Realistically Speaking

What is the largest game you would pursue with a 45 Colt and a 285Gr RCBS 45-270SAA bullet at 1100-1200 fps? Or same gun but with a 70% meplat 325gr bullet at the same velocities?

Some would say whitetail, others would say anything. I personally can?t say, but would lean towards the latter under the right circumstances. A .452 325 grain WFN slug at 1200 FPS is a whole lot of sleeping pill!

The biggest animal I?ve killed with a .45 Colt bent the scale at an even ton. That said, your only limiting factor is your bullet. Pick your shots and the sky is the limit, but when the game gets big, the bones get big and tough, and when that happens I personally want a tougher bullet.

Never likely to hunt Africa, have seen what my bullets do on black bear and a decent interior grizzly bear (friend shootingmy bullets in a midrange454). I think if I were to tackle grizzly, I would definitely want the heavier bullet, it broke bone and penetrated over 3ft. A large bovine, I think I would prefer a Punch style solid. Just wondered if anyone had used the 285gr SWC on elk sized game?

Its not penetration, Its damage. That bullet at that speed isnt something i want to rely on taking down a cape buff. Obviously if one is sure on their shot and shot angle so no larger bones are hit and its all i had id give it a go. That said, a tougher bullet waaaaaay faster makes such a larger wound channel.

I've taken 3 elk with a 325 gr cast slug at the velocities you mention. All were exits & I'm sure the 285 gr slug would have done the same. That 325 gr bullet, made from the correct alloy will take anything we have here in the states unless you get in a hurry or take a risky shot.
If you're impatient or a risky shot taker, use a different bullet. There's a lot of good one's out there.

Dick

Pretty safe to say that I will never shoot a Cape buffalo, probably never shoot an American bison either. I've seen the effects of the 454, and rifles shooting cast, and I have hammered coyotes and jackrabbits with my setup, not hard to kill, but get to see the effect of the flat nose vs other bullet shaped. At one time I was obsessed with speed, but now in my 50s, I am obsessed with accuracy, even my 300 Win Mag doesn't work as hard. I am thankful for the bullets we have available now, even though 98% of my shooting of handguns I carry while hunting is with cast bullets, I do believe in jacketed bullets in certain situations, and while Ross Seyfried made me aware of the possibilities of the 45 Colt, and bears a lot of responsibility for why I own 4 and a FA 454, I am willing to bet that even he would use a wide punch style bullet now. I still shoot the 45-SAA bullet more than 80% of the time, as it is still the most accurate bullet I've tried other than my 325gr GC bullet from a Mountain Molds setup, I like the information I have available from you fine folks.

AKBman, you might be right, I think Ross would love Punch bullets. Like I've said before, we live in the golden age of bullets & also scopes. Use the bullet best suited for the job, if you don't if could end up costing you.........

Dick

Speaking of bullets, did you get my email Dick?

Since the vast majority of us would be quite happy hunting only N. America with a handgun. I think a 45 colt pushing a 280-340gr. Bullet at 1200fps would handle adequately any animal on this continent. I do think an appropriate jacketed bullet would do better for most of us, but a cast bullet can and will kill game all day long.
I personally shoot 280s and 340s from my 5.5 guns, and feel adequately armed for my hunting grounds,......that said, I get a lot of enjoyment from using more than enough gun. So I do tend to carry .510 guns, but my 45 colts are very good general purpose handguns.

AKBman, I probably did but haven't checked them today, I've been casting a lot of bullets. I'll check, thanks!

Dick

AKB, I`ve used the 285gr SAA at the 1200fps velocity from a 4 5/8" Blackhawk to take a couple of good size boar.. In and out... The shell held 23.0grs H-110.. I can tell you from experience that when you touch off 23 grains of 110 from a short barrel at night the flash is like a artillery piece going off..

Wow! Thank you for that! That is a nice boar!

I TAKE THE QUESTION ON ITS FACE AS BEING ABOUT "PURSUE" NOT ABOUT "KILL". THOSE BULLETS, AT THOSE VELOCITIES, COULD PROBABLY KILL ANY LAND MAMMAL, EVEN AN ELEPHANT AND A HIPPO. IF I WERE TO PURSUE ANYTHING WITH SUCH LOADS IT WOULD PROBABLY BE IN A 5 1/2 INCH OPEN SIGHT REVOLVER, AND I WOULD BE LOOKING FOR SHOTS NO FURTHER THAN 50 - 60 YARDS. IN NORTH AMERICA, I WOULD NOT PURSUE BROWN/GRIZZLY BEARS, BUT WOULD CONSIDER IT FOR EVERYTHING ELSE. IN AFRICA, I WOULD LIMIT IT TO PLAINSGAME.

I AM IN ALASKA RIGHT NOW ON A BLACK BEAR HUNT AND AS A 5 1/2 FOOT - 6 FOOT BEAR WAS FEEDING 30 -35 YARDS FROM ME, AND I WAS LOOKING AT THE THICK, TANGLED, ROUGH ALASKAN BUSH AROUND ME, I ASKED MYSELF "WOULD I CONSIDER AN OPEN SIGHT SHOT WITH MY 5 1/2 IN LINEBAUGH RUGER 45 COLT REDHAWK" AND I ANSWERED "NO", PREFERRING TO USE MY HIGHER POWERED 454 FA REVOLVER. I PASSED ON THE BEAR AS I AM LOOKING FOR SOMETHING BIGGER. COULD I HAVE KILLED THAT BEAR WITH THE REDHAWK? YES, BUT MORE POWER IS ALWAYS BETTER ON DANGEROUS GAME IN THICK BUSH.

45Man, what bullet are loading in your 454?

AKBman: A 325gr BARNES BUSTER OVER 30.0grs OF 296, IN STARLINE CASES AND REM 7 1/2 PRIMERS, GETTING OVER 1,600fps IN AN 8 3/8ths INCH FA 454

That certainly sounds like a load that will get the job done! My abused hands and wrists don't allow me to shoot many full power 454 loads these days, I max out with a 300 or 325 between 1450-1500 fps, and those are shot sparingly. I have switched from H110/296 to 300-MP for my top end loads in several different cartridges. My Freedom Arms 454 is still my favorite handgun I own. Someday I hope to get my 480 Ruger Bisley to work for me too.

I also don't like shooting the 454 Casull loads in my Ruger SRH. I now load 45 colt 300gn XTP and 22 grains of H-110.