I'm a big 45acp fan, but I think its bit light for anything but smallish deer. The 230gr xtp +p would be my choice. Obviously a 5" gives you best vel.
45 ACP for close up whitetail hunting
May have been discussed here before but does anyone hunt with their 45 acp for whitetails at closer ranges (35 yards)?
If so what loads and what gun/barrel combo?
Thanks in advance
If so what loads and what gun/barrel combo?
Thanks in advance
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I have not yet, but no doubt the 45 would do the job. Most of my whitetails were taken within 20-30 yards.
5in (minimum - here in Ohio), with XTP HP's or homemade SWC's.
5in (minimum - here in Ohio), with XTP HP's or homemade SWC's.
dbarry that was my thought.
with some of the hotter ammo out there I figured it would do the job at those ranges no problem.
with some of the hotter ammo out there I figured it would do the job at those ranges no problem.
I wouldn't hesitate to use my 625 5" for deer. A good HP or even a hard cast load would be plenty. Or I could throw some 45Super in there if I wanted to.
Thanks ronin.45
The biggest .45 ACP fan I know shot a deer squarely with his trusty .45 ACP Federal HST. Off went the deer, never to be seen again. Tracking failed. Daylight faded. And he never again hunted deer with his .45 ACP. An anecdotal story, but another data point for you to consider.
I'm no hunter.
But would choose a hard cast flat nose for most any caliber.
45 ACP? 255 gr +P with 5" or greater barrel.
https://www.underwoodammo.com/45-acp-p-255-grain-hard-cast-flat-nose/
https://www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=214
If the gun can take it (HK USP)?
You might consider some 45 Super.
https://www.underwoodammo.com/45-super-255-grain-hard-cast-flat-nose/
https://www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l=product_list&c=163
But would choose a hard cast flat nose for most any caliber.
45 ACP? 255 gr +P with 5" or greater barrel.
https://www.underwoodammo.com/45-acp-p-255-grain-hard-cast-flat-nose/
https://www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=214
If the gun can take it (HK USP)?
You might consider some 45 Super.
https://www.underwoodammo.com/45-super-255-grain-hard-cast-flat-nose/
https://www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l=product_list&c=163
Those are exactly what I was thinking. I'm interested in the Underwood loading of the Lehigh solid penetrator too.I'm no hunter.
But would choose a hard cast flat nose for most any caliber.
45 ACP? 255 gr +P with 5" or greater barrel.
https://www.underwoodammo.com/45-acp-p-255-grain-hard-cast-flat-nose/
https://www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=214
If the gun can take it (HK USP)?
You might consider some 45 Super.
https://www.underwoodammo.com/45-super-255-grain-hard-cast-flat-nose/
https://www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l=product_list&c=163
If tracking failed, I'd have to guess he didn't make a very hood hit.The biggest .45 ACP fan I know shot a deer squarely with his trusty .45 ACP Federal HST. Off went the deer, never to be seen again. Tracking failed. Daylight faded. And he never again hunted deer with his .45 ACP. An anecdotal story, but another data point for you to consider.
Totally wrong bullet. Most will agree any service caliber is a marginal stopper with a com hit on a 200# man. Why it would be diff on a 200# deer is beyond me. You want a double lung hit, heart shot or break the animal down with a shoulder hit, also taking vitals, but ruins meat. I want my hunting bullet to exit a broadside shot, any reasonable angle, hst wont get that done if you believe gel data. A 230-250gr lead wnfp will crush a lot of tissue & exit. The 230gr xtp will also do well.The biggest .45 ACP fan I know shot a deer squarely with his trusty .45 ACP Federal HST. Off went the deer, never to be seen again. Tracking failed. Daylight faded. And he never again hunted deer with his .45 ACP. An anecdotal story, but another data point for you to consider.
Maybe. I wasn't there and can only go by what I was told. Still, we trust our lives to handgun bullets, and they don't put down a deer that's not carrying a knife or a pistol.If tracking failed, I'd have to guess he didn't make a very hood hit.
