9mm has one of the best penetrations f all pistol choices, people don’t realize why it’s the universal global solution. It has more velocity than many and higher sectional density. There’s an article around with successful bear defence with pistols by cartridge, the 9mm had at least 4 kills. I think the 44 mag had most but good read. Because a lot of people carry the 44 where they live. Personally I’d have a light 9mm as my option if I could carry.
There’s a great video around by a guy in Alaska with the charging bear scenario cardboard cutout on a skidoo coming at him from 40 yards. Pistols and long guns. The pistols were a far distant second to any long gun option for reliable hits in the face. Then the long guns, bolt action 30-06 only managed one shot but right in the middle of face. Then the lever action he got two shots into the face, the pump shotgun got 3 in the face and the AR .223 got 6.
So look at the top 2 there a semi auto and a pump. Now look at a semi auto shotgun where the challenger slugs in just one shot offers more Killy Factor than all 6 shots from a .223 and I bet due to recoil management you’d get at least 2 more (so 5 total) shots in that test with a semi auto shotgun. And at least 8x the Killy factor of anything you could do with an AR .223.
As for semi auto shotguns, put the new mossberg 940 pro 18.5 tac or turkey on the list, it survived the 500 round burn down test, has 1500 round cleaning intervals and cycles very fast, it’s in the league of the two Italians now but a few hundred Canadian dollars less at minimum. The front bead will be too low on the tac and impact high and is a quarter lb heavier for chrome lined barrel, the turkey pro has a rib and an awesome front site with 5 different inserts in fiber iptic colours and straight white too. Plus a 1/4 lb lighter and less alarming cool retro camo dip makes it the ultimate sleeper defence shotty. Mine weighed 7 lb 1.5 oz out of box. Once you ditch the turkey choke for Carlson extended or flush and maybe 1/2 butt spacer told get lop down to just over 13” your bare shotty is under 7 lbs. they also have something none of the others do with a cut out in receiver for reflex sites like Holosun and it’s game changer. Running Holosun eps green mrs on mine and pulled the front site off completely. With the 32 moa circle only reticle I just tested out challenger slugs at 40 yards with Carlson extended chokes IC/M/F and with IC the ctc groups for 3 shots are 1.6”-2.1”! This thing will hammer big game to 100 no problem!
Go see it Instagram at 65grendelhunters
You just have to come up with a light mount and it’s 4+1 (5 shots) as fast as you can pull the trigger of 504 gr hard slugs at ~1500-1535 fps or a total of 12,500-13,000 ft/lbs delivered in about 1 second.
Some other great features of the 940 pro, 4.5 lb trigger, nice cocking indicator in the trigger guard you can feel if it’s cocked just by pushing your finner forward into the front of the trigger guard without looking, but obviously nice and easy to see when it’s cocked also. And the tang safety is a gem for left or right hands, thats a great spot for a safety on one of these! Add a blue force vickers multi-cam sling, it’s got sling studs on mag cap and butt stock, the over size bolt release and charging handle are awesome. Can you tell I like this little hammer? 2” industrial velcro and some 5 round esstac shell cards in multi-cam fit side of action and butt stock perfectly, so can load 5 and have 10 more on it ready to go (note on esstac cards, the multi-cam are mil-spec and a little more durable than the other colours, but it’s the right color for this turkey pro anyway. Oh yeah, the bird plug is just a little pencil size dowel that you can spin the mag cap on and drop in or shake out as needed for bird legalities. Pretty slick do all shotty imo...can’t think of anything I don’t like. Did I mention fully adjustable stock spacers for cast and lop etc come with it? What didn’t they think of?
I’ll be selling a bnib one as soon as I get the other one back from warranty with its new barrel with gas ports lol. Not sure how long that will take. Thes 940’s are gonna sell very well.
