Any of you stop a charge with a handgun?

[Ontario Hunter]

Long term stalking with rifle "backed up" by handgun is not practical. 1) I would not want my slung rifle banging into a side holstered handgun and I definitely would not want the restricted ventilation of a shoulder harness. 2) Then there's the added weight to consider. Any handgun capable of doing some damage to buffalo would need to be large caliber and heavy. A trauma kit with IV fluids might be a life saver in the event of buffalo incident but I can't see me or anyone in my crew packing that stuff on an African hunt.

When hunting elk in grizzly country I typically brought along a pistol. But not for backup. Dad's K22 killed a ton of grouse and it was always in my daypack with hunting knife and extra ammo, not in the way hanging on my side. In the event of a bear incident I would just have to make do with my Springfield's six 190 gr bullets. I learned very early on that the elements during hunting season posed a much more real threat than grizzlies. Carrying too much stuff can be dangerous ... as can not enough stuff. I filled my daypack's environmentally restricted weight limit with genuine essentials: food (!!!), extra clothing, ammo, socks, .22 bird pistol, knife.

 

[SafariCurious]

Long term stalking with rifle "backed up" by handgun is not practical. 1) I would not want my slung rifle banging into a side holstered handgun and I definitely would not want the restricted ventilation of a shoulder harness. 2) Then there's the added weight to consider. Any handgun capable of doing some damage to buffalo would need to be large caliber and heavy. A trauma kit with IV fluids might be a life saver in the event of buffalo incident but I can't see me or anyone in my crew packing that stuff on an African hunt.

When hunting elk in grizzly country I typically brought along a pistol. But not for backup. Dad's K22 killed a ton of grouse and it was always in my daypack with hunting knife and extra ammo, not in the way hanging on my side. In the event of a bear incident I would just have to make do with my Springfield's six 190 gr bullets. I learned very early on that the elements during hunting season posed a much more real threat than grizzlies. Carrying too much stuff can be dangerous ... as can not enough stuff. I filled my daypack's environmentally restricted weight limit with genuine essentials: food (!!!), extra clothing, ammo, socks, .22 bird pistol, knife.

You need to try some better handgun carry methods.

I have a Hill People Gear chest bag I wear on long jogs, hikes, and walks in the Vegas heat and its fine, also holds my wallet, cell phone and keys so I can skip a belt and just wear gym shorts with empty pockets if I want.

It fits either my 10mm Glock 20 or my SW 629 44 mag revolver just fine.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

You need to try some better handgun carry methods.

I have a Hill People Gear chest bag I wear on long jogs, hikes, and walks in the Vegas heat and its fine, also holds my wallet, cell phone and keys so I can skip a belt and just wear gym shorts with empty pockets if I want.

It fits either my 10mm Glock 20 or my SW 629 44 mag revolver just fine.

I expect to get sweaty jogging. I prefer to avoid it when hunting.

 

[SafariCurious]

I expect to get sweaty jogging. I prefer to avoid it when hunting.

 

[Flbt]

Two worst hangun recoil ever experienced by me was tc contender in 30-30 single shot, and some 44 magnum revolver from 2 inch barrel.
While contender had at least some meaningful accuracy, 44 mag snub nose did not at all.

I wonder, if putting some real dg caliber in a handgun, how that would feel? This all reduces a meaningful purpose.

One other thing i noticed. Multiple guns in a single outing during the hunt, bring a bit of confusion, and dealays in changing the hand. I found that having one trusty gun, on a single stalk, makes me focused on best practical use of that particular weapon.
So, for me, i would choose best practical rifle, and caliber for specific dg hunt.
This is for Africa.

At home, once a bear saw with cub was visting my feeder in hunting area.
When i was refillimg the feeder with corn, i carried 7.62x25 tokarev.
But i did not fool my self, with some stopping power of that pistol.
Shooting the brain, with enough accuracy during eventual charge was my hope for such event.
However the charge never happened.
7.62 mm TT has high penetration, and would pass the scull.
Thats it.

I like my 44 snubby I carry it normally with 180gr sjhp full power loads.
It’s worked well on hogs, coyotes
And I betting would work fine for my cc
Now all my buddies that have shot it hate the gun.

 

[Art Lambart II]

I am an experienced pistol shooter with many trophies and championships but after being charged by a Cape Buffalo and run off by a Bull Elephant within a twenty-minute time frame I can tell you with certainty you want a big bore rifle not a handgun.

