Cowboy Ammo Good For Self/Home Defense ?

[Gun Master]

I have seen ads re: Cowboy Ammo being available for early BP 1900's (and before) revolvers and BP Conversion (Colt, Rem., etc.) revolvers.

Is Cowboy Ammo just good for punching holes in paper, or is it powerful enough for self defense ?

 

[Driftwood Johnson]

Howdy

Commercially loaded Cowboy Loads are designed to recoil a bit less than standard loads, so the pistol can be fired quickly with less disturbance of the sight picture. Cowboy matches do not consist of shooting at paper targets, we shoot at steel.

The bullets used in cowboy loads are required to be all lead, no jacketed or semi-jacketed bullets are allowed. Velocity must be less than 1000 fps from a revolver and less than 1400 fps from a rifle. Power factor must be no less than 60.

We often laugh at the guys who shoot the really light mousefart loads, but nobody has ever volunteered to stand in front of one. But there really are much better choices for self defense ammo than Cowboy loads.

 

[Drail]

Well they filled a lot of graveyards during the Civil War and the expansion of the American West. It ain't about what you hit them with - it's where you hit them and how long it takes them to get medical attention. Of course back then there wasn't any 911.

 

[CornCod]

I have one of those 2in barrel Smith and Wesson Model 10's in .38 Special. This revolver does not like cowboy loads. A few years ago I bought a box of cowboy loads because it was the cheapest in the store. Accuracy was lamentable. My guess was that there wasn't enough barrel length to impart proper stabilization. They probably work better in a non-snubby. My revolver shoots very well with 130 gr. FMJ and 158 gr. LRN ammo.

 

[rcmodel]

I got hit in the foot with a .45 Colt Cowboy load 250 grain bullet that Bounced off a rotted shot up railroad tie target back-stop straight back at me.

It hit my boot heel hard enough to tear the heel stack off a decent pair of cowboy boots.

So yes, it would leave a mark!

On the other hand?
The full power .45 Colt load that it made it's reputation as a man-stopper?

Will bury a bullet in a brand new railroad tie too deep to find it again without a chain-saw!!

So, you be the judge!

Rc

 

[Dr.Rob]

I used them in a 44 mag for a while until I got used to shooting more powerful loads.

 

[Lucky Derby]

In a pinch they would work. There are better options though.

 

[Master Blaster]

Depends on the velocity and the bullet weight, a 240 grain .45 lead bullet at 750 fps or better is going to go right through a human being, so then it comes down to shot placement.


Will it work sure, but there are much better choices.

 

[Dave Markowitz]

They are better than a sharp stick, but it also depends on what caliber you're thinking of. E.g., the .38 Special cowboy loads don't match much punch. A .45 Colt cowboy load, OTH, is a different story.

For example, the Black Hills .45 Colt cowboy load pushes a 250 grain hard cast RNFP to ~750 FPS. This is ~150 FPS slower than the original load. However, it is more powerful than a .455 Webley cartridge, which had a good reputation as a manstopper.

 

[strambo]

At handgun velocities, power doesn't matter directly. All that matters is how deep and how wide a hole it will make in tissue.

These loads will only make a hole as wide as the caliber so the only question left is how far it will penetrate? Most of them will probably go right through which is a waste of even their reduced energy.

 

[Deaf Smith]

Cowboy Ammo Good For Self/Home Defense ?

Oh yeah it is.

Any good SWC or flat nose slug, if delivered where it needs to go, will do the deed.

Way to many people think if you don't have the latest JHP or bliz or whatever that you are gonna die or something horrible is gonna happen to you or your family.

So go ahead, especially if the cowboy load starts with a .4 as for caliber.

Deaf

 

[Bezoar]

alot of the wonderbullets of the modern hollowpoint variety dont reliably expand at lower velocities achieved by snub size barrels.
so whats worse? a 130 grain jhp at a velocity of 750 fps that fails to expand, or a 158 graidn bullet at 750 feet persecond.

