Hunting handguns.

[Rapier]

Adam,
Back to the original question:
I have hunted with a Blackhawk in 357 (killed big hogs with it), a Single Six for small critters while deer hunting, baged a few northern bunnies on the bad, they were white with no snow, :-).
Hunt hogs with a 44mag Blackhawk and a Merrill (killed hogs with both) and did hunt several years with a ten inch TC in 357 Harrett. Gave up on the TC when the internal safety cost me a 10 point at about 15 feet. Deer walked right up on me from behind, I was setting with back against a tree. That was when I changed to the silent gun, the Merrill or XL. In 30-30 the XL is quite effective with a top end load of 3031under a 170 Speer Flat Points. I have killed hogs with it and it has tremendous penetration.

Today I carry a five inch 22 LR Browning Buckmark Target with a Gilmore red dot on the farm about 99% of the time. During deer season I will switch to a 4 inch M-66 while on the tractor to go with the Mini-14 in the rifle rack.
Ed