My father has a few shotguns, rifles, and revolvers but no auto pistols. I will be graduating from college soon and will have my own house in the country.
I want a gun I can eventually mount a nice light under for shooting coons, mountain lions, and coyotes at night when they go after the animals. The gun will be used mainly at home and might be taken with me wheeling for protection. I am looking for a pistol that I can shoot fairly cheaply so I can be completely comfortable with it without breaking the bank. I was looking at the .40 S&W or 45 ACP but to be fully honest I really don't know what I want / need. I don't mind dropping some coin on a gun that will last me my whole life. I am I big guy so I need something with a grip thats big enough for my bear paws. So... what do the PBB gun guys think I should get.

Thanks for any help you can give.

Well you want a shotgun or a rifle?

Sorry... guess I didn't specify. I want a pistol first.

relatively speaking, .40 and/or .45 can't really be shot "cheaply." it isn't super expensive but 9mm is cheaper. obviously .22lr is really cheap and fun to shoot. i have a 1911 that i love.

andy

I want something with good stopping power. My dog that I have now often tangles with coons and I have been seeing more and more mountain lions and coyotes around due to less and less open space. I have been looking at the 1911s but everyone makes one. Which one is better then the other? The main thing I have seen is that most do not offer any kind of rail system which I want for a light.

I may have misunderstood your post, but I think you're looking for recommendations for a handgun to use for raccoons, cougar, and coyote.

If that premise is correct I think you may be looking for more than one caliber to adequately do the job.

For raccoon you need nothing larger than .22 caliber. In fact, depending on which state you reside, anything larger than .22 may be illegal for taking 'coon and other fur bearers. The use of large caliber weapons for 'coon, even if legal will result in extensive pelt damage, assuming selling pelts is an objective. Consider also that 'coons may be shot while in trees and you're legally responsible for what that projectile hits after it passes through an elevated target and comes back to Earth. I don't know of any "long range" coon hunting - coons are normally taken at extremely close ranges and the .22 is plenty for such purposes. Either a revolver or auto-loader would work well here. A rifle of course would be even more accurate.

For coyote you could use the .22 successively at close to moderate ranges, but hardly much over 50 yards for humane kills. For greater distances a heavier bullet with good remaining energy is needed. I'd recommend any of the .22 centerfire bottlenecks - .222, .223, 220 Swift, etc. Again, check your local game laws for legal calibers. If you happen to live in a state that allows calibers larger than .22 for coyotes then something along the line of a .243, 22-250, or even a 25-06. Many of these calibers overlap deer sized game.

I know of no commonly available repeater handguns (maybe the Keltec?) that chamber adequate power loads in the above calibers. For that reason, I think you may be looking at a single shot handgun. Probably not what you wanted to hear.

And finally, Cougar. I wouldn't care to face off with a large cat (or bear) with anything smaller than a .44 magnum handgun. I am partial to the Ruger .44 mag. My favorite is in stainless and has a non-magnifying 'red dot' sight, easily used in total darkness as well as bright sunlight. The sight is totally parallax free. If the dot is on the target, though not in the center of the sight field, you've got a good hit. The revolver design is virtually trouble-free, extremely accurate, as as dependable as they come.

I routinely use my Ruger Super Blackhawk to take whitetail out to 135 yards, and have no reserves about carrying this piece in bear and cougar country.

I carry my Colt .45 acp every day - concealed. If push came to shove I would use it on big cat and bear - but only if I couldn't get to my .44 mag.

I suspect you were looking for a one-gun answer. I don't have one for you. Sorry.

I am not really looking for something to go hunting with. Just something that I can take out an animal (or person) if they attack one of my dogs (which happens a few times a year) or try to break into my house. The largest predatory cat that we have here is a mountain lion which are probably 50-75 lbs.

XD or S&W M&P in 357 Sig.......

XD or S&W M&P in 357 Sig.......


Our a SIG in .357 sig :flipoff2:

How common is the .357 sig round? Can I get it at most gun shops or do I have to order it? Eventually I will reload but for now I have to buy my rounds.

You can find it at most gun shops and even walmart carries it. it is not cheap, WWB .357sig at Walmart goes for $19+ a box. I think it's a great round and have a few sigs chambered in it, but I don't shot it much at the range because of price. The great thins about most modern handguns chambered in .40 can shoot .357 with a new barrel, and vice versa.


