OldCavSoldier
Member
BCRider has the right idea. I carry both pepper spray as well as an S&W M642 with 125gr JHP when I walk the labs.....in addition to a very few feral dogs, there are also coyotes in our area that are rather bold.....
.22 mag revolver for feral dogs
- Thread starter leeroy71
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JR47
Member
If you are in an area with packs of feral dogs, a pistol is a poor armament. Carry a rifle. You can engage at much more distance, and have a better chance of emerging not just victorious, but uninjured, as well.
For those that have hunted the big cats, the PHs have a trick when confronted by a charging animal. They kneel in front of the approach. This places the bore of the rifle on the same plane as the animal, negating the usual "shoot down, look down" that makes the moving animal a smaller target.
For those that have hunted the big cats, the PHs have a trick when confronted by a charging animal. They kneel in front of the approach. This places the bore of the rifle on the same plane as the animal, negating the usual "shoot down, look down" that makes the moving animal a smaller target.
ThomasT
Member
Avoid shooting a neighbors dog if you can. It won't be worth the trouble if you have an alternative. Look at one of these.
http://www.ltspecpro.com/products/305-sjambok-54-inch.aspx
I used to have a dog that chased me on my bike when I went to the store for my mother. That sucker tried to bite me each time I rode by. I had an old solid fiberglass fishing rod blank and one day I carried that with me. When that little hound from hell got even with me he got swatted right over the head as hard as I could hit. He let out a very satisfying yelp and never chased me again. I still grin about it today.
http://www.ltspecpro.com/products/305-sjambok-54-inch.aspx
I used to have a dog that chased me on my bike when I went to the store for my mother. That sucker tried to bite me each time I rode by. I had an old solid fiberglass fishing rod blank and one day I carried that with me. When that little hound from hell got even with me he got swatted right over the head as hard as I could hit. He let out a very satisfying yelp and never chased me again. I still grin about it today.
NMBrian
Member
Didnt Texas Gov. Rick Perry kill a coyote with a .380 not to long ago?
I think you would be fine with just about anything if dogs are your only concern. I take my PF9 with me damn near everywhere. Im confident a .22mag would "get er done".
I think you would be fine with just about anything if dogs are your only concern. I take my PF9 with me damn near everywhere. Im confident a .22mag would "get er done".
Onward Allusion
Member
Carry pepper spray first and use that first. Use the pistol as a last resort because it sounds like you live in a populated area and moving dogs are hard to hit especially when the adrenaline is flowing. With regard to the .22 mag - I'd use something a little bigger. Yes, it can and will dispatch a feral dog but you also want to do it in a quick and humane manner.
PlateStacker
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A rifle?!? Engage at much more distance?? He's talking about walking his dog around the block and a neighbors dog runs across a yard and attacks. He's not out hunting dogs and sniping them for a distance! lol
I have killed a large feral dog with .22 mag rifle. 1 shot put the dog down. It has sufficient power out of a rifle for that task. No experience with it in pistol, but it should be similar to a .22 lr out of a rifle, which is a bit anemic in my opinion and from prior experience with .22 lr.
Carne Frio
Member
A 22 mag for feral or attacking dogs might work.
Just like a 357 mag might work as a black bear defense.
I use this stuff on the bad dogs and it has worked for
the last 5 years, for me. I have used at about twice a
year for the bad dogs. I also carry a large caliber handgun.
Haven't had to use it for the dogs, yet.
This Stuff:
http://www.udap.com/product.htm
It turns them around and they run off howling like mad!
I have never had one return for more.
Just like a 357 mag might work as a black bear defense.
I use this stuff on the bad dogs and it has worked for
the last 5 years, for me. I have used at about twice a
year for the bad dogs. I also carry a large caliber handgun.
Haven't had to use it for the dogs, yet.
This Stuff:
http://www.udap.com/product.htm
It turns them around and they run off howling like mad!
I have never had one return for more.
easyg
Member
A .22 magnum for dogs....sounds like a combination of family endangerment and animal cruelty.
Go bigger.
Go bigger.
22-rimfire
Member
S&W makes nice little pocket size 22LR (S&W M317) and 22 WMR (S&W M351 I believe) revolvers. In my opinion either should be plenty. I can't imagine a pit bull or any kind of dog living thru a head shot at 3 feet with a 22 LR. 22 Mag revolvers are VERY loud. However, peper spray (bear spray) is probably a better deterent in a neighborhood and maintains the peace.
