What caliber for alligator?

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I have watched a lot of alligators get killed (all with valid permits). Every one I've seen killed has been killed at close range by a single shot from a .22 or, occasionally, a handgun (9mm or .357).

The people that I know who have been doing it for a long time have all said that if you know where to shoot them (between and just behind the eyes, as stated earlier by another poster) it doesn't matter what you shoot them with, they'll die almost immediately. If you don't know where to shoot them, it doesn't matter what you shoot them with, you'll just piss the hell out of them.
 
There is one key thing that everyone is missing with shooting an alligator in your house.

The mess you're left with.

.22 to the head, like Newman said, between and just behind the eyes, and you no mess to clean up.
 
I would probably scream like a girl and run out of the house.

Seriously though the chances of a gator in SD aren't vary likely but if there was one I would probably go for a shotgun.
 
I too am interested in this as my uncle wants to go bicycle riding with me in Shark Valley (no sharks there - just lots of alligators).
 
.22, Anything else will ruin some of that nice hide!

Seriously though they can sprint forward and can spin fast, but thier ability to manuver around objects is very limited. In your home you have the advantage and could retreat to a safe spot and kill it with a .22

If you didn't want to kill it, getting it outside would be pretty easy too. You can exit your home and go open whatever entrance is closest to it if you have multiple.

Then enter one far from it and herd it out the other one. You can use things that give you a great reach and always stay at an angle or behind something it cannot manuever around easily.
They can lunge fast and run straight fast, stay out of its lunging range and don't stay in front of it and keep something between you and you have the advantage.

A single gator is really only dangerous in or around water. Otherwise you either have to be foolish or be surprised by one to be in real danger. In or around water they are agile dangerous critters. On land they are ackward and have limited direction of movement which you can easily use to your advantage.
It is not a komodo dragon.
 
There is one key thing that everyone is missing with shooting an alligator in your house.
Click to expand...

That's why I agreed with the .22. If it's in the kitchen and you have a wood floor you might have to crawl under the house to repair the plumbing if you use anything bigger. If you have terrazzo you run the risk of getting hit with a ricochet.

If you kill one let me know, I make a killer tomato and cherry bar-b-que sauce.:D
 
I live in Oregon so Alligators are not really a threat but I promise you that if I find one in my kitchen saving the kitchen floor will be my LAST thought.

It would be interesting to know if a .40s&w would take the gator out, just in case I might be tempted to use my M44 mosin. Also I think a FMJ round might work better than a standard SD round I guess I fear shooting a gator with a round of good self defense ammo and having it expand prior to going through the bone.
 
LOL ^ Those aren't gators - they're just babies.

We had an eleven foot gator in my neighborhood in Winter Park (north of Orlando) once. The scary thing is that I used to go water skiing and swimming in that lake before we knew about the gator. :eek:
 
Im going on a guided alligator hunt this summer and will be taking a 243win and a 45-70 because thats what has been recommended by members of another forum
 
I knew a guy that did one in with a .35rem. He said at the angle he shot it it almost took the head off.
 
7.62x39 or 12 gauge...minimum. If I have to shoot a man-eating animal, then I want to be thorough and final when doing so.
 
What!
Haven´t any of you thought about a Swedish M/96 with 6.5mm 139gr FMJ?
Bang! Then charge with the bayonet! :D

Lucky we haven´t got gators in Sweden... Guess the Zoo keepers wouldn´t let me test my theory..
 
Some of the best eating I have ever experienced was Gator tail. Dang....that stuff is good battered, deep fried and served with hot sauce. :)

I live just North of where this gator broke through the ladies back door. The gators do not bother me at all because you can see them from a distance. What bothers me here are the snakes. I cannot stand them damn things. I hate em with a passion.

We have a big population of Eastern Diamondback and Water moccasins near our place. The rattlers here are huge and pack a ton of venom. If I had to pick one to have an encounter with, it would be a Rattler though. They will let you know your to close to them. The moccasins ? Thats another story. From what I have been told, if a moccasin is in an ornerous mood, they will stand their ground or come after you.

Reminds me of a LEO who was bit last year by a rattler. That snake was so big that when it coiled and struck, it hit him on the hip. He got injected with so much venom that he barely survived the bite despite getting immediate medical attention.

Florida sure has it's share of interesting wildlife. Gators - no worries mate, I can live with them. Snakes....... I do not like em one bit. :)

Chris
 
I've been chased off a dock by a 5 foot moccasin while working at a summer camp in Arkansas. All my encounters with them have proven that they are extremely reluctant to leave and will give chase if they're feeling mean enough. I like most animals but those things are just too mean for their own good.
 
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