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

[Jedman]

Pretty neat. Nothing wrong at all with a Hi-Point. What barrel did you use for your project?

The barrel is a barrel liner from Chaszel. I bored and reamed the original Hi Point barrel to 5/8 ID and turned the liner a few thousands smaller and epoxied it in the original barrel. The muzzle thread is 5/8 x 24 and I have several “ toys “ I made to fit it, a compansator, a micro red dot mount, a oil filter attachment ( you need this ) and I did some work on the trigger.
On a hog hunt several years ago there were 10 of us guys together and several of the guys had high dollar handguns and most were 30 + years younger with better eyes. At the range we were shooting at 50 yards and the Hi point out shoot all of the other handguns shooting some under 3” groups at 50 yards with arms resting on the table but not by me.

To answer the question of velocity reached, I don’t know I tried loads up to 45 super level and at that point I was getting failure to feed problems probably way to hot for the standard recoil spring in the gun. Hi Point advertises they are good for plus P loads and it works fine with them. I believe I can easily top 1000 FPS with 200 gr. FN cast hi tek coated bollits it likes. The gun will feed and fire almost anything you put in it within reason.

Jedman

[Larry Gibson]

Just wondered if anybody here hunts with a .45 ACP and had load reccomendations. I was thinking a Lee 230 gr. cast FP would be ok at 25 yards or so with a + P level load. Worked up to of course.

Out of M1911s the old Cooper load of a 200/205 gr SWC loaded over 7.5 gr Unique runs 1000 +/-fps out of 5" barrels and will kill deer nicely with proper shot placement at a reasonable range [for me out to 50 yards]. Also if a second and/or third shot is presented I take those also. Worked for me. PSI runs 18,300 using the Hornady 200 gr XTP with that load.

[roverboy]

The barrel is a barrel liner from Chaszel. I bored and reamed the original Hi Point barrel to 5/8 ID and turned the liner a few thousands smaller and epoxied it in the original barrel. The muzzle thread is 5/8 x 24 and I have several “ toys “ I made to fit it, a compansator, a micro red dot mount, a oil filter attachment ( you need this ) and I did some work on the trigger.
On a hog hunt several years ago there were 10 of us guys together and several of the guys had high dollar handguns and most were 30 + years younger with better eyes. At the range we were shooting at 50 yards and the Hi point out shoot all of the other handguns shooting some under 3” groups at 50 yards with arms resting on the table but not by me.

To answer the question of velocity reached, I don’t know I tried loads up to 45 super level and at that point I was getting failure to feed problems probably way to hot for the standard recoil spring in the gun. Hi Point advertises they are good for plus P loads and it works fine with them. I believe I can easily top 1000 FPS with 200 gr. FN cast hi tek coated bollits it likes. The gun will feed and fire almost anything you put in it within reason.

Jedman

The Chaszel liners are pretty good quality. I've made 4 or 5 shotgun cartridge adapters with them. Was it very hard to get the barrel pin to drive out? I like your barrel project Jedman.

[Jedman]

roverboy, I too have made at least a half of dozen chamber adapters and made several 45 ACP and 45 Colt carbines from break action single shot shotguns with the Chaszel liners. His business must have really grown because a couple of years ago I could get most anything he made whenever I ordered, now he is out of stock on most everything and when he does get a few items they are gone instantly.
Yea when you don’t need to buy or rent a chamber reamer and the sizes are close to what you want without a lot of turning they make for easy projects.

As far as driving out any pins on a Hi Point I don’t remember anything being hard to disassemble.

Jedman

[MT Gianni]

Post WW1 the handgun choice of many in the NW was the 45 AR or 45 acp rimmed in a 1917 pistol. Loaded with heavy bullets, especially the 454423 it accounted for a lot of game. I don't see the logic in wanting a 45 for a 225 lb 2 legged critter and thinking it is too small for a 120 lb 4 legged one. The caveat is knowing the range and being accurate at it.

[sw282]

WWII South Pacific USMC Pa-in-law said his 1911 45acp would make a Japper change directions

[Hickok]

RCBS 45-230-CAS and a good charge of Unique works and feeds great out of my Kimber 1911.


Attachment 290338

[Jedman]

Back in 2003 me and a friend were hunting in CO for cow elk with over the counter tags on National Forest land and a guy in the cabin next to us killed a nice cow first morning with a 1911 and a bullet just like what Hickok has there. The guy shot the cow twice and the bullets both went clean thru the chest of the cow elk. He said it went about 50 yards and was down, range about 25 yards.

