Reply With QuoteThis is truly the thread that keeps on giving!Originally Posted by 68Shooter
Unfortunately, many of us (at least those not in law enforcement) have too high an opinion of what their favorite hip-carried biped blaster can accomplish. Although perfectly capable of putting down a broadside, un-alerted, animal munching contentedly on its favorite veggies, pistols are not the best choice when the animal is aware, mad or scared, and charging head on.
Wild animals such as pigs and bears are not the same as a perp robbing the local 7-11 store or breaking into your home because he heard you have a stash of medical weed. A human, unless full of chemicals, will usually stop when shot because they don't want to be shot again. Shooting to stop an alerted, scared, or just angry animal weighing 200-400 pounds is not going to be a slam-dunk success with a pistol. Compared to a rifle, especially one as capable as a 6.8 AR, any pistol is anemic in energy, damage potential, and penetration. It is also vastly more difficult to shoot accurately under stress, making quality shots on an animal intending to smash you into the ground problematic, to say the least.
I am a devoted fan of any pistol cartridge starting with a 4 or 10 in its nomenclature. I carry a 45 ACP when in town, and a 10 mm when in the Oregon Coast Range. I have no illusions that either one would have stopped that pig if not already wounded, or a black bear protecting her cubs. Killed, yes! Stopped before hurting me? No way. And especially no way when equipped with self defense hollowpoints designed to meet the FBI criteria for use against 160 pound bipeds. They will not penetrate deeply enough to cause an immediate stop.
Look carefully at the bear anatomy shown earlier, or the pig in the video. Any shot to stop a determined head-on charge has to penetrate deeply through wire-like hair, thick skin, muscle, and maybe bone before it reaches the heart or lungs. A brain shot has to penetrate thick skull bone. Look at the way the pig is carrying its head down low to the ground. Not only is the skull thick, but it's sloped so that a bullet will strike it at an angle of about 45-60 degrees. This is the way tank armor is built! A bullet hitting the skull will either be deflected away from the brain, or will encounter 50 per cent more bone thickness because of the angle.
Deep penetration from heavy non-expanding bullets will help, but the bottom line is, as others have stated earlier, keep shooting with the rifle. Larn to quickly clear malfunctions, and practice reloading drills.
Look at the pistol as an emergency, last resort weapon when being charged by an animal. Or as slightly better than a rock if it’s all you have.
