Hunting white tailed deer with a .45acp

I firmly believe I can make every single shot within an 8" circle up to 40 yds. I have practiced up to 30 therefore that is my personal max. I have done a lot of archery through the years and am very good at gauging range. I have never even bench rested my pistol but the best I have accomplished standing, with two hands is 1.5" 5 shots at 20yds. Sitting down using one of my knees as a brace I can hit a 8x8 post 4out of 5 shots at 75yds. I know this isn't extreme marksmanship but I am confident I can make a fatal shot on a large deer up to about 30yds. I think I will acquire some fmj FP's and some heavy hardcast loaded rounds and see which gives me the best accuracy. I will aim for the heart
 
My hunting buddy dropped a doe dead in her tracks last year with a .40S&W shot from 10 feet with a speer gold dot. Got her in the lung heart area... the deer didnt run 2 feet. Dropped dead right there.
 
.45acp can do it if ranges are kept short, but I'd think about investing in a .45super or .460rowland conversion for a little more insurance for an ethical kill.


The expanding bullets for the ACP are designed for humans.
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Most smaller deer have construction fairly similar to humans. Yes, different animal, but as far as bone density and muscle mass, pretty comparable.

Also, for the ACP I'd recommend a solid bullet over an expanding one.

As I said before, penetration and placement are all you essentially need. Yes, it's nice to have the bigger hole of the HP but if it means sub par penetration, go with a solid, with a wide meplat.
 
I'd have no confidence in 45ACP from a pistol for deer, having seen .357Mag XTP's (158gr HP @ 1250 f/sec) fail to penetrate to the far side of the chest on a 1 1/2 y.o. Nebraska buck ...... from a range of 3 feet. No blood trail to follow ......
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A friend of my brother's in Kentucky poaches deer all year round with a .22 air rifle. Shoots 'em in the head. Shot placement is everything.
 
I personally won't aim for the head unless an animal is a danger to me. Personal thing. After the brain is destroyed the heart continues to pump for who knows how long?
 
It'll work and although I've not used the .45 ACP on one, seems like a fair number have and a 230gr JHP will work, although I've played around with 250gr hardcasts and can run them at 1000 fps from a 5" bbl, that'll poke a hole through most anything in the lower 48.

All services cartridges will work on deer with proper shot placement, 9mm on up to .45.
 
I've played around with 250gr hardcasts and can run them at 1000 fps from a 5" bbl, that'll poke a hole through most anything in the lower 48
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1000 fps with a 250 gr from a 5" 45 acp? There's no way. That's beyond hott
 
that sounds like the upper end of .45 Super loads.


230 gr (15 g) FMJ 1,100 ft/s (340 m/s) 618 ft·lbf (838 J )
5'' test bbl
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A 250 grain @ 1000 may actually be into .460rowland territory.
 
It's in +P territory but it's not that hot, both Power Pistol and Unique will get you there but I find Power Pistol more consistent as a whole. I want to think Taffin has some data on 255gr hardcasts from an XD that's closing in on 950-1000 fps too using Unique. It's warm for a .45 no doubt, but it's not Rowland/Super level, from the 5" comped G21 using 800x I've ran Beartooth 255gr WFNPB bullets to 1320 average using the .45 Super (987 ft-lbs).
 
I've never tried it so I don't know, but it seems as though you'd be losing a lot of case capacity in the .45 acp with most 250 gr bullets. Just seems like asking for trouble loading them hot. May be why data is scarce for that combination. But if you've found something that works safely, rock on.
 
i personally wouldnt do it. most likely wouldnt exit with a lung/heart shot using hollow points. that would make it harder to trail. if you do use it i would shoot for the neck. and keep them close.
 
Did it back in the 70s. Used a series 70 Colt Gold Cup, (with stock springs, no less), a 250 grain Keith SWC cast, and an unmentionable charge of Blue Dot. Killed several deer with it, just two took more than one shot. Still have that Colt, don't shoot those loads in it anymore, though.
 
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