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#1: 9mm for Small Game: A Quick Story Author: stevensams,

Posted: Mon Jan 13, 2025 6:03 am
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I once shot a chipmunk with a 9mm—didn’t expect to hit it, but I did! It went down fast, though I definitely should’ve used hearing protection—that shot was loud. I’ve also used my Glocks on a few groundhogs with decent results. However, for serious hunting, the 9mm isn’t ideal. There are better handgun options, like wheelguns or a T/C Contender, for more effective and reliable performance. Anyone else use 9mm for hunting? Would love to hear your thoughts!

#2: Re: 9mm for Small Game: A Quick Story Author: Pumpkinslinger, Location: NC foothills

Posted: Mon Jan 13, 2025 1:46 pm
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It obviously has enough power for varmints. I would think the only problem would be accuracy at distance. Now you've got me wondering what a 9mm carbine would do...

#3: Re: 9mm for Small Game: A Quick Story Author: Vince, Location: Brisbane AUSTRALIA

Posted: Mon Jan 13, 2025 10:03 pm
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The 9mm, in a number of different platforms, has been around for near on a century. It is still the calibre of choice by many Police Departments around the world, showing it is still a capable calibre in man sized targets.

If you look back over the years, especially WW II, there were many firearms/weapons chambered in 9mm. The Germans Had a number of weapons chambered in 9mm that they used with success. The British and Australians both had sub machine guns chambered in 9mm that were very effective…in fact the Australian Army still uses a 9mm Browning Hi-Power pistol.

I carried a 9mm sub machine gun for a while whilst in the Army and had no problems hitting targets out as far as 150 metres. I also noted the projectiles would penetrate corrugated iron sheeting at that range.

So, what am I saying…don’t write the 9mm off as a small, low power round…it is very capable, especially if loaded to +P or higher levels. Mind you, I wouldn’t use it against say a Grizzly Bear (unless it’s all I had), although there is a case where a woman shot and killed a Grizzly with a .22 LR! For smaller game the 9mm would be more than enough gun to achieve the aim…so long as the shooter was familiar and competent with his firearm. There are a lot of criminals no longer with us who would attest to this.

#4: Re: 9mm for Small Game: A Quick Story Author: stevensams,

Posted: Tue Jan 14, 2025 10:19 am
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it's all about confidence and knowing your worth - Ma Kettle ,

I m amazed by your exp and listning to your story Vince.

#5: Re: 9mm for Small Game: A Quick Story Author: Elvis, Location: south island New Zealand

Posted: Sat Jan 18, 2025 7:44 pm
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There is a single shot break open rifle for this being sold now...interesting wee niche market. My .222rem fills that slot for me. There are a whole raft of rounds that sort of fall into same slot.the M1 carbine round and .357 mag/38 special are two that come to mind. Go back a few years and the likes of .32/20 and all its relatives were similar. Great for up to small pigs,deer or goat size game at close range...scopes weren't all that common so sub fifty yards with open sights was considered normal and power of round was "enough" but not so much it booted at both ends.the 7.62x39 and 300 black out are both getting lots of use on deer over here,plenty of rifle options for them.if 9mm had more options at not mortgage the house plus sell kidney prices,the wee round would be popular too. I could see it being good bail gun option over dogs.

#6: Re: 9mm for Small Game: A Quick Story Author: Vince, Location: Brisbane AUSTRALIA

Posted: Sat Jan 18, 2025 11:04 pm
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It wouldn’t be difficult to re-chamber a .357 Mag rifle to 9mm if you really wanted that calibre. Biggest problem doing that would be the bolt being made to extract a rimmed case instead of a rimless case.

Then again, the .357 Mag will do everything a 9mm will, including shooting very light low power rounds to high power heavy hitting .357 Mag rounds. I’d venture to say rechambering from .357 Mag would be a waste. Now if you were to consider a .38 Special or .380 to 9mm, that would be a much better option. Both though would mean considerable expense in a bolt/barrel changeover.

Elvis mentioned three rounds that surpass any of the standard pistol calibre options, and are worthy of consideration…those are the 7.62x39, .300 Blackout and .30 M1 Carbine. All three of these rounds have a well proven track record and have much more to offer than the 9mm.

Having said that, there is a place for the 9mm in a rifle platform, however, the cost and logistics in chambering a rifle in 9mm realistically make it a non-viable option for all except possibly those who are hell-bent having on a 9mm rifle.

Stevensam makes mention of the best by far option for a 9mm rifle, and that is a TC Contender. Carbine barrels are readily available, as are 10 inch BBL barrels in 9mm, so that opens up a whole spectrum of options/ideas.

As an aside, I have a friend in the US who has a AR platform rifle chambered in .45 ACP that is a real tack driver, especially on steel targets, and as he already has a couple of .45 ACP pistols, he has commonality and is able to reload for them all. His CCW carry is, however, a pistol chambered in 9mm.

