How confident?
Would you be in a .38 Special to put down a large dog or bobcat that posed a threat?
The reason I ask is my aunt lives way back in the country with no other houses or people within a mile. Often the only car you see go by is the mail man. She was set on a .380 acp because she felt she could handle it. I talked her out of a PPK .380 for a .S&W .38 special. I tried to get her to get a Ruger 9MM because it has more power plus alot of firepower. So she has shot the .38 Special and she can hit well with it. Just curious as to when she is out working in the yard if she was to encounter a unwelcomed guest of the 4 legged species?
The reason I ask is my aunt lives way back in the country with no other houses or people within a mile. Often the only car you see go by is the mail man. She was set on a .380 acp because she felt she could handle it. I talked her out of a PPK .380 for a .S&W .38 special. I tried to get her to get a Ruger 9MM because it has more power plus alot of firepower. So she has shot the .38 Special and she can hit well with it. Just curious as to when she is out working in the yard if she was to encounter a unwelcomed guest of the 4 legged species?
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Depending on how good the shot placement was I would not have any problem with a .38, but it's all about placement with any caliber. 0 -
i would say a .38 would definately discourage any further advances from a 4 legger. 0 -
Very. Think about the size of the bullet and the size of what you're shooting. I suppose it might be an issue if you're shooting it out of a snubnose where you get no velocity, but out of a 4 inch barrel you should be just fine. Although I'm sure there's somebody on here who will tell you that under no circumstances can anything smaller than a .416 Rigby stop a charging Shin Tzu. 0 -
Can you say dead critter.... 0 -
quote:Originally posted by bpost1958
Can you say dead critter....
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can she shoot a 410 or 20ga ? might try talkin her in to a single shot if she's not comfortable w/the .38 although i guess it depends on her ability to aim in a fast paced,decision making situation, aim straight, shoot often [:D],Loko [8D] 0 -
Dogs, bobcats,.38 special=very dead critter. 0 -
Very dead beastettes... 0 -
+P .38 will kill it [xx(]. I would look into a double barrel 20 gauge. 0 -
I would say the chances of either a large dog or a bobcat becoming agressive toward a person in that persons yard, with no warning, is almost non-existant. A bobcat isn't going to want anything to do with her, and a dog will keep it's distance and bark, either animial is easily chased off before it winds up in a must shoot range. But that wasn't your question, to answer your question I would not feel like the odds were against me if there was an angry dog or bobcat and I had a .38.
Will your aunt actually carry a gun out into the backyard everyday, well you know the answer better than I do, but I would guess, probably not after doing it once or twice.0 -
i shot a Farrel cat with one once, standard house cat size, took 5 rounds, he musta lost 4 lives previously 0 -
38 spl is a terrific round.
It's got low recoil and should oughta discourage anything up to and including humans.0 -
Bobcats do attack people.
http://tinyurl.com/2bqzmr
.. Google it.0 -
Where she gets out and works in her yard with flowers etc she does need a firearm. We did stop in one day on our way to the cabin over the weekend and she was out messing with mulch. I ask her where her gun was and she pointed to the hood of her SUV. There were 30yrds or so between her and the gun, I told her when she least expects it she will need it. I had given her a nylon belt or clip on in one holster to wear and carry it. I finally got her to put it on, she complained about it being in the way. I told her she would soon get used to it and feel lost without it. Thanks for the replies, I feel better knowing she has it. 0 -
Forgive me for not knowing the exact name of the round, but I think CCI makes "rat shot" (similar to a shotshell, but in a pistol round) rounds for a variety of calibers, which I think would be more effective at close range. I'm also thinking of Glaser "safety slugs," but again I'm not sure if that is the right name. Hopefully someone else will come along that knows exactly what I'm talking about[:p] 0 -
.38 revolver: excellent choice for her. Gotta get her used to strapping it on whenever she goes to tend to her garden. It's got to become an extension of her body, just like her shoes. Or its useless.
Joe0 -
quote:Originally posted by Dave W.
I would say the chances of either a large dog or a bobcat becoming agressive toward a person in that persons yard, with no warning, is almost non-existant. A bobcat isn't going to want anything to do with her, and a dog will keep it's distance and bark, either animial is easily chased off before it winds up in a must shoot range. But that wasn't your question, to answer your question I would not feel like the odds were against me if there was an angry dog or bobcat and I had a .38.
Will your aunt actually carry a gun out into the backyard everyday, well you know the answer better than I do, but I would guess, probably not after doing it once or twice.