 

[RustyShackelford]

No....

For personal defense or duty, Id highly suggest buying or using calibers/rounds that are new, well made & known for personal defense/LE/concealed carry.
A "wildcat" or some ammunition you bought at a yard sale 11 years ago 2 towns over may seem adequate or powerful but keep in mind you are defending your life or the lives of others.
A criminal investigator or criminal court prosecutor may not share your interest in historical firearms or "cowboy" loads.

Ask yourself; would a juror or jury understand why or how you chose the ammunition?

 

[Driftwood Johnson]

Howdy again

My standard cowboy loads are 45 Colts carrying a 250 grain bullet and stuffed full of Black Powder. These would be just as deadly today as they were in the 1880s. But many of the cowboy shooters I shoot with fire very lightly loaded 38s. Not that I would want to stand in front of one, but there are better choices for self defense ammunition.

 

[Deaf Smith]

Ask yourself; would a juror or jury understand why or how you chose the ammunition?

I doubt it. I've never heard of a prosecutor going have NON-hollowpoints!

Deaf

 

[Lucky Derby]

For personal defense or duty, Id highly suggest buying or using calibers/rounds that are new, well made & known for personal defense/LE/concealed carry.
A "wildcat" or some ammunition you bought at a yard sale 11 years ago 2 towns over may seem adequate or powerful but keep in mind you are defending your life or the lives of others.
A criminal investigator or criminal court prosecutor may not share your interest in historical firearms or "cowboy" loads.

Ask yourself; would a juror or jury understand why or how you chose the ammunition?

Prosecutors usually go the other way (Harold Fish).
If your answer to why did you choose these is "I had these for target shooting. I didn't think I wanted those nasty killer hollowpoints" might just help.

 

[strambo]

Oh yeah it is.

Any good SWC or flat nose slug, if delivered where it needs to go, will do the deed.

Way to many people think if you don't have the latest JHP or bliz or whatever that you are gonna die or something horrible is gonna happen to you or your family.

So go ahead, especially if the cowboy load starts with a .4 as for caliber.

Deaf

What does "do the deed" mean? Statistically, death results from a handgun wound only 1 time in 8, not that that is the goal in a defensive shooting anyway. Handguns are woefully underpowered even with the best ammo and shot placement (except to the CNS).

If I only have a handgun to defend myself, I am going to use the best ammo possible in order to maximize my chances it will stop the threat in a reasonably short time and also have a plan B. Why deliberately choose something not suited to the task? Just because it can be lethal or worked well in the Wild West?

 

[MEHavey]

45ACP (military load): 230gr at 830fps
45 Colt (Cowboy Ld): 250gr at 770fps

I don't think the bad guy will know much difference
(Actually, the cowboy load has ~1% MV advantage)

So if you think full-up hardball in a 1911/45 automatic is an acceptable pegpoint as a manstopper ......



.

 

[strambo]

45ACP (military load): 230gr at 830fps
45 Colt (Cowboy Ld): 250gr at 770fps

I don't think the bad guy will know much difference
(Actually, the cowboy load has ~1% MV advantage)

So if you think full-up hardball in a 1911/45 automatic is an acceptable pegpoint as a manstopper ......



.

From an energy standpoint, sure. From a terminal effectiveness standpoint, no. Ball ammo is far from ideal.

The cost to have a small amount of premium defensive ammo is only $20. With a revolver, you don't even need to run a few hundred through it to ensure feeding reliability. Maybe a cylinder to verify POI. I see no reason not to have a modern HP designed to reliably expand through multiple layers of clothing and penetrate in the 12-16" of ballistic gel range to ensure adequate penetration to reach the vital organs from all angles while limiting over-penetration. Why dis-regard over 100 years of projectile advancement just because a cowboy load might also be good enough?

Big bore cowboy loads have plenty of power no doubt. It is the terminal performance of the projectile that is lacking.

