Looking for advice, opnions, experience on a hunting pistol

ICANHITHIMMAN

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Well I'm thinking of buying a hunting pistol. I don't know what to get. In the area I live during the regular hunting season its shotgun only no rifles. But there have been many missed opportunities to take game at longer ranges due to the limitations of the modern slug gun.

My thoughts are a pistol that can take game out to 400M. I do allot of tree stand hunting as well as sitting on the ground. Im not going to have one built at this thime so I need something available.

What are your thoughts suggestions? What should I be looking at?
 
You mentioned slug guns only. Is it also straight walled only for handguns - or does your area allow bottlenecks for handguns? Also, did you check out Savage's 220 slug gun for long range slugging?
 
I've shot my own TC's and a friend's Rem XP. I would take the XP for consistency. The TC's are inexpensive and can shoot small groups, but they are not problem free (in my experience). For cartridges, I found the 30'06 to be a bit uncomfortable, while I enjoy shooting the .308. Just that little bit of extra recoil pushes it out of the comfortable zone for me (personal preference). I've had good groups with .223, .243, .308 and .30'06. I have also had some fail to fire and some flyers. You might enjoy something like a 7mm-08 barrel, or a 6.5 of some sort.

I bring up the TC's because I think you are more likely to find them on short notice and you mentioned that was important. They can shoot well, but there are some problems with em.

I really enjoy shooting mine with a .223 barrel on it, otherwise I wouldn't still have them. I have to say, I feel like I am recommending a cheap beer to you or something similar. I first got my TC's because I heard of how fun they are with a .223 barrel (they are :) ). I think if you want a long range hunting pistol, there are better options out there (trigger, fit, consistency, strength). I am tempted (another project) to go with a Savage Target action, and build a long range shooter out of it, but I am not looking at doing that any time soon. I wouldn't mind trying one of the MOA handguns and seeing how well they shoot. If I was looking for a dedicated long range pistol, I would not go with a TC.

If for some reason, you can't find a better gun and end up going with a TC, you might enjoy reading this : http://www.6mmbr.com/gunweek055.html It is in the rifle config, but it is about the best I have read about someone getting out of a TC encore.



Best of luck!
 
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For ease of lurning to shoot. A bolt gun had Contenders for years could not shoot them. The Contenders shoot its getting use to shooting them. Picked a XP first shot it went where I wanted it to. I only shoot Mid grip bolt guns. I only shot rear grip once didnt like it.
 
tube-xp-stock.jpg

Most you will find will have wood or fiberglass stocks. Look one thread under this one you will see it shooting.
 
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No question if you have the coins go for an XP build. I think the TC guns get a bad rap because of headspace issues. They really can be, and usually are very accurate guns if you pay attention to several things. The first thing is the hinge pin. I mic the inside of the hinge radius of a new barrel and put a pin that fits tightly in there and this alone brings groups right where they need to be. Secondly, a nice pillar bed, or rail bed job (hangar bar) in the forearm will help you tremendously along with the addition of a good brake. Finally, the break action guns require you to pay critical attention to the headspace issues so you can get your dies adjusted accordingly. Mike Bellm of Bellm TC's gets those guns to shoot some amazing groups certainly capable of doing what you're looking to do. I already had a frame with a trigger job, so I bought a 300 whisper barrel from mgm, and put a nikon 2-8 pistol scope on it. I'm right at 3/4" at 200 yards with 125 grain ballistic tips, and one ragged hole at 150 yards with 240 grain SMK's.
Is this a 400 yard gun?.....maybe for woodchucks on a windless day, but it is an example of a TC encore that shoots very well.

For a dedicated hunting gun, and anything that pushes past 500 yards, there really is no reason to look past an XP build for that purpose.
 
Another option is the MOA Maximum. About 1/3 of the cost of a tricked XP.
MOA Corporation Homepage
FYI-With a 15" MOA Maximum chambered in 6.5-284, I shot a 5-shot group at MOA's LR handgun match this past June measuring 5.25" at 1000 yards.
 
When you do your build, make sure you build what you want, and not what we think you should have.:D
We can, and are to happy to give you our opinions, and the reasons for them, but in the end, build what you have set your heart on after doing your research.

Thanks guys this is great info
 
I went with the savage target action, I really like it. With a 17.5" barrel I'm getting 2800 with a 168 grain bullet. I had the scope off and havent shot it in 6 months, but this last weekend I threw it back together and got it zero'd. Then I shot a 3 shot group at 100 that was around 1/2" :) I think a savage can be built a little cheaper then a xp.
 
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