Lamenting the lack of .45 Colt hunting loads.

[priv8ter]

So, I might, if I play my cards right, have a chance to do some hunting on one of the small farms close to where I live. The only problem is it is in a Restricted Firearm area, which means no Center-Fire rifles, not even my .357 1894C.

I can't really afford to go buy a black-powder rifle, or a new shotgun to shoot slugs out of, but I do have a Black Hawk in .45 Colt I bought for just such situations. Well, actually, I bought it because I wanted a big-bore revolver, and I think I would like to get into CAS, but...possible use against deer or elk at close range was one of the reasons I went .45 Colt instead of .357.

My only problem is, even with Sportsman's Warehouse right around the corner, there seems to be a complete lack of .45 Colt hunting loads available. Oh...I've got about 6 choices for Cowboy level loads, but, after throwing them out this leaves the following loads available:

Winchester 225gr Silvertip

Federal 225gr Semi-WadCutter Hollow Point

CCI Blazer 200 gr JHP

Hunh.

That's it. I've done some research, and all of these loads seem to come in at slightly over 900 FPS, which is better than Cowboy loads, but still puts these loads somewhere in .357 Magum range as far as energy goes.

None of that is anything special, and certainly not the .44 Magnum type loads I could get when I start reloading after Santa Comes to visit, but I have read a few posts on here and The Firing Line, and one or two people have stated before they have used the Silvertips on deer, but they were using .45 Colt carbines.

So...would one of those loads(I'm leaning towards the Silvertips because they are available) with good shot placement, at 30-40 yards, have enough oomph to get a clean kill on a smaller(100-120 pound) black-tail? Or should I just stop being a cheapskate and order up some Buffalo Bore 260gr screamers?

And, if I go with the Buffalo Bores, how long does it take for an order to come in? I'd be looking at doing this the end of October, which is another reason the currently in stock and cheaper to practice with Silvertips have my attention.

greg

 

[41mag]

PMC 300grn JSP @ 1250fps.I intend on trying them in my Blackhawk after the next payday.You want to be a guinea pig?http://www.pmcammo.com/handsilver.php

Cheaper Than Dirt has them listed in stock for$21.52/bx

 

[priv8ter]

Thanks...

41Mag...you Tease...By the time I was able to log on to Cheaper than Dirt, it said they were out of Stock.

But, it dad have some other brands I haven't seen around here, so thanks for the input.

greg

 

[SunBear]

That PMC sounds like a winner. CorBon has an almost identical round - 300gr JSP @ 1250fps. It's stout but certainly no worse than a similar 44 mag. Pistol hunting is just plain fun. Happy trails.

 

[stevelyn]

Check out http://buffalobore.com

 

[priv8ter]

sigh

Thanks, Stevelyn. I've been looking at the Buffalo Bore stuff, because for a while I was thinking of doing some hunting with my 1894C. But...two things concern me...

One, how long does it usually take for an order to ship, and two the price! Oh...I'm sure it's really good stuff...it's just...man I am deffinetaly getting some reloading stuff for Christmas this year...$65 for 50 rounds is just a lot of money for a pistol load, and truthfully, I would have to order at least 100 rounds to practice before going.

But, if that's what it takes to get a clean kill...I mean, I would love to use the Silvertips for 1/3rd of the price...

Sigh. The curse of being a responsible hunter.

greg

 

[DigMe]

priv8ter,

Yeah that's surprising. I was looking through some of the good .357 stuff that I can get from www.sportsmansguide.com and they didn't have any of it for .45 colt. They didn't have it in either the Winchester Partition Gold or the Federal Castcore. I guess .45 colt is just not as commonly used as .357 or .44.

brad cook

 

[41mag]

Those PMCs are $24.44/20 at Midway.I just checked-they are IN STOCK.

What's odd though is that the PMC manufacturer link shows a box of 50 but the retailer shows 20 per.

You still wanna be a(my) guinea pig?

 

[priv8ter]

Maybe...

I don't know, .41 Mag...if it IS for a box of 50, then, well..."I'm Your Huckleberry.

But, if it's for a box of 20, then, it's the same price as the Buffalo Bore, and I'd probably go with them.

Maybe I need to call someone to get the straight poop.

Maybe that's my problem Digme..I WAS planning on going after some black-tails with my .357, and I was OVERWHELMED by choices....now...I'm just feeling let down.