All that said, if you are seriously interested in a CCW firearm, I would suggest you consider something in 38spl in a small revolver (like a S&W 442/642) or a small 9mm like the new Ruger LCP9. That middle sized pistol has impressed me in terms of handling it and I am generally anti-9mm and prefer a 40 S&W caliber in a pistol, but that little pistol is a real nice little pistol.
Have you wondered why the dog bothered you in the first place? Pits are very territoriial. We befrieinded one at a job site (neighborhood) and it took up a watchful position at the house we were working in. Later, I petted a real nice friendly German Shephard and that Pit just charged and attacked that dog. Made no sense to me other than maybe at that point it considered me his turf and wanted no other dogs in my life.... sounds like my wife.
All that said, if you are seriously interested in a CCW firearm, I would suggest you consider something in 38spl in a small revolver (like a S&W 442/642) or a small 9mm like the new Ruger LCP9. That middle sized pistol has impressed me in terms of handling it and I am generally anti-9mm and prefer a 40 S&W caliber in a pistol, but that little pistol is a real nice little pistol.
Have you wondered why the dog bothered you in the first place? Pits are very territoriial. We befrieinded one at a job site (neighborhood) and it took up a watchful position at the house we were working in. Later, I petted a real nice friendly German Shephard and that Pit just charged and attacked that dog. Made no sense to me other than maybe at that point it considered me his turf and wanted no other dogs in my life.... sounds like my wife.
The Lone Haranguer
Member
.22 Magnum? Up to about 25 pounds, and if you can hit it.
Frozen North
Member
I am pretty sure pepper spray will shut a dog down faster than anything without any of the legal issues...
I was a cable/telephone repair man for years, I have been chased and bit many times. Pepper spray does far more to dogs than it does to humans. The biggest meanest dog will be done instantly when you spray. The best part is that you can use spray confidently without worry of repercussions. If you spray your own dog by accident, it will survive.
I was a cable/telephone repair man for years, I have been chased and bit many times. Pepper spray does far more to dogs than it does to humans. The biggest meanest dog will be done instantly when you spray. The best part is that you can use spray confidently without worry of repercussions. If you spray your own dog by accident, it will survive.
Feral dogs are (have been) a serious problem in this part of the state. Typically when multiple packs are on the loose in a certain area, County Animal Control, a deputy and a USDA hunter are called in to eliminate the problem. Dogs that can't be captured by animal control are left for the hunter to dispatch and collect. Dogs are tested for rabies and the plague, a person died from the plague after being bit by a feral dog; that's why dogs are tested now for the plague.
The original article no longer has a direct link, but there's a very interesting article from March 10, 2006 if anyone wishes to scroll down this page.
http://journalism.arizona.edu/node/661
A direct pit bull attack will happen rapidly, from my experiences there will not be time for two handed grip shots or use of sights for hits. I aggressively move toward the attacking dog as I draw, thus closing the already short distance. In one instance, I was taken by surprise on my way to the shooting range on my property, with M4/64gr Power Points there was no time for sights, the bullet hit the pit bull's left shoulder, immediately stopping the charge and the bullet did not exit.
Based upon other attacks, I have complete faith in the .38 Super with high velocity handloads 124gr/125gr JHPs for head penetration. The split times of a 1911 in .38 Super are exceptionally fast, even when loaded with .357mag/125gr XTPs to the high 1400s, a .357mag bullet at .357mag velocities, in a single action 1911 platform.
Shooting dogs that have turned feral and stopping a determined pit bull attack have different handgun requirements in my limited experiences. It's not a subject I enjoy discussing, let alone writing about; however, a serious subject that hasn't been addressed thus far on this thread is that of rabies.
Those who live in the suburbs have different issues than here, a very rural high desert valley that adjoins wilderness areas.
In closing, if anyone gets the opportunity to read DEA assisted door entry reports, there's a lot of data involving determined pit bull attacks in the homes of drug dealers, surprisingly, a number of pit bulls survive being hit with .40 S&W.
Bob
The original article no longer has a direct link, but there's a very interesting article from March 10, 2006 if anyone wishes to scroll down this page.
http://journalism.arizona.edu/node/661
A direct pit bull attack will happen rapidly, from my experiences there will not be time for two handed grip shots or use of sights for hits. I aggressively move toward the attacking dog as I draw, thus closing the already short distance. In one instance, I was taken by surprise on my way to the shooting range on my property, with M4/64gr Power Points there was no time for sights, the bullet hit the pit bull's left shoulder, immediately stopping the charge and the bullet did not exit.