I disagree with you here, both of these animals both have, and will approach a human, and attack. I'd say a 38 would do the job.0 -
quote:Originally posted by Smokeeater 38
Depending on how good the shot placement was I would not have any problem with a .38, but it's all about placement with any caliber.
Very true. You can miss with a 22LR or you can miss with a .50BMG. In either case, you've still missed and the round is ineffective with any caliber.0 -
quote:Originally posted by Dave W.
I would say the chances of either a large dog or a bobcat becoming agressive toward a person in that persons yard, with no warning, is almost non-existant. A bobcat isn't going to want anything to do with her, and a dog will keep it's distance and bark, either animial is easily chased off before it winds up in a must shoot range. But that wasn't your question, to answer your question I would not feel like the odds were against me if there was an angry dog or bobcat and I had a .38.
Will your aunt actually carry a gun out into the backyard everyday, well you know the answer better than I do, but I would guess, probably not after doing it once or twice.
Not in my yard.. I still carry a gun anytime I am outside. I didn't get all the wild dogs but most of them.0 -
quote:Originally posted by Dave W.
I would say the chances of either a large dog or a bobcat becoming agressive toward a person in that persons yard, with no warning, is almost non-existant. A bobcat isn't going to want anything to do with her, and a dog will keep it's distance and bark, either animial is easily chased off before it winds up in a must shoot range. But that wasn't your question, to answer your question I would not feel like the odds were against me if there was an angry dog or bobcat and I had a .38.
Will your aunt actually carry a gun out into the backyard everyday, well you know the answer better than I do, but I would guess, probably not after doing it once or twice.
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Hit with a 38 (esp. specialty loads like Glaser) is better than either not having a gun with you at all when you need it, or a miss from anuother caliber... 0 -
...More than adequate, though for the most part I consider the .38 special rather anemic.
...Problem is, if a Bobcat attacks for no apparant reason, chances are it is rabid; and being rabid it may not go "down" too easily.
Maybe a "defender" type shotgun in 20 gauge close at hand?...less aiming...[;)]
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quote:Originally posted by COLT
...More than adequate, though for the most part I consider the .38 special rather anemic.
...Problem is, if a Bobcat attacks for no apparant reason, chances are it is rabid; and being rabid it may not go "down" too easily.
Maybe a "defender" type shotgun in 20 gauge close at hand?...less aiming...[;)]
After being attacked by a wild dog, I was lucky enough to have a .357 within reach on the trailer I was sitting on. I missed the dog the first two shots while it was running at me from 20 yds away. Third shot and I stuck it right in the chest. It spun around, blood everywhere and ran off in the woods. Looked like someone took a clorox bottle and poured out a trail of blood. I learned real quick the shotgun was the weapon of choice from then on. Moving objects are not like shooting at paper targets.0 -
i agree it all depends on the shot accuracy. most likely the noise alone will scare off most 0 -
Yep - unexpected noise will do the trick 99% of the
time ... unless it's rabid ... then all bets are off.
[8D]0 -
I was going to avoid this because I didnt want to sound foolish. But I'll take a chance, one day my wife, brother in law sister and I were going to the cabin to cook some burgers on the grill. Low and behold we come around a curve on the narrow dirt road and to my right I see a large cat. Its tail was long and curved up at the tip. It was beside a large laurel thicket I figure looking for a fawn. It just stood there like maybe it was guarding its kill I dont know? But we filmed it on my cam corder for about two minutes at least then it just walked off into the thicket. Ive lived in Southwest Va. soon be 35 yrs and Ive never seen a mountain lion or cougar(guess their the same). Ive heard very few people say they have, but we sure did. The fact it didnt display fear worried me alot, thats when I got on her heavy about keeping a firearm close by and teaching her to use it. She feels comfortable with the .38 and she's very familiar with it. There are also a growing population of coyotes in the area as well. 0 -
If I can be confident in my .38 Special to stop a 200 pound man then I would trust it to do the job against a dog or a bobcat. 0 -
Good choice is a .38, 4" bbl, first round is birdshot, subsequent rounds 147 gr hollowpoints. Also recommend for 2 legged critters.
Shoot em in the face first shot, hard to miss. Lots of blood in their eyes. When they stop to clear eyes easy second shot for the doup de grace.0 -
Nighthawk: after reading your "big cat" posting, she has to carry. No other way around the issue. Best, Joe 0
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