45 ACP for close up whitetail hunting

cowboywannabe said:

yup, the Remington BDL in .30-06 Springfield I had at the time is a far better round than any .45 acp.

Click to expand...

Goo

cowboywannabe said:

yup, the Remington BDL in .30-06 Springfield I had at the time is a far better round than any .45 acp.

Click to expand...

Google Ross Seyfried.He is an accomplished handgun hunter who has taken just about every game animal from deer to elephant.He tells it openly and as far as I can tell in an unbiased fashion.

brair said:

Goo

Google Ross Seyfried.He is an accomplished handgun hunter who has taken just about every game animal from deer to elephant.He tells it openly and as far as I can tell in an unbiased fashion.

Click to expand...

why?

I took one down with a single 230gr SilverTip HP out of a S&W 4506. It took about 2 seconds to die.

Did I mention it had already lost the use of its legs from a car hitting it and I was 6 feet away? As long as you can arrange to have a speeding car nearby, the .45 shouldn't give you any problems. ; )

Not being a hunter, I had no idea where that thing's heart was, so I just took a head shot, which worked out fine.

And, yes, I realize I'm no help at all. Sorry. I just don't get to tell that story in most social settings.

cowboywannabe said:

why?

Click to expand...

Sorry.That answer was for the original poster.

I think it would work with the right bullet at reasonable range. Say a 15 yard neck shot, at the most?
230 Gr XTP would be my guess. The limit is if you can hit the jugular and neck bones accurately.
15 yards would me my max range with a handgun. Probly closer to 10 yards considering seeing
a deer that close an all. Just me though.

Thanks for the feedback. Just wondering what your take was.

Usually if I want to take one with a handgun I take out the 626.

fredj338 said:

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.

Click to expand...

5"? I just snapped up a 6.6" second hand but supposedly unused Lone Wolf extended barrel for my G21. I haven't had a chance to try it out yet, but I was pleasantly surprised to find my various reloads that I checked all drop in/out.

brair said:

Goo

Google Ross Seyfried.He is an accomplished handgun hunter who has taken just about every game animal from deer to elephant.He tells it openly and as far as I can tell in an unbiased fashion.

Click to expand...

Hunting with a handgun is a lot like hunting with a bow, you can just stretch the range a bit w/ a scoped ss or rev. You are punching holes. Every archer wants his arrow going thru a double lung, animal will run but is certainly dead. A solid flat point will crush less tissue than a good broadhead, but it will also penetrate bone where an arrow is pretty iffy. For many of us, a rifle is a better hunting tool. For a good pistol shot, willing to wait for the best shot, nothing wrong with handguns for taking larger game.

Tony Rumore said:

I have never shot a deer with a 45ACP, but I have shot two small 100 pound hogs. Penetration was dismal in both cases. The first one was with a 230gr cast round nose out of 7" AMT Hardballer longslide. That was back in about 1983 or so. The last one was with a 5" GI using 230gr SXT ammo and again, penetration was dismal. Maybe 2-3" tops. I ended up shooting the hog 5 times. Here are two of the recovered SXT bullets. Keep in mind, these bullets did not expand and did not penetrate either. Personally, I think the sectional density of a 45 ACP is just not there for hunting. I would rather have a longer, smaller diameter bullet myself.

Click to expand...

In all fairness, a good size hog is a far tougher target than any deer. No place for any service caliber, any bullet imo.

I have shot 4 deer shooting 45 Super/Rowland (modified with heavier RSA and efficient comp) level loads from 1911 and G21.
2 was DRT, closest shot was 49 yds . Bullet placement is key as well as using proper bullet and loads.
A 230 XTP at 1050 to no more than 1200 fps will hammer any deer that walks IF put in proper place as will a cast bullet with a wide nose .330+.

With cast (at lower velocity 1050 - 1200 fps) some run can be expected same as with an arrow.
If a WFN design is used at Rowland velocities damage/ effect is equal to HP bullet , good shot placement = DRT.
Deer I shot last year with my custom 215 gr. SWFN @ 1380 fps put a 1.5 in hole through deer @ 49 yds!

IMO "regular" 45 ACP ammo is not enough for deer/hogs or anything else larger than rabbits unless an emergency.
But in a properly modified gun for hotter loads it is a VERY effective hunting/defensive weapon!

Get a 10mm. Whitetails, hogs, whatever.

agtman said:

Get a 10mm. Whitetails, hogs, whatever.

Click to expand...

10mm is not quite that magical

elstupido said:

10mm is not quite that magical

Click to expand...

It's the most "magical," versatile and effective "magnum"-level cartridge you can stuffed into a service-size autoloader of reasonable size and weight.

Properly loaded, the 10mm AUTO is the best choice for an "all-around" cartridge in a sidearm for your outdoors/hiking/camping/extended-excursions-into-the boonies activities.

And if you handgun hunt with a semi-auto, the 10mm will do the job more effectively (again, if properly loaded for the task) than other comparable "service" cartridges (e.g., .45acp, .40S&W, 9mm, etc).

barth said:

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

Click to expand...

This sounds like my bowling-pin shooting load - a 255gr .45 ACP bullet at 880 FPS.

I put down two deer that were hit by cars. One was with a S&W 4" loaded with a 38+P 125 grain JHP. The other was with a Winchester 9mm 115 grain JHP. Both required only one shot to be dispatched. YMMV ...

fredj338 said:

In all fairness, a good size hog is a far tougher target than any deer. No place for any service caliber, any bullet imo.

Click to expand...

We harvested a wild hog that was 150# and tangled up in a barb wire fence. The only firearm we had was a Marlin M60 and a single 22 LR did the job.

Glock Commander said:

We harvested a wild hog that was 150# and tangled up in a barb wire fence. The only firearm we had was a Marlin M60 and a single 22 LR did the job.

Click to expand...

Well sure, so would a hammer blow to the head. 22lr or 45acp to the head is not the question though??

I shot a decent sized deer a few years ago with my Glock 23 using Winchester 165 Grain T-Series. Deer dropped in its tracks (135 lb). Conditions were perfect , I was in a tree about 20 yds off the ground, deer was walking real slow then stopped, which is when I took the shot. Round entered above shoulder near spine exited under belly. I KNOW this is not the best example of a bullets performance and how will do on a human. Nonetheless it was pretty impressive to watch

1SG
Out

1SGMP said:

I shot a decent sized deer a few years ago with my Glock 23 using Winchester 165 Grain T-Series. Deer dropped in its tracks (135 lb). Conditions were perfect , I was in a tree about 20 yds off the ground, deer was walking real slow then stopped, which is when I took the shot. Round entered above shoulder near spine exited under belly. I KNOW this is not the best example of a bullets performance and how will do on a human. Nonetheless it was pretty impressive to watch

1SG
Out

Click to expand...

Any caliber hit near the spine can be very impressive. I would expect sim results on a person. Here is where temp cavitation can play a part.