The typical tools of hunters include shotguns, rifles and bows, but there are those who prefer to pursue their favored quarry with handguns. Serving this group of hunters with the guns and ammo to take down deer and hogs can open a new revenue channel for your store.

While handgun hunting isn’t for everyone, some find it a more challenging and satisfying way to harvest game during open firearm seasons. Deer hunters looking for a new challenge make up the bulk of handgun hunters since the whitetail deer is the most popular big-game animal and is found throughout most of the country. Increasingly, hunters are also using handguns to pursue the wild hogs that have become so plentiful throughout much of the nation.

Of course, with the growing trend of long-range hunting and rifles touted to shoot “minute of gnat’s butt” at 1,000 yards, hunting deer with a handgun probably sounds silly to some hardcore hunters. To others, though, the challenge of getting closer and making a well placed shot at 50 yards is just as satisfying as a 600-yard heart/lung shot for long-range aficionados.

And, of course, deer aren’t the only game species pursued with handguns. Rimfire handguns in .22 LR and .22 Mag. are often used for rabbits, squirrels, varmints and other pests.

Interestingly, the number of handgun hunters in the U.S. is larger than you probably think. According to a 2023 report at Statista.com, about 2.87 million Americans hunted with a handgun in 2023. 

Let’s take a look at several models you might want to consider when restocking your handgun shelf.

Ruger New Model Super Blackhawk Hunter 

Ruger has been producing high-quality hunting guns for decades, and their large revolvers are certainly no exception. The company’s New Model Super Blackhawk, chambered in three different potent hunting cartridges including the .44 Mag., .454 Casull and super-hot .480 Ruger cartridge, is a handgun that just about any hunter would be proud to take to the deer blind.

The Super Blackhawk Hunter features a traditional Western-style, hand-filling grip that has been proven comfortable and natural-pointing. It boasts dual coil springs throughout for maximum reliability, a transfer bar mechanism and a loading gate interlock to provide a measure of security against accidental discharge. A fixed-ramp front sight and adjustable rear sight come standard, and integral mounts are machined directly on the solid-steel barrel rib to provide a stable mounting surface for scope rings, eliminating a potential source of looseness and inaccuracy in the field.

Specs for the .44 Magnum version, which has a six-round capacity, include a barrel length of 7.5 inches, an overall length of 13.6 inches and an overall weight of 52 ounces (3.25 pounds) without optic or cartridges in the cylinder. The finish is stainless steel, and the cold hammer-forged barrel provides very good accuracy and longevity.

Sig P320 XTen 10mm 

The Sig P320 XTen, a semi-auto pistol, serves triple duty for home defense, woods carry in dangerous game country, and hunting. Chambered in 10mm, it is as accurate as it is attractive. While some may underestimate the power of the 10mm, the XTen's 5-inch barrel propels a 180-grain bullet downrange at approximately 1,200 feet per second, which makes it effective for deer hunting within about 50 yards.  

The XTen features a 15-round magazine, which provides ample follow-up shots, whether needed for hunting or unexpected zombie encounters in the woods. The barrel measures 5 inches, the overall length is 8.5 inches, and the gun weighs 33 ounces when unloaded. It boasts a full-size polymer grip module and a stainless steel barrel.  

This pistol is equipped with Sig’s exceptional XRAY3 Day/Night Sights, which enable easy targeting in various lighting conditions. Additionally, it is optics-ready, with an M1913 rail for mounting an optic. The pistol also features the outstanding Sig X Straight Trigger, designed to break at around 4 to 4.5 pounds of pull. To reduce recoil, a completely redesigned X polymer grip module provides a strong purchase and makes shooting comfortable for any type of ammunition.

Smith & Wesson Model 350 

Smith & Wesson has been making hunting handguns for decades. The company’s relatively new Model 350, introduced a few years ago, is a hunting handgun that just about any revolver fan will love. Because of the number of states that have instituted laws requiring straight-walled cartridges for deer hunting, in 2019 Winchester invented the 350 Legend cartridge, and rifle companies followed by chambering rifles in that caliber to offer hunters in those states something more potent than a shotgun slug or muzzleloader projectile. Later, Smith & Wesson chambered its massive X-frame, famous for use in the S&W 500 wheelguns, in 350 Legend.

