LYON
PMA Member
I have used both a .357 mag and .44 mag. .357 mag is the smallest legal caliber pistol allowed for deer in iowa. I shot a little doe with the .357 mag a couple years ago and decided I wanted something a little bigger, a little more knockdown power and slightly bigger entrance and exit hole. I've shot two with the .44. The dnr has a list of allowed handgun sizes if you're interested.
farmboy85
New Member
if you have it on computer, that would be great to send me one or show it on this thread
150 Class
Well-Known Member
Legal in both shotgun seasons too.
gunrunr
Life Member
Got the handgun fever a few years ago and bought myself a real nice 460 S&W topped with a Burris 2-7 scope. Shot a real nice mid 160's buck at 127 yards and haven't shot the gun since.
A good revolver 44 mag or bigger with optics is what I would recommend. 454 Casull or 460 are balistically awesome for deer hunting and incredibly accurate if you want to go "all in."
A good revolver 44 mag or bigger with optics is what I would recommend. 454 Casull or 460 are balistically awesome for deer hunting and incredibly accurate if you want to go "all in."
Benelliblaster
New Member
What about handguns like the TC contender in rifle cartridges? Saw one in .280 for sale but didnt know if it was legal. The shells themselves looked like they should go in a rifle.
JNRBRONC
Well-Known Member
Carried my .357 a shotgun season or two when I had it, then sold it without ever taking a shot at a deer.
I purchased a .44 Mag recently and will be carrying that now. It will probably be more of a secondary gun than primary. Last year I could have shot a buck at 8 yards that never knew I was there until the ML scraped the tree I was standing behind as I raised it to pretend to shoot him.
I purchased a .44 Mag recently and will be carrying that now. It will probably be more of a secondary gun than primary. Last year I could have shot a buck at 8 yards that never knew I was there until the ML scraped the tree I was standing behind as I raised it to pretend to shoot him.
AZHunter
Iowa Boy At Heart
TC Contenders come in a large variety of calibers, including .300 WM, but Cooter is right. The law (as I remember it) is for straight walled cases only to avoid standard rifle calibers. Although the .444 is a straight-walled case. At one point (right before I moved away and when the came up with the pistol season), there was debate about that to avoid .444s. Any thoughts on that caliber?
150 Class
Well-Known Member
Better caliber than some of the other legal ones (if you can handle it), and legal. More energy and speed. Much more than some. From last year's regs. http://www.iowadnr.gov/Portals/idnr/uploads/Hunting/huntingregs.pdf
Handguns: Center-fire handguns .357 caliber
or larger, shooting straight wall ammunition with
an expanding-type bullet. Minimum barrel length
for all handguns is 4 inches. No shoulder stock or
long barrel modifications are allowed.
Only the following center-fire cartridges may
be used: .357 Magnum, .357 Maximum, .375
Winchester, .38 Super, .40 S&W, .401 Powermag,
10 mm Auto, .41 Remington Magnum, .41 Action
Express, .44 S&W Special, .44 Remington Magnum,
.44 Automag, .444 Marlin, .445 Super Mag,
.45 ACP, .45 Colt, .45 Super Mag, .45 Winchester
Magnum, .45 Silhouette, .451 Detonics, .454
Casull, .45-70 Govt., .460 Rowland, .460 S&W
Mag, .475 Widley Magnum, .475 Linebaugh, .480
Ruger, .50 Action Express, .50 Linebaugh, .50
Beowulf and .500 S&W Mag.
AZHunter
Iowa Boy At Heart
I guess I should have proof read my last post. I meant to ask about thoughts on the legality. Its a great caliber. Thanks for the clarification!
Benelliblaster
New Member
Makes sense, thanks. Just gonna stick to my good ol .357 anyhow. Anyone got any input on a good bullet type or cartridge for .357 on deer?
Benelliblaster
New Member
Will do thank ya sir.
papajess
New Member
Cooter said:Strait out of the reg book page 24.
That's crazy that you can't hunt with a handgun from age 18-20 without being accompanied by a parent, guardian or spouse that is at least 21. I never knew that till I just read it. How crazy is that bs? You can vote and go to war but no hunting deer with a handgun
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U cant buy and hand gun until your 21 so i see y thats the rules.
480 Ruger
I have a 480 that I'm gonna use this year. 325 grn hp. It doesn't have the reach a 460 has but it also doesn't have the price tag of their ammo either. The thing I love best about this round is that it will kill anything in N A and the recoil is only slightly more than a 44.
I have a 480 that I'm gonna use this year. 325 grn hp. It doesn't have the reach a 460 has but it also doesn't have the price tag of their ammo either. The thing I love best about this round is that it will kill anything in N A and the recoil is only slightly more than a 44.