Anybody hunt with a .45 ACP or have hunting loads?

[derek45]

Years ago I'd hunt big midwestern deer with a 5" S&W 625

I started out using 45SUPER with a 230gr Speer Gold Dot JHP.

Later, I used factory Winchester Ranger 230gr JHP, this was my CCW at the time.

It worked really well. with full-moon clips it was quiet and easy to load and unload, even in the pre-dawn darkness.

the Win Ranger JHP exit would looked like you could damn near push a golf ball through.

I later traded that gun for a 629 and regretted it since S&W stopped making the 45ACP 5"

[bowfin]

Well Idaho, your opinion runs counter to a whole of men on this forum who over the years have reported many, many successes with the ACP. There, I said it.

I believe some .45 ACP loads would be illegal here in Nebraska. Here is the requirement:

Handguns or muzzleloading handguns that deliver at least 400 foot-pounds of energy at 50 yards

Now I am sure people can tell everybody about all kinds of deer killed with the .45 ACP. Here in Nebraska, we kill a whole lot of deer with our mini-vans and crossover SUVs every year. That doesn't mean there aren't better ways of going about it.

I also recognize that deer in some parts of the country are a lot smaller than others. The guy from Idaho probably has yearlings running around that are as big as some of the bucks down south. That may influence some people's opinions as well.

[mnewcomb59]

I killed one deer with my 1911. I was using a 255 grain cup point NOE bullet loaded over Power Pistol for around 900 fps. The cup points had some antimony and initially mushroomed, but after age hardening they would only turn into a 45-50 cal wadcutter. I tested them before hunting season and decided I liked the performance and penetration. 5 jugs is the happy place to be for whitetails. Thats enough penetration to take any hard quarter shot (about like a 30-30, a little more than a 150 gr 30-06) but a lot bigger wound than a 10 jug load like the 255-rf that doesn't mushroom with a 32 cal meplat.

A group of does was out in the clearing under the power line as I was sneaking back in to fill corn buckets and sit for the evening. When I sat the bucket down to sneak up on them the handle smacked the side of the bucket and made some noise. A minute or so later when I continued the stalk they were wary. I got to within 40 yards or so and when I poked my head above the tall grass they were looking right at me. They took a couple big jumps back towards the safety of the woods then stopped and looked over their shoulders at me. I shot one of them right up the butt and the bullet penetrated all the way into the neck in front of the opposite shoulder. It knocked the deer right down, then it got up and ran maybe 30-40 yards. Minimal meat damage and very satisfactory performance.

I would recommend against using most JHPs unless it is something that is known to penetrate on the deep end of what the FBI considers acceptable. Critical Duty is a minimal mushrooming bullet with a 3% antimony core designed to stay together through auto glass and sheet metal for law enforcement. It penetrates at the very upper end of acceptable for those guys, which is a nice range to be in for deer. Stay away from JHP known to penetrate in the 12" range and mushroom huge. If you go that route you want JHP that mushroom moderately and penetrate 16-22". Stay away from most 185 grain bullets. The 200 XTP oddly enough penetrates more than the 230 XTP because the 200 grain has more controlled expansion. Or just choot'em with the lee 200-RF, 255-RF, or a cast hollow point in the 250 gr range. Most standard weight cast hollow points mushroom too big and penetrate 8-10" (2 jugs of water) and you are lucky if you get one that penetrates to FBI minimum, 12" gel or 3 jugs of water. I do not recommend the Lee 230-TC because the small rounded meplat is smaller than most 38 special bullets. Get a meplat .32" or larger to make a big bore wound. Also the 230-TC does not penetrate in a straight line.

[Good Cheer]

These days this 230 grain is the closest thing I have to a heavy WFNHP.

Haven't hunted with it but the picture illustrates the possibilities with heavy .45ACP boolits.
I particularly like the design because it can be molded much softer than the one shown above and the nose geometry pretty much precludes any hang ups in feeding.

[white eagle]

Hunt what? A 45 cal 200 grain bullet with a decent meplat, going 800-900 fsp will kill any deer grave yard dead at any reasonable handgun range. Hunting something bigger, think more handgun.

exactly
take your time pick your spot and a unaware whitetail will be yours
now there is a lot to be said about a riled up or chased deer with a full load of adrenalin pumping
but calm bow hunting type hunt get your knives and freezer wrap

[cwlongshot]

RCBS 38-150-KT!

She casts beautifully!!

https://youtu.be/YaeZ-oyATKY

[Kosh75287]

There is a projectile made by Missouri Bullet Company similar to the SAECO #58 215 gr. LSWC, that they market as ".45 Express-Grooveless", for the .460 Rowland cartridge. This projectile, powered by as much Unique or Power Pistol as is safe, would be MY choice for short-range white tails with a .45 ACP. In fact, I've already done such a work-up.

https://missouribullet.com/details.p...y=13&keywords=

[gwpercle]

Back in the mid 1970's several of us got into Hog Hunting and a couple of us had 1911's in 45 acp . Speer had a 225 grain JHP that looked to just the ticket for Hogs in the Swamps .
Speer Reloading Manual number Nine said a max load of 7.0 grs. Unique under that Speer 225 gr. JHP would yield 924 fps ... we felt that would do the job .
We loaded up a few hundred and practiced ... made sight adjustments and went hunting .
We both took two hogs that year and the 45's did the job but to be honest I didn't like pushing the 1911 that hard ... the recoil was stout and had to be hard on our guns .
I have went back to magnum revolvers for game hunting ... my favorite is 41 Magnum ...
But the 45 acp / 225 gr. JHP / 7.0 grs. Unique did kill hogs rather nicely with a well placed shot .
Gary

[murf205]

Even someone like me would check the regulations in a state I planned to hunt in. I know the regulations in the state I live in. I do research.

Research is always good but it reminds me of the time I called the State Police office near the place I was going to hunt in Ohio and asked them about transporting a handgun in a vehicle in Ohio. The lady that answered the phone referred me to an officer there and when she got on the phone and I asked her the question, she said that she wasn't clear on the answer and she would call me back to let me know. That was about 8 or 9 yrs ago and I'm still waiting for the call.
Now about the 45 ACP High Point: yes they are a bit ugly [I]to some[I]but they are dead on reliable. My non casting buddy bought one and I loaded him some ammo with this boolitAttachment 305651 with a meplat that only a revolver could love and it feeds like a hungry dog-in HIS High Point at least.

[FergusonTO35]

Hornady now makes a solid copper JHP .45 ACP load that is advertised for hunting. They don't officially recommend it for deer, but I think that is implied since .45 caliber would be an odd choice for anything smaller.

[Bigslug]

My next .45 mold will be the Accurate 45-230H. As best I can divine after careful measurements, it has the same profile as my EXTREMELY 1911-friendly LBT 452-230 LFN, but in the the tumble-lube format I've come to prefer.

I do not think ramping up to +P specs really does anything for you except beat your gun up faster. At standard hardball velocity of 830 fps that LBT took nine milk jugs / 6 feet worth of water to bring to a stop. Put it on a straight line to something important, and it'll likely do.

[lar45]

As long as we're kicking around an old thread...
The Hunters Supply 45-275 with Bluedot goes around 950fps from my 7" Longslide Hardballer. I do have a heavier spring in it and the cases just tumble out.