# can I ethically kill deer out to 50 yds with a .40 S &W?



## RipperIII (Nov 3, 2008)

I've got a Sig .40 S & W that I use for personal protection. It is very accurate. Is the .40 sufficient to quickly kill deer out to 40-50 yds? 
I realize shot placement is key, in stead of the scapula shot, I would hunt it as a bow, dbl lung/heart area.


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## cpowel10 (Nov 3, 2008)

If you hit it, I'm sure it would kill it.

BUT I doubt anyone could be consistently accurate enough to hunt with a short barrelled pistol (I'm guessing around 4") at those ranges.


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## cheezeball231 (Nov 4, 2008)

I agree w/cpowel10. It would have the killing power but you need to be able to hit a beer can. Most of those 40's you would have trouble hitting the guy holding the can at 50 yards. Get some cans and practice then you'll know how far is too far.


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## RipperIII (Nov 4, 2008)

I have, and can with some consistency hit the can, or the water bottle hanging on a limb at 25 yds (6-7 out of 10 rnds) I was really concerned about the killing power.
I would not be taking 50 yard shots, more like bow ranges with 40 being to outer limit.
I have put 3 out of 5 rounds into a rifle target off-hand at 100yds with that pistol, which really surprised me.


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## Apex Predator (Nov 4, 2008)

Marginal at best, imho.


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## DYI hunting (Nov 4, 2008)

I would think you need to drop your max range to 20 - 25 yards.  50 yards with a pistol is tough unless your using a red-dot.  The .40 S&W round should do the trick just okay as long as you use the right round.  Not my first choice in a pistol hunting caliber, I would rather stick with mags, .44 or .357.


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## RipperIII (Nov 4, 2008)

Yeah, you guys are right, 25 yds max. sounds right.
I hope to get a magnum next season, I just have this .40 on my hip, wondered if it'd do the job?


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## gordylew (Nov 4, 2008)

Back when the law stated you had to have a caliber that produced 500ft/lbs at a 100 yards, a .357 was barely legal with only 2 brands of ammo.   I shot a doe at 25 yards with a .357 and was not impressed.  a .40 has less energy them a .357.  Even with a lethaly placed hit you may be in for a lengthy tracking job.


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## cheezeball231 (Nov 4, 2008)

*without a scope I won't go beyond 50 with this beast*

S$W 500. and the $ stands for 3.50 a shot LOL.


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## bwarren2 (Nov 4, 2008)

Probably not recommended


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## Tomcatt57 (Nov 4, 2008)

Ethnically? No. 
Tomcatt


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## ejs1980 (Nov 4, 2008)

RipperIII said:


> I have, and can with some consistency hit the can, or the water bottle hanging on a limb at 25 yds (6-7 out of 10 rnds) I was really concerned about the killing power.
> I would not be taking 50 yard shots, more like bow ranges with 40 being to outer limit.
> I have put 3 out of 5 rounds into a rifle target off-hand at 100yds with that pistol, which really surprised me.



I like a 40 but not for hunting. If you could leave it to 25 yards and be willing to take the time for a lengthy trackin job it would work. Also 6-7 rounds on target at 25 yards is ok but that means you'd likely be 2-3 on target at 40.So if you hit it 3 times it doesn't sound too bad it's the 7 misses that hurt.


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## valley28 (Nov 4, 2008)

You should invest in a 29 / 629 , a blackhawk, or redhawk, and LEARN HOW TO USE IT!!!!!!!!!!!
BTW..... "Some consistency" just ain't up to snuff.


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## Stu (Nov 5, 2008)

I would not do it. If you shoot you need to kill it fast to be ethical.


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## teethdoc (Nov 5, 2008)

Not ethically.  I shot a deer already wounded by a 30-06 8+ times with a 9mm before bringing it down for good.  You need something with a BIG hole, or some nockdown power.


