Do I need another rifle. . . . . .

[MBTcustom]

I knew an old man who was a teenager in the depression. He told me that things were pretty bad here in Arkansas then. People were poor before, but they were starving in the depression. They couldn't afford shot, or powder, or primers in that house, so he hunted with a bean flip (forked twig with latex strips and a leather pouch). He said he used 3/8" steel knockout slugs to kill rabbits, but he had a few 1/2" steel ball bearings he would use to kill deer with. He said the trick was to get real close and hit them within an inch of the sweet spot in the head.
That's rough livin right there fellers! So I laugh a little when I hear folks talking about what they think is minimum for shooting deer with.
Anything is better than a steel ball bearing going 300 fps!

[223fan]

That is a fine looking pair. I use a lowly 357 to hunt WV deer from time to time and have taken some with no problem so ,I would have to think you are in good shape for deer. I can't say for hogs as they are not here. Now the real problem comes in ,the want..........

[GH1]

While the 45 Colt is capable of killing both deer and pigs, I wouldn't use that one, it's far too pretty. My luck, I'd bounce it off the treestand or drag it across a rock or something.
GH1

[Zymurgy50]

A few years back I was helping a buddy control the doe population on his farm, was using a Ruger Blackhawk 45LC, 255gn lead swc at about 1200 fps. A herd of 12 does walked in front of me at about 40 yards, concentrating on the front sight and the spot on the deer where the bullet would impact I did not see the other doe step behind the one I was aiming at. One shot punched completely through both deer broadside.
First deer ran about 20 yards before dropping, second deer dropped where she stood.

[Cosmiceyes]

As you already should know you range of drop,I see no reason to get another rifle.As a child on a ranch my first Medium game gun is a 357 magnum mod 92 I still have.Semi wad-cutters in the lungs are so fast an effective for bleed out that you may get spoiled.If you going to have to shoot over 100 yards then yes you will need another gun.Make sure you sight in at 75 yards spot on.Your gun shouldn't drop more than 6 inches from there to a 100.I have seen 25-20's,32-20's,38-40's,and 44-40's do this before other people ever had the gumption to claim their killing ideals as gospel.Enjoy you hunt! 's

[1Shirt]

With me, it is always a question of need vs want. I don't need any more, but I want more, and not just guns. Think it is the reality of capitalism.
1Shirt!

[jhalcott]

I have on of those "WRIST ROCKET" sling shots! I modified it to use 4 bands instead of the 2 it came with. THAT sling shot would kill a deer at 25 yards using 1/2" steel ball bearings Some would run a ways(50-100 yards) then lay down and die. I killed more than a few at a local college that would NOT allow guns or bows to be used. The Head man saw what my "bean flipper" could do and allowed me to reduce the herd for two years. The deer/ vehicle collision rate dropped quite dramatically as I "hunted" near the roads. Any animal spotted on the grounds dead was ASSUMED to be from a vehicle injury.

[nanuk]

I too had a "Wrist Wrocket"

and with 50Cal lead balls for MLers, I could put it through 3/4" plywood at 50ft.

I have no doubt i could have killed a deer at 20yds IF I could hit it in the head!

it for sure would enter the rib cage broadside.