Jedman

[BunkTheory]

Attachment 290200Attachment 290200Most will laugh but I built a Hi Point JHP 45 ACP for deer hunting. I lived in OH then and it is a legal caliber if it has at least a 5” barrel so I rebarreled mine with a 1 - 12 twist barrel with a treaded muzzle.
It was to be a tree stand / blind gun as I figured anything in archery range would be fair game with the pistol.
Problem was the land I hunted for 15 + years was sold to the “ Metroparks” and is now a reserve with no hunting allowed. I now live in MI and I believe it is legal here also, just need to find hunting areas to use it.
I have killed whitetails, antelope, and hogs with a carbine in 45 ACP so there is no doubt it will do the job.

Jedman

Sorry old chap but its a NO NO to use 45 acp in a hand gun.. It MIGHT be allowable in a rifle but thats a debate most wouldnt go forth with as it would be upon interpretation of the judge and DNR that pulled you in.

In the hunting books, the options are 357, 41 mag, 44 special, 45 colt, 44 mag, and so forth.

[Wayne Dobbs]

I've killed ~30 whitetails with my S&W 625 Mountain Gun in .45 ACP over the past 15 years. A nice Keith 240 or 250 at 900 works extremely well. None have gone more than 25 yards and all have been one shot customers. Ranges have been under 30 yards, shooting from ground bow blinds. And, as all of you know, all have been full penetrations.

[mjwcaster]

Sorry old chap but its a NO NO to use 45 acp in a hand gun.. It MIGHT be allowable in a rifle but thats a debate most wouldnt go forth with as it would be upon interpretation of the judge and DNR that pulled you in.

In the hunting books, the options are 357, 41 mag, 44 special, 45 colt, 44 mag, and so forth.

Pretty broad,uninformed and incorrect statement.
Poster originally built the 45 high point for Ohio.

Page 9 Ohio DNR hunting REGS-

: With a 5-inch minimum length barrel, using straight-walled cartridges .357 caliber or larger. The barrel is measured from the front of the cylinder or chamber to the end of the barrel.

Michigan looks more confusing, but still legal except possibly magazine capacity, an easy fix.

2021 MI DNR REGS

Limited firearm zone (P.50)

A conventional (smokeless powder) handgun must be .35-caliber or larger and
loaded with straight-walled cartridges and may be single- or multiple-shot but cannot exceed a maximum capacity of nine rounds in the barrel and magazine combined.

North of the limited zone (P.51)

It is legal to hunt deer north of the limited firearm deer zone with any caliber of firearm except a .22-caliber or smaller rimfire (rifle or handgun).

This is why it’s important to READ the applicable regs for a particular area, especially since things have changed a lot in the past years.

A 45 semi auto handgun would not be legal in Illinois last I checked, possibly in a revolver.
semi autos not allowed for deer, no rifles either.
But that might have changed, haven’t looked lately.

This is from a quick glance at the regs, I would suggest more in depth research for hunting at specific sites.


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[Texas by God]

This makes me want to take my next handgun deer with my old Ballester .45 auto. Within 50 yards with a steady rest from my blind- doable.

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[lar45]

The High Point is not a bad gun. The ones I have seen and shot all fed fine, no malfunctions and I could hit what I was aiming at. However... in my opinion, they are ugly. There I said it.
I think their good accuracy might be do to the fixed barrel not having to tip down to unlock, it just stays rigid in the frame.
As far as the 45 acp being a reasonable round for deer, I'd say yes. A buddy of mine used a 230 jhp to shoot a small mulie. He shot it broadside at about 30 yds, hit right behind the shoulder, took out both lungs and exited. The deer went about 10 feet and fell over.
On the subject of +p heavy bullet limited use hunting loads... I have a 7" Longslide Hardballer in 45 acp. I put a heavy recoil spring in it and load the Hunters Supply 270 with 2400 for just over 1000fps. The brass ejects and falls at my feet, so I don't think it's being abused. I've used it on 2 hogs and they died quite abruptly. I did not recover the bullets. I can regularly hit a 5gal pickle bucket lid at 200yds with it. So it should be good for 50-75yds.

I hate AutoCorrect

[DougGuy]

If I was hunting with a 1911 I would use bowling pin loads. 255gr wide flat nose or 255gr Keith boolit over a +P charge of whatever powder you use.

On the other hand, I would not blink an eye at taking a deer close range with my edc, a Kahr CW45 loaded with Speer 230gr Gold Dot factory loads. It pushed the stated load 9" into North Carolina red clay and bullet performance is picture perfect, almost .700" expansion.

[BunkTheory]

Pretty broad,uninformed and incorrect statement.
Poster originally built the 45 high point for Ohio.

Page 9 Ohio DNR hunting REGS-

: With a 5-inch minimum length barrel, using straight-walled cartridges .357 caliber or larger. The barrel is measured from the front of the cylinder or chamber to the end of the barrel.

