Handgun hunting can involve any and every platform including bolt-action, semi-automatic, and revolver models. Of course, revolvers have long been considered the classic choice for hunting, and for understandable reasons. Not only are revolvers reliable, accurate, and usually pretty durable, but they have centuries of reliable performance behind them. These are our top five magnum revolver picks for hunting. Whether you’re after whitetail deer or feral hogs, there’s a gun here for you.
Taurus Raging Hunter
This is a gun that doesn’t get nearly enough credit for how fantastic it really is. The Taurus Raging Hunter is a well-made revolver that’s impressively precise on target. It does come in different barrel lengths, but our personal favorite is the 8.37-inch, partly for the way it mitigates felt recoil but also because it gives you even greater accuracy. And just like barrel lengths, this gun comes in different chamberings. We like the 454 Casull but you can certainly go with 500 Smith & Wesson or 44 Magnum.
The Taurus Raging Hunter with an 8.37-inch barrel has an overall length of 15 inches. It’s not a revolver you’re going to carry on your hip, but it is one ideally built for hunting. Other dimensions include a width of 1.8 inches and an empty weight of 57 ounces. Yes, this is a rather heavy revolver, but it really should be. Thanks to its size and weight it’s more fun to shoot than many similarly made revolvers. And due to the quality of its design, it’s a lot more accurate on target than you might expect. Nothing should stop you from adding the Taurus Raging Hunter to your handgun collection.
Smith & Wesson 629 Stealth Hunter
Something to keep in mind when you’re choosing a revolver for hunting purposes is that a stainless steel finish might involve some glare. That becomes a serious issue when you’re after sharp-eyed game animals. The Smith & Wesson 629 Stealth Hunter is a high-quality gun that was designed to do exactly what its name implies: help you prevent being noticed. It accomplishes this with a black color finish and black rubber grips, features that help it blend into the shadows of a hunting blind with greater ease.
The Smith & Wesson 629 Stealth Hunter is chambered in 44 Magnum and has a six-round capacity. Its barrel is 7.5 inches long which is a nice length for hunting and it has an overall length of 12.9 inches. The gun weighs 55.2 ounces so it’s fairly large and the added weight helps cut down on felt recoil. It’s a single-action/double-action gun and the trigger is smooth with a crisp break right out of the box. It ships with a red ramp front sight for visibility and has a Magna ported barrel. This is an N-frame revolver. If you want a classic for hunting but prefer modern touches, the Smith & Wesson 629 Stealth Hunter might be right for you.
Ruger Super Redhawk
If you’ve spent much time with revolvers or handgun hunting, you’ve likely heard of the Ruger Super Redhawk. For our purposes, we’re covering one of the biggest guns from the line. It’s chambered in 44 Magnum and has a 9.5-inch barrel, and that really does come in handy for longer shots on animals like deer. The Ruger Super Redhawk is a stout revolver capable of withstanding all kinds of abuse. It has a triple locking cylinder, there’s extra metal in its top strap, and it’s specifically made to handle more powerful big game loads. This is definitely a purpose-built revolver.
The Ruger Super Redhawk has a six-round capacity. With its 9.5 barrel the overall length is more than many, at 15 inches, but it weighs in at 58 ounces which isn’t really much more than most. Ruger uses Hogue Tamer Monogrip grips on this gun for comfort and shooting ease, meaning the grip sleeve is a rubber material with molded finger grooves. The gun ships with a ramp front sight and adjustable rear sight. It has a satin stainless finish, which helps cut the risk of glare, and the barrel is cold hammer forged. It’s also worth mentioning that because this gun is chambered in 44 Magnum, it’s possible to run 44 Special with it as well. Just make sure that whatever you plan to hunt with is the same load you use for zeroing optics or practicing accuracy on paper targets. This is a durable, beautifully made gun that makes a stellar addition to any gun collection.
Colt Anaconda
Sticking with the longer-barreled theme that tends to be specific to handgun hunting animals like deer we have the Colt Anaconda. This revolver is a member of the company’s Snake family of guns, and while the new model is excellent, if you can find an original Anaconda, we say go for it. The new model is quite well made and has an awesome factory trigger, making it a pleasure to shoot and hunt with. It’s chambered in 44 Magnum, of course, and has a six-round capacity.
The Colt Anaconda has an 8-inch barrel so you get the best possible ballistics out of its magnum chambering. It’s worth mentioning that it is also offered with a 6-inch barrel, so if you’d like a slightly smaller revolver, that’s possible. This larger model has a 15-inch overall length and a 59-ounce empty weight. It’s a single-action/double-action, and part of how Colt accomplishes its smooth trigger pull is by using a Linear Leaf Spring Action. Add in the Hogue grips and adjustable sights, and you have a great revolver for hitting the woods during deer season.
Smith & Wesson Model 686
For those interested in a magnum revolver they can carry with them more easily while hunting, there’s the Smith & Wesson Model 686. This revolver is chambered in .357 Magnum and it could certainly be used for hunting feral hogs or any manner of pests and predators. It’s not an ideal deer round, generally speaking, but there are certainly hunters who have successfully used it to take bucks and does. The fact that it’s more portable is a huge plus for many handgun hunters.
The Smith & Wesson Model 686 is offered in different sizes, but this particular model has a 4.13-inch barrel. It has a six-round capacity and it’s certainly possible to get speedloaders to go along with it. This gun has a 1.55-inch width, an overall length of 9.56 inches, and an empty weight of 40.3 ounces. It’s not a big, bulky hunting revolver, and that makes it more versatile (after all, it’s not always possible to have a dedicated gun for every purpose). This is an L-frame stainless steel revolver with black grips. It has a single-action/double-action trigger.
Longer barrels do tend to be preferable for hunting, but it can be nice to have more portable models on hand as well. Before choosing your hunting revolver, take the time to consider exactly what you need it to do. Can it be for deer only, or does it need to double as a defensive gun? Do you want a double-action-only gun or a single-action/double-action? Stainless finish, or black? Find your ideal gun and go from there. There’s nothing quite like handgun hunting, and doing it with a well-made magnum revolver is both fun and rewarding.
