Pistol Ammo For Mt Lion.. HP or FMJ

Luked

WKR
Joined
Apr 3, 2014
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Sullivan, MO.
Which one would you prefer if needed. Something like a Hollow Point or a Round nose? And would heavier be better? 200gr over 180gr?

Have a 40 S&W im going to take as have been hearing some reports of quite a bit of Mt Lion Activity in the Unit I plan to hunt this year.
Probably wont need it really. But would rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it.

I also have a 357 in the safe. But its a fairly long barrel Ruger Security 6 Stainless.
Not sure which would be better.
 
Last edited:
Joined
Dec 27, 2012
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Colorado
If I am only taking a pistol to the woods, it has hardcast bullets. I use the 147gr 9mm bullets from Buffalo Bore.
 

jolemons

WKR
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Mar 16, 2013
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MT, USA
I've shot a few lions, one coming at me. I'd just use what you already have, they aren't grizzlies. If you have EDC ammo for your gun, that'll work just fine.

Sent from my SM-G990U using Tapatalk
 

TreeDog

Lil-Rokslider
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Aug 13, 2016
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Hollowpoint. I used a 10mm on my lion a couple years ago. Still had my hard cast bear loads in it from earlier in the year. Put one right in its chest and it jumped out and ran away. Put the dogs back on it and it still had a lot of life left. A 10mm hole through both lungs was the only damage when I skinned it out. I would want as much tissue damage as possible now.
 

AntelopeEater

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Jul 10, 2023
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I'd use the .357 revolver with a soft point.

One advantage of the revolver is that my understanding is that lion often attack by surprise, and if you end up grappling with it, you can push the barrel of a revolver up against it and blast it without the gun going out of battery like most semi-autos would.
 

Rich M

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I'd carry a 9mm with 115 HP.

It isn't like a grizzly bear that's gonna keep on keeping on. You shoot a cat, it will change his mind quickly.
 
Joined
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Lyon County, NV
It's all about blood loss, tissue damage, and getting to the vital organs for similar reasons. That will be different for different sized animals, and how much of them you need to go through to get that necessary damage. As others have pointed out, cougar aren't grizzly (or cape buffalo) - they're roughly the weight of a human, whether small female through large male, and don't have much tissue to go through to hit vitals.

Your biggest concern should be gun reliability and your ability to accurately hit with it. So, go with what you've proven as reliable in your gun and are used to - your normal carry hollow-points.
 

thinhorn_AK

"DADDY"
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Jul 2, 2016
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Mountain lions aren’t that big. I shit one with a 357mag and a FMJ bullet when I was like 16. If lions were all I was worried about I’d just take whatever ammo I had.

All that to say I don’t think there was very good woods ammo back when I shot that thing 20 years ago.
 
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