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## straitshooter (Nov 5, 2008)

get a .460, all your problems will be solved, except how you're going to afford to shoot the ammo for it. gun is good to 250 yds, now how many yards are you good for?


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## btt202 (Nov 5, 2008)

you can buy 40 cal ammo that over 500ftlbs @ 100 yards from ga arms    40cal.+p+


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## ThatredneckguyJamie (Nov 6, 2008)

A buddy of mine bought one of those hi point carbines in .40 cal to hunt hogs with. He shot a hog and we recovered it after about a half mile tracking job. He shot it twice and one of the rounds was stuck just under the hide between the muscle. .40cal doesn't have the energy needed to be ethical in my book


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## dadsbuckshot (Nov 20, 2008)

.40 is not that good of a round. It was a big hype back in the 90's with law enforcement that grew and grew and also overflowed into general public sector. Most all of Georgia Law Enforcment Agencies had to have .40's, NOW after the hype has died down and years of testing has been conducted both on the range and unfortunately in the field, law enforcement agencies are moving away from the .40 and going with a caliber with more "knock-down" power such as .45ACP and all of the Georgia Dept. of Public Safety (GSP, MCCD and Capitol Police) have all gone with the .45GAP - not saying one is better than the other, but they both have more power than .40.

WITH ALL THAT BEING SAID....

Its not really the best round to deer hunt with. I have a friend thats a Trooper that can shoot the .40 Glock at 100 yards and hit coke cans consistently, but he is basically arching the rounds into the target with alot of velocity and ft pound loss. The .40 will work OK from 35 yards and closer on deer - no further. 

It will work, but like you said  - I would keep it closer than 40 yards.

Be safe and have fun...


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## jblancaster88 (Nov 24, 2008)

Riper! Hey man, it's Jeremy from Ronnie's forum. Hows the huntin?


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## urbaneruralite (Nov 24, 2008)

RipperIII said:


> I've got a Sig .40 S & W that I use for personal protection. It is very accurate. Is the .40 sufficient to quickly kill deer out to 40-50 yds?
> I realize shot placement is key, in stead of the scapula shot, I would hunt it as a bow, dbl lung/heart area.



I have no idea what your ethics dictate, but in any case they would likely be challenged by a long tracking job of uncertain success. You won't get as wide a wound channel and maybe not as much penetration as with a bow. I wouldn't try it unless I loaded up some hard cast lead and had a tracking dog available.


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## RipperIII (Nov 24, 2008)

JBlancaster88
Jer-Ber!
Good to hear from you son! Doing well,...you?
Took a doe this weekend,...had to get some meat for Thanksgiving, let quite a few walk looking for that trophy...had to get practical.
Send me a PM, or I'll see you at Ronnie's 

The only reason I mentioned the .40 cal is that is my personnel defense hand gun, I pack it in with me when i hunt just in case of wild dogs, black panthers, snakes, wendigo's etc. and didn't know if I could take a deer at bow ranges.


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## wildcatt (Nov 30, 2008)

*power*

I wonder how the old timers ever killed a deer with their puny 25/20-32/20-38/40-44/40.oh and dont forget the 44 henry rimfire.and of course the old muzzel loader.


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## sbrown (Nov 30, 2008)

Well, let me answer your question with some first hand knowledge. I just shot my first deer ever with a handgun this evening, my .40 S&W Sigma. No lengthy tracking at all, went maybe 40 yards. Of course I shot it in the neck  It would not be my first choice of handgun for hunting, mainly because I don't feel accurate enough with it, mine shoots very low for some reason but I am getting used to it. I am much more accurate with my bow. I let the deer get to about 5 yards this evening then I unloaded.


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## Dead Eye Eddy (Dec 3, 2008)

My carry gun is an XD45.  I am not accurate enough with it to even consider shooting at a deer that wasn't already wounded.  I've been trying all season to get a nice doe with my scoped Redhawk .44 Magnum.  I limit myself to 50 yards even with the scope.  The dang deer keep coming in on my right side.


