[ColGlocker]

I normally use my G26 for everyday carry. I keep my G29sf for when I am hiking on walking in rural areas. This morning, in the news, I find out they found a mountain lion a couple of blocks from where I normally drop my daughter off for swim practice. (BTW, this took place near the downtown area of a mid-sized city) So... would a 9mm round(s) stop a mountain lion or do I need to start carrying my G29 on a more regular basis?

FWIW, the lion was about 4 feet long and over 100lbs in weight.

 

[Dalton Wayne]

9mm will just make it mad, 9mm is not the end all do all round

 

[Dexters]

http://www.essortment.com/mountain-lion-attack-61645.html

From memory - mountain lions tend to attack from behind and prefer to attack from above. Check my info.

 

[ColGlocker]

Not to start a gun rights debate, but in the article they say to throw rocks, make noise, make yourself look larger, use a stick to ward off a lion, but nothing about carrying a pistol?

 

[OregonG20]

I would want something more stout than a 9mm, but cats aren't terribly thick skinned creatures. If I had to choose between the 9mm or 10mm, I am taking the 10mm every time.

 

[inspectorjj]

If you carry a 10mm you should be ok. If you use a 9mm, save your ammo and after he eats you, shoot from the inside out. You should be ok!:wow:

 

[Kegs]

9mm is plenty if you know how to shoot.

 

[off road]

I would want to up gun. My hiking gun for the lowlands where we have cats, is the S&W360sc. A mere 12 oz, 3" barrel, and .357. No longer in production, but this is the closest thing now: http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/...57772_757767_757751_ProductDisplayErrorView_Y

At higher altitude, it is both cat and black bear country, so I upgun even more to the 329NG, .44 mag. Still reasonably compact and light at 30 oz, for a big bore: http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/...57773_757767_757751_ProductDisplayErrorView_Y

 

[Opie 1 Kenopie]

I have both caliber Glocks and am in Big Cat Territory. I'd never even consider using a 9mm on one. Better thatn a big stick, but I'll take my G29SF any day.

 

[bac1023]

9mm with the right ammo should do a decent job on a thinned skinned mountain lion. However, take the 10mm, since you have it available.

 

[off road]

Seeing this is a 'cat' post, I'll throw in a funny story. Other day I was riding my motorcycle in the mountains (quiet dual-sport on dirt road). I came around a blind corner, and there was a mountain lion sitting on one side of the road, stalking a dove that was on the other side. I rode right down the middle between them, and of course the dove flew. I can still see the cat's curious face as he looked up and his eyes followed me as I rode past. He is still wondering what happened to that dove!

 

[blastfact]

Mountain lions are making a strong come back here. In the last 10 years I tracked a very large one during bow hunting season. Then saw one across a cove. Wife and I saw one crossing a hwy in front of us just east of town in the country.

I have no issue at all using my PF-9 or Sigma 9VE with my hot XTP 124 or 147gn loads. Sure our .357's and the 10mm would dispatch one. Heck so would my CZ-52.

The interesting thing about cats is they can and will fight through a flesh wound. But once there very fine tuned mechanics are disrupted they retreat like crazy. If you shot a mountain lion in the foot with a .25 the attack/fight is over.

 

[21Carrier]

I think a 9mm with quality hollow points would be fine. However, since you have a G29, that would be my choice. Anything that works against a human would work similarly against a mountain lion.

Like Blastfact said, the good thing about cats is that they usually will not fight prey that can injure them. They are ambush predators, so that is the main concern. But once you wound one, it should give up quickly. It knows a wound is a death sentence, and will do all it can to avoid that. The problem is that you're unlikely to be attacked by a cat unless it has you by surprise. Unlike a bear, you won't know it's coming.

 

[MO Fugga]

I carry a P11 often, and I ain't skeered of no kitty!

 

[4949shooter]

In my opinion the most important aspect of a mountain lion defense weapon is to be able to shoot said weapon quickly, and with accuracy.

That having been said there are now mountain lions being reported in the area I night hunt for varmints over in Pennsylvania. This could make things interesting. I usually weld a shotgun when I am night hunting, with a G27 as backup. Though I am interested in purchasing a G20 because I have called in bear close at night.