What about the Speer 250gr JHP Gold Dot loads? Under 'Intended Uses it says Medium Game Hunting.' That sounds like a potential load.

Thanks for everyone's input so far!

greg

 

[Matt G]

priv8teer:

There are NO flies on the Speer 250gr Gold Dot load. "Medium game" means ALL deer.

If you don't reload, and MUST have something in a super magnum version of the .45 Colt, it looks like Buffalo Bore is your only option. (260 gr. J.H.P. at 1450 fps, 300 gr. Speer J.F.N. at 1325 fps, 325 gr. L.B.T.- L.F.N. at 1325 fps)

GA Arms makes a decent standard load.

Federal has a 225g SWCHP loading at 900 fps. Dunno if it's jacketed or not. That's out of a 5.5" test barrel. Out of a 4" revolver, I suspect that you're reduced a .45 acp clone. Yawn.

Hornady's is not any better-- 255g at 725 out of a 4.75" barrel. Yawn.


Remington's offering isn't bad, but still. [Yawn.]

Winchester offers the 255g LRN at 860fps (5.5" barrel) . They also offer the 225g Silvertip at 920fps. I didn't even bother looking at their cowboy load.

Speer offers a 250g Gold Dot HP at 900 fps. That's not bad.

Triton doesn't make .45 Colt.

Preacherman told me, elsewhere:

Cor-Bon makes a hot SD load - see here.

Also, The Hunting Shack offers a number of custom loads:

45 Long Colt
45C-1 255 gr. RFP Lead 860fps
45C-3 260 gr. JHP 850fps
45C-4 300 gr. JFP "Bear Load" 1150fps.

J Shirley (who was looking for a hot-but-not-insane load for a S&W said:

Georgia Arms will soon be offering an "enhanced performance" .45 Colt.

Speaking with them today, I could not get exact specs, but it will definitely be a 260-grain JHP in the neighborhood of 1,000 fps.

In a word, perfect.

But really, it's lots of fun to roll your own in .45 Colt.

Have fun!

 

[stevelyn]

priv8teer,

I don't know how long BB takes to ship since I've never ordered directly from them. I gave you the link so you could research available loads. I can get all the BB I want from a couple of gunmongors I frequent in Anchorage.
I do know that BB is available from http://ww.cabelas.com.
My experience with them is that even out here in Aleutian hell they ship fairly quickly.

 

[priv8ter]

Well, thanks!

Stevlyn, I did appreciate the link. And, I'm glad to know Cabela's gets stuff there quickly. That's good stuff to know. I have never ordered ammunition off-line, so I was unaware how quickly things got delivered. With me not living in an Aleutian Hell, I have higher hopes.

But, that being said, I think I will order either some of the 250gr Speer Gold Dots, or that 'Bear Load' from The Hunting Shack. I might even get some each, see which one my gun prefrs better.

Those kind of loads are what I'm looking for. It seems like Buffalo Bores and Cor-Bon's loads are Elk/Grizzly type loads, which, are usefull, but expensive, and possibly recoil intensive. All I have ever fired through my Black Hawk so far are Cowboy level loads, so, I think my aim will be better with medium level loads instead of 'Super Magnum' versions, as Matt G put it.

Anyway though, since I'm complaining about time...I guess I had better hurry up and pick something.

greg

 

[HSMITH]

ANY of the hardcast 250+ grain bullets at 800 FPS or more are PLENTY for deer, up to and past full on monster mule deer. They will do nose to tail penetration on a small whitetail or blacktail. They would be PLENTY for broadside shots of 50 yards or less on elk too.

Cast bullets kill with penetration, and since they don't deform much they go a LOT deeper than you would expect.

The Cowboy loads are almost all cast of pure lead and are very soft, I would not use them since they will deform and penetration will be limited.

For deer I would prefer a good stout hunting load hollowpoint of 250-300 grains like the XTP or a hunting JSP over a cast bullet. I would NOT use the Silvertip or any other loading designed for defensive use, the bullets are not designed to expand slowly and penetration is limited.

 

[DigMe]

For deer I would prefer a good stout hunting load hollowpoint of 250-300 grains like the XTP or a hunting JSP over a cast bullet. I would NOT use the Silvertip or any other loading designed for defensive use, the bullets are not designed to expand slowly and penetration is limited.

