Any experiences hunting with slow loads?

[Thumbcocker]

On another forum a poster stated that he had killed white tails with .44 and .45 loads at 800 fps or less from revolvers. I am sure deer sized critters were shot with low velocity black powder pistol loads in the past but you don't hear much about it today. So I was wondering if any of you had experiences with slower loads on deer size critters.

[Bullshop]

Would a grizzly with a 525 gn RCBS at 1550 fps MV from an 1895 Marlin count. Lots of game to my bag with cast but most were higher fps.

[winelover]

Eight or nine grains of Unique and a 240 to 250 grains boolet in 44 Magnum, works on whitetails.

Winelover

[44man]

When you shoot slow just have a little expansion. You can lose penetration of course.
I have shot a bunch of deer with my BP Old Army and round balls and never recovered a ball so they do work. Just limit your distance like bow hunting.

[Ragnarok]

Some of the original BP loaded cartridges..even in rifles were quite lethargic by modern standards. However these same cartridges(like the .44 Henry) gave good service in the field.

I cannot say I want to hunt anything large with a feeble load...but as a small game round..I don't see a problem. Small deer likely wouldn't be an issue either at close range.

I can tell ya' about my hog hunting experiences wwith a .44 mag Rossi carbine...you definately want full-power loads for pigs. I tried some commercial 'cowboy' ammo...and it wasn't all that whoopee for one-shot kills on hogs.

[Doc Highwall]

Would a grizzly with a 525 gn RCBS at 1550 fps MV from an 1895 Marlin count. Lots of game to my bag with cast but most were higher fps.

Bullshop, what powder did you use with this bullet?

[Texantothecore]

700 Fps, 250 grn boolit is the classic .45LC load and was occasionally used to drop an out of control horse. It should work for most applications.

[Thumbcocker]

So if .44 and .45 boolits at 900 fps or less will humanely kill deer sized critters at pistol ranges why are we beating ourselves up with burn blind and deafen loads?

[44man]

Distance! I shoot deer to over 100 yards but many want 200 or more, rifle distance. Do you know how hard that is?
Very, very few can shoot super long range with a revolver and need a scope and rest. But a good shot with a .45 can kill deer off hand up close.
The reason for more velocity is distance. Just know your limit and your guns limit.

[Wolfer]

As usual 44 man is spot on. I taken two deer with my 58 rem, Lee 452-200RF with a full cyl of FFF for 700 fps. One was shot thru the liver and went a long ways, the other thru both lungs and went 30 yds.
Proving once again if you put a hole in the right spot it doesn't much matter what you put it there with.
I believe that on marginal shots a little more power doesn't hurt.
I insist that my field handguns are shootable without earplugs for a shot or two so I hunt with pretty low powered loads compared to many here but I know my limitations and shoot accordingly.
My favorite handgun load is a 45 colt 452-424 with Erik's hybrid cup point weighing 250 gr cast 1Ww/2PB pushed to 1070 fps with 10 gr unique. This load is very deadly!

I like to limit my range to 35 yds just so I know exactly where my boolit landed.
I almost always carry a rifle also in case a wall hanger comes by outside my comfort zone but try to take all my meat deer with a handgun.
I also tend to hunt in places that 35 yds is a long shot.
As I saw this thread I had just finished a book no doubt many of you have read( 50 years a hunter and trapper by woodcock)
In it a ways he talks about guns. Since the book starts out about 1863 and goes to around 1912 his first expierence was with flintlock then percussion and finally cartridge guns. I think he tried most things available but preferred a Winchester in 38-40 with black powder over all others for deer and black bear.
Off the top of my head I can't tell you how fast his 180 gr RN boolit was going but many people today would consider it too low powered to deer hunt with but he seemed to think it worked as good as his 45-75
He did mention if you were going to hunt bigger game you might want to step up to the 30-30
Sorry for the rambling, it's past my bedtime!

[1bluehorse]

I and some friends have killed several Elk with 50 cal. front stuffers (in lines) with 300gr. sabots at 1300fps out to 150 yards. A 45 colt revolver with a 300gr. cast (or not) at 900 to 1000fps should do the same very nicely at 50yards or there abouts..(farther if you're a good shot)..John Taffin wrote that his wife has killed several Mule Deer with a 45 colt shooting 260gr lead around 900-950fps at ranges up to 125yards. I wouldn't hesitate to shoot one of the Blacktails around here with a 250-260 gr. lead bullet traveling 750fps if he was close enough for me to hit him, 50 yardish, but our deer are just the regular kind, not the really hard to kill ones that others have..[smilie=1:

[winelover]

So if .44 and .45 boolits at 900 fps or less will humanely kill deer sized critters at pistol ranges why are we beating ourselves up with burn blind and deafen loads?

Gluttons for Punishment!

Winelover

[DanWalker]

454424's pushed to 900 fps, sail right through pronghorns out to as far as I can hit them. My longest shot has been 113 yards.

[The Kid]

I shot a 255gr GC SWC cast from 75% Lino +25% WW through a 300# hog almost exactly one year ago with my SBH Bisley Hunter. Bullet was pushed by 9.0gr Unique lit by a standard Rem LP. Shot entered corner of the left eye and exited the right rear leg. Range was under 10yds.

This is a very easy shooting load and very accurate out of both my Bisley and my 4" M629. Other than big bears or buffalo, I don't have any need to go faster for the ranges I am capable of making good hits on game.