9mm for deer hunting?

[Trapperkid]

I’m about to buy a pistol to conceal carry but I was thinking would it be unethical for me to shoot a deer with it? I could easily limit my shot to under 50 yards. If so what ammo should I use? NOTE I’m not dedicating this to deer hunting I’ll probably only shoot one deer with it and my curiosity would be satisfied. Thanks in advance

 

[switchback7]

I would not.

 

[FLATHEAD]

Nope.

 

[TheGDog]

Well... I wouldn't do it in a location where you think it'd be real easy for the deer to run off not far and become lost to you, due to thick vegetation, but it certainly can be done. I wouldn't call it ethical though.

 

[WCB]

I'll go against the grain and say go for it. Keep the shots within normal bow range and use a good bullet and I see no issue with it.

However, if you are just buying a pistol and even more so probably a smaller compact carry type gun 50 yards is a stretch for even really good pistol shooters.....20 yards and in absolutely zero issue again imo, with well constructed bullets. I've shot a deer with a 45auto at 10 yards went 50 yards or so. Also watch two different LE officers shoot deer with broken legs through the lungs with their 9mm. Both deer died in what I would consider a acceptable amount of time. Not as fast as the two shot with Buckshot through the lungs.

 

[KenLee]

I've finished off a few deer with these with adequate results. I'd limit any real hunting shot to 20-25 yards and that's if you are a good shot.

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[Trapperkid]

In all honesty I’d probably shoot it out of my bow stand and my max shot is ten yards and every shot I’ve taken out of it has been like 5 insanely close

 

[DangerRanger]

My pops has killed more than a few with blazer aluminum 158 in 357 mag and that load is nothing more than a 9mm +p

Huge 10pt on the wall took one shot at 75 yards with that boring old lead hollowpoint

 

[TheGDog]

I've finished off a few deer with these with adequate results. I'd limit any real hunting shot to 20-25 yards and that's if you are a good shot.

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...And... I've once had to finish-off a young MuleDeer that was hit by a car and wasn't getting back up, with .380acp. I cant remember for sure which round it was. I typically stagger-stack it with LeHigh Xtreme Defender 68gr and Xtreme Penetrator 90gr. And sometimes in place of the 68gr I'll put in some DRT Terminal Shocks which are 85gr HP's.

It was just pointing down, and thru the back of the head at at angle, as you might imagine.

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[Swamp Fox]

In all honesty I’d probably shoot it out of my bow stand and my max shot is ten yards and every shot I’ve taken out of it has been like 5 insanely close

I’m about to buy a pistol to conceal carry but I was thinking would it be unethical for me to shoot a deer with it? I could easily limit my shot to under 50 yards. If so what ammo should I use? NOTE I’m not dedicating this to deer hunting I’ll probably only shoot one deer with it and my curiosity would be satisfied. Thanks in advance

When we reduce the shot at the animal to a what-if, an experiment or a stunt, that's when we have to go "Hmmm..." ...

 

[Trapperkid]

When we reduce the shot at the animal to a what-if, an experiment or a stunt, that's when we have to go "Hmmm..." ...

And I haven’t done any of that I was asking for other people’s experience so I wouldn’t cause an animal to die a needlessly slow death because of a lack of knowledge. This is no stunt this is no experiment this is hunting and people hunt with handguns all over the country. If you have a negative experience please share. If you have a negative opinion I’d like you to share that as well with your reasoning. Please do not think that I’m trying to pull off some ignorant one in a million shot. I’m asking so I can be as ethical as possible. Have a nice day

 

[Gmccarthy19]

A well placed shot with a 9mm will get the the job done with the right bullet. Hornady has a handgun hunter line you should look into. The problem is just about any 9mm pistol you would want to carry concealed wouldn’t be a good choice for a hunting handgun. You’re typically talking about a gun with a minimalistic grip and 3-4” barrel with rudimentary sights designed for putting multiple shots in targets 10 feet away. If you are going to try and make this work I suggest a red dot sight and make sure you have a solid rest to shoot from in your stand. If you are considering anything smaller than a Glock 19 it’s probably too small. Practice until you are confident and pass if the deer isn’t within your known effective range. Provided of course it’s legal where you are.

 

[kkp005]

Nope .. I wouldn’t

 

[Forestryguy]

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Should it really even be considered?

 

[Trapperkid]

Ok so i I won’t worry about it. Thank you guys for your feedback. If I ever get a larger caliber pistol I may look into it again. thank you

 

[Bluefish]

I shot a deer with a 357 max, 150g,1950fps at 20 yards. it was effective, went less than 50 yards and dropped. Probably quite a bit more energy than a typical 9mm. could a typical full sized carry gun harvest a deer, probably, but I would think it’s marginal.

 

[Rich M]

Some folks say a 223 can't kill a deer/elk/moose - it is unethical. That has been proven otherwise and there is a 100+ page thread on here with some impressive impact photos clearly proving that it is fine for deer/elk/moose with a certain bullet. Go figure.

I often hunt w a 357 mag rifle (158 gr bullet at 1,900 fps) for deer - have 16 deer up to 180-pound class, all "1 shot kills" and only 3 moved from the point of impact. Works good. When I started this project folks told me not to waste my time.

Also have a 9mm long gun. 16 inch barrel and maybe 1500 fps w 115/124 gr bullet. The bullets have a visible "trajectory" on targets when you hold dead on at 25-50-75-100 yards - rise at 25, dead on at 50, low at 75, lower at 100. I'd feel comfortable inside 75 yards with a "heavier" bullet, inside 50 would be better - talking a 9mm RIFLE here. For clarity, I haven't killed a deer with it or even tried.

If you are gonna shoot a deer with the 9mm pistol - have at it - check that box. Just know that there are some limitations. This is my take on the limitations -

• heaviest, sturdiest HP bullet you can find, they do 147s in 9mm - not liking the idea of a solid point due to less tissue damage
• keep it inside 20-25 yards
• rib lung shot - stay away from the shoulder
• treat it like a bow shot deer, give it time to bleed out before tracking - probably go 75 yards anyway

It isn't anything that hasn't been done before. If you had posted saying 357 mag, it would have gotten few comments yet it is also marginal out of a handgun for deer. I'd shoot a 180 gr XTP HP and keep it inside roughly 50 yards if using a 357 mag handgun.

If you want to pursue a future of handgun hunting think bigger and badder than 357 mag. Could do a contender to get more variety in cartridges. Also consider your shooting ability - big is often loud and jarring to shoot. Work your way up and know when you have too much gun, back off a lil from there. I found the .44 to be easier to shoot than .357 mag, possibly cause of larger/heavier gun.

Don't be afraid to carry a shooting stick to help w the shooting.

Good Luck!

 

[87TT]

I don't trust a 9mm for EDC let alone hunting.

 

[Sccritterkiller]

I have killed pigs with a 22mag pistol inside 50 yds...I would worry more about being accurate than bullet type..I have yet to find any type of animal that can survive a well placed shot to ear hole at 50 yds or less.

 

[DangerRanger]

Tell ya what I’ll carry a g19 this fall on private and if I get a shot within 20 yards I’ll do it

I don’t much care if people think it’s an experiment or not. If we can shoot hogs out of helicopters and woodchucks from a mile away I don’t see what makes a deer so special there’s only about 30 million of them.