What dangerous game has been taken with .45 colt?

[Andy]

First time shooting the .45 (long) colt at ruger levels today got me wondering what it has been used for in recent history. I know it has taken all manner of deer etc. but was curious about dangerous game. Any documented accounts of people using for dangerous African game or the big bears?

[buckwheatpaul]

Killed a 300 pound feral hog with a 230 HydraShock....one shot piled her up and the bullet went from .452 to .478....not a long colt but you did say 45......

[M-Tecs]

Starting in the mid 1870's it was used on Bison. Couple of years ago a friend killed one with a 45 colt lever gun.

[jmort]

There is nothing on the earth that cannot be killed with a .45 Colt, safely and humanely.

[5Shot]

Ross Seyfried has taken Cape Buffalo...

[DanWalker]

In 2012 I took a win 94 trapper in 45LC to Africa. I took an impala, a warthog, and a gemsbok with it. Load was a 250 grain swc over 20 grains of 2400. Longest distance travelled after the shot was the gemsbok. It ran 65 yards with a busted shoulder before dying. I wrote a lengthy post back then about the whole adventure. Videos were taken and linked in the post. If you search the forum, you should be able to find it.

[Lonegun1894]

Not exactly wild game, but I took out a "domestic" bull that had developed a bad attitude and would charge anyone it found in it's enclosure. A friend had gotten it and put it in a fenced in 100 acre lot that was mostly covered in thick brush and small trees, and then after a while noticed a pattern of it charging people, and asked me to take it down. A RCBS 45-270-SAA from my Ruger Vaquero at 15-20 yards through the forehead as it charged got the job done.

[Andy]

Very cool to hear each person's experiences, I found that article by ross seyfried after it was mentioned here and that was a fun read.

[flyingmonkey35]

I've shot paper squirrels' and the feared steel gong of death.

Love the stories

[BAGTIC]

The 'most dangerous game of all'... Homo sapiens.

[OS OK]

"My X-wife…but…that's not a fair comparison…it took 3 shots!:bigsmyl2:"

[bronte454]

Lol his ex . Yeah I'm afraid my ex would chew it up and spit it back at me

[fastdadio]

Many Texas longhorns have been put down with it and that is one big onery beast. While not documented anywhere I know of, I'm sure some old western scrounger caught off guard had an up close and personal conflict with griz a time or two. The Army carried it for how long? Then J. Browning duplicated the ballistics for the .45acp and on it goes.

[Gunnut 45/454]

Yep my favorite cartridge. Have a Win 94 and a Ruger RH in it. Wouldn't worry one bit about using it on any critter that walks the earth with the proper boolit! In a rifle its a mini 45-70! What hasn't the 45-70 killed!

[Outpost75]

In a strong, modern revolver, such as the New Model Ruger Blackhawk, the .45 Colt with 250-270-grain flat nosed Keith or ogival flat nosed bullets having a meplat not less than 0.6 of bullet diameter, at 1000 fps will do all that is ever required of a handgun. Modern smokeless loads give 7-1/2" barrel full charge black powder velocities from a compact 4-5/8" revolver, all that anybody needs.

[DanWalker]

In a strong, modern revolver, such as the New Model Ruger Blackhawk, the .45 Colt with 250-270-grain flat nosed Keith or ogival flat nosed bullets having a meplat not less than 0.6 of bullet diameter, at 1000 fps will do all that is ever required of a handgun. Modern smokeless loads give 7-1/2" barrel full charge black powder velocities from a compact 4-5/8" revolver, all that anybody needs.AGREE 100% I had to learn this lesson the hard way, by going all the way up to full boogie 454 casull loads. They didn't kill one bit faster or better than a standard 45LC round. They just beat the bujeesus out of my hands and made me flinch. After killing quite a few big game animals (mostly pigs and antelope) with the 45LC I see NO reason to push it past what you describe.

[Wayne Dobbs]

In a strong, modern revolver, such as the New Model Ruger Blackhawk, the .45 Colt with 250-270-grain flat nosed Keith or ogival flat nosed bullets having a meplat not less than 0.6 of bullet diameter, at 1000 fps will do all that is ever required of a handgun. Modern smokeless loads give 7-1/2" barrel full charge black powder velocities from a compact 4-5/8" revolver, all that anybody needs.

I've used the above formula, somewhat modified, to kill well over a dozen whitetails with a S&W 625 Mountain Gun in .45 ACP. Using Starline .45 AR brass and a 255 SWC at 900 fps, nothing has gone more than 25 yards from the point they were shot. Full penetration (think it will shoot through a couple deer!) every time. What a concept!

[Rick Hodges]

I seem to remember reading about a plains grizzly that went rouge on a ranch out west before the turn of the century. Some Brit was out seeing the west when the 1500 lb bear went amok killing horses. A couple of cowboys with ropes and a 45Colt Peacemaker killed that bear. Something about the hide going to the Smithsonian or back to England. I tried a search to find the story with no success.

[Andy]

Glad to hear that you guys find it effective around 1000fps with a heavy bullet as 1000-1100 is all I really want to push it to anyway.

[Wolfer]

I haven't replied to this thread because there so many fans of the 45 colt I figgered somebody else could do the typing.
Let me start by saying I consider this to be one of the finest revolver cartridges ever. I also would like to point out that I've never taken game that I considered dangerous with mine. Deer,coyotes, rabbits, grouse, coons, possums, etc I don't consider dangerous.

