Using 9mm carbine for hunting squirrels and rabbits in TN

Can you use a 9mm carbine to hunt squirrels and rabbits in TN?
Seems I heard you could not use center fire ammo. However isn't a shotgun shell center fire (I am pretty sure you can hunt them with a shotgun)??

Found answer here...
https://www.tn.gov/twra/hunting/equipment-methods.html

So center fire is okay for "Furbearers".
I would sort of think of squirrel and rabbit as "furbearers"?? But this is TN definition,,,

1. Furbearers are defined as beaver, bobcat, coyote, fox, groundhog, mink, muskrat, nutria, opossum, river otter, raccoon, skunk, and weasel.

I have a 9mm Carbine and using it may be more versatile if I see a coyote or a pig. But I guess I may end having to buy a 22 also, already have a couple of shotguns, but do not like digging shot from small game (one hole would be easier).

I think if you hit s rabbit or squirrel with a 9mm you are going to find that the animal's tissues are going to be destroyed. If your thinking of a meal, get a 22.

I would have serious concerns about:
#1-having 9mm bullets ricocheting off the ground
#2- firing 9mm bullets into the air w/o having any idea of their ultimate impact area(or having those bullets ricochet off tree limbs and going off in an unknown direction
22 bullets are bad enough but have a more limited range and less power than 9mm

I agree with Mobuck!

I have used 38spl wadcutters from a contender. Head shots were pretty easy to make. I mostly use 22 shorts in a Browning SA.

dweis said:

I think if you hit s rabbit or squirrel with a 9mm you are going to find that the animal's tissues are going to be destroyed. If your thinking of a meal, get a 22.

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Planning on head shots...

Mobuck said:

I would have serious concerns about:
#1-having 9mm bullets ricocheting off the ground
#2- firing 9mm bullets into the air w/o having any idea of their ultimate impact area(or having those bullets ricochet off tree limbs and going off in an unknown direction
22 bullets are bad enough but have a more limited range and less power than 9mm

Click to expand...

Considering a 22 is still lethal at beyond 500 yards, as is a 9mm, I think this is sort of a mute point.

"Considering a 22 is still lethal at beyond 500 yards, as is a 9mm, I think this is sort of a mute point."

We'll show this post & thought process to the lawyers when you get in trouble firing a 9mm in the air not knowing where it will stop.
A .22 RF may be capable of traveling a long distance, as is the 9mm, but the energy and weight differences make the 9mm much more dangerous than the .22 LR. Plus,, as a firearm instructor,, I preach "Safe Gun Handling Rules." One of which is "Knowing where your bullet will stop."
I'm also a Hunter Safety instructor. And there are also "ethics" taught. A 9mm will more likely cause much more tissue & meat damage to a squirrel, than the .22. Why shoot something that is damaged to where you can't eat it?

Lastly,, while I'm not personally capable, I can get a pro shooter to assist. I challenge you to go downrange to 500 yds. I'll then get the Pro shooter to shoot you with a .22 & a .9mm. We can see which one is "more lethal."

Here's a sort of related story: I used to carry a Security 6 as a chore gun. It was loaded with 3x 38 SP level swaged HP rounds followed by 3x moderate 357 mag JHP rounds. We'd been having lots of issues with raccoons and one day my barn dog treed an entire family so I started knocking them out of the tree. Taking into account where buildings and machinery were located, 1/2/3 went fine and I'd sort of forgot that the next round was going to be different. It sure was. The JHP passed through the coon and the wrist sized limb the coon was on before heading off at a 45* angle. There was an old corn crib we used for storing odds and ends up that way and I heard the clink as the bullet passed through the roof, exited, and clanked into an old wagon sitting beyond.
Would a 22 bullet have made that trip? I seriously doubt it. I was lucky that nothing of real value was damaged but the possibility was there.

contender said:

"Considering a 22 is still lethal at beyond 500 yards, as is a 9mm, I think this is sort of a mute point."

We'll show this post & thought process to the lawyers when you get in trouble firing a 9mm in the air not knowing where it will stop.
A .22 RF may be capable of traveling a long distance, as is the 9mm, but the energy and weight differences make the 9mm much more dangerous than the 9mm. Plus,, as a firearm instructor,, I preach "Safe Gun Handling Rules." One of which is "Knowing where your bullet will stop."
I'm also a Hunter Safety instructor. And there are also "ethics" taught. A 9mm will more likely cause much more tissue & meat damage to a squirrel, than the .22. Why shoot something that is damaged to where you can't eat it?

Lastly,, while I'm not personally capable, I can get a pro shooter to assist. I challenge you to go downrange to 500 yds. I'll then get the Pro shooter to shoot you with a .22 & a .9mm. We can see which one is "more lethal."

Click to expand...

Both will be lethal at 500 Yards. A 22 will punch through a piece of plywood, as will a 9.



Now the 9mm...

I never said that a .22 would not be lethal. I said; "A .22 RF may be capable of traveling a long distance, as is the 9mm, but the energy and weight differences make the 9mm much more dangerous than the 9mm."

Now, when I proof read this comment, I made a mistake. The last caliber should have read .22 LR.

I see you've posted you-tube videos. I don't do much with that stuff because there is so much mis-information there, and I don't waste my time being an internet commando. I didn't bother to try & watch your links because of slow internet. Again, a waste of my time. I prefer to be active in the field, and have studied firearms, Safety, ammo, effective stopping power, Safety, bullet placement, downrange energy, Safety.

