Posted: 5/18/2008 11:15:51 AM EDT
| I have a Glock G23 as my only handgun, mainly as I have it well stocked with mags and ammo. I'd like to use it outdoors for personal defense (in FL the biggest concern is alligators, not bears) as well as for personal defense in city/CCW carry. Is this reasonable to do and is there an ammo type you'd go with or just get the most accurate round and go with shot placement? I'm thinking of not buying any other handguns just because I like what I have but if I did it would be a .45ACP 1911 type. Can a .40 or .45 finish off a 'gator or a deer should one need to be dispatched? |
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Like any other form of hunting you need to learn the anatomy and physiology of your target. or How do you stop the critter? Yes "little" guns can "get 'er done," but accuracy and correct targeting (aiming at the right place) go from important to critical. With any handgun to be used for defense; I recommend a top quality hollow point from a top quality brand. A defensive shooting could cost a lot of $$$,$$$.99 in legal fees afterward; so why would you try to save $0.25 on ammo, and risk not getting the job done? ETA It won't matter what you pack somebody will call it a little gun. I'll just get it settled: [InerwebCommando]The SW in 40SW means Short and Weak[/InerwebCommando] [InerwebCommando]The 9mm is for little wemonz and kidz[/InerwebCommando] |
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i have personally seen deer dropped with 22lr, .380 auto, 40 sw, 45 auto, 45 colt, 223, 30 carbine, 12 gauge slugs and buck, 308 win, 44 cal black powder revolver, and 50 cal BP rifle. sorry i have never owned a 9mm i have seen the deer after a 17 cal hit lets just say years ago i lived out in the middle of now where, and i liked ballistic testing |
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I've got a friend who hog hunts with his Glock 23 as a backup to his spear (yeah, he's kinda nuts); he's put a couple down with it and has no complaints and a hog is a lot tougher than a deer or alligator. As noted, you really need a good shot on an alligator no matter what you shoot him with but I've heard tell of them being killed with .22s by poachers and cajuns. If you're happy and accurate with the .40 why change? |
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Writerdeluxe: I lived in FL (Port St. John/Melbourne/Cocoa area and later Ocala) for several years. My carry weapon, as well as my outdoors weapon, was a Glock 27. I never, ever felt undergunned. Your primary defensive needs will likely involve two-legged predators, not wildlife. If you have a gator problem, you are doing something wrong. Having spent time fishing the St' Johns River I can honestly report that the semi-domesticated/semi-feral wild-assed cattle that roam that area can be a lot more aggressive than the gators. I never had a problem with hogs, but they could likely be an issue more than gators. The Glock 23 is a fine outdoors gun. It's primary advantage is low weight for soze and caliber. The .40 will get it done. I also own 1911's and a all-steel 1911 is frequently too damned heavy. FL isn't Alaska. You do not need a .44 or a larger than .40 caliber. I've also encountered black bears in the Ocala Natl Forest. The typical encounter is a sighting of a furry black rear end making time away from you as rapidly as possible. . 40 will finish deer. Mine has done so to many. For that matter, I've a .38 a bunch of times too. My carry load in the 27 was usually Corbon's 135 or Federal's 155 Hydrashok. When in the woods I always opted for slightly more penetration with the 155 hydrashoks. For what its worth I personally feel 100% adequately armed with a .40 anywhere east of teh Mississippi. |
I prefer FMJ.You won't look good to a jury. It can be turned on you, "you were looking for trouble with those man killer hollow points in your hidden gun." Just my .02 |
FMJ will go through even not so soft human tissue and come out the other side with enough lead intact and velocity to do somebody harm. Cops use Speer Red Dots / hollow points to help prevent overpenetration and injuring innocent people. It has nothing to do with man killing bullets, it has to do with stopping power. Enough of it to stop the threat, and hopefully not injure innocent people with a bullet that goes through the threat remains intact and strikes someone else. That is what a FMJ non-fragmentation round will do, besides not have much stopping power. |
it depends on where your at... in new york you are probably right... in other places they might say that your neglient of other peoples safety by having a round that tends to penetrate and hit other targets. it is more important to stay alive and be able to prove you are left with no choice but to use lethal force. |
 Me too. That's why I just shoot the gun outa' their hand. When in the woods, I don't want DNR to think I was hunting, so I carry a BB gun. Shoot that gator's eye rigth dere.
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| For animals... Double Tap has 200gr WFNGC rounds that are lead with a gas check so they are ok in stock glock barrels. I reload my own ammo, but there is no powder I have been able to find to do get the velocities that they get with their 200gr rounds. I did find the bullets though. |
yip. agree with that. and yes what you have will work, yes you have to know where to put the round yes you will have to explain why you shot a chargeing deer  or a sun basking gator if caughtno its not backwards to go to a wheel gun.. 2 legged vermin are your worst and more than likely most common beast you'll encounter. YMMV |
Of course its your choice but I wouldn't consider a revolver "[a step] backwards" at all. In fact, IMHO, trekking and kayaking through Florida's backcountry make the revolver damned appropriate (I grew up a little North of Orlando). I would probably go with a S&W 629 in .44mag. loading the first two rounds with #9 snake-shot followed by four rounds of good defensive ammo (maybe solids to get the penetration on gator skull/skin-I don't know). Ubber-reliable, acceptable to carry in condition 1, plenty of good holster rigs to carry properly while paddling, wading or wearing a pack, speed loaders, etc. and it doesn't scream "gangsta" to the sheeple (least of my concerns). I like it. Just curious, can anybody here recommend a "Gator-load" and what to aim for? I'll be moving back one day. Actual experience only please. |
If you ever truly NEED to use your carry weapon, you want to be using the best performing ammo available, period. Survive first then get a lawyer. FMJs are probably not the best performing and over-penetration or ricochet hazards are enhanced w/ FMJ (how will a jury view that ). Forget the PC factor, your choice of ammo will not turn a "bad shoot" into a "good shoot". |
As my father is so fond of saying..."Better to be judged by 12 than carried by 6" |
I find it hard to believe if it is a clean shoot that your choice of a high quality jhp will be criticized. If you are that worried, find out what your local pd or sheriff is carrying and go with that, even if it's not the best, it's better than FMJ. |
Lets get out of the life or death situation before we start worrying about court 6 months from then. FWIW 9mm 115gr Black Talons |