1911/45acp for deer?

Hi everyone it has been a while since i have posted here. I would like some feedback on the 45acp and deerhunting. I also would like to get an ideas on the best factoy loads to use. Thanks for the input in advance

I think at 25-30 yds depending on your shooting skills.
I think at 30 yds you would have no issues on killing a deer.
I think id use a 185-200 gr hard cast bullet.

The 45ACP will kill a deer. I question whether you will find factory ammo well suited for the task tho. Perhaps a heavy SWC?

look at some of the specialty ammo like Cor Bon, Grizzly or Buffalo Bore. I finally just bit the bullet and bought a 460 Rowland conversion kit for one of my 1911's. Takes about 5-10 minutes to install and you get 44 mag power. The only thing is factory ammo, although Buffalo Bore, Cor Bon and Georgia Ammunition load for it.

My son's BIL shot a doe using a 45ACP in a 1911 using standard run of the mill factory ammo (not sure which brand or bullet wt). Was about a 30 yard shot. Worked fine on that deer.

I also know another individual that used a 40 S&W XD to shoot a doe head on in the front where the neck/chest junction is (again, I don't know what brand/bullet). That doe dropped in her tracks. It, too, was about a 30 yd shot.

I do know that the ammo used in both the deer shot were just standard run of the mill factory ammo. Nothing like Buffalo Bore or Corbon ammo.

If you look at the ballistics of the old 45 colt BP rounds and cap and ball revolvers which have taken numerous deer I don't think you would have a problem with a 45 ACP if you chose your shots well and shot a good hardcast slug. JMHO

I have a Springfield TRP I loaded some 255 grain SWC FP with a dose of Unique for about 1100FPS. I only shot a few but at 40 to 50 yards they were great and fed too. My custom Caspian would not feed them.

I shot a muley buck a few years back with a 230HST out of a Springfield XD45. It went through both shoulders and came to rest under the skin on the far side. Perfect mushroom.

I've shot a bunch of deer with a bunch of .45 bullets. The most consistent performer has been the 200 gr. Hornady HP-XTP. I've taken them with this bullet out to 50 yds. Most don't move. The farthest has been 10 yds. All shoulder or behind shoulder shots.

If Hal Swiggett did it so can you...

The 230 grain +P Winchester ranger works well. Have used it on several deer and numerous hogs. Only shot out to about 35-40 yards. There are plenty of good factory loads that will do what you want. The ammo is also built to expand at those velocity ranges and medium. The ranger is basically an updated black talon of the old days and actually the same style bullet used in the platinum tip line. The ones I've recovered look identical except color. Good stuff.

.45 ACP will work for sure.

I've been messing with .45 Super too and I like! It will throw a 230gr JHP/hardcast at 1,250 fps from a 5" bbl. Also, a 250gr Gold Dot to 1,125 fps, a 250gr Hornady XTP @ 1,175 fps (shorter bullet than Gold Dot allows more room for powder) and my favorite so far...a Hunters Supply 275gr hardcast moving at 1,150 fps. That's elk medicine right there, and a great profile for the G21 (with KKM 4 port comp):




Just for kicks, I've got some LFNGC 300gr bullets coming in, and while they're mainly for the .45 Colt Ruger, they may work in the .45 Super too.

45,

You guys with the aftermarket Glock barrels ;^) You cannot get your numbers with a 1911, at least in a non-ramped barrel. I can get 250's doing about 1050 or a tad more, but the throated barrel is really getting pressed.

And welcome to the board. Not a lot of 1911 posts here, but some of us have a bit of experience with Rowlands and Supers, were just the red headed step-children here. But you will not get any of the "45 can't be used for hunting" like you get on the 1911 forums. And if you think the Buffalo Bore stuff is good, you can order the actual bullets from Rimrock. Winky, winky.....

Craig

I have done the .45 super and the .460 Rowland on a Glock 21SF. Both work fine on deer. My BIL used his 1911 .45 acp on a couple of deer and it worked ok. Both were about 20 yards.

The Rowland with the 265gr Beartooth would kill an Elk just fine. reflex264

My BIL with a young deer that fell to his .45. reflex264

OK Reflex, cut it out. I hate Glocks, but I am starting to think that it might be a better conversion option than the 1911. I think I need to go fondle one of my 1911's to make myself feel better.....

Craig

In it's range it'll work like gangbusters, good luck

Bearbait, check out the Springfield XDs for conversations. The XD45 tactical is a great platform to work with and the powder river triggers that you can drop in are darn near as fine as my custom 1911 trigger. My powder river trigger breaks clean at 2.5 lbs and reset is just like my 1911.