 

[MEHavey]

45Colt Cowboy = 45ACP military Hardball.
I would have no problem w/ either.

Now given a Choice between a higher-velocity Whomp`e`nStomp`em bullet design and a simple 45 caliber hole, I'd take the HV/W&S of course -- but that was not the question.

(Once given an option, for that matter, I'd take a full-up 125gr 357Mag Corbon over either one -- But that wasn't the question either.)

QUESTION was "Is 45 Colt Cowboy powerful enough for self defense?"
ANSWER: Yes

 

[Deaf Smith]

What does "do the deed" mean? Statistically, death results from a handgun wound only 1 time in 8, not that that is the goal in a defensive shooting anyway. Handguns are woefully underpowered even with the best ammo and shot placement (except to the CNS).

If I only have a handgun to defend myself, I am going to use the best ammo possible in order to maximize my chances it will stop the threat in a reasonably short time and also have a plan B. Why deliberately choose something not suited to the task? Just because it can be lethal or worked well in the Wild West?

It means 'does the dead'. Stops them. Killing is irrelevant.

And cause it DID work in the 'Wild West'. Worked well much after that. Still works well since humans haven't changed.

Don't rely on 'wonder bullets', or wonder guns. If you want to use JHPs, fine.

I use them in my 9mm and .38s.

But I don't feel they are all that more effective.

Regardless of the cartridge used it's skill that matters the most. Skill to put the bullet where it belongs.

For you see, it's shot placement that counts.

Deaf

 

[strambo]

The question was "Is Cowboyammo good for home defense?" No, it isn't. The question wasn't "Is .45 Colt good for home defense?".

It isn't about power, it is about the ammo and projectile. Why accept a .45" dia. hole zipping through when you can have a .75" dia. hole going plenty deep but not over-penetrating? No .357 magnum needed (though with the right projectile, it is a great HD choice as well.)

To be fair, the OP did ask 2 separate questions thinking they were the same. Title asks about Cowboy ammo, body mentions power.

The ammo is not "good" for home defense, merely adequate perhaps, but far from ideal as it will likely over penetrate w/o expansion.

It is powerful enough. That power is wasted via a non-expanding projectile instead of being put to good use driving expansion and creating a larger wound channel which would result in more blood loss and (all else being equal) more rapid incapacitation. ~.45" hole vs ~.75" hole is a decent difference!

I don't own a .45 Colt so I am not sure if there is a good performing modern defensive load for it tested to FBI protocols or similar?

 

[19-3Ben]

And cause it DID work in the 'Wild West'. Worked well much after that. Still works well since humans haven't changed.

Do we actually know that? Or is that something we want to believe is true?

What I mean is, yes plain ole' lead slugs killed people, but do we know how quickly they incapacitated? That is, after all the goal. Whether the guy ends up dying of his wound is not pertinent to the conversation.

Skill and shot placement are absolutely #1. I would rather hit an attacker in the aorta with a FMJ than gut-shot with a JHP. BUT why in the world would you not give yourself the best chance possible? If you have the skill to hit what you are aiming at, give yourself the advantage of a good, modern JHP. It may not make a difference, but for the possibility that it just MIGHT make a difference, thats worth buying a $25 box of ammo, at least to me.

 

[MEHavey]

"...more rapid incapacitation. ~.45" hole vs ~.75" hole is a decent difference! "

In that case, I'll just use my Brown Bess on the Bad Guy.

 

[BSA1]

Low velocity "Cowboy Loads" are downloaded to only ring steel, not dent or penetrate. Some clubs get mighty upset when their steel targets get dented from hotter loads or hard cast bullets.

Remember in CAS you are directly facing your target with nothing blocking it. In real life your target may be moving presenting a less than perfect shot for example the bullet having to pass through the attackers arm before entering the body at a angle.

Most everyone agrees handgun ammunition are poor stoppers. Why not give yourself every edge possible?