9mm luger for deer hunting

[jmr40]

A quality 9mm bullet is far more effective than a single round of buckshot. It is about range. With good bullets, properly placed a 9mm is just fine. At least as effective as an arrow or 1 or even 2 buckshot projectiles. A 9mm at 10-15 yards is exactly the same as a 357 at 50-60 yards.

The problem is having the skills to make the shot and the discipline to limit yourself to the ranges necessary.

I wouldn't want to limit myself to those ranges and sure wouldn't deliberately chose to hunt with a 9mm. But it will do the job within its limitations. The same can be said of a 300 mag. It is just that a 300 mag has far fewer limitations.

 

[lobo9er]

A quality 9mm bullet is far more effective than a single round of buckshot. It is about range. With good bullets, properly placed a 9mm is just fine.

15 yards buck shot or 9mm? I dont want to get catty here, but seriously? I'm gonna go buckshot with my gut here and say at 9mm range, deer under the tree stand buck shot is gonna do an extreme amount more damage. How about across the room self defense situation, 9mm or buck? I'm thinking most are gonna go with buck shot if given the choice.

Also if given the choice both muzzle loader and bow would be picked by myself before even considering a 9mm Glock.

 

[red rick]

Me to , the last I checked my 00 buckshot has 15 balls and will put most of them in a 20" circle at 40 yards .

I doubt many people can make a clean kill shot with a 9mm . If you don't hit the heart , brain or spine , you most likely will not have enough blood to track .

 

[Patocazador]

Anyone who hunts deer with a 9mm Parabellum IS crazy ... or irresponsible.

 

[sixgunner455]

Anyone who hunts deer with a 9mm Parabellum IS crazy ... or irresponsible.

Or, perhaps, an extremely confident marksman who knows his weapon, its limitations, and his hunting area.

Stephen Camp, for example.

 

[Hokkmike]

9MM for deer? No, not me!

 

[Zeke/PA]

Definitely NOT a good choice!

 

[Fremmer]

It beats starving, but you'd have to be real careful about it.

 

[AKElroy]

I would not use it for deer. I have a 9mm carbine that we use to spotlight coons, and they nearly always require multiple shots unless they are brained. And before we blame that on poor shot placement, the same body shot with a .30-30 always yields a DRT coon. Two of them, actually.

I've taken deer with a 9mm, but only as a put-down, behind the ear follow-up if they are still twitching a bit.

 

[lobo9er]

That article is not impressive. It borders on irresponsible on the grounds it may inspires others to try it on a much larger or much less opportune shot. Shooting a button buck 20 yards does not prove it as a venerable hunting caliber. And I know it wasn't the authors point. The question here isn't "could it work" its "should you". If starving of course, but other wise a muzzle loader from walmart costing 100 some dollars is a far more efficient hunting implement. Just my 2 cents. If its legal to do so in your hunting area its up to you to do what you think is responsible and fair to the animal.

 

[Torian]

It'll vary state by state, obviously.

In Illinois, if you are using the appropriate firearm (single shot or revolver), AND it meets the 500 ft. lb. requirement, it would be legal.




There are VERY FEW 9mm loads that will crack 500ft/lb, and mostly, they are lightweight rounds not particularly suited to hunting.

http://www.ballistics101.com/9mm.php

Out of a Carbine platform, like the Beretta Storm, should be able to crack that 500 ft pound ceiling with hot ammo no problem.

I don't think I've ever shot a handgun with 9mm ammo that's been that hot though

 

[Davek1977]

It borders on irresponsible on the grounds it may inspires others to try it on a much larger or much less opportune shot.

I think that's a stretch. By that logic,an article that talks about someone shooting deer at 350 yards with a 7mm mag is "irresponsible" because it might inspire someone to take a 700 yard shot. The author doesn't state or even imply that longer range shots would be acceptable. He simply proved what many of us already know....that nearly any weapon...when used within its capabilities...can kill a deer under perfect conditions. He doesn't recommend hunting deer with the 9mm, nor does he in any way imply that its capable beyond the ranges he PROVED it WAS capable at. We can't post performance of anything if we automatically assume that someone reading it will grossly overestimate its effectiveness and can't help but try it out in a manner in which the author never intended. Why post about the effectiveness of the .204 Ruger on prairie dogs at 200 yards, for example, when it might inspire some idiot into shooting an elk @ 400 yards with it? Its not the author's responsibility to ensure everyone reading his work follows the laws of common sense!