You obviously want to use a .9mm for hunting very small game, and nobody is going to convince you otherwise as to why you should not do it. As such, I'll not add any more to this thread. It'd be a waste of my time.

contender said:

I never said that a .22 would not be lethal. I said; "A .22 RF may be capable of traveling a long distance, as is the 9mm, but the energy and weight differences make the 9mm much more dangerous than the 9mm."

Now, when I proof read this comment, I made a mistake. The last caliber should have read .22 LR.

I see you've posted you-tube videos. I don't do much with that stuff because there is so much mis-information there, and I don't waste my time being an internet commando. I didn't bother to try & watch your links because of slow internet. Again, a waste of my time. I prefer to be active in the field, and have studied firearms, Safety, ammo, effective stopping power, Safety, bullet placement, downrange energy, Safety.

You obviously want to use a .9mm for hunting very small game, and nobody is going to convince you otherwise as to why you should not do it. As such, I'll not add any more to this thread. It'd be a waste of my time.

Click to expand...

No problem...
As has been discovered, you cannot use center fire to hunt squirrels or rabbits in TN.

As far as the You tube videos, since you did not watch, not much to say about validity of results. Sorry that you have slow internet and cannot take the time to weed through what is good or not. Yes...there is crap there, but a lot of others are pretty informative.

I have a buddy that routinely takes squirrels with his ruger SR9 .

Is it legal to hunt squirrel with an air rifle in TN? Might be a good option for you and a head shot wouldn't damage any of the meat.

Legally you aren't supposed to shoot rabbits or squirrel with a centerfire.
However, it's been done.
Neither the 9mm or .38Spl shooting round nose ammo are particularly destructive. A body hit with a .38 or 9mm is about like the old .36cal Squirrel rifle muzzle loaders. These were VERY popular in the Appalachian region in the 1700-1800's. (And deer and bear largely eradicated).

Head shots are preferred but central body shots don't lose much meat. Just try not to shoot thru the shoulder or hips. That's where the meat is.

The problem with the 9mm is that most aren't accurate enough for shooting squirrels. Unless you're shooting them under a bird feeder out the kitchen window..(which ain't legal either)... (a friend does that with a .177cal air rifle. Got over 100 last year while recuperating from knee replacement.)

Strangely enough, in Georgia, we can shoot'm with a .50cal muzzle loader, and I have! Just be sure to head shoot or "bark" them. (My Feists prefer that!), but half a squirrel beats no-squirrel! My two .50's will shoot round balls into 1-hole groups at 50ft.

Taterman said:

Is it legal to hunt squirrel with an air rifle in TN? Might be a good option for you and a head shot wouldn't damage any of the meat.

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Yes air gun is legal (.25 or smaller)... But I will use 22 before an air rifle.
The purpose of me wanting to hunt rabbit and squirrel with 9mm, it is functional to take larger critters...like Coyote.

JCK said:

Legally you aren't supposed to shoot rabbits or squirrel with a centerfire.
However, it's been done.
Neither the 9mm or .38Spl shooting round nose ammo are particularly destructive. A body hit with a .38 or 9mm is about like the old .36cal Squirrel rifle muzzle loaders. These were VERY popular in the Appalachian region in the 1700-1800's. (And deer and bear largely eradicated).

Head shots are preferred but central body shots don't lose much meat. Just try not to shoot thru the shoulder or hips. That's where the meat is.

The problem with the 9mm is that most aren't accurate enough for shooting squirrels. Unless you're shooting them under a bird feeder out the kitchen window..(which ain't legal either)... (a friend does that with a .177cal air rifle. Got over 100 last year while recuperating from knee replacement.)

Strangely enough, in Georgia, we can shoot'm with a .50cal muzzle loader, and I have! Just be sure to head shoot or "bark" them. (My Feists prefer that!), but half a squirrel beats no-squirrel! My two .50's will shoot round balls into 1-hole groups at 50ft.

Click to expand...

Yes I am aware a 9mm is legal and used in some states for rabbit and squirrel.
In TN with muzzle loader, it has to be .36 or smaller ball and shotgun has to be #4 or smaller.

My 9mm PC Carbine is plenty accurate.

contender said:

I never said that a .22 would not be lethal. I said; "A .22 RF may be capable of traveling a long distance, as is the 9mm, but the energy and weight differences make the 9mm much more dangerous than the 9mm."

Now, when I proof read this comment, I made a mistake. The last caliber should have read .22 LR.

I see you've posted you-tube videos. I don't do much with that stuff because there is so much mis-information there, and I don't waste my time being an internet commando. I didn't bother to try & watch your links because of slow internet. Again, a waste of my time. I prefer to be active in the field, and have studied firearms, Safety, ammo, effective stopping power, Safety, bullet placement, downrange energy, Safety.

You obviously want to use a .9mm for hunting very small game, and nobody is going to convince you otherwise as to why you should not do it. As such, I'll not add any more to this thread. It'd be a waste of my time.

Click to expand...

So unless you conduct the experiment yourself, all others are invalid?? You also posted "I'll then get the Pro shooter to shoot you with a .22 & a .9mm. We can see which one is "more lethal." Lethal is lethal how many degrees of it do you know??
"It'd be a waste of my time". Sorry, just asking for a friend.