#7: Re: 9mm for Small Game: A Quick Story Author: Pumpkinslinger, Location: NC foothills

Posted: Sun Jan 19, 2025 3:21 am
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You've got me wondering what this would do with a LPVO and some decent ammo. I shot a 3-4" group at 100 yds with cheap ammo and that red dot.

#8: Re: 9mm for Small Game: A Quick Story Author: Vince, Location: Brisbane AUSTRALIA

Posted: Sun Jan 19, 2025 7:31 pm
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I’m not sure that I’d say 3” - 4” at 100 yards is its best Punkin. With quality factory ammo, or even better, good handloads, I reckon MOA is possible at that range from a rifle. However, groups would most certainly open up beyond that range. How much they would enlarge would depend entirely on the quality of the ammo, the rifle itself, and of course, your capabilities.

I never tried shooting the 9mm beyond 150m, but it still had good “grunt” at that range from a 16” barrelled sub machine gun. I’ve heard it said that the 9mm bullet will travel 800m held at an elevation of 800 mils (45°), and I’ve hit targets at 300m with a .357 Mag from a 6” barrelled S&W revolver. My you, I was really driving them with max loads, Very Happy

and it was more good luck than good management. Razz

Some guys shooting IHMSA out here have used a 38 Special case loaded with heavy cast lead bullets with reasonable success, (I used a 30.30 TC Contender with 165gr bullets) and that’s out to 200 yards. So maybe the old 9mm round, loaded with the right components, would prove to be quite capable.

#9: Re: 9mm for Small Game: A Quick Story Author: gelandangan, Location: Sydney Australia

Posted: Mon Jan 20, 2025 7:28 pm
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I reckon you would be much better off with 357 Mag for hunting than a 9mm.
9mm case is way too small to make meaningful adjustments to the load to improve the ballistic performance.

#10: Re: 9mm for Small Game: A Quick Story Author: Aloysius, Location: B., Belgium

Posted: Tue Jan 21, 2025 9:44 am
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Geland, I agree.
But to be honnest I trust my 22 Hornets or my 222's more for shotplacement than my 357 or 44 lever actions... the shape of cases, bullets and their velocities do matter. On short distances however a holow point in the .357 RM or the .44 RM will beat lots of rounds (for info: HP's are not allowed for handguns in Belgicstan!)
But for hunting small creatures I think I would rather take a PCP or a .22 LR than the 9 mm, the .380 ACP or the .32 ACP.

#11: Re: 9mm for Small Game: A Quick Story Author: Bushmaster, Location: Ava, Missouri

Posted: Tue Jan 21, 2025 2:31 pm
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I believe the .22 LR would a lot more fun anyway.

#12: Re: 9mm for Small Game: A Quick Story Author: Vince, Location: Brisbane AUSTRALIA

Posted: Tue Jan 21, 2025 6:24 pm
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Bushmaster wrote:

I believe the .22 LR would a lot more fun anyway.

Can’t agree more mate. I have a ball with my .22 LR, and best of all, it’s accurate and damn cheap to shoot. What more could you ask for?

#13: Re: 9mm for Small Game: A Quick Story Author: Aloysius, Location: B., Belgium

Posted: Wed Jan 22, 2025 11:16 am
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Vince wrote:

Bushmaster wrote:

I believe the .22 LR would a lot more fun anyway.

Can’t agree more mate. I have a ball with my .22 LR, and best of all, it’s accurate and damn cheap to shoot. What more could you ask for?

I know what I would ask for...
you know that some stupid people banned all rimfire rounds for hunting in the flemish part of our country (the North)? So I'm allowed to shoot a rabbit with a .375 H&H or the .458 WM or even the .50 BMR, but NOT with a .22 Short, Long or LR.

And when you know the salary and the extra benefits of the people who voted that law, you won't like to pay taxes anymore...

#14: Re: 9mm for Small Game: A Quick Story Author: Vince, Location: Brisbane AUSTRALIA

Posted: Wed Jan 22, 2025 9:15 pm
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Aloysius wrote:

Vince wrote:

Bushmaster wrote:

I believe the .22 LR would a lot more fun anyway.

Can’t agree more mate. I have a ball with my .22 LR, and best of all, it’s accurate and damn cheap to shoot. What more could you ask for?

Politicians mate, especially those who are in the pockets of the ANTI “community”. Mad

Commonsense will never prevail whilst ever the ANTIs have any sort of control over those who make the Laws. Very Happy

Deep down, politicians aren’t interested in the feelings of shooters, they are really only interested in working hard towards securing re-election at the next election, and they know full well that the ANTIs can “make or break” them come the next election.

#15: Re: 9mm for Small Game: A Quick Story Author: Bushmaster, Location: Ava, Missouri

Posted: Wed Jan 22, 2025 11:06 pm
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SOOO glad I live in a FREE state.

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