Ive kilt a good number of critters with mine and have formed some opinions. They are however my own.
With solids like the Lee 255 RF or the 452-429 penatration is not an issue. With the cup type HP I will nearly always shoot thru deer broadside unless I break both shoulders. In this case it may bulge the hide on the far side. These deer rarely go out of sight if they don't drop in their tracks.

However deer that are hit behind the shoulder may not go very far but may stay alert for several minutes. If they could return fire per say they would certainly be able.

For me as a dangerous game weapon it would not be a first choice. If you hit CNS it will work very well. If you don't it will work but it will probably be too late.

If if it's what I had in a dangerous situation I would certainly be busting some caps!

[DanWalker]

My impala. We were actually taking a break from hunting and just doing some game viewing while eating our lunch in an archery blind. He was my first African animal and I wasn't sure how my 45 boolits would do, so I went for the CNS hit at the base of the neck. Seemed to work ok. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6wOMTRXh6A

The Gemsbok took the same load right in the shoulder. He went 65 yards before tipping over. We had been hunting them from the ground for 4 days before the wind came up. They bed in the deepest of cover when it is windy, and this makes them about impossible to stalk. I have no qualms about shooting this game from a blind. We covered many miles chasing them on foot. If you slow down the video you can really see the transfer of energy into his shoulder when the 250gr SWC hits him.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SdVeIuYrTMg

[Outpost75]

Appreciate the validation from those who have used the .45 Colt in Africa. It seems "enough" gunwith proper loads. Nothing where, I live big enough to eat 'cha so will settle for 230- grain cast lead HPs at 1000 fps. Wish they would make the Colt New Service again...

[Lonegun1894]

Mind if I ask what 230gr HP mold you're using? I'm thinking it will either work great, or act like a varmint bullet, and if it works great, could be useful to try and find one.

[Outpost75]

I am using Accurate .45-245D as modified by Erik at www.hollowpointmold.com having a core pin of 0.20" major diameter with 15 degree draft angle, truncated at 0.25 cavity depth with .05 radius at termination, cast in 1:30 tin-lead from Roto Metals and driven with 7.2 grains of Bullseye in .45 Colt with 5-1/2" barrel having 0.005" cylinder gap for 1000+/- 30 fps. Field carry is Ruger Vaquero.

WORKS!!!!

[shoot-n-lead]

I haven't replied to this thread because there so many fans of the 45 colt I figgered somebody else could do the typing.
Let me start by saying I consider this to be one of the finest revolver cartridges ever. I also would like to point out that I've never taken game that I considered dangerous with mine. Deer,coyotes, rabbits, grouse, coons, possums, etc I don't consider dangerous.

Ive kilt a good number of critters with mine and have formed some opinions. They are however my own.
With solids like the Lee 255 RF or the 452-429 penatration is not an issue. With the cup type HP I will nearly always shoot thru deer broadside unless I break both shoulders. In this case it may bulge the hide on the far side. These deer rarely go out of sight if they don't drop in their tracks.

However deer that are hit behind the shoulder may not go very far but may stay alert for several minutes. If they could return fire per say they would certainly be able.

For me as a dangerous game weapon it would not be a first choice. If you hit CNS it will work very well. If you don't it will work but it will probably be too late.

If if it's what I had in a dangerous situation I would certainly be busting some caps!

My experience and opinion, also. It will probably get the job done...but, for me, there are better choices for dangerous game...and I prefer the 44 special for less dangerous game.

[Outpost75]

Over long years of experience, bullet weight over 1/2 oz. (218 grains) of diameter .40 or larger, with velocity approximating 1000 fps and meplat not less than 0.6 of bullet diameter will do the work.

This can be taken as "Gospel"

[Lonegun1894]

Sounds like a great bullet, Outpost!

[35 Whelen]

I used the 45 Colt on game for the first time last season. The iron was a 5.5" Uberti Bisley loaded with a 265 gr. SWCHP cast to 9.5 Bhn @ around 1040 fps. Shot a javelina at about 45 yds. and a buck at a lasered 48.5 yds. The slug passed through the javelinas lungs with out expanding. He humped up, trotted about 30', wheezed a bit and gave it up.

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h6/308Scout/Hunting/Javelina%201_zps5sfjhkjy.jpg (http://s60.photobucket.com/user/308Scout/media/Hunting/Javelina%201_zps5sfjhkjy.jpg.html)

The buck was hit high in the shoulder and dropped like a sack of taters, but I put one more in his neck just because.

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h6/308Scout/Hunting/Spike%20with%2045%20Colt-%20reduced_zpsqwppzshz.jpg (http://s60.photobucket.com/user/308Scout/media/Hunting/Spike%20with%2045%20Colt-%20reduced_zpsqwppzshz.jpg.html)

The hollowpoint expanded beautifully, but illustrates why I was leery of HP'S in the first place, drastically reduced penetration.

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h6/308Scout/Hunting/Bullet%20from%20Spike_zps6m6ogv41.jpg (http://s60.photobucket.com/user/308Scout/media/Hunting/Bullet%20from%20Spike_zps6m6ogv41.jpg.html)

A plain SWC would have whistled on through. Ive also killed a few with a .44 Special and a 260 -ish gr. SWC at 950 fps or a little less and it penetrate very well. One must remember that bullet weight is constant, so.as it's diameter increases as in the case of an expanding HP penetration will always decrease. If you choose to use an HP I'd choose my shots carefully.

I know the subject has drifted from your original question...you should read "Sixguns" by Elmer Keith as there are stories therein detailing the dispatching of all manner of ill-tempered game, cattle and horses.
One thing to remember though is the folks for whom the 45 Colt failed on dangerous game were never around to tell about it.

35W