Handgun hunting is not for everyone, and it’s not for the faint of heart. It is, however, a more challenging — and, to some, more 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 white-tailed deer is the most numerous big-game animal and found throughout most of the country. Increasingly, however, hunters are putting handguns into use when pursuing the wild hogs that have become so plentiful — and so damaging — 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 is just as satisfying as a 600-yard heart/lung shot for the long-range lovers.

What might surprise many readers is that the number of handgun hunters is actually quite large. According to a 2023 report at Statista.com, about 2.87 million Americans hunted with a handgun in 2023. That’s down some from the high of 3.51 million handgun hunters in 2016, but still higher than the 2.69 million in 2011.

Because of these strong numbers, several manufacturers offer hunting-specific handguns for those looking for such offerings. For this column, we won’t be looking at those “handguns” that are pretty much rifles without a stock, but truly hand-fired models that might make a customer step up and take notice when displayed in your shop.

Now, let’s take a look at three models you might want to consider when restocking your handgun shelf — two revolvers and a semi-auto pistol.

 Smith & Wesson Model 350

Smith & Wesson has been making hunting handguns for decades. In fact, the first deer I ever killed with a handgun was nearly 20 years ago on a media hunt in Alabama with a S&W revolver chambered in .44 Mag. The big, slow-moving bullet laid down two deer in as many days, proving to me it was a valid hunting cartridge.

S&W’s relatively new Model 350, introduced just last year, 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. Then last year, 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.

One thing to note: The price tag is not for the timid and could cause sticker shock in many prospective hunting handgun purchasers. At $1,679, the MSRP is nearly as big as the 350 Legend itself.

Taurus 10-inch Raging Hunter 460 

While the Taurus Raging Hunter in .460 S&W Magnum is, indeed, a hunting revolver, it likely looks like no other hunting revolver your customers have ever seen. 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 eke out a little more ballistic goodness 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 black anodized shroud covering the first six inches or so. With a weight of 4.45 pounds and overall length of 16.2 inches, the gun has a 5-shot cylinder. Rubberized, recoil-reducing grips make the big 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.  

.460 Magnum ammo 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 ft./lbs., enough to knock down just about any game animal on the planet and more than likely a zombie or two if the need arises. With that kind of velocity and a good projectile, the caliber lets handgun hunters reach out and touch game at nearly rifle distances.

While not as expensive as the previously discussed S&W revolver, the 10-Inch Raging Hunter 460 nevertheless carries a pretty hefty price tag. MSRP is $1,304.

Springfield XDM Elite 4.5 OSP 

We’ve included this for those who prefer a semi-auto pistol over a revolver. After all, not everyone is satisfied with being limited to five to seven shots when heading out to the woods—particularly those who might run across a large predator or a pack of them.

Springfield’s XDM Elite 4.5 OSP might not have the punch of the other two 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 (and many do) who want 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.

Along with hunting, the 4.5 OSP also doubles a fine home-defense and self-defense pistol. Whether carried in the woods to repel both four-legged and two-legged predators, tucked into a nightstand safe beside the bed or stored in the console as a “truck gun,” this pistol, and the 10mm cartridge, can get the job done. And at $653, the 4.5 OSP’s MSRP is far lower than the other two guns discussed here.

Wrapping It Up

Selling hunting handguns probably isn’t going to make you rich, but making return customers happy when they are looking for those firearms is a feather in your cap and can lead to more sales down the road. Don’t ignore this product segment when making your future purchase plans.