.45 Long Colt for whitetail deer?

nralover · Post by **nralover** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 12:13 pm

Who here uses the .45LC for deer? Is it considered effective? What are its limitations in regards to range? Do the ammo companies make a good deer load, or is it a handloading proposition?

jengel · Post by **jengel** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 12:19 pm

I DO, I DO. The 45 Colt is a wonderful deer round, especially out of a rifle. You can take any deer with the Cowdoy loading of a 250gr at around 900fps. I took a nice little buck a year ago with a 300gr cast lead bullet at somewhere around 1200fps at a range of 100yds with a Winchester M94 20" barrel. Know your limitations and it will work extremely well. Cast bullets are wonderful for this kind of hunting as the bullets will typically penetrate through the deer. There are many, many factory ammo offerings out there that are great for deer. If you reload, check out Paco's atricle here: http://leverguns.com/articles/paco/45coltlevergun.htm

http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l147/ ... C00478.jpg

86er · Post by **86er** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 3:55 pm

I have shot 7 with my 20" rifle. The load is a 300 gr cast bullet at just over 1700 fps. All the shots were 120 yards or less and all the bullets went through. I am sighted 1.5" high at 50 yds, .5" at 100 and - 2.5" at 125. At 150 yards it gets into the 6"+ low area - too much to rely on.

Dastook · Post by **Dastook** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 4:14 pm

Sure do. Paco has some great info on loading for it at the Leverguns homepage and then articles. I killed two bucks this year with my Rossi 1892 with 260 gr. Speer JHP over 20gr. of 2400. Worked great. I was pretty close about 40 and 60 yrds. Pretty thick woods here in NC where I hunt.

centershot · Post by **centershot** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 6:32 pm

45 Colt? Enough gun for deer huntin'? ABSO-BLOOMIN-LUTELY!!! I, myself, do not have one, preferring the 44 Mag, but the 45 Colt is no wallflower! With proper loads it'll handle anything deer season is likely to throw at it!

centershot

Post by **Chuck 100 yd** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 6:41 pm

YUP !!

oldgerboy · Post by **oldgerboy** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 7:41 pm

I load for a friend who has shot several, two with my loads. I load a 225 grain Speer over 15 grains Blue Dot. The book and a little guesstimation figures about 1450 to 1500 fps. Each deer fell within 40 yards to one shot.

Prior to my loads he used Winchester factory shells but I do not know what weight bullet.

Post by **Hobie** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 8:11 pm

My load of 23 gr. H110 under a 300 gr. bullet (XTP-MAG, Sierra FP or cast) will give .45-90 BP velocities from my Rossi/EMF 92 carbine. Now, if what was once elk and moose medicine isn't good enough for a itty-bitty deer...

Marlin .35 · Post by **Marlin .35** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 9:53 pm

It will do an outstanding job on any deer or black bear you may encounter. Art