Howdy, folks. I just found this site today, and thought, "Cool!"

I've done some hunting with a Ruger Super Blackhawk .44 mag, and got a 3 point muley buck at roughly 60 yards with it a couple of years ago.

So here's my question: I recently bought a stainless S&W mountain gun in .45 Colt and I'm looking for a short range (say 20 yards or so) mule deer load for it. I will probably be packing the Ruger as the main gun, but where I hunt it's sometimes possible to get a close up shot so the Smith will be with me too. I just bought some Laser Cast 255 grain SWC and a pound of Unique and I'm thinking somewhere in the area of an 8 to 8.5 grain load behind the Laser Cast.

Thoughts? Opinions?

Thanks in advance...

shiner...welcome aboard!

To be honest...I see no real reason to carry the .44 and .45LC. They are both rather close range guns with irons, 75yds at best (at least in my hands)...unless you have the Ruger scoped...then I can see the reasoning for two revolvers. When I carry two handguns...it's usually a wheel for close encounters and a longer range gun...long barreled T/C or XP-100.

As for a good LC load...I like 255gr Penn SWC's over H110. A better load in my LC guns is the 340gr Penn and Lil'Gun. Never tried Unique in the .LC's.

I agree with Dan, unless you just want to kill a deer with the 45 (which I totally understand), there isn't really a need for both. But you should really shoot the gun with a number of different loads until you find one that shoots the best. At 20-30 yards you shouldn't have any trouble finding a couple of different loads that shoot well enough. I think 8 or 8.5 gr. of Unique is going to be a pretty light load for hunting in general but if you keep it close you should be ok.

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moonshine44, I`ve used 10grs of Unique under a 280gr SWC in my S&W 45colt Mt. Gun when I carry it as a backup. Good hunting,JFJ

I'm not planning on scoping the Ruger, it's too easy to carry the way it is. I've been bowhunting for a number of years, so I'm used to working my way in as close as possible. The Ruger is the go to gun, the Smith is the "because I can if I get close" gun.

And carrying both is still going to be lighter than a rifle

Thanks for the info, guys.