Based upon other attacks, I have complete faith in the .38 Super with high velocity handloads 124gr/125gr JHPs for head penetration. The split times of a 1911 in .38 Super are exceptionally fast, even when loaded with .357mag/125gr XTPs to the high 1400s, a .357mag bullet at .357mag velocities, in a single action 1911 platform.
Shooting dogs that have turned feral and stopping a determined pit bull attack have different handgun requirements in my limited experiences. It's not a subject I enjoy discussing, let alone writing about; however, a serious subject that hasn't been addressed thus far on this thread is that of rabies.
Those who live in the suburbs have different issues than here, a very rural high desert valley that adjoins wilderness areas.
In closing, if anyone gets the opportunity to read DEA assisted door entry reports, there's a lot of data involving determined pit bull attacks in the homes of drug dealers, surprisingly, a number of pit bulls survive being hit with .40 S&W.
Bob
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Thompsoncustom
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I've seen a .22lr kill a few deer and a couple dogs with just one shot and it doesn't get much smaller then that. Now those where all out of rifles but dogs are easy enough to kill so use w/e you like and focus on aiming.
Cop Bob
Member
I used a .380 to put down a feral Pit that lunged at me under similar circumstances.It worked very effectively.. 90gr Serria, with 4.6grs 7625... ,solid chest hit, instantaneous stop.. worked perfectly...
In a urban environment, with your own dog possibly mixed into the fray, I think that a less than lethal weapon may be a better option... a nice walking Staff maybe.. Home Depot, 60"-68" of 1 1/8" Closet Rod, slightly sanded/rounded each end. A very effective weapon. I liked the fishing rod idea, that would definitely make an impression, literally and figuratively. Dang talk about a nasty whelp.
He guys, we almost got scriptural here..."thy rod and thy Staff they comfort me.." Might not be bad advise...
Pepper spray MAY work as well, but get good stuff, buy it at a police supply, or from an internet source that deals in quality stuff.. the chemical blends in that stuff vary in potency and effectiveness... I've seen some folks laugh the cheap stuff off., then realize that it just made them mad, and it was on like Donkey Kong... Not fun.
At least, with a non-lethal option,if you accidentally hit your own dog, he will recover, and they always forgive... with a pistol, that may not be the case...
As stated, and I wholeheartedly agree, the 22mag will work, but it is the bottom of the spectrum... In that game, I think .355 diameter or better to open...
In a urban environment, with your own dog possibly mixed into the fray, I think that a less than lethal weapon may be a better option... a nice walking Staff maybe.. Home Depot, 60"-68" of 1 1/8" Closet Rod, slightly sanded/rounded each end. A very effective weapon. I liked the fishing rod idea, that would definitely make an impression, literally and figuratively. Dang talk about a nasty whelp.
He guys, we almost got scriptural here..."thy rod and thy Staff they comfort me.." Might not be bad advise...
Pepper spray MAY work as well, but get good stuff, buy it at a police supply, or from an internet source that deals in quality stuff.. the chemical blends in that stuff vary in potency and effectiveness... I've seen some folks laugh the cheap stuff off., then realize that it just made them mad, and it was on like Donkey Kong... Not fun.
At least, with a non-lethal option,if you accidentally hit your own dog, he will recover, and they always forgive... with a pistol, that may not be the case...
As stated, and I wholeheartedly agree, the 22mag will work, but it is the bottom of the spectrum... In that game, I think .355 diameter or better to open...
woad_yurt
Member
Dogs have very selective nervous systems. My vet told me that, while excited, they feel very little pain.
Once I saw a dog get run over by a car, rolled up under it and everything. Its hind leg ended up hanging only by a thread with splinters of bone hanging out of its hip area and half the skin on its head was hanging loose and flapping, ear and all. While I was standing there sort of shocked, the poor thing got up and limped over to me while wagging its tail.
I don't think a bullet will make a pitbull release, even a heart shot. It'll still chomp until blood loss gets to it.
If it were me, I'd have a beefy taser first or a good can of some tear gas or pepper spray. Their noses are hundreds of times more sensitive than ours.
Once I saw a dog get run over by a car, rolled up under it and everything. Its hind leg ended up hanging only by a thread with splinters of bone hanging out of its hip area and half the skin on its head was hanging loose and flapping, ear and all. While I was standing there sort of shocked, the poor thing got up and limped over to me while wagging its tail.
I don't think a bullet will make a pitbull release, even a heart shot. It'll still chomp until blood loss gets to it.
If it were me, I'd have a beefy taser first or a good can of some tear gas or pepper spray. Their noses are hundreds of times more sensitive than ours.
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