And another just for Bearbait......

Been thinking about it and reflex264 you've nudged me just enough for me to dust off my defensive weapon of choice and take a few flagtails with it this year, thanks

Yep with so many good choices of ammo now the .45 ACP would be a dandy deer getter. reflex264

if it's a 1911 you need to get one of Clark's 460 kits. I have never been an auto guy but a couple years ago I smoked a pair of porky pines with my glock. I decided to start playing with 1911's again and then converted one of them. I'm now addicted to the power level I'm getting with the 460 and it is amazingly accurate. I'll never give up my big bore revolvers but I'm having a blast with my auto's.

All this auto talk has me yearning for a 10mm Long Slide 1911...and then the discussion of a red dot milled into the slide...uh oh.

Sure, my Glock 20 would work the same, but that wouldn't be a new gun purchase now would it?

LOL, very true, we always need a new gun whether anyone else thinks so or not

SC, please keep your thoughts to yourself, my wallet can't take much more of them. Hehe

it'll work ,just have shorter range

Been working with my Glock 21. Set it up for 45 Super. 6" KKM barrel, 24# recoil spring, full length steel guide rod. and extra pewer mag springs. Boy that is a fun gun. I need some better sights....I have the glock adjustable sights, and can't decide which adjustables to get for it. Been looking at Dawson Precision night sights as low light hog hunting is very doable here in Fla. Need a go-to load for hunting and am trying to get that straightened out right now.

my first deer taken with a handgun was with a springfield trophy match .45 acp. that was back before I handloaded and was when I was still in high school. took a nice doe with one shot at approximately 35 yards with factory cci ammo with a 200 grain speer gold dot hollow point. hit it right in the heart and it ran maybe 50 yards and dropped. recovered the nicely expanded bullet on the far side. my parents still have that bullet on the mantle. but, I have had bad luck with the .45 acp too. shot one from about 12 yards--it ran up on me--and I shot it right in the chest--it was facing me length wise--saw right where the bullet hit, the doe jumped straight up in the air and then took off. needless to say, I never recovered that doe and the only sign of blood was one spot on the lightly snow covered ground.

I loaded some 255 LSWC with some Unique myself. My Springfield TRP ate them and shot great out to about 45 yards. My other 1911 would not digest them.

what brand of 255 LSWC did you go with Mad Dog? I have been thinking about trying some rimrock bullets 225 grain hollow point gas check soft lead bullets for my .460 Rowland longslide 1911

I started handgun hunting with the 1911 after using. 44 Mag, 41 Mag and finally. 45 ACP S&W Model 1955. The 1911 was a handgun of opportunity while doing farm work. I have found the tougher 200 grain Speer Lawman bullets make two holes. Modern self defense bullets are good broadside, behind the shoulder bullets but don't pass through. The deer are still dead but I like the exit with expansion results. The Speer Gold Dot and Hornady XTP seem promising as ACP +P loads.

Ran some more .45 Super this afternoon with my G21 and KKM 5" comped barrel. Using 800x, 275gr Hunters Supply hardcast averaged 1,185 fps (855 ft-lbs) and 300gr Beartooth LFNGC hardcast averaged 1,125 fps (843 ft-lbs). That's beyond deer medicine!

That is pretty tuff stuff. Are you measuring case heads? I haven't seen any data for the super close to that. That being said in a comped barrel using super brass the super should take any load a Rowland will. The brass is as thick as a .308 in the case head area. I have pushed 265grs up to 1200fps with no issues but I have found backing down to around 1125fps still performs well, gives the gun less of a beating and is a tack driver. reflex264

No I haven't measured case heads, but I can. From the KKM barrel the brass just doesn't swell up, I can usually see some expansion with say a 10mm, but with the .45 Super I can't even see any. Starline says their Super brass is tough, and I've heard it's as strong as their 460 Rowland brass.

Anyhow, I ran a few more the day after what I posted above, but with 250/255gr bullets. Here's what I got:

250gr Hornady XTP (using 800x) avg: 1,256 fps (876 ft-lbs)
255gr Beartooth WFNPB (800x) avg: 1,261 fps (900 ft-lbs)

Brass looked great, just a small amount of extractor rash, but otherwise great.

I also want to add, I don't really think 1250+ fps is needed with the 255gr, it's more just to see what the Super can wring out. Recoil is there, and the comp works well, but I wouldn't want to shoot these all the time through it either!

Do any of you have any experience with holo sights on your auto pistols? I was thinking of getting a springfield xd tactical 45, install a super kit, and add one of the Burris holo sights. Should make a jam up hog or deer gun!