[Thumper]

While not mountain lions, I have a pretty good bit of experience with bobcats while deer hunting. I've killed 3 in my life. One with a .243, one with a 7mm mag, and one about 6 years ago with a 9mm. Glock 19 with 115 gr corbons.

It was probably only 20 from the stand's base, so it was almost a straight down shot. The bullet went down and through her chest from just to the right of the spine. No idea where it ended up. We didn't dig for it, but no exit.

It took us until the next morning to find her. She crouched and took off like a shot when I fired. She ended up in a brushy area about 60 yards from my stand.

I guess the point is, 9mm is capable of killing almost any thin skinned animal, just not right now.

People are different...more often than not, being shot in the chest and knowing you're going to die is quite a deterrent. Animals don't think quite that way.

Better to stop 'em structurally; blow out a shoulder and they slow down a lot. I wouldn't depend on a 9mm to do that.