It took three 400 grain 416 Rigby slugs and four 300 grain 375 H&H slugs to finish my buffalo, any animal that can take that kind of punishment can and will shrug of a pistol round during a charge.

That’s just my opinion and others may vary, but I personally would not risk my life, our anyone else’s by relying on a handgun to stop a charge.

 

[Flbt]

Stopping an African DG charge with a pistol (using a typical pistol caliber) would be extremely unlikely. Even if the bullets could penetrate to the brain (most will not), hitting the target would be as much luck as skill.

I’ll stick with my rifle. If it malfunctions, I’ll try to clear it or use it the best I can for some sort of defense…although probably futile.

Honestly, if I were to die hunting DG, it would be a good death. Tragic for sure, but there are so many other worse ways to go. And if you are going in the field for DG, it’s best to get comfortable with this. It’s called DANGEROUS for a reason. Prepare accordingly.

Good death?
Ever had a horn perice skin? Or a hoof brake a joint?
That was with cattle for me. That hurt bad enough. I would bet a buff would be worse than a longhorn.
The pain that comes with getting hooked has nothing good about it.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

Good death?
Ever had a horn perice skin? Or a hoof brake a joint?
That was with cattle for me. That hurt bad enough. I would bet a buff would be worse than a longhorn.
The pain that comes with getting hooked has nothing good about it.

Yeah, laying in bed shitting myself and not knowing what planet I'm on sounds so much better. I would rather my family had to look at something in the morgue that had to be shoveled into a sack. It's over and done with for them. Watching a loved one rot away a bit at a time is the worst kind of painful.

 

[Flbt]

Yeah, laying in bed shitting myself and not knowing what planet I'm on sounds so much better. I would rather my family had to look at something in the morgue that had to be shoveled into a sack. It's over and done with for them. Watching a loved one rot away a bit at a time is the worst kind of painful.

Never said rotten in a bed was a good death either.
But as some one that’s been stomped by cows and horses the pain that hits is nothing good.

 

[Carnivore hunter]

I hope my thread hasn't been misleading or given the wrong impression of what I was getting at. If it was it was my fault. In my first post of this thread I wasn't more specific and I can no longer go back to edit it as it won't let me now...

My intentions of this thread was about using a backup sidearm revolver during a charge in a emergency if the rifle malfunctioned or is out of ammo...

Of course, I want a DG rifle with the proper ammo to hit the animal with as many shots as possible as my #1 first choice. I also personally want a big bore revolver on me as a backup just in case. That added weight is something I will have to accept and deal with. I believe Tim Sundles (owner of Buffalobore ammo) when he goes coastal Brown bear hunting in Alaska takes a rifle and also a big bore revolver 500 Linebaugh with him.

 

[Flbt]

I hope my thread hasn't been misleading or given the wrong impression of what I was getting at. If it was it was my fault. In my first post of this thread I wasn't more specific and I can no longer go back to edit it as it won't let me now...

My intentions of this thread was about using a backup sidearm revolver during a charge in a emergency if the rifle malfunctioned or is out of ammo...

Of course, I want a DG rifle with the proper ammo to hit the animal with as many shots as possible as my #1 first choice. I also personally want a big bore revolver on me as a backup just in case. That added weight is something I will have to accept and deal with. I believe Tim Sundles (owner of Buffalobore ammo) when he goes coastal Brown bear hunting in Alaska takes a rifle and also a big bore revolver 500 Linebaugh with him.

I carry a hand gun when I hog hunt.
Or deer hunt

But with me to be honest if you see me dressed I am carrying

 

[pilar]

I wouldn’t trust a pistol to stop a charge of any type
I banned hunters from bringing pistols into camp, leave it in your car or next to your bed , but I don’t allow them in camp ( seen to many people playing around or showing their weapons, and sweep people)

 

[Flbt]

I wouldn’t trust a pistol to stop a charge of any type
I banned hunters from bringing pistols into camp, leave it in your car or next to your bed , but I don’t allow them in camp ( seen to many people playing around or showing their weapons, and sweep people)

I can see where that could be a problem
But from what I have seen if the guy will cover you with a handgun he will with a long gun to.

 

[pilar]

I can see where that could be a problem
But from what I have seen if the guy will cover you with a handgun he will with a long gun to.

100%

 

[Sarg]

I hope my thread hasn't been misleading or given the wrong impression of what I was getting at. If it was it was my fault. In my first post of this thread I wasn't more specific and I can no longer go back to edit it as it won't let me now...

My intentions of this thread was about using a backup sidearm revolver during a charge in a emergency if the rifle malfunctioned or is out of ammo...

