. My cast loads are around 1200 fps with the exception of the 45 Auto Rim and the 44 Special. They run a little over 1000fps.

TC Katahdin with a 460 S&W barrel on it. Brings the fire and thunder!

Shot quite a few with a 44 mag after they started a pistol season in the early 90's, the law says we can use a straight wall single shot rifle next year in the Peoples Republic of Illinois
got a 350 legend bought and ready to go

From the calibers posted by Yotechaser I would stick with the 45LC or preferrably the .44 mag. XTP bullets work well. However, if you have a good hard cast bullet load I would not hesitate to use that.

I bet this will kill deer

Very Nice