40 S&W for sidearm?

[Westbound]

I will be heading to central Texas in the next few weeks to try to get a shot at some hogs that have been tearing up my grandmother's place.
Rifle selection isn't a problem, but since that rifle is a single shot, I wanted to carry something on my hip as I will be hunting from the ground.
I have a .357 snubbie that I know will work ballistically, but I'm not a great shot with it.  I bought it with more of a home defense mentality.
I am a good shot with my Glock 22.  Would a 40 cal be sufficient as a backup in case of an angry, wounded hog?
If so, what should I load it with? Hard cast is out of the question since the Glock has the factory "jacketed bullet only" barrel.

Thanks!

[drdougrx]

I'm not much of a glock guy, but I suspect a 180gr soft point would be OK.  The only .40cal I own is an HP and I use 155gr hydra shocks but haven't used it on game and probably won't.  Love to hear from others.

[jmayton]

The Glock 22 will only kill the odd-colored ones.  Like this little porker:



Seriously, my G22 is my main back-up for hogs.  It's light, carries easily, and has plenty of power.  I tracked this hog into the brush and it got so thick that I actually laid down my wife's .243 that I was carrying and went in with the pistol.  I met this little guy in a small clearing and he took off running.  I hit him with three shots as he ran in front of me and he crumpled on the third.  I shoot Win Ranger 155gr HP's and they work well in the head or neck.  I have also carried my S&W 36 3" .38, and my 1911 but I still carry the Glock the most.  It's quite capable in that role, and you don't have to worry about it getting dirty, or scratched, or failing to fire when you desparately need it.

I agree with Dr. Doug on the bullet choice.  I'd probably shoot what he suggests if I hadn't been given a case of the Rangers.

[Tonk]

I carry a Glock model 22 around on the place in the summer time but I certainly would not like to have to defend myself against any of the ferel hogs over a 100-lbs. I shot a goat awhile back with my .40cal and the outcome was not what I was looking for in a 90-lb goat.

Personally I think you would be much better off carrying a .44magnum or even a 10mm Glock over the 40cal Smith & Wesson caliber. It might be OK for 2-legged types but not a great big game getter. If your shooting baby pigs it will work.

[jmayton]

The bullet used makes a huge difference.  I took my buddies 1911 out one time and just grabbed a couple of loaded magazines I had.  They were loaded with 230gr RN FMJ's.  I shot a pig about 150yds away with my M4 disabling it.  When I went to finish it off, I fired one in it's head and saw dust kick up behind it.  I fired again.  Again, dust.  I was thinking, "I'm 5 ft away, I can't be missing."  Fired again and saw the hole in it's head and dust kick up behind.  The pig just kept on looking at me.  The FMJ's were going right through and not doing much.  I've done the same thing with HP's and it's lights out instantly.  A 44 mag or a 10mm would be a good choice.  But if they're close, I will be firing a bunch of rounds as fast as I can.  I've only had one pig truly charge me and that was a 300#+ boar.  I was backpedaling firing my M4 until he finally stopped.  Big rounds are only good for that first shot and on a charging hog, you may not have the opportunity to make a good first shot.  After that, they become to uncontrolable to be effective, so for a backup, I want something that I can control but has enough power to get the job done.  For me that's a .40, .45, .357, or a .38+P.

[drdougrx]

Interesting J,

I never even considered a 40sw or a 45acp for pig back up.  I was thinking of 180 or 200gr cast WFP in my 3" model 60 as lite backup.  Would be kinda cool to carry my HP or 1911 LW as backup.  Maybe I'll think on that a bit....

[S_J_KENNELS]

I started out useing a S&W model 19 357 as the back up to my knife when I started hunting hogs on my own 14 yrs ago. I got rid of it as soon as I could, and got a 44 mag. I have seen hogs of all sizes killed with .38, .357 mag, 40 S&W, 44mag, 45acp, and 45LC. Of all of these rounds if I had to choose one it would be the 44 mag hands down in revolvers. If I had only semi's to choose from the 40 would be my choice. I have seen more hogs shot DRT with a 40 then any other semi round. While they all will work with correct shot placement, I want a round I can count on and feel comfortable with at all times. If you put your shots where you want them, with any of your handguns, then use what round your more comfortable with.

