9mm equivalent to 38 wadcutter for woods carry

[camsdaddy]

I have carried a snub nose 38 in my pocket for a long time. I normally carry with HBWC or DEWC. I find they work well for general task that I have called upon them to perform. I have shot armadillos, finished off deer that have been shot and animals that have been hit by a vehicle, venomous snakes and anything else Ive needed them to do. I am now carrying either my 43 or 19 more and more. I have my magazine with JHP "carry load". I am looking for something to carry in my spare mag that will provide cheap, effective and humane shots on critters. Nothing I shoot requires massive penetration. I dont know that a cheap reload hollow point or even FMJ would not be the trick. Just curious if anyone has found a good general round for 9mm?

[Noah]

Probably plain 124 or 147 FMJ might be fine?

[Totem Polar]

For Deer, Snakes, Armadillos… maybe just a good carry load like 124 GDHP?

The boutique makers produce some good hardcast “bear” options, but I don’t believe I’m reading that need into the OP. JMO, OMMV, etc.

@Lost River

[CCT125US]

I've had good results with AE9FP and Aguila 147. The flat point does well in penetration and drives straight, and is relatively inexpensive.

[Colt191145lover]

I just use my carry ammo , I have put down lots of wounded deer and elk with 147gr HSTs.

[Navin Johnson]

I have carried a snub nose 38 in my pocket for a long time. I normally carry with HBWC or DEWC. I find they work well for general task that I have called upon them to perform. I have shot armadillos, finished off deer that have been shot and animals that have been hit by a vehicle, venomous snakes and anything else Ive needed them to do. I am now carrying either my 43 or 19 more and more. I have my magazine with JHP "carry load". I am looking for something to carry in my spare mag that will provide cheap, effective and humane shots on critters. Nothing I shoot requires massive penetration. I dont know that a cheap reload hollow point or even FMJ would not be the trick. Just curious if anyone has found a good general round for 9mm?

Quality service caliber carry ammunition is your best bet in a service pistol.

[Lost River]

I have carried a snub nose 38 in my pocket for a long time. I normally carry with HBWC or DEWC. I find they work well for general task that I have called upon them to perform. I have shot armadillos, finished off deer that have been shot and animals that have been hit by a vehicle, venomous snakes and anything else Ive needed them to do. I am now carrying either my 43 or 19 more and more. I have my magazine with JHP "carry load". I am looking for something to carry in my spare mag that will provide cheap, effective and humane shots on critters. Nothing I shoot requires massive penetration. I dont know that a cheap reload hollow point or even FMJ would not be the trick. Just curious if anyone has found a good general round for 9mm?

For Deer, Snakes, Armadillos… maybe just a good carry load like 124 GDHP?

The boutique makers produce some good hardcast “bear” options, but I don’t believe I’m reading that need into the OP. JMO, OMMV, etc.

@Lost River

I would not use regular FMJ.

It has the tendency to pencil through game animals and unless you hit something structural or a CNS shot, they are likely to not even appear to look like they have been hit other than the initial hump up for a second, before they run off to eventually slowly suffer from the shot, or recover.

I have shot so dang many jackrabbits with 230 grain FMJ .45 I cannot put a number on it. They often just stand there or give one or two hops and then just stand there, or just run away. Switch to a good semi wadcutter and it will smack them down like a fly swatter. Amazing difference. The same thing with larger animals like badgers, deer, domestic cattle, you name it.


Long story short, do not use FMJ. Not unless you are standing at contact distance and the animal is totally immobile, which is hard to predict.

No, you do not need a custom round like the heavy 9mm 148+P hard cast flat points that my company offers, simply to put down an animal that is vehicle struck. If you can get close enough, a good service JHP can do that, with a properly placed shot.

A key rule to remember and one I taught my oldest kiddo is this. "Ear hole to Eye hole" Or "Eye hole to Ear hole". Just remember that and imagine that path for the bullet. If you use that as your intended path of the bullet it will drop pretty much anything. I have killed more game and various domestic stock animals than I care to recall. Ended a few people's totall cluster franks too, as they were causing animals to suffer.

It works, believe me.

Consider giving the animal a merciful death and end their pain with an instant lights out shot.

This was an example of a 1911 shot in the ear. you can see the exit.




The truck in front of me hit this cow elk, and she was busted up. She was suffering and had a broken shoulder/leg. If I recall right, the two guys from the city (Boise) thought they were going to cut her throat. (terrible way to go for an already suffering animal, and they likely would have messed that up, as it is not like the movies). It was a good way for one of them to get badly injured getting the kicked by a sharp hoof.

This was another ear shot, though on an animal not wounded. The point of the pic is to show the "lights out" effect. The animal just drops. No running, no anything. Zero suffering. Just done.



You have to be precise though and know your abilities, what you are capable of and what you are not.

Back to the OP. If you are carrying a good service JHP, I would suggest another box of it. load your spares with it, and not FMJ. You already know the point of aim, point of impact, so use it. Save the FMJ for steel plates and training.

If, and when you need a heavier load for larger animals, or predator defense, barriers etc, I would gladly recommend something I produce. However based on your needs, I think you are better off using the service JHPs you are using now and keep things simple.

[RevolverRob]

Gold Dot/HST

Barring those, a 147-grain subsonic flat point would be my preference to any of the FMJs typically out there.

[Hambo]

150gr SWC from Bayou Bullets over powder of choice. It's my favorite practice load, but I'd use it in any situation if I had to.

[willie]

Search for Federal 9BP, 115 jhp, a stellar l.e. round for 40 years. It's super accurate. Target Sports lists it for $19.99 per box of 50. It's out of stock, but they will notify you when it's available.