 

[G33]

I carry a P11 often, and I ain't skeered of no kitty!

:tongueout::wavey:
Not what you told me last time.

 

[Jitterbug]

Sounds like the article I recently read in the Denver Post about lions coming into downtown Boulder.

Duh...deer hunting is mostly frowned upon by the majority of those who live in the land of fruits and nuts.

Many a lion has been taken out of a tree with a .22 pistol, so the consensus seems to be that it doesn't take much to kill one.

I used to purchase a tag every year for many years and never got a shot, back then I was trying to call one in with a mouth call and hunted in a two man team, my partner used a 12 gauge for close in or brushy areas and I used a 30-06 and had a 10mm on my hip.

I have called in several while hunting Coyotes (when I didn't have a tag of course) and was using an electronic caller, which isn't a legal hunting method for lion in Colorado, (one must use a mouth blown call for lion, the logic behind that is insane with a potentially dangerous predator like a lion, but the law is the law) so of course we couldn't shoot.

For Coyote I use a 22-250 or .223 which I'm sure with the right bullet, would deliver on a lion, but I ALWAYS had the 10mm loaded with 200 grain XTP's on my hip.

In a 9mm I'd recommend and do carry premium 147's, Gold Dots, Ranger T's, HST's and XTPs, but not in the woods.

I'm south of Boulder, but still on the foothills in a similar ecosystem, thankfully minus most of the fruits and nuts and I carry a 10mm as a minimum caliber when bears are out, there are lot's of them and they've become habituated with humans for the same reason, lack of hunting. Some can and do get quite large in the 500+ pound range and I've taken to carrying a 4" 629 if I think they may be around.

Sometimes in the winter I'll carry a .45acp when I think the largest wildlife threat would be a lion. But it's usually the 10mm, with 200 grain XTP's if I think lions only might be about.

Personally I think your G26 stoked with the heavy for caliber good performing 147's would work on a lion, with the 10mm being preferable.

If it were me and my kids I'd have some serious discussions about playing in the woods, especially if the child is younger. Especially in the many riparian area's coming into town from the foothills, which is prime deer/lion habitat.

Of course age being a consideration but things like always be in a group, don't get out of sight of adults and no screaming like little kids are prone to do, this sounds just like the predator calls I use to call them in.

Odds are you and your G26 won't be there to be of any help. So teaching the kids about outdoor awareness in lion or bear country should be paramount. Not to mention all the issues we've had recently with little kids being attacked by Coyotes.

Lions have and will go after small children we've had several instances in Colorado, not to mention the occasional adult.

 

[MO Fugga]

:tongueout::wavey:
Not what you told me last time.

Might be skeered of the Debbil....

 

[purrrfect 10]

Not to start a gun rights debate, but in the article they say to throw rocks, make noise, make yourself look larger, use a stick to ward off a lion, but nothing about carrying a pistol?

The wife and I do our share of hiking and have yet to see a mountain cat bear yes. seeing a bear makes for intense moments is why I bought my G20 10mm. I was once told to carry a whistle black bear hate whistles, we do carry a whistle with two bear bells that make noise as we hike. One time we had a black bear take a stand looking at us I blew that whistle and it took off like a bat out of hell so this was good advise for black bear territory.

Now I also carry my 10mm and should we have ANY sight of a cat or black bear hopefully I will have the time to be drawn and ready blowing the whistle and if either move toward us at all,, i will fire until there is no movement. Just saying I will not take a chance.

 

[Jitterbug]

They are the stealthiest predator in the woods and are seldom seem. For the most part they're nocturnal, but their there, and you just don't know it.

If you've been out hiking in the foothills of Colorado, you've been within feet of Mt. Lions many times...the foothills are saturated with lions and as a poster above mentioned they're moving east, and now found on the eastern plains, as far as Kansas and Oklahoma. They simply follow the river bottoms like the Platte and Arkansas which is like an interstate coming out of the mountains for them.

If you do see one and it doesn't take off, your highly unlikely to just "bump" into one without it knowing about your presence first, (first hint of potential trouble) that's when you need to be concerned, good luck with your whistle...you'll sound just like dinner.