Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns .40 S&W hunting

Has anyone used a 40 to take big game.............like feral hog, or something of that size?

Not yet but going to try my 40 on a deer or two this fall.

Load up some 200 grain hard cast bullets and see how they do. Shots will be 20 yards or so, doubt I have any issues.

No but Longshot powder will dive a 180g bullet to 1150fps in a 40. I carried one as a sidearm hunting a few years and loaded it with 180g lazercast with that Longshot load.

I planned to try it if I got close enough but ended up taking deer with my rifle at longer range instead. I quit 40s for about 10 years to simplify but later started shooting a 10mm and thought that I might as well have 40s again since I'm buying the bullets again.

If I were to hunt with one I'd probably use the 180 xtp over longshot.

Bb

I have killed 3 deer with the 40 in a CZ75B. In each case they were does that had wondered in real close. It will work within limits, but it would never be my first choice.

I assume you checked your state’s hunting regulations already. Some have a minimum length required.

I used the codger-butt version AKA 38 WCF to take a smallish doe during an early bonus season. It worked ok, nothing to write home about, though. The load used moved a 180 lrnfp a bit over 1000 fps.

I haven't but I would if that's all I had, and I'd only shoot smaller big game that was within about 30 yards.


Okie John

I shot a wounded elk that was trotting straight away from me in the neck/head. 180 XTP's loaded with a max charge of Blue Dot. Her head was lower at the shot, so the bullet traveled through about 10 inches of neck, busting some vertebrae up really well, and bulging her eye on one side, so the bullet made it to the front of her skull, about 16 inches of penetration and a lot of bone hit. I'd feel comfortable shooting that bullet as hard as a 40 will push it at any hoofed animal in reasonable handgun range.

Thanks, I have two .40s. I'm not planning on hunting with them, just curious.

Gonna try mine at those 10-15 yard archery type ranges.

I never hunted with mine, but I did carry a Browning Hi-Power daily for five years or so down on the ranch. I used it mainly to put down pronghorns and deer (mostly mule deer) that had been hit by vehicles. I also used it to put down two or three feral hogs that wandered into the yard. Ranges were short, but I never had to shoot anything twice. The only ammunition that I shot in it were the the CorBon factory loads.

For hunting, I would much prefer a good .357 magnum with hard-cast 180-grain bullets.

I have read more then a few accounts of defensive use of the 40 on real big critters like bears and moose in AK!!

In PA some years back a huge bear was killed with a 40.

My biggest has be about a 50# Coyote.

But I picked up a Ruger PC and its ballistics are more then many 10mm loads from my hand guns. So Id use it inside 100 yards NO PROBLEM!!!

CW

I have used my .40 to finish off several deer and Im not too impressed , defiantly would not recommend for hunting .

Factory ammo, or handloads? There is a lot left to be desired in the way 40 is loaded in factory ammo.