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## JoeyWommack (Dec 4, 2008)

Ethically No, IMHO
Unethically, Yes


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## Gentleman4561 (Dec 4, 2008)

get a bigger gun. A revolver    i would go with the 44. mag


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## farmera1 (Dec 11, 2008)

RipperIII, speaking from 2nd hand experience, I have been with a freind who killed a doe at 60 yards with a glock .40, she ran about 70 yards but it can be done, if you ask me the shot was luck but it can be done.


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## Lead Poison (Dec 11, 2008)

JoeyWommack said:


> Ethically No, IMHO
> Unethically, Yes





Gentleman4561 said:


> get a bigger gun. A revolver    i would go with the 44. mag



I agree with these guys! 

Get a bigger gun...41 mag, 44 mag, 45 Long Colt etc.


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## #4s (Dec 11, 2008)

50 yards is a long ways with a pistol.  I am assuming yours has combat sights.  This would cover a large portion of the deer making shot placement tough.


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## tv_racin_fan (Dec 11, 2008)

I was looking around trying to find a round I would suggest and I don't see very much I would use were I to decide I wanted to use a 40. I'm not going to say I don't think it could do the job because if I did then I'd be some sort of an idiot to send the wife out expecting a 9mm to do the job of defending herself. Truth is I beoieve it would be fine at short range just the same as I believe the 9mm is fine at short range. I guess no one loads rounds for a 40 or a 9mm with hunting in mind.

http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=533458

That's the best I could find and myself I believe I would prefer either a jacketed soft point or a non jacketed flat point and I'd want it in the hottest load I could shoot accurately out to say 20 yards.

If you hand load then Hunters Supply has some that would work fine I believe.

http://www.midwayusa.com/browse/Bro...19785***9015***&brandId=2046&sortBy=Price asc

I believe I would opt for the heaviest bullet that I could propel at the speed I wanted and get the accuracy I wanted.

If you don't handload then I believe I would find the Buffalo Bore loading that my handgun liked best and go with that.


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## tv_racin_fan (Dec 12, 2008)

Should have added I intend to attempt to kill a deer with my Ruger Old Army black powder revolver. Wont be this season and may not be the next but as soon as I can get some testing done I am going to give it a try. I'm thinking some 200 grain RNFP over as much FFFFg GOEX as I can stuff in it will do the job nicely at 20 yards or so. Be nice if I knew someone with a chronograph.


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## deerslayer357 (Jan 19, 2009)

I killed a yearling doe with my S&W Sigma .40 this year.  Shot her with a full metal jacket because she was hung in a fence and had broken her leg.  Shot her at about 15 yards and she fell dead immediatly.  HOWEVER....I don't think I would try it on a healthy deer because mine just isn't that accurate.  I hunt with a 357mag and have just acquired a 44mag to move up to.  I suggest you try one of those.


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## siberian1 (Jan 25, 2009)

Not a good idea


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## SuburbanShooter (Feb 6, 2009)

shoot paper not deer with that


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## onemilmhz (Feb 6, 2009)

When I was at the academy we had a contest at the end of range week that consisted of accuracy, speed and distance competitions.  I won the speed portion and placed second in the distance (and like fifth or sixth in accuracy).  The winning shot in the distance part was from 58 yards.  The other thirty or so cadets didn't even get past the 30.  My point is, it's a rare breed that can hit a pie plate ONCE from that distance, let alone consistently enough to hunt ethically.  A better way to think about it would be standing on the fifty yard line and hitting the goal post.  Not saying it can't be done, but...


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## redneckcamo (Feb 6, 2009)

with the power drop off of that round  I say NO ! not an ethic shot ....... 10 too 20 yds max ...... get the 10mm an then you can go out too 30-40yds out past that a magnum revlover of 41,44 ,454  is ethical but get a scope on it at 50yds  ....my 2 cents !!!


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