I have my Deer Hunting Hand Gun ready to go afield

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For someone who seems to be so proud about himself being a hand loader, to think you could ever load a .45acp to compete with .44 magnum says alot. No way in hell you will ever load .45acp to .44 magnum levels.
 
I am also a handloader and I'd like to hear the details of the recipe that pushes a .45acp to .44 magnum performance.
 
Originally posted by TimSr:

I am also a handloader and I'd like to hear the details of the recipe that pushes a .45acp to .44 magnum performance.
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I'd like to see/hear those details myself.

you are NOT a hand Loader or you would Know that there are powder's out there that do Not build so much pressure but they do build Velocity.
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...as a handloader, I also would like to know what powders these are. They must be fairly new or maybe not available to most of us.


I don't have an issue with someone using any firearm that is legal for use in the area they hunt. The question about what is "enough" gun will never have a definitive answer. To me, hunter skill, patience to wait for a good shot, shot placement, proper bullets and woodsmanship have more to do about being successful than caliber or bullet velocity. That said, using a .45 ACP for deer will challenge the most skillful hunter. It leaves less margin for error than even the .357 mag. All this talk about velocity and energy means little if the load itself is not accurate. I too do not believe that for a moment with readily available components that any .45ACP round can even come close to matching .44 mag for effectiveness against deer. But it does not have to. All it has to do is put a bullet deep enough in the boiler room and make a hole that leaks enough blood so that a skilled hunter can track it to where it dies. Dragline does not feel it is an appropriate round, and the OP does. Not a big deal. If one does not want folks to give their opinions, they should not make thread to start with.
 
Standard pressure .45 ACP is JUST FINE for white tail hunting inside 40-50 yards if you do your part. There are some good Hornady XTP loads in .45 ACP that would do nicely, no handloading needed.

It is of my opinion, and many others, that a proper .45 ACP load is superior to any .357 magnum load for deer hunting given similar barrel lengths (i.e. handguns). Nonetheless, .357 magnum is more popular for this purpose and I believe that had more to do with people stuck on velocity and the term "magnum" than anything else.

I don't care how fast you can push your .357 pellet, a well placed .45 caliber heavyweight slug will do the job far more reliably each and every time. OP I agree with you, and Dragline and some other might want to do some reading from a man named ELMER KIETH.

That's a beautiful Model 25 and you are well prepared for deer season with it. Don't let these naysayers tell you otherwise.
 
Hammer it Really! I have been handloading for 35 years, I had a 25 Smith 45ACP, nice gun. As far as your 45ACP over 44Mag, I'm not even wasting my time with this one.
 
Hammer, if it's legal and you want to try it, go for it. Start answering to the armchair experts and you'll never do anything... because that's what they do... nothing. The real unfortunate part in this, is that it's often those armchair experts writing the state rules/laws.
-SS-
 
Hammer It, I'd like to see some verified chrono results of those magical loads you claim to have. You simply can't cheat the laws of physics.
 
Guys, this is not about that.

The point is .45 ACP is more than capable of being a fine deer cartridge at reasonable ranges, especially from a long barreled revolver like the OP has. Please cut him some slack.
 
Hammer It, I'd like to see some verified chrono results of those magical loads you claim to have. You simply can't cheat the laws of physics
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Well, with almost 5000 Post's that makes you an arm chair expert as well Bud, I spend my Time on Ranges and in the woods Putting my load's to good use, what do you do other than Expel Wasted Hot AIR ? that NOBODY want's to Even listen to... :D Hammer It
 
Haha! See you guys? Photographic evidence that the 45 acp is equal to the 44 mag and therefore suitable for hunting deer! He has a fancy chrony and pictures of a 327 so it must be true!

All mockery aside, that is a sweet looking piece. But Hammer...if your going to talk down to someone who questions your claims, you should at least post evidence supporting your claim. Not just some pretty, random pictures.
 
I'll agree that the .45 ACP is enough for deer, that's for sure. Best choice? Well no but it's not a bad one either. Deer aren't armored tanks and don't require massive firepower. A .45 ACP can throw a 250/255gr hardcast at 950-1000 fps, so at that point all that is needed is correct shot placement.
 
I was not disrespectful. I just asked about this load that matches a .44 magnum. I'm envisioning somebody trying to stuff 24 gr of H110 into a 45acp case under 240gr of bullet. You put your credibility into question with a claim like that. When you post pictures of something completely different when people question it, it appears as though you are being evasive. I would be suspect of the expertise anyone who would accept that claim without question. I want to believe you, but I need something I can look at and make me think its possible.

I questioned your ammo and I am glad you are being selective about the bullet. I can't tell from the picture, but if you have enough barrel on that revolver, and the right bullet, you might almost equal .357 revolver performance, which is marginal for deer. If you are a highly skilled hunter and can achieve the close distance necessary and can then make the shot, it will probably get the job done. If you think its going to perform like a .44 Magnum, and take shots accordingly, you'll probably be posting about the one you "must have missed" because it ran out of sight after you fired.
 
Deer aren't armored tanks and don't require massive firepower.
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I really hate cliches that minimize the ability of a deer to run long distances before they figure out they are dead. You shoot them, and they may fall, they may run a short distance, they may run a long distance, they may run indefinitely and recover, or they may die a week later. They may bleed a lot so you can follow. They may not bleed at all. Hunting is not about making a deer die. Responsible hunting is about a quick humane kill, and recovering the animal. Honest, and knowledgeable people can disagree about how marginal a weapon is, but I don't agree with minimizing their ability ability to put space between them and you, even with "massive firepower".
 
TimSr said:
Hunting is not about making a deer die. Responsible hunting is about a quick humane kill
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Couldn't agree more. Like I said in an earlier post you owe it to the animal to use the right tools for the job.
 
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As Model12 said,

Standard pressure .45 ACP is JUST FINE for white tail hunting inside 40-50 yards if you do your part. There are some good Hornady XTP loads in .45 ACP that would do nicely, no handloading needed.
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Now if the handload give say a 250gr JHP .451 at 1100 fps from that six inch barrel Pre-25 then it's a pretty good load and should do fine for deer at any range you can hit them well in the heart/lung region.

Now the photo of my gun was a 629-1 .44 Magnum, but my DPX 225gr factory loads maybe hit 1250 from my 4 inch. That ain't much difference than the .45 ACP load above.

So guys, cool it. He has plenty of handgun if he shoots strait.

Deaf
 
And folks, while back I thought about using .45 Supers in my 3 inch 625 .45 acp.

I emailed Clark Custom Guns and they said it was fine to use them as they rechambered 625s to .460 Roland.

I chronoed some 230 gr .45 Supers and got 1000 fps.

So I have no doubt he can get a 230 or 250 at about 1100 fps from a 6 inch bbl.

Deaf
 
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