We’re frequently asked by children and adults alike about the real strength of alligator skin. It’s a common misconception from movies, games, and cartoons that alligator skin is so strong and dense that it can protect you from bullets. This idea has existed as long as guns have existed – I would like to to dispel that myth with facts about alligator leather.
A genuine alligator leather hide is one of the strongest and most dense materials for leathercrafting. As alligators grow, their skin becomes increasingly thick, making them an ideal predator in the wild with few competitors, especially within rivers and streams. They are lightning-quick, instinctual to attack, and can sense movement in the water with their acutely tuned senses.
However, this thick skin is hardly safe from bullets. The safest part of the alligator would probably be the bony plates under the skin, which would serve as a shield to protect its very delicate insides. A large, full-grown gator however could probably survive a shot from a smaller caliber gun but it is unlikely that it could survive a shot from a larger weapon; it will take a powerful shot and maybe multiple shots to take a full size alligator down.   And a tanned alligator leather hide? Not a chance.  Alligator skin is definitely not designed for bullet protection and shooting a bullet at it will puncture a hole right through!
In regards to leathermaking and food, bullets are not the ideal way to obtain its meat and hides since the bullets will often ruin portions of both – guns are often used against alligators but only when someone’s life may be in danger or ignorant and uneducated hunters!