USSR
Member
I am curious as to how many here who are readily giving advice, have ever shot a deer with a handgun, and if so, with what cartridge?
Don
Don
good 9mm bullet option for hunting?
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Kachok
Member
I shot a deer with a 180gr JHP 40 S&W I was not impressed with the results, shot was a perfect broadside double lung but for a minute the deer was moving across the field like nothing happened. Had that been in the brush I never would have recovered that one. If I ever HAD to hunt with a pistol cartridge again it would be used for head/neck shots only.
Good thread. I've often wondered how potent a 9x19 Luger, out of a carbine, would be for light hunting (hogs and small deer).
I've tried different combos of loads through my carbine and have drawn the same conclusions that have been previously stated.
147gr bullets seem to "max" out at around 1400fps (w/over the book loads). It seems the blow back action of my carbine opens up at an unoptimal time and I see a bit of unburnt powder. Those locked breach guys get around 1500fps - lucky them. I may try using magnum primers to enhance the powder ignition.
124gr bullets can be pushed to over 1600 fps w/out issues. My issue is that my higher velocity loads use Blue Dot powder (for 115-147grn). While Blue Dot has given me the best velocity gain results it has a higher Standard Deviation and extreme spread. If you are a crack shot this probably wont matter. But, it does affect accuracy.
I've tried VV3N37, VV3N38, and ACC #9. 3N38 is pretty much like Blue
Dot in terms of velocity gains and with better E.S. and S.D. but it is $$$. #9 just plain sucked. Not enough room in the little case to get enough of the powder in. Likewise, #9 seemed to need a magnum powder to get it all burnt. 3N37 was clean and consistent like 3N38 but it didn't give much of a velocity bump.
I do have some VVN105 I've been waiting to try. I'm hoping it will be better than Blue Dot and 3N38.
I've tried different combos of loads through my carbine and have drawn the same conclusions that have been previously stated.
147gr bullets seem to "max" out at around 1400fps (w/over the book loads). It seems the blow back action of my carbine opens up at an unoptimal time and I see a bit of unburnt powder. Those locked breach guys get around 1500fps - lucky them. I may try using magnum primers to enhance the powder ignition.
124gr bullets can be pushed to over 1600 fps w/out issues. My issue is that my higher velocity loads use Blue Dot powder (for 115-147grn). While Blue Dot has given me the best velocity gain results it has a higher Standard Deviation and extreme spread. If you are a crack shot this probably wont matter. But, it does affect accuracy.
I've tried VV3N37, VV3N38, and ACC #9. 3N38 is pretty much like Blue
Dot in terms of velocity gains and with better E.S. and S.D. but it is $$$. #9 just plain sucked. Not enough room in the little case to get enough of the powder in. Likewise, #9 seemed to need a magnum powder to get it all burnt. 3N37 was clean and consistent like 3N38 but it didn't give much of a velocity bump.
I do have some VVN105 I've been waiting to try. I'm hoping it will be better than Blue Dot and 3N38.
Certaindeaf
member
Why don't you try some Green-Dot? I've pretty much given up on Blue-Dot in the 9mm.
high extreme spreads and large standard deviations have nothing to do with accuracy. a bunch of holes real close together have a lot to do with accuracy.
bludot and hs-6 are my go-to powders when i want max velocity with 124 grain bullets.
murf
bludot and hs-6 are my go-to powders when i want max velocity with 124 grain bullets.
murf
flipajig
Member
I have hunted Deer with a pistol I use a SBH in 44mag and a Thompson Contender in 7-30 waters and 30-30 Winchester. All of them are quite adequate to be used to deer hunting.
Shot placement is KING. This goes for any choice of a wheapon I'm compleaty sold on useing cast Boolits in hand guns if you use the right aloy it will do every thing you want it to penitration and expansion.
Flip.
Shot placement is KING. This goes for any choice of a wheapon I'm compleaty sold on useing cast Boolits in hand guns if you use the right aloy it will do every thing you want it to penitration and expansion.
Flip.
Certaindeaf
member
Even though about everybody carries a 9mm, it's surprising the disrespect it gets. It's a very effective/efficient cartridge.. for everything from pop can bouncing to macerating meat and bone.
Kachok
Member
Oh it is effective and efficient, I love mine, but you will never catch me deer hunting with it, not when I have a selection of firearms MUCH better suited to that task. If it were the only firearm I had and I could get within range for a clean neck shot, I would load up some XTPs or Gold Dots and go hunting.
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