45acp or 10mm For Hiking Carry?

[SwampWolf]

desperate animals do desperate things..

Very true. The last one I shot had a can opener on him.

 

[murf]

Agree, but your .45 Super was an expanding HP and the 9MM had flutes. The .45 was a solid hard cast bullet,

and when i put four layers of denim on the front of the water jugs, the 230 gn. xtp plugged up and plowed through four or five jugs and embedded into a dirt bank backer far enough i couldn't dig it out with a stick (note to self: bears don't wear denim).

i can't think of any other bullet shape/design to test here. to each his/her own, my choice is usually solid nose bullets for the outdoors.

murf

 

[Iggy]

I carried one of these two DW 10 MMS on the ranch for 20 years. I flattened a coyote at 80 yards. Had to shoot an antelope that had been hit on the road. Shot him in the back of the head and blew both eyes out of their sockets. Had to shoot a 800 pound heifer under the same circumstances. Shot her above the eyes and knocked her over on her back.
In each case, one round was sufficient to do the job quickly and cleanly.

That is not to say that I would use a 10 mm for hunting. I have more respect for game animals than that. Other than the coyote and many other varmints, the two kill shots were close up and carefully aimed with expected results.

 

[Rodfac]

Good post Iggy. My thoughts as well...I'll add that a lot of guys have a greater opinion of their abilities with the short gun, than the game they are shooting. While my sons and I have successfully put down stock here on our farms with a .357, we've done so at very close range...we much prefer a .44, even up close. If you've ever lost a game animal that you'd shot, you'll understand my reticence...we have the same sentiments for bow hunting. Leaving cripple's in the field is unconscionable. Rod

 

[knot4reel]

View attachment 1038522


I carried one of these two DW 10 MMS on the ranch for 20 years. I flattened a coyote at 80 yards. Had to shoot an antelope that had been hit on the road. Shot him in the back of the head and blew both eyes out of their sockets. Had to shoot a 800 pound heifer under the same circumstances. Shot her above the eyes and knocked her over on her back.
In each case, one round was sufficient to do the job quickly and cleanly.

That is not to say that I would use a 10 mm for hunting. I have more respect for game animals than that. Other than the coyote and many other varmints, the two kill shots were close up and carefully aimed with expected results.

Too graphic but the 10mm did it's job.

 

[Armored farmer]

I've been a revolver fan for most of my life, but recently discovered that a 1911 in a shoulder holster makes a nice hiking rig.
Mine is a .45acp.
Of course the wilds of Illinois are about as dangerous as a neutered housecat...

 

[wcwhitey]

I don’t usually comment on these threads because in the Northeast I don’t deal with wild cats or brown bears. Our black bears are very rarely a problem. I have done a good deal of handgun hunting however and have a good idea of what works on Deer sized animals. A good solid nose bullet over 200 grains at a velocity of 800 FPS and over will work just fine. The flatter the nose the better. I carry either .44 Special 245 SWC at 900 FPS or the same bullet at 1000 in .44 Mag and have never been disappointed. The .44 Special will penetrate the shoulders of a buck like a hot knife thru butter. I see no reason why a .45 ACP at 830 FPS would not do the same. The flatter the nose that will reliably cycle the better. Obviously the 10mm will be faster and I would give it the edge in power. However, I see no reason why the .45 would not work perfectly well on Cats, Feral Dogs, etc. We know it’s works well for 2 legged vermin. Bullet design INMHO is the most important. Penetration is key.

 

[Lennyjoe]

Give the new Springfield XDM Elite 10MM a look. It’s about the same size as my XD45 and holds 11 rounds. Recoil isn’t bad at all, even with Underwood 220 grain cast bullets.

 

[.455_Hunter]

Too graphic but the 10mm did it's job.

Says the guy with Dr. Lector in his mask as his avatar.

 

[Palladan44]

The late Harold Fish carried a 10mm for hiking.
It was effective.
It also changed the course of history.

 

[BigBlue 94]

Ive carried both in the Rockies... G20 and a Colt 1917 Army. Either will suffice in the lower 49 imho. Only time I felt I needed either was at a lake in the middle of KS when a pack of drunken two legged snakes motorcycled into camp. The g20 went in the boot (size 13 cowboy) and luckily stayed there.

On paper, 10mm wins every time. But either is going to do their job, if you do yours.

 

[TTv2]

I'm sort of conflicted between the two calibers because I feel they both do fine for hiking work, but let's face it it's not just hiking duty the guns will see, the guns will be used for home defense, CCW, general shooting, the zombie clown apocalypse, etc. This is really a broader 10 vs .45 question and both have their pros and cons, but the end goal is bullet on target and while I don't see much difference between a 200 and 230 grain bullet, I do see a huge difference between a bullet going 900 fps vs one going 1250+ fps.

I like .45 in a 3 to 4 inch long barrel, I like 10mm in a 5 to 6 inch barrel.

 

[spraay]

I have a Colt Delta Elite and like it very much. But candidly, when I walk in the woods I usually carry an airweight snubby in .38, or my Sig 938 (9mm).