Michigan looks more confusing, but still legal except possibly magazine capacity, an easy fix.

2021 MI DNR REGS

Limited firearm zone (P.50)

A conventional (smokeless powder) handgun must be .35-caliber or larger and
loaded with straight-walled cartridges and may be single- or multiple-shot but cannot exceed a maximum capacity of nine rounds in the barrel and magazine combined.

North of the limited zone (P.51)

It is legal to hunt deer north of the limited firearm deer zone with any caliber of firearm except a .22-caliber or smaller rimfire (rifle or handgun).

This is why it’s important to READ the applicable regs for a particular area, especially since things have changed a lot in the past years.

A 45 semi auto handgun would not be legal in Illinois last I checked, possibly in a revolver.
semi autos not allowed for deer, no rifles either.
But that might have changed, haven’t looked lately.

This is from a quick glance at the regs, I would suggest more in depth research for hunting at specific sites.


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the state of michigan doesnt consider the 45 acp to be a straight walled cartridge. the state owned and run dnr newspaper has had articles by their people on handgun hunting, and the only allowed cartridges have been as i said already. .357 magnum as the smallest diameter and shortest case length.

[mjwcaster]

the state of michigan doesnt consider the 45 acp to be a straight walled cartridge. the state owned and run dnr newspaper has had articles by their people on handgun hunting, and the only allowed cartridges have been as i said already. .357 magnum as the smallest diameter and shortest case length.

BunkTheory, hopefully this will come across as non-advisarial, I’m just confused, not the first time dealing with gun/hunting laws.
Not trying to argue as much as understand the rules.

As you didn’t mention which state you were referring to, and both Ohio and MI were both discussed, so I had no idea which ‘hunting books’ you referred to.

Honestly I still don’t, I saw no listing of calibers in the MI DNR book.
What book lists calibers that a person looking to hunt in MI could refer to?

And where would one find that MI doesn’t consider 45ACP a straight walled cartridge?
Especially since the rest of the world does.

And how does that even matter for the northern(?) zone where it read like anything not rimfire .22cal or less is legal.

Are you sure some of my Illinois politicians aren’t up there on vacation interpreting your rules?

Because as listed in the DNR book it seems pretty straight forward, but on the ground it sounds like a classic Illinois cluster meant to entrap someone who has tried to follow the law and perform their due diligence.

Are the cartridge specifications codified in law or are they interpretations by the DNR (or some other agency)

In Illinois we have JCAR that oversees the rules adopted by different agencies.
So you have to read not only the law, but then find the associated rules, which is not always easy and they are prone to changing.

We also have legislators that use the term ‘concealed firearm’ in our concealed carry bill, but defined ‘concealed firearms’ to mean handguns just for that section of code.
Elsewhere handgun means handgun and firearms mean firearms.
Makes a confusing mess for someone who reads that act, but misses that one very misleading definition.

And we keep voting them in.

[44MAG#1]

2021Michigan hunting regulations.
"• A conventional (smokeless powder) handgun must be .35-caliber or larger and
loaded with straight-walled cartridges and may be single- or multiple-shot but
cannot exceed a maximum capacity of nine rounds in the barrel and magazine
combined."

[15meter]

Works well on 'coons.

My mother had a raccoon that displaced her cat. The cat lived in a custom built cat condo, double walled,fully insulated Taj Mahal my brother-in-law built.

Top was on a hinge so you could open it and clean and replace the rug. Yep, Taj Mahal.

Cat house was placed in the old style wood corn crib, 'coon moved in displacing the cat, I was charged with displacing the interloper.

Lifted the top, 3 170 grain semi-wad cutters thru the coon, thru the double walled side of the Taj Mahal AND thru the 1-1-4" thick oak floor.

No more invader.

That one went down easier than coon invader #2, used 12 38 specials on that one.

The nuclear 'coon.

Pretty sure that one escaped from the Enrico Fermi plant.

[fastdadio]

2021Michigan hunting regulations.
"• A conventional (smokeless powder) handgun must be .35-caliber or larger and
loaded with straight-walled cartridges and may be single- or multiple-shot but
cannot exceed a maximum capacity of nine rounds in the barrel and magazine
combined."

^^^ This ^^^
Then Mi. rules go on to list a min-max allowable case length. The 45acp is below the minimum length, which is why it is not allowed for hunting.
As Maxwell Smart used to say "missed it by that much"

[44MAG#1]

^^^ This ^^^
Then Mi. rules go on to list a min-max allowable case length. The 45acp is below the minimum length, which is why it is not allowed for hunting.

Unless I am very mistaken wasn't that pertaining to straight wall rifle cartridges?