It sounds like he doesn't load his own though and I haven't seen any Hornady cartridges loaded with XTPs in .45 Colt. Do they make them?

brad cook

 

[HSMITH]

Brad, I've seen them in 250 and 300 grain loadings. I think it was in the 'custom' Hornady factory loadings, but I can't find anything on the Hornady website.

Greg, I know a custom commercial loader. He will make anything you want for you. If you are interested in that let me know.

 

[Greybeard]

HSMITH is quite right. I know Hornady makes the XTPs in 250 and 300 grainers, altho thier web site https://www.hornady.com/shop/ does not necessarily indicate. Heck, my SIERRA software shows more XTP options that what I'm finding on Hornady's web site!

A buddy and I loaded up another batch of the 300 grain XTP Magnum last week and chroned 'em just this morning. We have them running around 1500 fps out of Casulls but I suspect the same bullet might still do quite well out of LC brass at considerably less velocity.

 

[HSMITH]

Greybeard knows this but some others might not.

If handloading them for a Casull be sure you get the 'magnum' XTP. It is a tougher bullet that will stay together where the standard XTP's at Casull velocities won't. Conversely at 45 Colt velocities the magnum bullet will act like a FMJ.

 

[Greybeard]

300 grain cast bullets out of .454 brass are a little more punishing from 7 1/2" SBH than what I care for. "Hot loads" with same cast bullets in LC brass are, to me, quite tolerable.

Not long ago at all, we bought a box of 250 grain LC XTPs at the new Sportsman's Warehouse in Lewisville. The same day I think we also picked up a box of the 300 grain XTP "Magnums" - the ones we chronoed yesterday at around 1500 fps (getting ready for "field testing" on hog).

Anyhoo, buddy Chaz (Scout Sniper here at THR) has got the paperwork, but I think we loaded the 250 grain non-magnum XTPs to low end of Casull fps and high end of LC fps. Somewhere in 1250 fps range? Those 250 grainers proved to be so "pleasant" for both of us to shoot, we decided to jump up to the 300 grain Magnum XTPs and crank them up until they "almost hurt" for hog loads.

I'll forward this thread to Chaz here in a jif and see if he has time to post details/opinion. I suspect that our recently-temporarily-abandoned non-magnum 250 grain XTP "sissy loads", if assembled to less-than-insane levels in LC brass would be rather wicked on deer.

As far as actual penetration/performance with any of 'em, that is just gonna require some "field testing" ... Hopefully soon.

 

[JShirley]

The http://www.georgia-arms.com/loaded_ammo.htm load will be priced fairly attractively- $23/50.

If you give them a call, they may have them ready to ship. 770-459-5117

John

 

[priv8ter]

Oooo...

Thanks, JShirley. That Georgia Arms load looks pretty nice. And the price is right...

I think what my problem is is I am cheap. I am looking at those .45 Colt loads and trying to compare them in price to other pistol rounds. Instead, i guess I need to compare them in price to OTHER hunting rounds. For example, I KNOW that for a good factory .270 load, it is going to be over a dollar a round. I guess maybe it's just unrealistic of me to expect Good Hunting .45 Colt loads to be cheaper than that.

Thanks for everyone's help!

greg

 

[41mag]

FWIW,I bought two boxes of the PMC +P .45 Colt last night.It was with only a little trepidation that I loaded up my Bisley this afternoon.

Piece of cake!My PMC catalog lists the load as 300 grains 1041lb/ft of energy & a muzzle velocity of 1250fps.
Due to a mounting headache from a toothache I only fired thirty rounds offhand from 15-20ish yards.Accuracy wise,I was able to cover my groups w/my palm.Considering that these were the first"real"loads fired through a new gun I'm satified(for now)w/the accuracy.[minute of deer guts anyways]Recoil,while a lot more noticeable than the 45 LC "cowboy" loads(& @ 3x the energy it's no wonder)I've shot before,was really not bad at all.The Bisley frame sucked it up.For a point of comparison,I have a Bisley in .44mag as well.Shooting PMCs' 240gn 900lb/ft load at a listed 1300fps was less pleasant.Neither was painful in any way('cept for my afore mentioned headachethat is! ).The 45"pushed"while the 44"slaps".

Fun stuff!