Wadcutter vs WFN for 45 hunting?

[mickbr]

Folks I'm getting a bolt action converted to 45ACP and looking to run some light powder loads with suitable cast bullet maybe 185-200 grains, close range on small pigs and small deer. Velocities around 800-850fps, maybe 3.5-4 grains of clays is what I am aiming for. Quiet is the name of the game for the location I will be doing it and I can't hunt with a can. Shot placement and sticking to practical ranges will be paramount of course.
I was wondering what bullet type might do the best here? Does a wide meplat help a great deal? Is there further value in going to a wadcutter then? I know slow cast bullets can penetrate like the dickens, but am I being inhumane with this setup? Question could equally apply to handguns or levers in 45 colt too. Thanks for any replies, experiences, anecdotes or even abuse!

[trapper9260]

If the WC can cycle in your rifle you can use it if not go with the WFN and see if that will cycle. then go from there. Handgun will not matter for a wheelgun. I know for me to shoot WC in my rifles I need to put one in the chamber then one in the tube for a lever gun.As for bolt I forgot what I done I think it might of cycle you need to check that yourself.This is what I found what works for me. as for the WFN can be call also SWC . As for the powder you are usen .I do not know someone will have a better idea.

[mickbr]

Thanks trapper9260 yes I left out I will single feed the WC for the first shot if necessary

[trapper9260]

You welcome .

[DanWalker]

It has been my experience that the wider the meplat on the bullet, the greater terminal effect it seems to have, when velocities are equal.

[Texas by God]

Your shot placement will be more important than bullet type. I've dispatched hogs in traps with the 200swc but a .22 works there so not much help. I carry my .45 autos with the 200swc or the 230 truncated cone style along on hunts but I haven't had a close enough shot to try it yet- but I feel confident it'll work. I did stalk a sow once(using a dry creek bed) and made the shot at 20 feet using a .38 Special with Rem. Golden Sabers. It's placement first and always.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

[RU shooter]

A 45 cal round ball been killin stuff for years .its not a Flat nose and weights a good bit less.moving faster yes.Can't say about pigs but for small to average size deer I would go for something like a 230 gr flat nose at those speeds and take out both lungs .your still gonna need to track them till they run outta gas

[Ramjet-SS]

I can say on deer the WFN is very effective I prefer it as it seems to drop game and in testing equal weight and velocity and caliber better penetration and disruption of soft tissue. But feeding may take you in the direction you need to go. If you really wanted a boolit Hollow point the SWC and they really get the job done but with a little less penetration.

[Blammer]

for hogs, i'd pick the one that penetrated better.

both should be good.

[DougGuy]

Everything is good up to the boolit weight. You won't find very many large meplat offerings in that weight range. I would suggest a 250gr boolit. There are 3 250gr LBT designs that are great at close range and would make for very effective kill shots.

When you have your conversion done, MAKE SURE you are afforded at least .100" to .150" of .4525" freebore in front of the chamber before the leade ins start.

L to R: 250gr LBT OWC, 250gr LBT WFN-PB, 250gr LBT WFN-GC

https://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/DougGuy/Reloading/250_LBT_TRIO_zpshh2co3gc.jpg (http://s1202.photobucket.com/user/DougGuy/media/Reloading/250_LBT_TRIO_zpshh2co3gc.jpg.html)

[Ramjet-SS]

Man you can always recognize Veral’s designs things of beauty....

[Petander]

for hogs, i'd pick the one that penetrated better.



Absolutely.

This is one of my neighbour's dogs,they sold him to Africa.

242818

[robinsroost]

I agree with Doug Guy, I cast 255 grain RNFP for my .45ac and .45 Colt rounds………..

[Larry Gibson]

Having dealt with several bolt action converted to 45 ACP (M98, M93 & SMLE s) I can tell you with reasonable assurance you should wait and see what will feed in your rifle. Every choice prior to that will probably be a wrong choice. That is from experience.

[Oily]

As to your question am I being inhumane with this setup. A 45 cal slug with a large meplat is a killer. Shot placement is still crucial.

[Larry Gibson]

One last word of warning; unless the bolt action is a SMLE a bullet with a large meplat will be difficult, if not impossible, to get to feed reliably. With SWCs a H&G 68 profile can feed reliably with correct fitting an tweaking of the extractor and feed ramp. Shorter nosed SWCs and Runs won't feed reliably. Even the Lee 230 TC will only feed reliably from some mags.

[swheeler]

Folks I'm getting a bolt action converted to 45ACP and looking to run some light powder loads with suitable cast bullet maybe 185-200 grains, close range on small pigs and small deer. Velocities around 800-850fps, maybe 3.5-4 grains of clays is what I am aiming for. Quiet is the name of the game for the location I will be doing it and I can't hunt with a can. Shot placement and sticking to practical ranges will be paramount of course.
I was wondering what bullet type might do the best here? Does a wide meplat help a great deal? Is there further value in going to a wadcutter then? I know slow cast bullets can penetrate like the dickens, but am I being inhumane with this setup? Question could equally apply to handguns or levers in 45 colt too. Thanks for any replies, experiences, anecdotes or even abuse!