Again, maybe. We trust our lives to such bullets every day. They fail to stop an unarmed deer. We can't guarantee where our shots will hit. We can't guarantee handgun rounds will stop a threat immediately. Ever. Shot placement plus penetration, expansion comes next. Always has. Always will.Totally wrong bullet. Most will agree any service caliber is a marginal stopper with a com hit on a 200# man. Why it would be diff on a 200# deer is beyond me. You want a double lung hit, heart shot or break the animal down woth a shoulder hit, also taking vitals, but ruins meat. I want my hunting bullet to exit a broadside shot, any reasonable angle, hst wont get that done if you believe gel data. A 230-250gr lead wnfp will crush a lot of tissue & exit. The 230gr xtp will also do well.
Two reasons your argument is flawed.
1. Deer are tougher than people. A deer can take a 12ga slug through the chest and still run away to die. A human shot side to side through both lungs with a slug "ain't goin' nowhere". Due to natural flight instinct, adrenaline, and quadriped balance and agility, a deer is just harder to drop.
2. Even with a rifle, there are no guaranteed stops. Men have walked away from almost every caliber throughout history. Some are better than others statistically, but none are 100%.
Basically, don't lose faith in your carry gun because your buddy didn't kill a deer.
1. Deer are tougher than people. A deer can take a 12ga slug through the chest and still run away to die. A human shot side to side through both lungs with a slug "ain't goin' nowhere". Due to natural flight instinct, adrenaline, and quadriped balance and agility, a deer is just harder to drop.
2. Even with a rifle, there are no guaranteed stops. Men have walked away from almost every caliber throughout history. Some are better than others statistically, but none are 100%.
Basically, don't lose faith in your carry gun because your buddy didn't kill a deer.
I wouldnt say # for # a deer is tougher, but their nervous system & fight or flight response does indeed exceed most humans, BUT there are many accounts of people taking horrible wounds, 12ga, 308, 50bmg, even 20mm canon shells & continuing to fight for many seconds. Why my hunting handguns are 44mags, certainly a low end rifle performance far exceeding any service caliber. If you are going to use a 45acp, bullet selection is critical & the hst would be a poor choice for the reasons preciously defined. A through & through chest shot or breaking both shoulder, not getting done w/o enough bullet.Two reasons your argument is flawed.
1. Deer are tougher than people. A deer can take a 12ga slug through the chest and still run away to die. A human shot side to side through both lungs with a slug "ain't goin' nowhere". Due to natural flight instinct, adrenaline, and quadriped balance and agility, a deer is just harder to drop.
2. Even with a rifle, there are no guaranteed stops. Men have walked away from almost every caliber throughout history. Some are better than others statistically, but none are 100%.
Basically, don't lose faith in your carry gun because your buddy didn't kill a deer.
I used 230gr. wwb from a 5" 1911 to take two before. distance was "measured" by paces at 30-32.
I shot a good size deer years ago with a 185grn Silvertip, a heart lung shot, it went 30yds and dropped. The shot was at 30yds and blood everywhere. The shot was a pass through. Right now the best load for good penetration and damage would be a Speer GD 200grn+P. You need to have a good hole on the other side. The only shot I would take is a broadside heart lung shot at 30yds or less.
Just because it's been done doesn't make it the best choice. You can take down a deer with a 22lr with the right shot placement, doesn't mean it was the best choice for the job.I used 230gr. wwb from a 5" 1911 to take two before. distance was "measured" by paces at 30-32.
I'm far from an expert, but I'd say this is a universal truth, no matter the caliber or intended target.Shot placement plus penetration, expansion comes next.
this^I wouldn't hesitate to use my 625 5" for deer. A good HP or even a hard cast load would be plenty. Or I could throw some 45Super in there if I wanted to.
yup, the Remington BDL in .30-06 Springfield I had at the time is a far better round than any .45 acp.Just because it's been done doesn't make it the best choice. You can take down a deer with a 22lr with the right shot placement, doesn't mean it was the best choice for the job.
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