Just one last thing to think about, and the reason I do not carry a semi when hog hunting as I have seen it happen. If you slip in mudd or trip, what ever the case maybe when hunting or looking for a wounded hog. Can you depend on your semi to work with mud, water, dirt, etc.. on it? I have seen even Glock Semi's jam and refuse to fire in situations like that. Where as I have yet to have a revolver do it. JMHO.

[dougk]

I was carrying a Glock 29 (10mm FMJ) but have switched to a S&W 29-2 (44mag with 230gr JSP) for my side arm.  I come from the I never want to be in a situation where I wish I had a larger caliber gun school.

[jmayton]

I know how bad I shoot when being charged so I come from the "I don't ever want to run out of ammo until the hog is dead."  Well, to each his own.  If they are a ways away and I can take carefully aimed shot, I'd carry the big gun, but my back up is just that, a back up because they've gotten too close to use anything else.  I want to point and pull, and pull, and pull, and pull, and pull, and pull.

[Ak.Hiker]

The Double Tap 200 grain hard cast loads I tested in my Glock 22 functioned just fine. Not a bad pick as a field load. I have also tested out their 200 grain FMJ as these make a good penetration load running about the same as the Blazer 200 grain TMJ 10mm load. The Speer Lawman 180 grain TMJ also would be good for penetration. All three of these loads run pretty hot and would be good picks for field back up if one wanted to carry a 40. I have never tried the Barnes copper X bullet in a 40 but I would think that they would work pretty good as loaded by Cor-Bon. My favorite carry load in my Glock 22 is the 155 grain Hornady XTP. I would think they would work pretty good on smaller hogs but I am not sure about their ability to penetrate if you encountered a big one. Their was a hog hunting guide from South America that posted on another site several years ago that carried a Glock 22 as a protection gun. He said he used the Fiocchi 180 grain FMJ. If he needed more stoping power he shot them twice. I thought that was a pretty funny line but he did say that the glock was very quick to get into action compared to a heavy revolver. Good thing Bill Jordan, Skeeter Skelton, and Elmer Keith were not around to hear that one. 

[jmayton]

There is little difference between a back-up hunting gun and a self-defense gun.  They basically perform the same function and in this instance, the same size of target.  That being said, I know that revolvers have been used for quite some time for self-defense, but thost who use them regularly for this purpose have pretty much all gone to automatics and the majority of those have gone to the Glock.  So for me, it makes sense that I would carry my G22 as my back-up.  That's not to say that I don't like the feel of my 66 on my hip every now and again.  If I was going after any dangerous game larger than hogs, then I would feel undergunned with a .40. 

[mikemayberry]

One evening a few years ago I shot a doe with an arrow but could not find her.

Looked late into the evening and returned at daylight the next morning.  Left the bow in the truck and just holstered my S&W Sigma in .40 cal.

Worked a grid search pattern and did not find the deer any time that day.  Did however sense something was about and chambered a round, then reholstered.  Looked up a short time later to see a 150 lb. hog standing broadside at 20 feet, hoping I would pass by if he stayed still.  I drew and shot and shot and shot and shot and shot as he ran past me at 10 feet.  He fell over at 10 feet and never wiggled.

Best I can remember I had 165 or 180 gr. Golden Sabers in the magazine.  Glad I had a few left when it was over.  Seemed like a dream it went so fast and yet in slow motion.  Kinda had one of those pinch me moments to make sure I wasn't having a nightmare.

.40 cal did the job and was plenty of backup for my encounter.  Use what you can hit with and aim for the neck or head.

MM

[jamaldog87]

don't forget you can add a 29 round mag for the glock 22