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Thread: Hunting hogs with 45ACP in an AR platform. Any experience or thoughts?

  1. #1
    Boolit Master corbinace's Avatar
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    Hunting hogs with 45ACP in an AR platform. Any experience or thoughts?

    I am thinking about a suppressed hog slayer. Does the 45 acp have any merit in this role, when shot from a 16" suppressed AR platform?

    Something like this; http://palmettostatearmory.com/psa-1...516446106.html


    I really have not researched beyond a search here, and was hoping to start a dialog.

  2. #2
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    It would work well with the right bullet
    The longer barrel won't add much velocity so you need to rely on
    The Magic Meplat

    BTW there is a well known fellow who has killed at least two "man sized" hogs with a cast 135 grain flat point bullet with a 9mm pistol. I know some would get the vapors over this, but he is a very experienced hog hunter.
    Last edited by jmort; 06-02-2017 at 01:08 PM.

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    easy to do since 45 ACP is already subsonic .. Should have no issues with cycling beside the nose shape
    for quick kills aim for head/neck shots .. Body shots at good distance will take multiple hits ..
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    I just purchased a hi-point 45 for that purpose, but haven't seen a hog since I got it. Funny thing, my BIL was extoling the virtues of his 300 blackout as a hog gun with the 200+ grain subsonic. But when I mentioned the hi-point, he scoffed that my 230 grain bullet chronographed right at 1000 fps would bounce of any hog more than 20 yards away.
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  5. #5
    Boolit Grand Master
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    The longer barrel can't add a whole lot of velocity if you are staying subsonic, which in a practical sense is no more than about 1050 fps with a 230, which is attainable in a 16 inch barrel in 45 ACP. But this is about 100 fps faster than 230 Plus P in a five inch barrel and any increase in speed is worth having.

    I would probably avoid overly expansive bullets myself and get the biggest flatpoint bullet that feeds as suggested above. My experience with carbine length barrels comes from a TC Contender carbine single shot so I am somewhat familiar with what a carbine length 45 ACP is capable of but I cannot comment on the suppressor angle as the barrel I have is not threaded for one.

    I can tell you about the effects of varying speed.

    Jcren, time to clue your BIL in about the practical characteristics of blunt 230 grain 45s at 1000-1050 fps. Underpenetration is definitely not something they do.

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    Quote Originally Posted by jcren View Post
    I just purchased a hi-point 45 for that purpose, but haven't seen a hog since I got it. Funny thing, my BIL was extoling the virtues of his 300 blackout as a hog gun with the 200+ grain subsonic. But when I mentioned the hi-point, he scoffed that my 230 grain bullet chronographed right at 1000 fps would bounce of any hog more than 20 yards away.

    it is funny how some people come to conclusions they do .. heard about the same thing ..
    Now there "MIGHT" be slightly less penetration with the larger dia bullet at the same speed but I would not think it would be that much different
    definitely not going to bounce off at 50 yds ..
    we employ several high school kids as refs for the paintball fields.
    One of the lessons I teach them is you cant hide behind a car door, couch or table like in the movies .. They get that Oh no I seen it in "you name it"
    so I go get the UZI with 147 gr SUBSONICS march them to the field where I have several old cars/trucks as bunkers .. walk back at least 50 yds and proceed to shoot ALL the way THRU both sides of the car with 3 or 4 rds .. Its a hoot to see their eyes when we walk down to examine the damage
    [SIZE=4][B]Selling Hi Quality Powdercoating Powder

    I carry a Nuke50 because cleaning up the mess is Silly !!

    http://www.bing.com/search?q=nuke50&...7ADE&FORM=QBLH

    I am not crazy my mom had me tested

    Theres a fine line between genius and crazy .. I'm that line
    and depending on the day I might just step over that line !!!

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    45 acp will work but nothing like a 450 BM !

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  9. #9
    Boolit Buddy
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    Just to give you some idea, a 230gr load fired from my 5" pistol has a velocity of 880fps. The same load fired from my 16" carbine is averaging 1063fps.
    Benny

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    No experience with .45 ACP but plenty with .45 Colt and the same boolit I would have used in the ACP, the Lyman 452374. It's the same profile as Browning's original .45 ACP bullet. I've finished off quite a few wounded hogs that friends shot with rifles. The hogs were down but still breathing, moving and sometimes squealing. One shot to the head or neck was plenty on every one of them.

