Decided on the Ruger 45 Long Colt for Deer

[NavyVet1959]

Gentlemen.....place your shot carefully and the deer will never know if you hit it with a 45 Colt, a 44 Magnum, or a .32-20 bullet.

Yeah, but what about the deer *behind* it?

.45-70 -- for when you want to be absolutely sure that you brought enough gun...

[CPL Lou]

castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?237622-Paco-Kelly-load

http://www.leverguns.com/articles/pa...ltlevergun.htm

Another thread on using Reloder 7 in the 45 Colt.

CPL Lou

[TXGunNut]

NVScouter,

Did I read your post right? You put R7 in your 45LC?

Been reading a bit about that, one of my favorite powders in one of my favorite cartridges. Looks like something I need to try.


Thanks for the data, CPL Lou.

[BAGTIC]

Lower pressure does not automatically guarantee less recoil. A crude approximation will be bullet weight + powder charge X velocity. There are on-line calculators that will compute with more finesse but for comparison this is generally close enough.

[BwBrown]

I'm also in PA, the mountains of Sullivan County. I have revolvers in 357 magnum, 44 special, 44 magnum and 45 colt. I really enjoy my Ruger Redhawk in 45 Colt. For me the decision is firearm based rather than caliber.
Smaller calibers rely on velocity to insure expansion. Our 45 Colts enter at nearly a half inch! No expansion needed.
Beyond all the other arguments, the major consideration comes down to placement, placement, placement.

[NVScouter]

Lower pressure does not automatically guarantee less recoil. A crude approximation will be bullet weight + powder charge X velocity. There are on-line calculators that will compute with more finesse but for comparison this is generally close enough.

well they don't take in bore size or gun weight. I've shot 2" .357s that are way worse than a full size 45.

I had to put down my ram yesterday after it attacked my daughter again. I shot him in the forhead with my LEE 255/Unique load. Came out the bottom jaw entered right shoulder, exited the belly by his testicles and burried it's I the ground. Total of 28" in boolit travel in the ram. Meat bone, full wool etc.

its why why I slaughter with a .22 that medium heavy load will do anything you want in North America.

[utahtrapper]

Pic of the 45 Colt family

[utahtrapper]

Any one shoot the 280gr WFN BTB. Under 24 grain H 110
Thinking I could drop down to 22grains and still get the job done on elk this fall with either the Cowboys or the Bisley?
The 24gr. Came out at 1300 fps. and they are not what I would call fun to shoot.

[GoodOlBoy]

Dad got me hooked on the 45 long colt more than 20 years ago. I've only ever regretted it back in the days when he decided to "push" it to match and go beyond performance of a 45-60. Those loads hurt on both ends let me tell you, but were safe in modern blackhawks. These days dad is still a big fan of the 270 grain Keith bullet at .454. Me? I have a OLD Lee single cav mold that is marked 454-255 RF. It has long since been discontinued and the new molds are all 452-255 RFs. But let me tell you I have used both and while my guns prefer the .454s, the .452s work well as well.

As for performance? About half a dozen years ago I decided to go talk a walk in the woods during deer season. Not to hunt per-say, as my hunting had been so off that year I hadn't seen anything worth shooting at, but instead just to get out of the house and enjoy fall weather. I slid the old blackhawk into the holster on my belt after double checking she was loaded and away I went. The problem was I had forgotten that what I had loaded in her were .454-255s loaded down to cowboy loads that I had been using for target practice. Well no sooner than I had started my walk good I jumped a little spike buck. I settled down a bit and after a few more yards decided to "camp out" at the base of a old pine tree overlooking a spring that ran into a creek. A few minutes later the spike came loping back through and not far behind was a nice little buck running him out of "his" territory. The old 5.5" blackhawk barked and the second buck dropped like a rock. Dead right there as they say, but I knew something was off because of the lack of recoil. I field dressed the little buck and drug him up the hill before laying my jacket on him (hoping the scent would keep the coyotes off of him) and headed for home to get the pickup. Well the little buck got butchered, and placed in the freezer, I got cleaned up, and decided to investigate the loads in my blackhawk. That's when I found I had popped him with a "cowboy" load. That 255gr RNFP cast lead bullet that had been pan lubed with homemade lube had done the job at just over 35 yards without so much as a hiccup. It had passed completely through the buck without hardly slowing down, but it sure did it's job. A 45 long colt is good good medicine for whatever you need it to do, and in a carbine or rifle? It's just pure magic on just about any critter you have a hankering to take. Nope that day in the woods was the day that began the end of my career in "hot" 45 long colt loads. After all, I didn't need them.

God Bless.

Richard

[Djones]

Thank you all for sharing your stories.

OP have you landed a 45 colt yet?

Right now I am playing with a 7.5" Bisley SBH and the Mihec ruger only weighing around 327 grains, loaded over 19 grains of IMR4227. It is moving along at 960 fps. I can't believe how mild and accurate the load is. I too am excited to hit the woods this fall with my Bisley.

Here is a picture of the ruger only on the left and a 44 mag on the left.

