Hunting Deer with Black Powder 45 Colt

[44-henry]

I spent a lot of time last year developing loads for my Uberti 1873 revolver in 45 Colt using black powder. I finally settled on about 37 grains of Goex 3fg behind a 250 grain LRNFP lubed with SPG. I cloked this load out of my 7 1/2" revolver at a bit over 1000 fps and figured it should be good for deer if I got a good shot at one. Well the photos below show that a deer did make the mistake of coming too close, not a trophey size deer by any stretch, but it was my first with a blackpowder cartridge firing pistol.
The bullet punched through both shoulders at roughly 30 yards and the deer dropped on the spot. Not bad for an early cartridge loading.

 

[Harve Curry]

Good shooting. Meat in the freezer with an SAA 45 with old style sights.

 

[janobles14]

you mean thats not a "super whammy-triple belted-elephant vaporizer-magnum deluxe" cartridge hidden cleverly inside a small innocuous package? and it killed an actual deer? hrmmmm not sure if i believe that! LOL

great shooting and nice work! congrats!

 

[Shawnee]

CONGRATULATIONS.... and GOOD SHOOTING !!!

 

[txcookie]

Cool to se I got a ROA and was thinking about using it for more than just paper!

 

[Shawnee]

The ROA is a fine weapon for deer ... but make doubly sure it is legal where you are hunting.

 

[moosehunt]

I'm behind you 100%. Good job!!! I'm planning to try the same (if I ever get another tag)--but that looks like a doe. Is that legal???? Special rules for BP??? (or pistol)???

 

[qajaq59]

Just proves it's where you hit it as opposed to with what.
Good shooting......

 

[44-henry]

Thanks for the comments. Moosehunt, in my part of North Dakota does are kind of thought of as vermin and you can pretty much get as many tags as you want in most sections, and we still have problems with overpopulation in many areas. Legal wise this particular deer was shot in the regular firearms season and the 45 Colt is legal regardless of whether it is loaded with smokeless or blackpowder.

 

[trickshot]

Congratulations! Great shooting!

Just tonight I was reading Sixguns by Keith and on page 73 he tells stories of people who killed grizzly bears in self defense, at close range, with one shot from a Colt 45.