# using a .40 to hunt with



## frosty20 (Dec 27, 2014)

I have a Springfield XD40. Anyone use a .40 to hunt with? Just curious if this is feasible or if I needn't go another route. Thanks in advance.


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## AndrewX (Dec 28, 2014)

The .40 S&W is probably not ideal for most handgun hunting situations but anything, under the right circumstances, can work. A .40 S&W would be considered underpowered for deer but possibly too much for most small game. If a .40 is all you have and you're not wanting to invest in another firearm, before I could better answer your question I'd want to know:

What would you be hunting?

At what range would you be shooting?

What load/bullet would you be using?

How well can you shoot that load at that range? Remember that the goal is to take whatever you're hunting with a clean, one shot kill.

The .40 S&W was developed as a lower recoil/velocity, shortened 10mm that would fit into the same form factor as the 9mm. While the 10mm is very similar ballistically to the .41 Magnum which is very capable of taking whitetail and other medium sized game, the .40 S&W loads are moving much slower (350-450 fps) and wouldn't likely be anyone's first choice for hunting. If you're hunting deer, most people believe that the .357 Magnum is the minimum cartridge. If you're hunting squirrels, .22LR works well.

Also, most factory loaded .40 S&W is geared towards self defense which has different priorities than hunting loads.

Hope this helps and let us know your answers to the above questions so we can give you better advice.

Happy hunting!


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## ambush80 (Dec 28, 2014)

I wanted to use my Beretta to hunt hogs so I asked a similar question.  This place is a wealth of knowledge.

http://forum.gon.com/showthread.php?t=742710&highlight=


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## .60 caliber buckshot (Dec 28, 2014)

*This may be the load you are looking for...*

...200 grain HCFN at 1000 fps.  Shoot for the shoulder and you should get complete penetration.

https://www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=349


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## ambush80 (Dec 29, 2014)

.60 caliber buckshot said:


> ...200 grain HCFN at 1000 fps.  Shoot for the shoulder and you should get complete penetration.
> 
> https://www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=349



Awesome info!!!  Thanks!!


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## GunnSmokeer (Jan 9, 2015)

I have a good friend who hunted deer with .357 magnum and .45 acp handguns.

Both of those guns sometimes wore red dot optics, but he also used 'em with iron sights. He was a bullseye target shooter and could hold a 5" group at 25 yards with open sights on his pistols.

Based on his experience, I think you could use a duty-sized .40 pistol to hunt, with the right load for the game you're going after.  I've seen some .40 rounds penetrate 15" deep in soaked-wet newspaper when 9mm and .38 special and .380 bullets only went in 5" to 9" deep.  

If you hunt with this kind of handgun, consider it as a substitute for a bow and arrow, NOT a substitute for a rifle!  Act like a bowhunter.  Take only close shots where you have a high degree of confidence in hitting the kill zone.

If you're accurate enough to hold a 6" group at 30 or 40 yards, consider that your maximum hunting distance for deer.  

If you aren't that accurate, then whatever distance you can keep 9 out of 10 shots in a six-inch group centered in the target is your maximum hunting distance. Even if that distance is 50 feet or whatever.  (I say 9 out of 10 because everybody has a flyer once in a while.)


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