 

[lobo9er]

7mm mag is a hunting a rifle used to kill deer @ 350 yards, if someone wrote an article about it (which prolly has been written a few times) it would be a hunting story not an article testing 9mm capabilities on live animals. Hey if its legal in his area than more power to him. If your up in your stand and deer wanders under and its what you gotta do so you don't spoke'em or what ever it maybe, than its your world out in the forrest hunting. No one is there to tell you don't. But if you show up to any hunting party/camp/group that I have been apart of toting only a Glock 9mm you would not be invited back and maybe asked to wait in the truck by a few guys I know. And I think that would be the case for you too with most of your hunting groups. End of it all and you are hungry sure. Packing up the truck to go hunting... Sorry, bad choice. Just my opinion, and I enjoy the conversation.

 

[el Godfather]

It depends how close you are. I would not use it beyond 25-40 yards.

 

[R.W.Dale]

While this yummy morsel was killed with a .50 caliber ml @80yds the important part of this picture remains valid. That being the scale a person would be hard pressed to find a cartridge unsuitable for harvesting the deer above.

A 35cal or less chunk of lead through the vitals has been putting venison in bellies and hides on backs for CENTURIES and it's no less effective today.

 

[Vol46]

A .22 long rifle is capable of killing a deer if you are close enough & put the bullet in the right place. Should you choose one to hunt deer with? - - NO

 

[el Godfather]

I know someone who has taken a few deer with .22 hornet.

 

[jaysouth]

Several years ago I was sitting in a tree stand on a warm sunny day. I was concentrating on the 50-100 yards in front of me so hard that I did not notice a doe licking on the bottom rung of the stand's ladder. I shot her between the shoulder blades with a glock 19 loaded with Fed BPLEs. She died on the spot. Her front legs spayed and she went down on her face. After a minute she dropped in her tracks.

She dressed out at 90 pounds and made a year's worth of summer sausage.

.22 rim fire as a deer cartridge?? A generation ago, half of the deer killed in this country were killed by poachers using a .22 and a flashlight.

 

[788Ham]

If a 9 mm is all you have for deer hunting? Stay home.

 

[lobo9er]

If a 9 mm is all you have for deer hunting? Stay home.

for what an inexpensive more adequate rifle/shotgun costs that statement is pretty right on. A used shotgun can be found for less than a glock in most cases if not a new one.

 

[351 WINCHESTER]

I would much rather take a deer with a scoped .22 long rifle than any 9mm from a handgun. Deer are easy to kill with proper shot placement and the object of the game is to make a clean kill. If in doubt, don't try.

 

[c01]

Two does with 9mm out of a G19. 147 grain HSTs with no problem. Bang flop. Both less then 20 yards. Any further, that what my rifle was for.

 

[351 WINCHESTER]

You just got lucky unless you're good enough to make head shots. They both could have just as easily run off and you'd still be tracking them. You're lucky you hit them at all as they would have heard the sound before the bullet hit them and we all know how quick deer are. They can turn on a dime. I'm guessing the mv of a 147 from a g19 is south of 1000 fps.

 

[R.W.Dale]

You just got lucky unless you're good enough to make head shots. They both could have just as easily run off and you'd still be tracking them. You're lucky you hit them at all as they would have heard the sound before the bullet hit them and we all know how quick deer are. They can turn on a dime. I'm guessing the mv of a 147 from a g19 is south of 1000 fps.

It's been a long long time since I read such a misinformed post.

Leaving the 9 mm part aside I'd like to take on the notion of a deer getting out of the way of a bullet at 20yds

Assuming 950 fps the time in flight is a mere .08 of a second. That's eight one hundredths. From muzzle to 20yds. Less than that if you're actually proposing the difference in the sound and bullet arriving is crucial. In nature the fastest reactions to external stimuli are at the shortest a couple of tenths of a second.


There are lost of subsonic deer hunting rounds that weigh lay deer just fine. There may be a plethora of reasons to not recommend a 9mm to deer hunt with but the assertion that a deer will outrun the bullet is a completely nonsensical one.

 

[savanahsdad]

Im not a hunter. The "knockdown" power comment is always a trip.

Is an arrow more ethical than a 9mm?

yes , a lot more, an arrow has 3 sharp blades making a large wound channel