45 colt for deer??

[midland man]

so guys I've never shot deer with my 45 colt rifles and pistols only paper and such so my question is as I own two rossi 92's one standard loop the other large loop both 16in barrels plus two heritage big bore revolvers with 4 3/4in barrels. also I cast my own lead bullets using wheelweights casted at 250gr and lubed with lee alox and 6.8grs of greendot powder and these bullets are sized a touch big at .457 in which these shoot lights out in all four of my guns so guys your thoughts if I take these out to hunt deer will it work well and what ranges should be max etc?

 

[GarrettJ]

I don't hunt much. The only time I went after a deer, I used a 4-5/8" Ruger Blackhawk chambered in .45 Colt. It poked a hole in one side and out the other. Deer didn't go far.

I'm sure it would do just fine from a rifle as well.

 

[farm23]

SWC Bullets 250 gn @ about 900 fps & dead deer / hog. The design of the bullet makes a difference as Elmer Keith proved years ago.

 

[brewer12345]

Is this legal in your state? That would be the first question simply because it seems like the required firearm to shoot deer seem to range from "anything," to shotgun only, to straight walled rifle cartridge or shotgun, to surprisingly high powered rifle. My state uses the curious standard of 1000 FPE at 100 yards. 44 Mag barely qualifies.

If the rifles can do a 2 or 3 inch group at 100 yards, I have no doubt you could cook up a 45 colt load that would kill deer. It is a big caliber and you can launch heavy bullets, so it will punch all the way through a deer and make a couple of nice sized holes even without expansion. If you are casting, I would consider something like a 16-1 alloy, preferably in a hollow point mold.

 

[someguy2800]

Absolutely adequate within it’s range. I would limit it to whatever range you can shoot into a 4” circle every time.

 

[dh1633pm]

Not sure why there is a posting for such an obvious yes. The range would depend on the load and the skill of the user. You can load a Rossi a little better than the light loads that you would use on pre-smokeless firearms. I would not hesitate on moment.

 

[JeeperCreeper]

I like Buffalo Bore Deer Grenades for 45LC.

I haven't used them yet on a critter, but the name sure does sound cool!

 

[Officers'Wife]

One of my uncle's "projects" was a Martini action chambered for 45 Colt. The cousin that inherited the weapon uses it for hunting deer from a stand with good results. However, he does reload and it's a great possibility the ammunition he uses is "tuned" to the 28 inch barrel (if memory serves) that a 6 or 8 inch barrel could not hope to duplicate.

 

[dh1633pm]

One of my projects that is completed is a Rolling Block No 5 converted to 45 Colt.

Roller

• dh1633pm
• May 21, 2018

My No 5 roller converted to 45 Colt.

I hadn't added a site yet or a sling. Yes, it has a brass buttplate. Who doesn't need a rail on a roller. Would have no issues hunting dear with it. Even big Northeastern White tails.

 

[Kaldor]

A plain lead slug will work fine, but if you miss something vital or a major bone structure, it has a tendency to go straight thru. However, when you apply Murphy's law to any situation, that changes things. Id look at a good quality expanding bullet. Hornady makes a few, including FTX and XTP offerings.

 

[Officers'Wife]

One of my projects that is completed is a Rolling Block No 5 converted to 45 Colt.

I hadn't added a site yet or a sling. Yes, it has a brass buttplate. Who doesn't need a rail on a roller. Would have no issues hunting dear with it. Even big Northeastern White tails.

It's soooo cute! The forearm needs to have the edges sanded a bit. From that angle it looks like a 2 X 2 pulled out of the scrap bucket. It too would serve the point that with a "hotter" loading a hollow point would have a better chance of expanding than with a revolver.

 

[CraigC]

Put a good 250-260gr cast bullet in the right place and you'll have venison in the freezer. Shooter ability aside, velocity and accuracy determine effective range. Standard loads are fine out to 50-75yds, "Ruger only" loads will get you to 100-125yds.

 

[Patocazador]

A 250 gr. SWC or controlled expanding bullet in front of 20.0 gr. of 2400 in my 7" barreled Blackhawk does indeed kill deer and hogs.

 

[Axis II]

My buddy dropped a 3.5-4yo 130'' 9pt ohio whitetail dressed over 150lbs about 45 yards with a Taurus 45colt. Deer ran about 30yards before dying. My suggestion is with those pistols is practice a lot and have a solid rest in the field.

 

[Captcurt]

I have taken only one deer with the 45LC. Used a hot load in a Super Blackhawk and a 300gr XTP. Worked fine on a doe at about 35-40 yards. She went maybe 30 yards and piled up leaving a blood trail that a blind man could follow.

 

[35 Whelen]

Why heck yes it'll work...





I won't use a HP again, because I prefer complete penetration, but hey, the deer didn't know the difference.

35W

 

[midland man]

Why heck yes it'll work...

View attachment 790377

View attachment 790378

I won't use a HP again, because I prefer complete penetration, but hey, the deer didn't know the difference.

35W

nice work that spelled steaks!

 

[35 Whelen]

nice work that spelled steaks!

Oh yea...steaks, stew, soup, carne guisada, goulash, hamburgers...my wife can cook venison many different ways!

35W

 

[FROGO207]

About like a lightning bolt hits them when close enough, through and through. Deer meat stew---Yum yum.

 

[cowboy77]

Deadly out of a rifle. Hits like a brick. I was with a friend hog hunting last year and we've got some 2-300 lb bruisers here. Mostly feral hogs but we still get the big Russian bores once in a while. He popped a 190 pounder at 60 yards like David's slingshot on Goliath. Bh 15 300 grain bullet. That was enough to make me buy one. I've still yet to hunt with mine but looking forward to it this season.