Pistol hunting prep and tech questions

[justcody243]

Hello everyone I have a 686 6" In 357 I plan on hunting some whitetails this upcoming fall with it. I can hold about 4" At 50 yards with the stock sights but I'd like to hold that or better to 75-100yards before trying to take an animal with it. What's everyone's opinion on iron sights vs red dot vs holographic vs pistol scope? Any tips or threads that has help your pistol marksmanship out? I've researched a lot and try to implement it into my range time yet I can't hold less than 6-10inches at 75 yards. With stock iron sights.

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[msharley]

Hey 243,

Welcome to

For hunting, I would use either a McGivern Bead or Fiber Optic front sight...

And for handgun hunting....I would try to keep my shots to 50yds.

Dot Sights can be awkward in the field, and hard to put on moving game.

If you have a tree stand, you can most often take venison at very close range..

The most important, (and I do this with rifle, as well) is to let the animal GO! if you do not have a SURE SHOT!

4" @ 50yds is very good shooting....

Later, Mark

[Curt360]

Welcome to the forum justcody243! That's a fine revolver for hunting as others on this site have discussed in the past. Keep us up to date on the shooting and hunting.

[mrerick]

Sounds to me like your marksmanship consistency is pretty good. If you're quoting hand held accuracy in your first post, the only advice is more training with someone to observe you and help you address any specific issues they see. You will improve most quickly if the observer is an experienced pistol shooting coach, and they help you address one issue (and only one issue) at a time. Training doesn't just involve repetitive shooting. It is the gradual correction of technique problems with repetition to "program" it into muscle memory.

Are you having problems using the stock sights? If it's visual, there are things you can do that will help. I have a special set of glasses with a single focus lens for my dominant eye that is set about 4 inches beyond the distance of my outstretched hand, and a normal progressive lens in my non-dominant eye.

The Red Dot and Holographic sights help in low light conditions. They won't help you with hold control, trigger control or follow through. Those are your responsibility.

I think that the things that contribute most to developing accurate shooting are trigger control, and then sight alignment.

[Waidmann]

A 3 to 5 MOA red dot won't cut it for that. Good cross hairs, 3X or less scope and you can follow a moving deer with both eyes open. I favor a 2X Leupold.

[SidecarFlip]

Forget a 357 at 100 yards. Not enough kinetic energy to effectuate a clean kill pus bullet drop will be an issue.. I'd go with a long eye relief pistol scope versus anything else. Leupy makes a good one, problem is the mount. 357, 50 yards maximum and in reality less than that. I've taken Michigan whitetail with my dad's 44RM but always less that 50 yards. Why I bought a 460 XVR. It's capable of 100 yards, maybe a bit more but I'll hold it to 100 yards or less.

[justcody243]

Thanks everyone for the awesome info I'll try to find someone willing to help me with exspecince. I don't plan on hunting > 50 yards I just like to train past my accepted hunting ranges to push myself. I shoot my 243 to 300 yards so anything 200 or less I can comfortably take a lethal shot. Maybe I'll look into better irons a nice Leopold and a 460 would but nice for the future. I don't have that type of money now. So I'll just keep practicing this shooting is done off a rest on a bench. I hope to achieve similar results in my hunting chair and a mono pod before I attempt to harvest something with it. I'll post pics of some groups and such next time I go!

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[SidecarFlip]

Paper and animals are 2 different things entirely. Always keep that in mind. When I hunt with rifle or handgun, I strive to have the least amount of suffering on the animals part as possible, why, I say with a 357, 50 yards max. A 357 lacks the kinetic energy to provide a clean kill at anything over 50 yards.

I hunt out to 500 yards plus out west with my custom built 308. Over 500 and it's 338 Lapua time. My 308 is my preferred woods rifle for Michigan whitetail deer because the barrel length makes it an easy carry in the woods.

Don't think I've ever taken a deer at more than 150 yards up here and usually it's much closer.

[justcody243]

I agree sidecar keeping the effective distance for the cartridge is extremely important in hunting ethically. I also agree deer ranges are normally 100 or closer. I live in West Virginia and I've gotten off one a little over 200 across a field once, around 50 yards is typical with are terrain especially getting in the thick for the big bucks.

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[guido4198]

You received some good advice so far and I trust you will take it to heart.
I spent a number of years when I was younger being a dedicated "Handgun Hunter". During that time I was able to not only hunt deer and hogs here in the states, but made one of my trips to Africa "handguns only". Speaking from experience, and since you asked for opinions...here's mine:
1. .357 magnum is a bare minimum handgun hunting cartridge. I will admit that it was my first, because when I first decided to deer hunt with a handgun the best choice I owned at that time was my 6" Python, so that's what I took hunting. It will work if you have the discipline to pass shots that are too long, and situations with less than a PERFECT set-up on an animal. That means among other criteria.. NOT shooting moving animals. With iron sights, I wouldn't even think about a shot over 50 yds, and frankly...in the real world, in the woods... 50 yds is pushing it A LOT.
2. Iron sights can work, but are a poor choice unless it's all you have, or can afford. Once again...I have used them extensively because I don't like scoped handguns and when I was doing my handgun hunting "back in the day"...there weren't any good quality red dots around. As time has passed and my eyes deteriorated..I've found a red dot to be a much better choice than irons.
3. If you're going into the Deer woods armed only with your .357, set yourself up in a "close shot" situation. Don't plan to sit on a powerline for example where you're going to have the opportunity to observe deer out in the distance. Find a good spot for your stand such that if you see a deer..it will be close. (Then learn to sit still and be quiet).
I hope that from my comments you get the feeling that when I do take a shot..it's pretty much an execution. NO question about where my bullet will hit or whether or not I will achieve an ethical CLEAN kill. I praise God I don't need that game animal to feed my family, and I certainly don't have anything to "prove". As a result...I enjoy the days in the woods, enjoy game viewing for it's own rewards and every now and then...that perfect set-up occurs and I put meat in the freezer. If it doesn't I go home that day...already looking forward to my next opportunity to be in the woods.
Keep shooting that 686, and good luck in the woods. Being a Handgun Hunter is a lot like bowhunting...it's something you have to do year-around if you want to be an ethical hunter during the season.