[Motor]

Any one shoot the 280gr WFN BTB. Under 24 grain H 110
Thinking I could drop down to 22grains and still get the job done on elk this fall with either the Cowboys or the Bisley?
The 24gr. Came out at 1300 fps. and they are not what I would call fun to shoot.

Fun to shoot ????

You should try the 440gr Cor Bon cast bullet loads for the 500 S&W. Simply Brutal !!!!!

The 500 with my cast Lee 440gr and 13gr of Unique is fantastic !!!!! Can't wait for deer season.

Motor

[jonp]

Your physics are flawed. A rapid expanding soft core JHP over its limits yes...but that's not what is happening here. A .358 110g JHP in my .357 Herret at 2500fps does things to a jackrabbit that aren't for weak stomachs.

Its my go to revolver with 4-7 3/4" barrels for carry while a field. My plinker load is the LEE 255 with Unique (over book I wont post) runs about 1100fps. My long barrel Ruger Blackhawk loves that LEE 255 over a max load of R7 sited in at 75y any deer under 125y is toast. I also use Lil'Gun loads and the LEE 340g for 1200-1300fps depending on barrel for bear loads.

Any of these loads on deer will not expand, neither do they destroy meat. I don't go lower than 255g any more for accuracy at velocity..its a matter of bearing surface to pressure. A 200g would be fine for deer into the 1600fps range if you can get it to shoot. I had some 135g button boolits that wouldn't shoot over 600fps, but in theory if they did and could be pushed to 2100fps they would hammer deer with lots of meat damage. Velocity does matter as well as boolit diameter, nose profile, boolit construction, and weight. That 255g in the 1100-1500fps range is a flat shooting, hard hitting, deep penetrating beast. It is still a great boolit in the 800-900fps range but you loose the trajectory.

Sited in at 75y put the front ramp in the low chest for 50y, at 100y just under the back skyline. Under 50 just aim dead on and over 100y I create a small gap of light. Shooting rifle targets isn't an issue (with my eyes yet) out to 300y. It just takes range time and ammo.

Last fall I shot a big mule deer doe with my plinker load and 4" Redhawk at 40y. .45 in, .47(ish) exit no real meat loss, short 5y run and piled up dead. That boolit went through her barely slowing down and off to the next county.

Have not revisited this thread for some time. My physics are not flawed, they are what they are. With your fast 357's ever hear of shock wave v wound channel?

A jhp is a far different animal than pb

[John Allen]

After exhaustive research I decided to go with the Ruger Blackhawk 5.5" in 45 LC. With slightly hot hand loads (1100fps)/ 255g boolits and the thick Pennsylvania woods I think this is the clear choice. Shots will be less than 70 yards but have read that similar loads will easily get the job done out to 100.

I think that would be a great combo to PA. I am doing the same thing but with a 44mag.

[StrawHat]

...That's when I found I had popped him with a "cowboy" load ... God Bless ... Richard

Care to share the ballistics of the "Cowboy" load?

Kevin

[pls1911]

It's been said...
250 gr RNFP or the 270gr RCBS SAA boolits and
9.0 to 10.0 gr. Unique
Makes life simple.

[Land Owner]

Got my 7.5" barrel Ruger Super Blackhawk in Convertible 45 ACP/45 Colt from a drawing for only a $5 entrance fee...hehe. Loaded with Unique I took a 120# hog at 21 yards, straight through both shoulders and DRT. Many buffalo succumbed to 45 Colt boolets.

After working for several hours reloading 380 ACP then shifting to the 45 Colt, one is astounded by the Elephant Size of that slug by comparison.

[Blacktail 8541]

I use a lot of the Unique standard 8.5 grains level loads. But I also have a higher performance load that I really am fond of. It consist of VVN110, under a 260 to 285 grain LFNgc in Starline brass and lit by a WW lg pistol primer or cci 350. This load runs just about 1100fps and is superbly accurate in the 3 handguns that I run it in. A S&W 625-7 , ruger NM flat top and a FA 97. I also run it in a Marlin 1894 20in cowboy competition lever. Velocity is in the mid 1800s. Accuracy is out standing.

EDIT to add I have both a 260 and 285 grn LBT LFN moulds. The 260 is cut with a nose specifically for the FA 97

[David2011]

I was contemplating the 7.5" barrel but for carry I am only 5'8. I figured the 5.5 barrel would be much easier to negotiate while carrying. Havent purchased yet though and am still considering the 7.5. If it shoots that much better I will go that route.

Like you, I'm also 5'8" as well, carry a 7-1/2" Blackhawk in .45 Colt when in the field and am one of those that has had a gun in .45 Colt for over 30 years. Springfield on this site (http://www.whyteleatherworks.com) made me a drop loop belt and holster so the hammer wouldn't be in my armpit when I draw. His work is very nice.



David

[DW475]

After reading all the good info on the 45 Colt posted here, i'm regretting that i never picked up one of those Ruger Super Blackhawk Hunters that came out in 45 Colt. Seen a used one on one of the auction sites listed at $800 but figured for that kind of money i'll just see if i can find a Ruger with a 7.5" barrel in stock somewhere and get it shipped to my FFL holder.