I see you are in SoCal. If you want to try some guns and promise not to handle them like a dumbass at the range, I will be in Redlands at Inland Fish & Game on Sunday.

I would love to go to the range but I am in Nor Cal till after Jan 5th. From what I have seen online .357sig, 40 s&w, and 45 acp are all about $.30 reloaded to $.40 new per round.

Gunforum (http://www.gunforums.com/)

27 pages of pistols + tactical lights (http://personalsecurityzone.com/)

American Handgunner (http://www.americanhandgunner.com/)

:)

I'd look into some of the Smith & Wesson N-Frame (large frame) revolvers. They make some damn nice .357's with rails - and you could always run .38 special out of it for plinking and coon slaying - but have excellent balistics for larger animals if need be. Could be a very nice compromise gun - and that seems to be what you are looking for.

This looks goofy as shit - but gives you an example of how much tacticool crap you can stuff on their guns - also keep in mind that this particular model has an 8-shot cylinder (nice!)

http://www.smith-wesson.com/wcsstore/SmWesson/upload/images/firearms/170292opt.jpg

Every S&W revolver I've shot has a VERY nice trigger and super smooth double action. That gun won't be cheap - but it would definitely be an investment and worth every penny as far as I'm concerned.

Edit to fix link::

well you want a semi auto pistol,
the best bet is on a 1911 in 45 acp, or a springfield xd in .40 or 45 acp.

cheep shooting is via a 22 cal,

as for shooting the bad critters, look into a chicom sks, but check out the sks sites for some 922R problems.:mr-t:

If your going to be plinking at coons and coyotes in the dark with a pistol you better practice. You really dont want to shoot your dog or a domestic animal.


There are several variants of the 1911's with rails on the frames. Taurus makes a reasonably priced one in the PT1911. I have 2 and love the things. However, I wouldn't grab one to shoot a coon off my dog unless I was in a big hurry. :laughing: FMJ's tend to wander right though things, HP's tend to stop inside things and 45 acp while not terrible price wise is a expensive plinking round. 9mm luger, largo and mak are a lot cheaper in 1K quantities. One semi auto (not auto) thats cheap, pretty accurate and fun to shoot is the Star Modelo Super. Mine was all of 170 bucks in my hand and 2K of non corrosive ammo was 253 bucks. I'm e mailing die makers about custom dies in 9mm Largo now. One thing about 45 acp, its big and slow, you almost feel like you have to steer it as its traveling down the barrel. :laughing:

For the coon on the dog gun, I'd really look more towards a wheel gun like the S&W's or Rugers. Easy to find a railed frame and .357 is a inexpensive, high knockdown round thats accurate. As a "first handgun" I think that would be perfect. Plus you can plink with .38 spl, even cheaper and still has good knockdown.


1911 for carry.
Star for plinking and home defense
Wheel gun for those pesky coons.
SKS for terrorizing the coyote population.
Browning A bolt in .30-06 for those "Its gotta be dead from 150~300 yards" moments.
Of course a Sagia 12 for those "when it absolutely has to be killed again" moments. :p

357 magnum?
you can plink and practice with 38's and they are about the cheapest round out there.
You can put the 357's in when you carry.

As far as coons go, you either need to get more dog or a smarter one.
You will not shoot a coon off a dog. You better not shoot the coon if the dog has it bayed.
Dogs pick up on your movements quick.
They realize as soon as you raise the gun you are going to shoot and will suddenly get brave.

Coon hunting we use a single shot 22 bolt action Cricket rifle with 22 shorts.

How about a .357/.38special lever gun?

get a Springfield .45ACP Light Wieght Operator $975
http://www.rsrgroup.com/pimages/SPX9116LP_1.jpg
and a
Walther P22 $299. This is the 3" version.
http://www.rsrgroup.com/pimages/WAWAP22007FC_1.jpg

Wow, 19 post and Doc hasn't told you to buy a sigma yet :flipoff2:

Buy a Glock. All other pistols are gay asshumpers. :flipoff2:

Buy a Glock. All other pistols are gay asshumpers. :flipoff2:

ok... will do. :flipoff2:

Buy a Glock. All other pistols are gay asshumpers. :flipoff2:


http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p59/hidesertwheelin/kool-aid.jpg



:flipoff2:

FN five-seven, with molded front rail should be perfect.

http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p59/hidesertwheelin/kool-aid.jpg



:flipoff2:

:laughing::laughing: