Caliber dilemma.

[glockman10mm]

You have to do one of two things here for a given caliber. More speed, or more weight. The 9mm , due to limited case capacity will never be a 357. But you can increase weight, giving it more SD, and more penetrating power than it had. It will still not grow up to be a 357.

I have killed 2 live does with the 147 grain Remington Golden Saber. Not spectacular results, but they work under 10 yards or so with a perfect broadside shot behind the shoulder.

Calibers should not be a dilema. Just understand the limitations and the variables you are playing with and choose. Hell, the attitude today is if the first 5 don't work, I have 10 more.

Personally I find this attitude abboring and abundantly ignorrant, but that's the thought of today.

Listen, I carry a 9mm and 40 myself. They will work, but I know and understand the issues with them in real tissue and bone. Whenever possible I carry a 44 spl loaded for max penetration and bone breaking power. There is no substitute for caliber with the exception of the 357, or 10mm.

If I were you, I would just stay with my nine and load it heavy and hot as possible. Forget about designer bullets and gimics designed to take your money. Forget about jelly testing and water jugs.
Combine good proper ammo with correct placement and you will be fine.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[Dragman]

Just my opinion in case you aren't the person I thought you were. Head shots with JHP's aren't perfered number one. Second deer are much tougher to kill (or stop) than people!!!! Put a 300RUM through a deers heart and sometimes they run over 100 yards I will bet my life a human is dead on the spot. Close range a couple of center mass shots with good hollow point 9mm's will stop most any human.

[10thmtn]

The fact that you do not know where you hit the deer tells me you had a shot placement issue, not a caliber issue.

Let us remember that a "hand gun" is supposed to be fired with one hand. While today most are taught one of the variations on the two-handed "turret" the fact remains that, in a real self defense situation, you will likely be firing one-handed.

Before you go to a .45 or a .357, ask yourself - can you make controlled, accurate, repeated hits - while moving - using only one hand? If the answer is "yes" then go for it. If the answer is "no" then stay with the 9mm.

[AllAbtSlfDef]

Dragman, I did not call you. But may stop if I am everin the neighborhood. I carried my .45s for a couple years on duty and had no issues. I really liked them and was pretty good with them. I switched to 9s because I wanted more rounds and less weight. I don't think it made much difference in weight while wearing a full duty belt. Thanks for the info.

Jason

[Dragman]

Dragman, I did not call you. But may stop if I am everin the neighborhood. I carried my .45s for a couple years on duty and had no issues. I really liked them and was pretty good with them. I switched to 9s because I wanted more rounds and less weight. I don't think it made much difference in weight while wearing a full duty belt. Thanks for the info.

Jason

Just had a similar call, no surpise cuz its western PA in deer season! Stop in sometime and check us out if your in the neighborhood. weather your want to buy or not we love good conversation.

[hbc]

Purely FYI, I've had to shoot two deer that had been hit by cars and were very badly injured. I shot both of them multiple times with a 140 grain 357 magnum at close range. I shot them through the brain and where the skull connects to the neckbone. In neither case did the deer die instantly.

[glockman10mm]

It's a damn good thing these deer you all are finding don't shoot back! Lol

[Gideon]

I've shot a lot of deer and no people. As other's have said, not a good comparison. I've put down a deer before with a .22 magnum in the back of the skull. Dropped like a rock. I've blown the heart of a deer in half (literally) with a 7mm/08 and watched it run 80 yards up a hill.

For human's I'd recommend the largest caliber you can shoot well, ie. well placed first and follow up rounds shot accurately and quickly.
I like the .45 for CC but had to find the right gun to be able to shoot it well in.

Gideon

[C hawk Glock]

It's a damn good thing these deer you all are finding don't shoot back! Lol

LoL

[MNBurl]

Shot placement is the most important than caliber.

Example: My wife and I were coming home from the barn when we came across a deer hit in the hind. There was a cop on the way and we were in side the loop in a suburban setting. I had my P3AT on me but would not shoot in the city to put it down. The cop came about 10 minutes later and took out an AR15 and preceeded to shoot it 9 times before it stopped moving from 3 yards away. The officer would have been better off shooting it with the Glock on her hip because the 223 zipped through it 9 times but not a clean kill. Heck I could have shot it more cleanly with my P3AT 380 that the AR.

10 days earlier I shot a deer from 25 yards from my stand and it went 10 yards and dropped from a proper shot with my 357 Marlin lever gun. This year it was a 55 yard shot and it drop where it stood with my 357. So in the end, shot placement is all that matters.

[glockman10mm]

Got to agree with 10thmtn and OpFor in their postings. The 9 is fine. Shot placement is important, and you should be effective and accurate with one hand. Strong and weak. No need to change.

[kpw]

I had to finish one off with a hammer once. Poor girl had her rear end smashed and was trying to drag herself into the grass. It worked as well as the one I finished off with a .40 cal. Placement is everything if you want a quick end to it, wether it's a hammer or a pistol.

[krazykeny]

I carry a EEA Windicator .357 Magnum.
I killed a wounded deer with it instantly by shooting it right through the forehead into the brain.
Killed an attacking german shepard shooting it through the heart, just behind the front shoulder.
It only worked so well because I put the bullets in a very good spot.
a 9mm, or even a .22 rifle would have worked where the bullets landed.

[REACT]

What's the issue?

[C hawk Glock]

What's the issue?

I don't have the energy to get a caliber war going.