9 mm Rifle for coon?

[ATFIV]

Volquartsen 22lr, Trijicon SRO, TBAC 22 can
Fun, Accurate and enjoyable for everyone

 

[105Coues]

I shot a few with 9 fmj out of my Glock, doesn't kill well. So rule out the cheap ammo, at minimum.

9mm FMJ doesn't kill anything well. Lol

 

[Doug Casner]

And the hollow points dont expand unless you shoot those high priced critical defense. Doug

 

[wboggs]

Thinking about buying/building a dedicated coon rifle. Leaning toward 22 mag or....what about these rifles that shoot 9 mm rounds? I know nothing about them. Farthest shot would be 50ish yards with most around the 20-30 yard mark. Don't care about pelt damage as there are no more fur buyers in our area. Any experience would be appreciated. Thanks in advance
Stanley

I would get a 22 LR with a low power scope if I wanted a dedicated rifle. More coons have been killed with a .22RF than all other calibers combined by a factor of probably 10x.

 

[choprzrul]

Beware of magazine fed 9mm carbines! They are way too fun and you will burn through a stupid amount of ammo....

 

[skeeljc]

Maybe a better choice would be a lever action in .357 mag with a red dot. Gives you the choice between .38 special and .357 magnum. Wide choice of loads.

 

[Rick in Oregon]

i wouldnt spend money on a any gun just for a coon rifle and i never wanted or had a 22 magnum. Id either use a 22LR or a 223 or what i had with me.

Dunno know about that....any excuse to buy another gun seems logical to me.

 

[troupe]

Pistol calibers are ok if that is the only option, but since you have not committed as of yet, go with something with more zip, 17's and 22' mags. The pistol calibers will zip on through with not enough damage in the 1st couple of inches. Coon's are tenacious critters and need to be stopped.

 

[hoz53]

Dunno know about that....any excuse to buy another gun seems logical to me.

i have plenty on the list— its true i dont quite have the $ to buy every gun id like to. Id need a new building and 20 safes at least to put them in also.

 

[searcher]

Every time I shoot at a critter that is in a tree or with where there is "open sky" behind it, I'm always paranoid about missing. Wouldn't probably give it much thought if I were on my own 5,000-acre ranch - but that is not reality for me. I'd probably opt for a .17 HMR. Small, light bullet without a lot of mass, yet devastating within a hundred yards with a well-placed shot. Even if you only catch a "small piece" of the critter, that bullet will not go far after being deformed.

 

[K22]

Coons can be tough. They get rather large here in the east.

My vote goes to a 357 Magnum carbine level rifle for 50 yards and under. The 125 Hornady Hollow Point XTP is deadly ideal for this critter if the pelt is not an issue.

 

[Walt Krafft]

I bought a Rock River PCC a couple of years ago. Absolute hoot to shoot and would be plenty for a coon with hp bullets. Plenty of room for a light on the handguard. Red dot reflex sight all you will need as far as sights. Have fun!

 

[troupe]

If you are sold on the 9mm and you can reload, load 380 bullets in 88gr to 100gr with the right powders for blistering speeds. Back in my USPSA day's and before the 121gr limits, we used 380 bullets in a 38 super at 1800 fps. The compensated pistols were very flat shooting, but sounded like rifles. It was tough on the poppers for sure. A 9mm with the 88's should do 1600 plus out of a carbine with ease.

 

[ebb]

22TCM or a 22K hornet

 

[Knotwild]

22lr auto, suppressor, Aguila Interceptor 40gr hollow Point, and Streamlight TLR in green on a sling swivel picatiny mount tuned so the beam is where the cross hairs are.

I've only killed one coon in broad daylight and it was treed. If you catch one on the ground night or day he will disappear in an instant. Around here, they will eat all the corn put out for deer and can be whacked there.

Most people hunt them with dogs. I have found that quiet is best with nighttime coons. When treed any noise you make, or if white light hits them, they hide their eyes. Then they can be tough to see. They will look at the green light.

In reality if going to dog treed coons they are most easily addressed with a 20ga single shot loaded with no.6 lead.

 

[Doug Casner]

Nobody skins them now. Furbuyers used to raise hell about shotgunned coons or beaver. Unless I hit him between the eyes the dogs had to finish the job on the ground. Id use something bigger than a 22 rimfire. If I wasnt skinning them. Just my experience. Doug

 

[Rocky Mt High]

.22 Hornet.
Lots of rifles out there.
Bullet selection.
Cheap to load for.

 

[Evlshnngns]

Ar9 is a lot of fun and fmj ammo is cheap. Suppressed lever gun in a cartridge you already stock would be the bees knees.

 

[Treerat-sniper]

I've killed coons with everything from PCP air-rifles to my 77/44, the damn things are always after my chickens! Have done several close up with various carry-guns (.357, 9mm & .45acp - RN-FMJs suck for this). For several years I ran my .22 Hornet loaded to about 22 mag speeds, nowadays I keep a cheap Savage 93 .22WMR loaded with WW 40gr jhps & a red predator light mounted to it next to the kitchen door. Once in a while one of the neighbors & I fire up my Foxpro & do some daytime calling. He uses a AR or a .30-30!

I've talked to a few of the remaining serious coon-hunters in my area, they were using 17 HMRs for a while but have gone back to .22 Mags the past few years. One of the neater rigs they had was a Ruger American with a can, sounds like 22CBs.

 

[Treerat-sniper]

I've recently discussed this topic with a buddy of mine, he's used his AR-9 for groundhogs, coyotes & coons. He's using a combination of 124 gr XTPs & Power Pistol powder. I may explore this a bit, I dug my Aero/Stern AR-9 out of the back of the safe today. Needs a decent trigger & glass, but it has potential.


I have used a G26 to whack 3 coons one night, this should be more precise!