I don't believe in shooting dogs unless they directly attack me or someone else.

To shoot them because of barking or annoying me is wrong, there are other legal ways to handle that.

I would never shoot a feral dog-you may very well leave aomeone without a mom

Ukranian Girl Raised By Dogs - Video
Hey-it's on the internet-that means it's true....right??

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J'aime les gros seins

IMHO, you'd be better served (at least initially) with carrying a USPS rated OC animal repellent spray. You can walk with it held in your hand, at the ready without getting anyone excited, (something that you couldn't do with the SP101 or M19-4) and be able to readily respond to a sudden attack.

Remember, a sudden attack/charge will most likely come at a relatively short range... could you respond that quickly in drawing, targeting and firing for effect against a quickly moving dog(s)?

Many of the repellent sprays have a range of 10 feet or more, if the blast of OC doesn't stem the attack, it just might buy you more time to get the wife with the child running away from the encounter and/or getting your CCW into deployment.

Here's the USPS Pamphlet issued to their carriers on the subject, it might have some interesting info for you regarding repellent.

With all due respect, if I wanted to use some kind of pepper spray instead of a GUN I would be on the "USPS rated OC animal repellant spray" forum instead of the S&W forum

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J'aime les gros seins

I don't know where the OP walks but out here in the backwoods we have this problem with wild dogs,you don't see them everyday but when you do you'd better be ready to shoot!

In my nearly twenty years in WV I've had to deal with dogs several times,a couple who made faces at me in the woods and many who came in my yard and chased my cats.

Handguns don't work so good with FMJ,ask how I know,HP is better-of course I'm a mile from the nearest house so I usually grab the AR or shotgun.

And for the record none of the dogs I've sent to hell haven't had collars those mutts will run like you've set them on fire if you shoot over their head.

If I was the OP I'd carry full power .357 with some kind of JSP or JHP in the 158+gr class.

Wow ,you mean there is a USPS rated OC animal repellant spray forum ??? I never knew !!

Remington .357 125 gr. SJHP (R357M1), when you care enough to send the very best. Woodchucks are tough critters and they lock up like they've been struck by lightning. That includes the 35 lb. monster I killed two years ago.

Pepper spray works good first, plus the dog will usually leave, flipping over backwards. . back it up w/HP. This way you show the escalation of force, if the police are called. pepper foam for bears works great, too.

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NRA Life Member and Instructor

I recently bought some Barnes XPB and I'm very impressed by the design and profile of this bullet. The hollow cavity is very large and sharp and I'd expect it to bite into heavy bone at any angle and not glance off the skull. Loaded to sufficient velocity, it should also solve the problem of underpenetration. Beautifully mushroomed slugs are of little value if they don't penetrate.

Dave Sinko

To answer some of the questions I carry police grade pepper spray, got it from a detective at my agency. I do not want to have to shoot a dog I love K-9s (and I help prosecute animal crulity cases). My fire arm is my weapon of LAST resort for all kinds of reasons not the least of which is we walk in a typical subdivision of track homes. I do not want to explain to the local PD why my round missed\over penitrated and hit some innocent person in their home. That being said, if I have to shoot to protect my life or my family I want the most effective round with the greatest chance of staying in the dog and stopping the attack. And I know there are no absolutes when it comes to this I am just trying to find the best balance of stopping power (for lack of a better term) and lest chance of overpenitration.