9mm for gophers

[cbabes]

I have a non-restricted JR Carbine that is a tac driver with my reloads. What are people's opinions on 9mm for gopher? Distance, grain of bullet, etc. Would I have to use hollow points or is it legal to shot gopher with FMJ?

Thanks!

 

[surfclod]

That would be a nice addition to any gopher arsenal.

Personally I would go with the lightest bullets you can, while still retaining accuracy. Not sure if the body of a gopher would make a hollowpoint expand but I would love to do the research.

Am sure that FMJ is okay, they are vermin and pests so are often excluded from small game requirements, but to be safe it would be wise to pour over the regulations of your province.

 

[windage]

I have shot lots of gophers with my 9mm rifles. My Marlin 1894C lever rifle with 38 specials or 357 mags are sweet and my CX4 non-restricted does wanders on gophers to just under 100 yards. I have tried FMJs and they don't work very well and a 115gr bullet ricocheting all over the place makes it stressful. The amount of tissue on a gopher and the velocity from the rifle is still slow for a FMJ to tumble and cause a good wound channel. Unless you are fairly consistant with head shots, I wouldn't use them. I had lots that took body hits and went back down their holes. I am sure they died with the FMJs but I like to anchor them in their spot with a nice big hollow point. The highest launch of a gopher for me wasn't using my 223 but instead using a full house 357mag 125gr jacketed hollow point! That gopher launched over 6 feet into the air and I have a video to prove it, lol.
I reload my bulk remington or winchester ligher hollow points since factory hollow point ammo can be expensive or hard to acquire.
I get some stupid comments when I sometimes ask to buy some factory 9mm hollow point ammo at some local shops. Comments like "Why do you need 9mm hollow points? You know you can't hunt with a handgun." Then I have to explain that I have rifles in 9mm and yes I do hunt with them, lol.
Have fun and enjoy the 9mm!

 

[Dench]

best be stickin with a 270 just to be sure

 

[Hawkeye]

windage lets see that video i've splatered a gopher from point blanc range with my 3030 think about old faithfull at the end of you arm one handing that rifle there was gopher everywhere

 

[windage]

best be stickin with a 270 just to be sure

I sense you are mocking me but I must make one more point. 9mm para is one of the cheapest centerfire rounds you can use for gophers or just plain plinking fun at the range. But you probably already know that. lol