This sounds reasonable and should be pretty quiet and with sound shot placement you should be good to go with many flat point designs, and yes humane at close range. Hopefully your conversion is being done by a smith, not bubba, and will feed most every nose type with perfection!

[dk17hmr]

I'd go with a heavier bullet. 1000fps in a bolt action 45 acp is pretty easy with 260+ grain bullets.

I shoot these 270gr out of my bolt action 45 acp with impressive thump on steel plates. G&F won't let me to hunt with it here which is a shame because it would be a great stalking rifle.
http://i1243.photobucket.com/albums/gg542/dkrusk01/KIMG1101_zpsrj8em4ng.jpg (http://s1243.photobucket.com/user/dkrusk01/media/KIMG1101_zpsrj8em4ng.jpg.html)

[cwlongshot]

I always prefer a WFN. But as repeatedly mentioned feeding is important too!!

As bullet kill by disrupting tissue, the more you can disrupt the more efficient a killer it will be. WFN design is about the best available for any given caliber.

CW

[DanWalker]

I'd go with a heavier bullet. 1000fps in a bolt action 45 acp is pretty easy with 260+ grain bullets.

I shoot these 270gr out of my bolt action 45 acp with impressive thump on steel plates. G&F won't let me to hunt with it here which is a shame because it would be a great stalking rifle.
http://i1243.photobucket.com/albums/gg542/dkrusk01/KIMG1101_zpsrj8em4ng.jpg (http://s1243.photobucket.com/user/dkrusk01/media/KIMG1101_zpsrj8em4ng.jpg.html)

I wonder what we can do about getting that amended in the regs. It's idiotic.

[Jedman]

I wonder what we can do about getting that amended in the regs. It's idiotic.
I once shot a antelope in Wyoming with a H&R handi rifle I built in 45 ACP and was checked by a game warden who was watching the whole thing from about a 1/2 mile away. I was hunting on Walk In land and was legal but when he checked my rifle I had a box of factory 45 Super ammo that I was using and on the ammo box it stated the ballistics but from a pistol length barrel.
Wyoming has a 500 ft. Lbs. minimum energy level for a legal hunting round and the ammo box showed 470 ft. Lbs + or - and he said it was not legal ammo I was using. I argued that out of a 18" barrel the round would have much higher muzzle energy but he didn't buy it. Lucky for me the landowner drove up while we were talking and he was able to calm game warden down and since the antelope dropped DRT he did not try to write me a ticket.
He asked me , do you have another rifle with you ? I said I did, I actually had 4 and he said do you have more tags and I said yea! 3 more and he said use another rifle please and drove away.
On another trip I shot a antelope with a handi rifle I built in 357 Mag. and was using Barnes XPB bullets and at approximately 100 yards it was the fastest I have ever seen a big animal hit the ground dead, not even a twitch. The 2 guys that seen me do it were really impressed as one of them had a Win. 270 WSM and the other was hunting with a 300 Weatherby Mag. and never seen a antelope drop dead so quick.
I also was checked by a game warden in WY after shooting a antelope and I was using a handi rifle again I built in a wildcat round and it was a .311 bullet cartridge and there laws require the OAL of the cartridge for that caliber to be 2.00" minimum. My wildcat was about .030 short but he let it go and asked to have one of my rounds for his cartridge collection so I gave him one. Later near sundown the intersection of the county road we were on and the main highway the same warden and several others were stopping all hunters and we were checked again.

Jed

[robinsroost]

A valid point has been made, a .45acp is not legal to hunt with in every state. In my home state of Indiana it is not. Contact your local wildlife officer or DNA. Keep yer powder dry...……..robin

[dk17hmr]

They changed the law recently to an OAL of 1.5" with no foot pound requirement. A 38 special with 158gr is legal for elk now but my 10mm isn't legal for antelope. I have a 45 super load that clocked at 1928fps with a 165gr Hydra shock from my 45acp rifle that isn't legal for hunting big game. I can hunt with a 45lc but equivalent velocity/bullet combos aren't legal out of my 45acp rifle.

I get it you have to set the bar somewhere...... But still.

10mm kills antelope just fine also.

[megasupermagnum]

There are a lot of good people in the DNR/game and fish departments, yet every state is screwed. They have more power than law enforcement. They are not the ones that should be setting the minimum's.

In a rare twist, Minnesota has got this one right. All big game, legal cartridge is a center fire, 22 caliber and larger. That applies to any handgun or rifle. It's up to you to do the right thing, the way it should be.

While our hunting regulations have taken leap and bounds the last 10 years, our fishing has gone out the window, and off to the moon. If you can manage to figure out all the bogus AIS laws to legally launch your boat, you have to be twice as careful coming off the lake. We have effectively outlawed live bait fishing, except for worms/nightcrawlers. Even leaches are now strictly controlled.

Point being, those making the laws have their head up where the sun don't shine. Fighting the DNR is even tougher than fighting the normal legislators. Those of you out west have a lot going for you that we don't have here.

I think it should be in the US constitution that every person has the right to hunt and fish, then we would at least have some leverage. Treating it like a simple privilege is wrong.