    The boolits were 95% COWW+5% Monotype, harder than 'necessary' but they cast well and don't lead. It was just my standard alloy for a long time and works in about everything I shoot. I am starting to cast with softer alloys which would work very well in .45 ACP.

    David
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    Boolit Master Boolit_Head's Avatar
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    Be aware that upper is pretty much limited to a glock lower due to a lack of stick magazines for a AR lower with a mag block.
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    Boolit Master 308Jeff's Avatar
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    Was just getting ready to post on that PSA 45 when I say this thread. Hope you don't mind me posting in here...

    When did that come out? I just noticed the PSA 45 for the first time today. Is it brand new, or have I somehow been missing it the last few times I've been on their page?

    I sent them an email a couple of weeks ago asking if they were planning on a 40 S&W, and they responded that they aren't. Which is a bummer to me.

    One last question. Why a specific lower for the 45? I thought the Glock 45 mags would fit the 9mm Glock lower?

  13. #13
    Boolit Master Boolit_Head's Avatar
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    There are large frame glock lowers to take the 10mm and 45 acp magazines. Bazoka Brothers makes some kits for 45 acp and they make a lower block for the 45 acp grease gun mags but I think they are hard to find.
    On every question of construction let us carry ourselves back to the time when the Constitution was adopted, recollect the spirit manifested in the debates, and instead of trying what meaning may be squeezed out of the text or invented against it, conform to the probable one in which it was passed.

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  14. #14
    Boolit Buddy
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    Another point of interest would be, not necessarily will the longer barrel produce appreciable velocity gain. As a matter a fact it can become a detriment.
    That same load that got 880fps from the 5" barrel gets 980fps from my 7" barrel.
    It makes 1063 fps from the 16" barrel look like a cheat.
    Benny

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    Boolit Master corbinace's Avatar
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    PSA has the Glock Magazine lowers to go with this upper. On sale right now for about $750 for the set. I have the Glock magazines already. As well as the brass and Dillon setup.

    It looks like a 210 gr leaving at 1000 is still over 800fps and >300ftlbs of energy at 150 yards, albeit 15" low. A friend of mine said a person would not need over 100 yards of capability where he hunts.

    No worries on posting 308Jeff, I wanted as much discussion as was warranted.

  16. #16
    Boolit Master corbinace's Avatar
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    I know there are more powerful .45 caliber candidates in a normal AR form but they use somewhat more valuable brass. Being an auto, the brass will be flying who knows where and I would be sweating every last stick of it, if it was one of the fancy ones. Whereas, with 45ACP being so ubiquitous, I could walk away and never look back (well, maybe just one little peek).

  17. #17
    Boolit Master
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    I have been thinking of building one of these ARs, but more in the 8" (ish) pistol form. On the other hand, I need another AR like I need a hole in the head... That hasn't stopped me yet though.
    I passed my last psych eval, how bout you?

  18. #18
    Boolit Grand Master
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    There is a local cull hunter that has been hired to removed an excess deer population from locales around here. At Goucher College, a rather densely populated urban / sub-urban area, he uses an H&R single shot chambered in .45 ACP with a can. In the hands of the right shooter, it must work well.

  19. #19
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    Whole LOTTA difference between deer and hogs!

    Head and neck shots with your 45 AR will work, forget body shots unless you just want to wound them. Simply not enough energy or penetration to put a hog down with body shots. 460 Rowland in the 45 AR? Much more killing energy and penetration.
    Got a .22 .30 .32 .357 .38 .40 .41 .44 .45 .480 or .500 S&W cylinder that needs throats honed? 9mm, 10mm/40S&W, 45 ACP pistol barrel that won't "plunk" your handloads? 480 Ruger or 475 Linebaugh cylinder that needs the "step" reamed to 6° 30min chamfer? Click here to send me a PM You can also find me on Facebook Click Here.

  20. #20
    Boolit Master
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    Yeah, that .45 will just bounce off and go who knows where. Pigs be wearing Kevlar these days.

    Wouldn't worry much about that actually. Subs and pigs go together like love and lawyers. Forget the energy/meplat theory and put the bullet where it belongs. Cervical vertebrae or brain works every time. Been whacking pigs with .22 CB shorts for quite a long while.

    I have danced with the Devil. She had excellent attorneys.

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