The FN 509M: Or How I Stopped Being Scared of Bears and Learned to Love the Compact 9mm

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I'm going to Elk camp next week in North Central Idaho where there are a ton of wolves, cougars, and bears.

Nobody I know packs a 9mm for a hunting sidearm up here.

I carry a Glock 10mm with hard cast bullets and 180gr XTPs. Or my Ruger SBH in .45 Colt.

Not saying that 99% of the time you wouldn't be fine with a 9mm, but it's certainly not the norm up here near grizzly country. Especially since there's been an increase in bear attacks the past few years.

I almost never bother with a sidearm when I'm hunting, and most guys I know don't either unless you're talking bow hunting. A hunting rifle will take care of anything bad I run into a lot more effectively than any handgun. After I fill my tag I do like to carry a handgun and it's usually a 9mm. I generally hunt in eastern Oregon or southwest Idaho so would have the same critters as north Idaho, except for the potential of grizzly bears. Honestly the only animal that would actually worry me much in the northwest is a cougar and a 9mm should be pretty effective against one of them, as handguns go.
 
So out the door I got a brand new in box .45 Shield for $80 out of pocket. Not a compact 9, but I'm going to run a couple boxes through it tomorrow. If the accuracy is good and their arent any hiccups, i think i may carry this gun on the trail. I was good with a 9mm Shield, but a .45 that cost less money? Kinda gotta go with that.
Let us know what you think of the 45. My XDs-45 kicks pretty decently. Shoots fine and will get the job done though. I imagine the Shield is a good little gun.
 
Let us know what you think of the 45. My XDs-45 kicks pretty decently. Shoots fine and will get the job done though. I imagine the Shield is a good little gun.

I'm hoping to take it for a spin this afternoon. I had an XDs-45. I liked it except Im not a fan of the aggressive grip on the XD line and mine threw brass at your head straight back hard enough that it cut my forehead. Other than that, it shoot super well. My first .45 was a Glock 36, so I'm hoping I get along well with this little handcannon.
 
I almost never bother with a sidearm when I'm hunting, and most guys I know don't either unless you're talking bow hunting. A hunting rifle will take care of anything bad I run into a lot more effectively than any handgun.

Well, if you think 4 shots with a bolt-action using 3x9 optics is more appropriate in heavy brush and with a cat on your back than a large caliber pistol, more power to you.
 
Well, if you think 4 shots with a bolt-action using 3x9 optics is more appropriate in heavy brush and with a cat on your back than a large caliber pistol, more power to you.
Did cougar attacks all of sudden become common place.
 
Did cougar attacks all of sudden become common place.
Not sure if you are being a smart Alec or, being from Florida, are unaware of the dangers there actually are in the Northwest woods.

Cougar attacks not unheard of and the predator populations are increasing in this region. There was an unconfirmed fatal wolf attack recently in Washington state.

My dad and several friends have had a few close encounters with cougars and bears over the years.

I'm not saying it's likely, but it is possible.

It's the same mindset of why most of us here CCW; we're not paranoid, just prepared.
 
Well I just got back from the range testing out the Shield. Flecks of GSR still stuck to my arms:cool:.

I'll keep it brief since I'm already drifting topic in my own thread:evil:

In short, the Shield in .45 is an accurate and reliable firearm that hits a sweet spot of not being a lightweight wrist breaker and not being a 3lb boat anchor. While snappy, it's not overly violent with the strong push of .45 over the explosive .40. I don't have overly large hands so both the flush 6 round magazine and the extended 7 round fit my hand well.

The 7 rounder was obviously easier to hang onto, but I shot just fine with the flush 6. As I type I have the gun loaded with the 6 for carry purposes with the 7 in my pocket. While hiking I'll swap out the 7 since I won't be worrying about concealing it.

Accuracy was better than I expected. I had better luck with it than my full size 1911. At 7 yards I was hitting a fist size group my first couple of magazines. Once I dialed it in, I could cloverleaf my group at combat ranges at a semi slow semi aimed fire. The updated trigger is pretty sweet. Just enough weight for a carry gun. Reminds me of a slightly lighter Nano trigger without the blade on it.

