EddieWalker
Epic Contributor
A friend of mine shot a big hog along the Eal River in Northern California with his rifle from up on a ridge. It was a fair shot, but not a killer. At the shot, I was at the edge of the thick stuff and could hear him coming my way. I had a Ruger Secruty Six double action revolver in 357 magnum with me. I decided that at close range, it was better then my rifle. The hog came out at 20 yards and angled off to the side of me. I shot it six times as it went by. All head shots, but none penetrated the skull. I'm not a great shot with a pistol, but I did qualify Sharpshooter with a similar pistol in the Marine Corps. I can hit what I aim at. With more power, two of those shots would have been instant kills. Two were close, but questionable. One took out it's jaw and the other was in the neck muscle area, sort of high.
After that, I retired that pistol for home defense. I also learned that using a pistol instead of a rifle was just foolish. After I emptied my pistol out on the hog, I grabed my rifle and droped him with one shot at 100 yards. I felt bad and I felt stupid. I carried a pistol why hunting because my friends did and one them's dad said it would come in handy one day. He was full of it on more then one story, and this was another of his hero stories.
I don't carry a pistol while hunting with a rifle. I've never missed it and don't see the need anymore.
I do have a Ruger Super Blackhawk single action in 44 mag with a 12 inch barrel that I carry from time to time. I've shot three hogs with it and they were all one shot kills. When my Brother in Law shot his first hog, we had to track it into the thick brush at night time. With a flashlight in one hand, I chose the carry the 44 mag in the other hand. It was after midnight when we found it, and it was already dead, so I didn't need it.
Usually I carry the pistol when I'm not really hunting, but out when I might see something. I've walked away from more hogs then I've shot by a large margin, but having the pistol handy sure makes it allot nicer being able to decide rather then not having it around and wanting it.
Tough to beat Ruger.
Eddie
After that, I retired that pistol for home defense. I also learned that using a pistol instead of a rifle was just foolish. After I emptied my pistol out on the hog, I grabed my rifle and droped him with one shot at 100 yards. I felt bad and I felt stupid. I carried a pistol why hunting because my friends did and one them's dad said it would come in handy one day. He was full of it on more then one story, and this was another of his hero stories.
I don't carry a pistol while hunting with a rifle. I've never missed it and don't see the need anymore.
I do have a Ruger Super Blackhawk single action in 44 mag with a 12 inch barrel that I carry from time to time. I've shot three hogs with it and they were all one shot kills. When my Brother in Law shot his first hog, we had to track it into the thick brush at night time. With a flashlight in one hand, I chose the carry the 44 mag in the other hand. It was after midnight when we found it, and it was already dead, so I didn't need it.
Usually I carry the pistol when I'm not really hunting, but out when I might see something. I've walked away from more hogs then I've shot by a large margin, but having the pistol handy sure makes it allot nicer being able to decide rather then not having it around and wanting it.
Tough to beat Ruger.
Eddie
