45Long Colt for Deer

SRL30/30 · Post by **SRL30/30** » Fri Dec 21, 2007 2:45 am

I plan on getting a rifle in the 45 LC. Could I use it for deer sized game?
Thanks for the help...

.45colt · Post by **.45colt** » Fri Dec 21, 2007 5:11 am

Welcome to the Fire. The Colt will do a great job on deer. In a rifle the pistol cartridges really come alive. If You reload the .45 really shines.here is a great article from Paco.
http://www.leverguns.com/articles/paco/ ... vergun.htm

WCF3030 · Post by **WCF3030** » Fri Dec 21, 2007 6:34 am

Welcome!

Even at "slow" speed (900fps) the 45 Colt will do its job on deer and other critters well.

Post by **Old Savage** » Fri Dec 21, 2007 10:49 am

I saved this from a post by Mike Cole on the old forum, 45 Colt.

CowboyTutt · Post by **CowboyTutt** » Fri Dec 21, 2007 1:11 pm

My dyslexia must be kicking in. I thought he said "45 Long Colt for Beer!"

Just funnin, OS!

-Tutt

jengel · Post by **jengel** » Fri Dec 21, 2007 1:58 pm

I shot this one with my .45 Colt Winchester with 300gr hard cast at 100yds. One shot kill, complete penetration. You shouldn't have much problem with heavy ammo on up to Moose and some bears.

Post by **Old Savage** » Fri Dec 21, 2007 4:22 pm

Tutt, that is the way it went didn't it. Thanks for sending the cases and the loads. Not sure why those primers looked like that. Busy at the office, haven't had the time to look over them enough.

jd45 · Post by **jd45** » Fri Dec 21, 2007 7:09 pm

The critical factor is the design of the bullet that's gonna go into & come out of the animal. If you try to use the round nose with the tiny meplat, (flat) that the Remington & Winchester standard ammo are stoked with, it won't do the internal damage, or cause the quick blood loss that a Keith-style SWC or a well-designed HP will do, but like the other man said, you don't need blinding speed for it to be a good killer with this large diameter bullet. Just my 2 cents, & welcome! jd45

SmokeEater2 · Post by **SmokeEater2** » Fri Dec 21, 2007 7:16 pm

jd45 wrote:The critical factor is the design of the bullet that's gonna go into & come out of the animal. If you try to use the round nose with the tiny meplat, (flat) that the Remington & Winchester standard ammo are stoked with, it won't do the internal damage, or cause the quick blood loss that a Keith-style SWC or a well-designed HP will do, but like the other man said, you don't need blinding speed for it to be a good killer with this large diameter bullet. Just my 2 cents, & welcome! jd45

I agree. I carry a 45 when I'm working around the place and its loaded to standard pressure with semi-wadcutters (lead) and it has taken down a deer with no problem.
A '73 Winchester with the same loads works fine too.

JerryB · Post by **JerryB** » Fri Dec 21, 2007 7:30 pm

I don't think you will have any trouble with standard .45 Colt loads.I have used the 255gr.semi-wadcutter with Unique and it will make you a good load.

SmokeEater2 where are you at in North Arkansas?

SmokeEater2 · Post by **SmokeEater2** » Fri Dec 21, 2007 8:43 pm

JerryB wrote:I don't think you will have any trouble with standard .45 Colt loads.I have used the 255gr.semi-wadcutter with Unique and it will make you a good load.

SmokeEater2 where are you at in North Arkansas?

JerryB, I'm in Mountain Home.

bj94 · Post by **bj94** » Fri Dec 21, 2007 9:11 pm

Out of a rifle barrel you can get impressive velocities, especially in a strong gun. (Don't try this with an 1873 or similar toggle action.) In fact the result is about the same as you would get from a .454Casull handgun.

The .45Colt gets a lot of attention with heavy cast bullets, but for deer I wondered if a lighter JHP wouldn't be better, such as the Hornady 250 grain. If you are thinking larger game then you can go to 340 grain bullets or so and be knocking on the door of what a good .45-70 will do.

jd45 · Post by **jd45** » Fri Dec 21, 2007 9:44 pm

The Speer .451" 260GR JHP shoots very well out of my rifle as well.....better than Hornady's .452" 250GR XTP.......I guess, because mine has a tight bore, (.4505") It's best to slug your bore with a soft lead slug or bullet, & measure it with a micrometer, if you can get hold of one.....a vernier caliper will work, too, then try to match bullet diameter to groove diameter. jd45

The Lewis · Post by **The Lewis** » Fri Dec 21, 2007 10:10 pm

I've used the Speer gold dot jhp with standard loads and it shoots really well. very pleasant rifle to shoot and will rival the hot revolver loads speed wise, and they seem plenty effective on deer and more.

I am going to start reloading some SWC's though for the economy of it.

Marlin .35 · Post by **Marlin .35** » Fri Dec 21, 2007 10:47 pm

I second the motion about PACO'S article, "The .45 Colt in Leverguns" I have used his loads with H110 and RE#7, rifle, with cast performance 265gr WFNCGC. I and 1/2 inches fir three at 100 yds. And they hit with AUTHORITY!!!! All you will ever need for Whitetail, black bear, and more!! Art

Papa · Post by **Papa** » Fri Dec 21, 2007 11:17 pm

Thanks Old Savage, that's the exact picture I thought of when I read the title for the post.

The load I use is 20 grs of 2400 under a 255 SWC from http://www.tennesseevalleybullets.com/

It clocks at 1205fps from my 4 5/8ths Paradox, and 1565, I believe from the 16" Trapper.

I take a lot of deer with it in TN

Here's another pic..

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Warhawk · Post by **Warhawk** » Sat Dec 22, 2007 12:11 am

SmokeEater2 wrote:
JerryB wrote:I don't think you will have any trouble with standard .45 Colt loads.I have used the 255gr.semi-wadcutter with Unique and it will make you a good load.

SmokeEater2 where are you at in North Arkansas?

JerryB, I'm in Mountain Home.

I've got a bunch of family around Judsonia/Blad Knob. My brother in law runs the nursing home across from Mark Martin Ford in Batesville.

Small World

jd45 · Post by **jd45** » Sat Dec 22, 2007 9:43 am

Marlin .35, I'd be interested to hear what barrel length you're using, & what velocities you're getting with H110 & RE#7 under the 265WFNGC, if you've been able to chrono your loads. BTW, that's GOOD grouping! Thanx, jd45

CaptainFinn · Post by **CaptainFinn** » Sat Dec 22, 2007 11:21 am

I've been shooting a 300-gr GC (Lee Mould, I believe, Lyman #2 Alloy) over 24 gr of H110 and a Win LPP. Not sure of the velocity, but it shoots three shots inside a 3" orange dot at 100 yards through my Rossi carbine or my 24" rifle. I also carry a .45 Ruger Bisley-Vaquero but load a .45 454424 over 9.0 gr of Universal clays. It is a tad easier to shoot out of the handgun.

I took a nice ten-point with the Keith bullet on the last day of deer season. Hit halfway between the shoulder and the base of the skull, wiped out 3" of vertibrae.

The Keith bullet shoots quite nicely out of the rifles, but I've noticed some leading after 4-5 shots. I'm gonna try the 265 GC version once I get past the x-mas money crunch.

45Long Colt for Deer

45Long Colt for Deer

Properly loaded it will equal or beat a .44mag