Texas Star
US Veteran
Saw on the news that a Brazilian soldier had to shoot a jaguar that was being used in a publicity stunt for the Rio de Janeiro Olympics. It got loose and menaced people. The reporter just said that a pistol was used. Reporters generally don't know one pistol from another.
A tranquilizer gun was ineffective.
I'm guessing the gun was a 9mm Beretta or Taurus, those being normal Brazilian military issue. Some .45 autos may still be in use. They used Colts for decades and made copies at Itajuba Arsenal, the source for the guns sold here by Springfield Armory. Itajuba also made some for them in 9mm.
It appears that a 9mm will kill a jaguar. I don't know where the bullets hit or how many shots were fired. The jaguar I saw on TV looked to weigh maybe 100-125 pounds, judging from a poor photo from the front of the animal. Some from the Mato Grosso region of Brazil have reached 400 pounds.
Assuming that you were in a country where you could actually carry a handgun and where a jaguar might attack, what 's your pistol choice?
I'm torn between a S&W M-66 with four-inch barrel for handiness and general jungle utility or a M-629-3 with six-inch bbl., for power. The Ruger GP-100 is heavier than a M-66, but easier to field strip for maintainance in a jungle climate and does handle full .357 recoil better. A Security-Six with six- inch barrel might be terrific.
In Brazil, civilian carry is prohibited, I think, and most people, even cops, cannot own an auto of more than .380 power or a .38 Special revolver. That's why we see those .38-chambered guns like the M-586/686 made for sale there.
Cats have sloping skulls that may well deflect a bullet from in front. I'd shoot for the nose, hoping the bullet would brain the animal. A heart shot would be fatal, but maybe not in time to avoid a mauling, even a killing.
Sasha Siemel may or may not have killed jaguars with his S&W .44, exact model and caliber not stated. I know he killed some with a long barreled .357 given to him by Doug Wesson and with a .44 Magnum, in the 1950's.
PLEASE don't be trite and also avoid the issue by saying that any gun will do, as long as you can use it to shoot a buddy in the knee while you run and the cat takes him. I get SO tired of seeing that old "joke" in the bear topics. I guess the posters think they're being original and funny.
Obviously, any gun that'll handle a jaguar will handle a smaller puma/cougar, so there is a US angle here, too. Yes, I know the puma extends into South America. They range from Canada to southern Argentina.
Would you use FMJ or hard-cast Keith bullets, or an expanding bullet? We'll assume that any normal ammo is legal there.
I hope that our South and Central American members will comment on what may be legal where they live. And if you happen to be a Canadian guy running an ice cream store in Mexico, feel free to chime in. They have jaguars there, and known caliber restrictions. I'm pretty sure the ice cream man will point out that hot ammo can be used in a .38-44 and be legal there.
A tranquilizer gun was ineffective.
I'm guessing the gun was a 9mm Beretta or Taurus, those being normal Brazilian military issue. Some .45 autos may still be in use. They used Colts for decades and made copies at Itajuba Arsenal, the source for the guns sold here by Springfield Armory. Itajuba also made some for them in 9mm.
It appears that a 9mm will kill a jaguar. I don't know where the bullets hit or how many shots were fired. The jaguar I saw on TV looked to weigh maybe 100-125 pounds, judging from a poor photo from the front of the animal. Some from the Mato Grosso region of Brazil have reached 400 pounds.
Assuming that you were in a country where you could actually carry a handgun and where a jaguar might attack, what 's your pistol choice?
I'm torn between a S&W M-66 with four-inch barrel for handiness and general jungle utility or a M-629-3 with six-inch bbl., for power. The Ruger GP-100 is heavier than a M-66, but easier to field strip for maintainance in a jungle climate and does handle full .357 recoil better. A Security-Six with six- inch barrel might be terrific.
In Brazil, civilian carry is prohibited, I think, and most people, even cops, cannot own an auto of more than .380 power or a .38 Special revolver. That's why we see those .38-chambered guns like the M-586/686 made for sale there.
Cats have sloping skulls that may well deflect a bullet from in front. I'd shoot for the nose, hoping the bullet would brain the animal. A heart shot would be fatal, but maybe not in time to avoid a mauling, even a killing.
Sasha Siemel may or may not have killed jaguars with his S&W .44, exact model and caliber not stated. I know he killed some with a long barreled .357 given to him by Doug Wesson and with a .44 Magnum, in the 1950's.
PLEASE don't be trite and also avoid the issue by saying that any gun will do, as long as you can use it to shoot a buddy in the knee while you run and the cat takes him. I get SO tired of seeing that old "joke" in the bear topics. I guess the posters think they're being original and funny.
Obviously, any gun that'll handle a jaguar will handle a smaller puma/cougar, so there is a US angle here, too. Yes, I know the puma extends into South America. They range from Canada to southern Argentina.
Would you use FMJ or hard-cast Keith bullets, or an expanding bullet? We'll assume that any normal ammo is legal there.
I hope that our South and Central American members will comment on what may be legal where they live. And if you happen to be a Canadian guy running an ice cream store in Mexico, feel free to chime in. They have jaguars there, and known caliber restrictions. I'm pretty sure the ice cream man will point out that hot ammo can be used in a .38-44 and be legal there.
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