.45 Colt 225 grain @ X fps---Effective on ????

S

Southern Shooter

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SEE POST BELOW BY ORIGINAL POSTER. UPDATED INFORMATION.
If you have a .45 Colt 225 grain slug ( JSP, hard cast, hollow-point ) moving at 800 FPS....at close range ( less than 25 yards ), what would each type of these bullets be effective on? Human size targets, at best? Small animals and varmints? Other?

Thanks
 
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Would work well on two legged critters and medium size game like deer at the range you describe. Don't underestimate the penetration you will get with the ballistics you describe.
 
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Probably be more effective with a large-meplat, although the hollow-point probably wouldn't expand.

But, figure the usual end-of-beer can skill at hitting. Cross-body heart shot on Bambi, or neck shot, likely an easy kill out to fifty or so yards. Gotta watch trajectory and suchlike.
 
800fps seems a bit slow. I'd expect that to be a mild load for that bullet.

Still at that range and if you make a good shot, you should be good to go on non-dangerous game.
 
The more I shoot hardcast bullets in the big calibers, the more impressed I am. Yeah, 800 fps is kind of slow for that weight bullet, but you might be surprised at the real world performance. At pistol velocities, the JHP bullets are not so predictable as hard cast is. Maybe the JHP will expand nicely, or maybe it will hit a bone and explode, or maybe it will just penetrate like a cast bullet does. A hard cast bullet in that weight and velocity will penetrate more than you think. Enough for humans, enough for deer, and if you hit the right spot, maybe even enough against a bear. Hard cast bullets just seem to be the natural fit with a .45 Colt. But if you're serious, you should bump the weight up to 250 gr and the velocity up to 900 fps. It's just enough to make a difference.
 
Updated information---

After receiving some information from Federal and Winchester ammuntion I have updated the original post:

If you have a .45 Colt 225 grain slugs moving at:

JSP @ 860 FPS
Semi-Wadcutter Hollow-point @ 830 FPS
Supreme Elite™ Bonded PDX1 @ 850+ FPS

At close range ( less than 25 yards ), what would each type of these bullets be effective on? Human size targets, at best? Small animals and varmints? Other?
 
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Not sure what you are looking for. .45 Colt will do most anything you can do with a handgun even at 800 fps. The Speer 250 grain Gold dot runs around 775 fps and will open up to around .775" and will penetrate 14" of ballistic gelatin. All the rounds you mention will kill a man. Not sure how you define varmint but coyote would be really dead. Really, for best results learn to reload and use the time honored 255 grain hard cast SWC at around 900 to 950 fps and you are good for just about anything. What you list will, at 25 yards kill a man, a deer, or a varmint.
 
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What I am looking for....

Jmortimer, thanks for the input. And you introduce a good question.

What am I looking for? I am picking up a .45 Colt with a 4" barrel. When I want something really hot I will be buying the custom ammo. But, I just wanted to make sure that the stuff I can buy at Wal-Mart, Academy Sports, etc., which is these loads that I have listed, would be effective/useful for something. Especially, down here in the South where I live.

Thanks
 
A 225 at 850 fps is just what a .45 ACP will do, and you don't get many complaints about that. One of our club members shot a lot of deer with a .45 ACP and another one shot a man with one and the same ballistics out of a revolver will get the same results.
 
A 4 5/8" Ruger Blackhawk will do everything you describe - you can shoot the "hot" Buffalo Bore or the standard pressure or even "cowboy" loads. All of them work except the 300 grain hard cast Buffalo Bore can kill anything on earth. The .225 grain Winchester Silvertips work real good as does the 250 grain Gold Dot (my choice of expanding bullets) or any thing else for that matter. Even the 250 grain round nose flat point "cowboy" load will do just about anything you are wanting to do. The .45 Colt is a beautiful thing as is the Blackhawk.
 
Basically it's going to come down to shot placement. Any of the cartridges you mention will kill any animal in Louisiana. The rest is up to you.
 
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