Let's all back up here and consider a few things about exactly what a .45 ACP can be made to do in a revolver before we pass judgement on Hammer It's choices. A .45 ACP can do things in a revolver that simply aren't possible within the constraints of a semi automatic. A semi-auto requires the cartridge to be a certain shape and length to reliably function and those dimensions are less critical in a revolver. It is fairly well known that velocity can be increased without raising pressure by simply seating a bullet further out and thus increasing the case capacity.
Now, one of the problems with comparing factory ammo is that nearly all factory .45 ACP ammo is manufactured with semi-auto's in mind. Because of this, almost none of it will have an OAL longer than 1.275" proscribed by SAAMI because anything significantly longer would not function reliably in a semi-automatic handgun. While I don't personally own a .45 ACP revolver, my S&W M28 .357 Magnum which has the shorter "non-magnum" length cylinder still has a cylinder 1.62" long. Because of this, it's a pretty safe bet that Hammer It could seat his bullets to an OAL quite a bit longer than 1.275" without issue so long as he only used said ammo in a revolver.
So, why don't we look at ammo specifically designed for a revolver: .45 Auto Rim. Buffalo Bore's .45 AR +P ammo can drive a 200 gr JHP (the same weight that Hammer It said he was using) to 1249 fps from a 6.5" barrel S&W M 25-2. 1200+ fps is certainly well within .44 Magnum velocities as Hammer It claimed.
https://www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=75
If we run the numbers, that bullet at that velocity gives us 692 ft.lbs. energy. By comparison, Winchester's .44 Magnum 240 gr JSP is advertised at 1180 fps for 741 ft.lbs. energy. So, while the .45 AR might not be able to deliver quite as much energy, it's certainly within the ballpark of a run-of-the-mill .44 Magnum.
http://winchester.com/Products/handgun-ammunition/Value/Pistol/Pages/Q4240.aspx
Also, Buffalo Bore's loading was using a jacketed bullet. If Hammer It is using cast bullets, he can likely get a bit more velocity still since cast bullets create less friction in the bore and can thus be run at higher velocity with the same or less pressure than jacketed bullets.
Finally, Hammer It never claimed that his .45 had kinetic energy equal to that of a .44 Magnum, but rather that its "knockdown power" was equal to or greater than the .44 Mag. Now, I will be the first to point out that "knockdown power" is a very nonspecific, and probably poorly chosen, term. That being said, depending on one's chosen theory of cartridge effectiveness, the argument could be made that the .45's larger frontal area is capable of making more efficient use of it's energy than the .44 Magnum particularly if one is using non-expanding bullets like a cast SWC, which is what Hammer It alluded to in post #19.
As to the wisdom of using a .45 ACP/AR revolver for deer, while I wouldn't buy a so-chambered gun specifically for the task, I don't necessarily think it's a particularly poor choice either. The .45 ACP was designed to replicate the performance of the older blackpowder loadings of .45 Long Colt and .45 Schofield in a semi-automatic platform, which it does reasonably well. These older cartridges were chosen by the U.S. Military with the cavalry in mind because they were considered capable of stopping not only men, but large animals like horses as well (a pretty important consideration if you might be drug to death by your own horse). I don't really see a 100-200 lb deer being all that much more difficult to kill quickly and cleanly than an 800+ lb horse.
Likewise, many a large game animal including deer, javelina, feral hog, and black bear has been cleanly taken with a 250 gr bullet at 900-1100 fps from cartridges like .44 Special and .45 Long Colt. Since, in a revolver, a .45 ACP/AR can easily match this performance, I see no reason that it wouldn't perform just as well so long as the shooter does his part and knows his range limitations.
Now, one of the problems with comparing factory ammo is that nearly all factory .45 ACP ammo is manufactured with semi-auto's in mind. Because of this, almost none of it will have an OAL longer than 1.275" proscribed by SAAMI because anything significantly longer would not function reliably in a semi-automatic handgun. While I don't personally own a .45 ACP revolver, my S&W M28 .357 Magnum which has the shorter "non-magnum" length cylinder still has a cylinder 1.62" long. Because of this, it's a pretty safe bet that Hammer It could seat his bullets to an OAL quite a bit longer than 1.275" without issue so long as he only used said ammo in a revolver.
So, why don't we look at ammo specifically designed for a revolver: .45 Auto Rim. Buffalo Bore's .45 AR +P ammo can drive a 200 gr JHP (the same weight that Hammer It said he was using) to 1249 fps from a 6.5" barrel S&W M 25-2. 1200+ fps is certainly well within .44 Magnum velocities as Hammer It claimed.
https://www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=75
If we run the numbers, that bullet at that velocity gives us 692 ft.lbs. energy. By comparison, Winchester's .44 Magnum 240 gr JSP is advertised at 1180 fps for 741 ft.lbs. energy. So, while the .45 AR might not be able to deliver quite as much energy, it's certainly within the ballpark of a run-of-the-mill .44 Magnum.
http://winchester.com/Products/handgun-ammunition/Value/Pistol/Pages/Q4240.aspx
Also, Buffalo Bore's loading was using a jacketed bullet. If Hammer It is using cast bullets, he can likely get a bit more velocity still since cast bullets create less friction in the bore and can thus be run at higher velocity with the same or less pressure than jacketed bullets.
Finally, Hammer It never claimed that his .45 had kinetic energy equal to that of a .44 Magnum, but rather that its "knockdown power" was equal to or greater than the .44 Mag. Now, I will be the first to point out that "knockdown power" is a very nonspecific, and probably poorly chosen, term. That being said, depending on one's chosen theory of cartridge effectiveness, the argument could be made that the .45's larger frontal area is capable of making more efficient use of it's energy than the .44 Magnum particularly if one is using non-expanding bullets like a cast SWC, which is what Hammer It alluded to in post #19.
As to the wisdom of using a .45 ACP/AR revolver for deer, while I wouldn't buy a so-chambered gun specifically for the task, I don't necessarily think it's a particularly poor choice either. The .45 ACP was designed to replicate the performance of the older blackpowder loadings of .45 Long Colt and .45 Schofield in a semi-automatic platform, which it does reasonably well. These older cartridges were chosen by the U.S. Military with the cavalry in mind because they were considered capable of stopping not only men, but large animals like horses as well (a pretty important consideration if you might be drug to death by your own horse). I don't really see a 100-200 lb deer being all that much more difficult to kill quickly and cleanly than an 800+ lb horse.
Likewise, many a large game animal including deer, javelina, feral hog, and black bear has been cleanly taken with a 250 gr bullet at 900-1100 fps from cartridges like .44 Special and .45 Long Colt. Since, in a revolver, a .45 ACP/AR can easily match this performance, I see no reason that it wouldn't perform just as well so long as the shooter does his part and knows his range limitations.
Regards, Hammer It
