There seem to be answers to two different sets of questions here: is the 9mm effective for woods use and can the Beretta 92 handle +P? The second question is what the OP actually asked. The OP has also stated his friend has the one firearm and no plans to purchase a second. I think the question of can the Beretta 92 handle +P has been answered reasonably well.
As for 9mm and woods use in general, I think it is worth asking what is the cartridge expected to be used against. I think most of us here can acknowledge a shotgun is more capable, but for many there’s more effort involved in carrying a long gun either slung or in the hand while walking in the woods than carrying a pistol mounted on a belt. So at some level a person has to evaluate the risk. For me personally we don’t have many bears or big cats where I live. We do have coyotes and some are larger due to cross breeding with domestic dogs. Despite this, if I think a 9mm+P is capable of stopping an adult male over 6’ tall and over 200 lb., it doesn’t seem like a great stretch to assume the same cartridge could stop a coyote. If anything my own concern would be hitting the animal in a critical spot before it can close the gap and hurt me as well. I think most of the common defensive cartridges would be able to do that on a coyote. On a bear may be a different question.
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As for 9mm and woods use in general, I think it is worth asking what is the cartridge expected to be used against. I think most of us here can acknowledge a shotgun is more capable, but for many there’s more effort involved in carrying a long gun either slung or in the hand while walking in the woods than carrying a pistol mounted on a belt. So at some level a person has to evaluate the risk. For me personally we don’t have many bears or big cats where I live. We do have coyotes and some are larger due to cross breeding with domestic dogs. Despite this, if I think a 9mm+P is capable of stopping an adult male over 6’ tall and over 200 lb., it doesn’t seem like a great stretch to assume the same cartridge could stop a coyote. If anything my own concern would be hitting the animal in a critical spot before it can close the gap and hurt me as well. I think most of the common defensive cartridges would be able to do that on a coyote. On a bear may be a different question.
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