Quick Pros and Cons:

Pros:
Accurate
Reliable (one hiccup I'll bring up)
Belt friendly yet substantial
Shoots well in my average size hands with both magazines making it very adaptable

Cons:
Fails to feed the first round if you drop the slide instead of the slingshotting it. Not a big issue as I dont use the release much at all. Still, not sure if thats a feed ramp issue or a magazine spring issue. Does it with both shooting ball. Will only run ball in it until i experiment a bit.

Shoots a tad low but groups well

Not as many holster options as it generally doesnt fit the 9/40 ones.


In all, I'm pleased. For a $299 .45 that you can easily keep on your person, I can't really see a better option. The Shield fits my need for a slim lightweight gun that allows for a full grip. It won't fit in my pocket and im glad about that. Carried OWB, I have forgotten I have the gun on me half a dozen times already.
 
Not sure if you are being a smart Alec or, being from Florida, are unaware of the dangers there actually are in the Northwest woods.

Cougar attacks not unheard of and the predator populations are increasing in this region. There was an unconfirmed fatal wolf attack recently in Washington state.

My dad and several friends have had a few close encounters with cougars and bears over the years.

I'm not saying it's likely, but it is possible.

It's the same mindset of why most of us here CCW; we're not paranoid, just prepared.
I do not live in the northwest woods since I live in Northwest FL. We do have cougar also in my area. Out of state a few years ago on the news a jogger or two got killed and also a bird watcher. I think the attacks were CA and CO. Have there been recent attacks that you know off. You say close calls with cougars. Exactly what happened?
The common internet claim is this:
A total of 125 attacks, 27 of which fatal, have been documented in North America in the past 100 years. Fatal cougar attacks are extremely rare and occur much less frequently than fatal snake bites, fatal lightning strikes, or fatal bee stings.
But this might be in error.
CCW is well established as a good way to defend against violent attacks coming from 2 and 4-legged predators including a lion if such an attack happens.
 
WOW
Two deaths and several more attacks sounds quite serious. We have had similar problems with black bears, but to my knowledge the cougars/panthers have not been attacking people, YET.
I do know that lions are not that hard to stop, assuming you can hit it. They are very fast and good at stealth and also ambush attacks. Years ago when mountain lions were commonly hunted with dogs some hunters would go up in the tree to rope them and often guns like a .38 spl were used to dispatch them. A G19 if you can hit it with will do just fine our lions in the south.
We have coyotes galore that are growing size in part due to mixtures with wolves and dogs. They mainly go after pets and livestock
HILLSBOROUGH, Fla. -- Fish and Wildlife officials have visited homes in the Seffner, North Brandon area after a report of an elderly woman and her dog being attacked by a coyote.

  • FWC issues warning after possible coyote attack
  • Woman says coyote attack her and killed her dog
  • FWC says most coyote attack happen at night
They haven't confirmed a coyote was behind the attack but are treating it as such.
From Illinois not far from Chicago

 
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NE FL. woods here. Had black bear run. Had a panther think for a bit, then run. Had wildcsows with piglets put my ass up a tree more than once, and a suddenly cornered Tom Bobcat run me outta my own big
shed. Gotta watch the smaller pets with Coyotes here now for some years. Point is, it can be dangerous anywhere in the country with any animal , it depends on them and how crappy their day is going. Eyes, ears and awareness are the best first defense; but surprises can and do happen so for sure carry a bit of something where the wild things live. Any firearm beats a harsh word, at least if it makes a noise louder than your sudden girly scream of
“OH S**T !!!”
Reference the Bobcat anecdote above.
 
NE FL. woods here. Had black bear run. Had a panther think for a bit, then run. Had wildcsows with piglets put my ass up a tree more than once, and a suddenly cornered Tom Bobcat run me outta my own big
shed. Gotta watch the smaller pets with Coyotes here now for some years. Point is, it can be dangerous anywhere in the country with any animal , it depends on them and how crappy their day is going. Eyes, ears and awareness are the best first defense; but surprises can and do happen so for sure carry a bit of something where the wild things live. Any firearm beats a harsh word, at least if it makes a noise louder than your sudden girly scream of
“OH S**T !!!”
Reference the Bobcat anecdote above.
It is water moccasins and yellow jacket colonies that are my worry. A 9mm pistol is not a good defense against a yellow jacket nest that your bush hog just ran over. From about august to late November I restrict mowing because of the yellow jackets.
 
Oooh yeah; that’ll do it! Former driver flailing off one way, and the tractor lazily going the other, lol
 
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