Of course, I want a DG rifle with the proper ammo to hit the animal with as many shots as possible as my #1 first choice. I also personally want a big bore revolver on me as a backup just in case. That added weight is something I will have to accept and deal with. I believe Tim Sundles (owner of Buffalobore ammo) when he goes coastal Brown bear hunting in Alaska takes a rifle and also a big bore revolver 500 Linebaugh with him.

This is 100% if I can’t carry a pistol (most places I hunt) I carry a large knife, a more solid version of the OSS & used them a lot to finish game.

Many years ago I was ambushed by a wounded Banteng Bull, big story but short he hit me from the side & luckly I hit him in the nose (below brain) putting him off his mark, he smashed me a couple of times & tossed me over some small thick mangrove trees, I managed to retain my rifle, as he was trying to find a path around a tree (or something) I shot him again just above the brain but knocked him out, anyway a pistol would of been fantastic if I’d parted company from my rifle, I have dispatched a Banteng Bull with my knife also, I think this would be impossible with a Water Buffalo as much more Tank like.

 

[Doug Hamilton]

I've seen many videos online of hunters in Africa using rifles to stop charges from dangerous game but, what about using handguns being used to stop charges from dangerous game (Lion, Cape Buffalo, Elephant, Hyena) ? Have any of you seen or been part of having to use a handgun to stop a charge?

Is the Smith & Wesson 460 and 500 x-frames allowed in Africa as it's a Double-Action, or are only Single Action revolvers allowed?

For handgun ammo, is it best to use mono-metal brass and copper solid or can you use hard cast lead LBT for head-on shots against a charging cape buffalo?

I'm pretty sure that if you shoot a buffalo with s handgun and he charges before he dies, you will be depending on the rifle and skill of the PH.

 

[Doug Hamilton]

Could a monolithic solid brass or copper flat point bullet from S&W 500 or 500 Linebaugh shot into a cape buffalo's head/between the eyes be able to stop him? If the shooter was lucky enough to pull off the shot of course?

When the bull comes for you his head is high and moves up and down a lot. Been there seen that. As many riflemen have found, a shot between the eyes will furrow the skull with the bullet plowing into the boss. The trick is to hit the bull on the nose and up the nasal cavity into the brain. The handguns that you mentioned would, in theory, do that but it would take a much better shooter than me to be willing to risk it.

 

[Carnivore hunter]

I wouldn’t trust a pistol to stop a charge of any type
I banned hunters from bringing pistols into camp, leave it in your car or next to your bed , but I don’t allow them in camp ( seen to many people playing around or showing their weapons, and sweep people)

Where is your camp?

 

[Carnivore hunter]

Has anyone here hunted dangerous game with a handgun? There have been many people here at this forum and over at Singleactions.com who have. It's well established...

Thread 'Handgun Hunting Buffalo'

Jan 7, 2010

Handgun Hunting Buffalo
by Sverre A. Meisingseth, Norway

The last 10 years - I have done all my hunting with a handgun.
South Africa - is the country which every handgun hunter should visit!

Guns
Revolvers in cal. 357 Mag., .44 Mag. and .454 Casull - and singleshot-pistols like Thompson Contender (TC) in cal. 30-30 and .375 JDJ - is what I have shot my 66 animals with.

To avoid to talk about all the details I have experienced with those calibers - I have ended up with a Freedom Arms (FA) mod. 83, 7,5 " barrel in .454 Casull - and TC in .375 JDJ - as my perfect...

• Shadob
• Replies: 5
• Forum: Articles

• 

The Challenges of Hunting Cape Buffalo with a Revolver - Inside Safariland

A high degree of responsibility comes with taking up the task of handgunning a cape buffalo bull. We must be as proficient as possible with our handgun.

inside.safariland.com

An Official Journal Of The NRA | Handgun Hunting: How to Prep for African Dangerous Game

Hunting dangerous game with a handgun is not for the weak-kneed. Think you’re ready? Here are a few tips for proper preparation.

www.americanhunter.org

https://www.magnumresearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/The_Sixgunner-Jan-2023R.pdf

 

[pilar]

Where is your camp?

On the Mexican border, got a few black bears, wild hogs, illegal aliens but nothing I deem worthy of carrying a sidearm @ the kitchen table or around the campfire.
Depending upon what ranch we are on.
I don’t allow any type loaded weapons in a vehicle or walking ( it’s bolt open and none in the chamber)
Only exception was when I was in Alaska moose hunting or when walking to a vehicle after hours .