4-legged Critters: 9mm vs .45 ACP vs .357 Sig vs. .40S&W

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BerettaNut92

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Let's say for a minute that 10mm isn't an option and you had these 4 rounds to choose from...which would be the best for 4-legged critters? And I'm presuming ball ammo for maximum penetration through thick skulls?
 
Skunk, could you be more vague?

Your parameters 4 legs and a variety of calibers. As noted already, what size of critters? More specifically, what specific critter? Shot out of what models of autoloaders? Shot at what distances? What is the purpose of shooting them (pests, food, trophy, etc.)?

Without providing relevant information, it is unlikely that you will get accurate replies beyond random chance.

And I'm presuming ball ammo for maximum penetration through thick skulls?
 
.45 ACP of course.

A super hard cast flat nose or SWC would be my choice for all around. Penetration plus a decent diameter. The flat nose or SWC should make a nice hole instead of the relatively "streamlined" penetration of a FMJ bullet.


Good Shooting
Red
 
"Skunk, could you be more vague?

Your parameters 4 legs and a variety of calibers. As noted already, what size of critters? More specifically, what specific critter? Shot out of what models of autoloaders? Shot at what distances? What is the purpose of shooting them (pests, food, trophy, etc.)?

Without providing relevant information, it is unlikely that you will get accurate replies beyond random chance.

And I'm presuming ball ammo for maximum penetration through thick skulls?"
.....................................................................................


You wouldn't have all these questions and conditions with 10MM! :evil:
 
Feller up in Wyoming kiled a fairly good bull moose with a war-trophy P-38, back when I was a teenager. Problem was, they were all contact distance head shots...made while he had a couple of short prongs between his ribs. They were in deep snow, which didn't bother the moose a bit, but gave the shooter no mobility at all. Lesson? Ruin the critters mobility and THEN go for the head shot. A flat-nosed, 230 gr. .45acp or two can break a shoulder. Wasting time on head shots first makes for big owies.
 
Whatever you can grab, aim, and shoot well with. Or whatever is available..

That said, I'd vote .357Sig, then .40SW, then 9mm, and then 45ACP.
 
Alright, that's it. Enough. Why are we shooting critters with pistols? Where the devil is this coming from--gun rags, the Errornet, gun shoppes, where?

My answer--I don't want to shoot a critter, but if I have to it will be with a rifle. If I am attacked by a bear in the parking garage, I'll have to use want I got, a 9mm and a .45.
 
I "think" skunk has a probably got a problem similar to mine. Dogs. Specifically mostly pit bulls fought by the bangers till they're too chewed up to fight anymore. Then they turn these poor dogs loose. I no longer walk my little mutt cause of the fear of running accross one of these dogs.
 
I saw a 4-legged critter scurrying under my wife's car in the garage this weekend.

I was getting ready to go out to the range, and my arms were loaded with guns. I couldn't ID the critter (just barely glimpsed its legs), just that it was about the size of a cat and NOT a cat. (Not a bear, either, Tejon . . . although since today was garbage day, I'm sure a few are around outside right now.) Our garage is attached to the house, so I hit the button to open the garage door and backed into the house with my armload of implements of destruction. All kinds: an AR, a Mauser, a Ruger .41, my micro 1911, a .32, a couple of .22s.

I told my wife, "Drat. We've got a critter living in the garage." She said, "Oh. I forgot to tell you: I thought I smelled skunk in there the other day." (This is a true story . . . the "skunk" doesn't come up merely because of our esteemed THR banjo-playing Kalifornio.)

So, I put on safety goggles (you don't want skunk juice in your eyes - not anywhere on you, actually, but really not in your eyes), put my (here's the point of the story) Smith & Wesson Model 34-1 4" .22 lr loaded with Quik-Shok pre-fragmented bullets into my pocket and went out the front door (didn't want the critter coming into the laundry room - I wash my beer bottles in there for homebrewing!) to move the cars out of the garage and start moving boxes to scare me up a critter. (I would only shoot a skunk that was fixing to juice me; I like skunks pretty well otherwise.)

Critter turned out to be a cute little bunny.

I did not shoot him. :)
 
Considering the mean streets of Irvine and the potential for 4 legged confrontation, I'd think 45 acp to the skull will be more than sufficient ;)
 
Yeah....45 ACP!

Done alot of 'field' work over the years. Alaska, Washington State, Oregon, mountains of California and alot of urban settings too. The only place I felt under gunned with the .45 acp was Alaska(where it was a back up to a shoulder gun of some sort).
I liked the lead SWC's in it, but the newer JHP's, 230 Plus-p's would probably be my choice. I have even used the speer shot shells in it(worked real good..but very limited range..that is probably what I would have used for the previously mentioned 'garage clearing'!), speer plastic bullets and a .22 conversion unit on it. The .45 does 90 percent of everything I need a handgun to do. The rest is rifle country!
The only smaller caliber handgun I might consider for the 'role' is the Ten, but I am quite comfy where I am.
I have seen failures to stop with 9m/m and .357 magnum on four legged critters, AND too I have seen quite a few drop to the .45 acp round. It is not perfect, but dang close, to it! Reliable mechanism, accurate, low recoil, 8 rounds, quick reload, big-heavy bullet.
Of course, everyone else can have their choice!
Jercamp45
 
The only four-legged critters I have to think about are dogs. So 1911 in .45ACP for me.
 
I just can't see any of the choices working on an elephant (big ol 4 legged critter with a really thick skull). :uhoh:
 
If you're worried about dogs, use whatever you would use for humans. If you trust whatever caliber you use to stop a 250lb crackhead, why would you be worried about it stopping a 70lb dog?
 
Critters...

Well, for me it would be my trusty S&W 4506-1 loaded with either a 230gr. FMJ or some sort of flat nosed round.

I think I'll opt for at least 4 spare mags as well...and a 12ga. shot gun

Some of them critters just get mad if you pistol shoot them

God Bless!
 
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