From a pistol barrel, the 350 Legend is faster and more powerful than the oft-used .44 Mag. That’s one of the things that makes this gun so appealing. The big single-action/double-action stainless steel revolver has a 7.5-inch barrel and an overall length of 13-5 inches — not exactly a concealed carry pistol. It also weighs a whopping 71.5 ounces (nearly 4.5 pounds), but that weight is helpful in calming the recoil of the big boomer. Other features include a seven-shot, fluted cylinder, ported barrel for helping control recoil and a red-ramp front sight for easy sighting in most lighting conditions.

Springfield XDM Elite 4.5 OSP 

We’ve included a couple of semi-autos for those who prefer that platform, although their use in the field is way more limited than revolvers. Springfield’s XDM Elite 4.5 OSP might not have the punch of many of the revolvers in this discussion at longer ranges, but it does have the power to get the job done with good-quality ammunition. 

Chambered in 10mm, it holds 16+1 rounds of ammo, making sure no hunter is ever outgunned should a war break out while afield. The pistol features Springfield’s Match Enhanced Trigger Assembly (META) with a flat face, crisp break and integral overtravel stop. Additional features include an extended/removable flared magazine well, deep slide serrations for easy manipulation of the slide and an ambidextrous slide stop. Of course, the pistol has an optics cut for those hunters who want (and many do) to mount a red-dot or other optic to their handgun.

As for specs, the slide is made of forged steel and has a Melonite finish, while the barrel is hammer-forged steel. Length is 7.6 inches, weight is a svelte 31 ounces and the frame is polymer. Along with the optics cut, the slide features a fiber-optic front sight with Springfield’s awesome Tactical Rack U-Dot rear sight.

Taurus 10-inch Raging Hunter 460

Taurus introduced the new .460 Raging Hunter in 2023, and it quickly turned a few heads. One of the main reasons is the revolver’s 10-inch barrel, designed to create a little more ballistic efficiency before the projectile exits the muzzle.

This revolver’s specifications are nothing short of astonishing. This single-action/double-action wheelgun features a 10-inch matte stainless steel barrel with a black anodized shroud covering the first six inches. With a weight of 4.45 pounds and an overall length of 16.2 inches, the gun has a 5-shot cylinder. Rubberized, recoil-reducing grips make the large revolver easier to hold onto when firing, and high-visibility iron sights provide a good sight picture. The shroud on the rear of the barrel offers two Picatinny rails for optics and any under-barrel accessories a shooter might choose. The barrel features a proprietary recoil-reducing muzzle brake at the front end.

The .460 Magnum ammo the gun uses is equally impressive. Factory loads are available with projectiles of various types ranging from 200 to 375 grains — a wide weight range, indeed. With muzzle velocities not too far below 2,000 fps from a 10-inch barrel, these bullets produce kinetic energy levels over 2,000 foot-pounds.

Smaller Hunting Handguns

Now, let’s take a look at a few small-bore handguns designed for hunting. These guns are accurate and fun to shoot, two of the main criteria for a good firearm.

Browning Buck Mark Hunter 5.9 

Chambered in .22 LR, the most popular rimfire caliber, the Buck Mark Hunter 5.9 features a precision machined alloy frame and a 5.9-inch matte-blued bull barrel that is threaded for a muzzle device. The overall length of the .22 is 10 inches, and it weighs 41 ounces without the 10-round magazine inserted. The receiver finish is matte black and features the trademark Browning gold-plated trigger, Plus, the laminated cocobolo-colored target grips add a touch of class, as well as providing a good purchase on the gun for shooting.

This pistol comes with a good set of sights, including a windage adjustable rear sight and a TruGlo fiber-optic front sight. As an added bonus, it also comes with a Vortex Crossfire red-dot sight, great for faster target acquisition and accuracy, already mounted. The pistol’s low red-dot mount allows the sights to cowitness through the red-dot, giving hunters a backup in the case of a battery failure.

Ruger Super Redhawk .22 Hornet 

The Super Redhawk has been a staple in the Ruger revolver lineup for years, and the addition of the .22 Hornet model makes that lineup even better. Known as a long-range varmint caliber, the centerfire .22 Hornet is a real zinger. With a 45-grain bullet, the Hornet has a muzzle velocity of 2655 fps — screaming fast for a rimfire round.

No small gun, this double-action revolver features a 9.5-inch barrel and an overall length of 15 inches. It weighs in at a whopping 66 ounces (4.125 pounds) with the eight-round cylinder empty. Hogue Tamer Monogrip gives hunters a perfect place to hold on to, and sights include an adjustable rear and HiViz fiber-optic front. For those wanting to use an optic for longer-range shooting, a rail provides plenty of room for a scope, and the gun comes with scope rings.