Originally Posted by
Lonegun1894
I think the main message here is that you need to make sure you use enough gun, but that doesn't mean that you need to use max loads for everything. Yes, they have their place and need, but are you going to use one load for everything in this gun, or are you going to match it to what happens to be in season? Also, and this may be a whole new can of worms, but there comes a point where you drive a bullet fast enough that additional speed actually decreases penetration due to over expansion.
Let me put it another way, there are several reasons we all work up loads instead of just loading whatever the manual says is max and going with that for all our uses. I understand the desire for an effective load, but the .45 Colt with the proper hunting bullet and a decent load is head and shoulders above what the old black powder loaded round nose .45 Colt was, and it was no slouch to begin with when you look at the performance it gave, instead of just looking at the numbers. Out to 75 yards, the trajectories of the same bullet going 1000 fps and 1200 fps aren't that different. Performance on game also isn't, but pressures in your gun and recoil are. I'm not saying use weak loads, but realize when you use top loads, that for most things, you really don't need to. Then again, we all do things our own way, so work up a load you like and have faith in and go make meat.