I'm wanting some opinions on the 45acp for deer. I'm looking at a S&W 625 for sport shooting and wondering if it could possibly play a second role as a close range deer gun.

Thanks for your input!

Works fine. Shot placement is everything.

What he said!

I've done 6 out to 50 yds. Good hits work fine. Best bullet seems to be Hornady 200 gr. XTP.

Just what the Doctor ordered!

Dick

How fast are you running those?

Very close to 1000 fps.

So you're not pushing Super velocities? I've kind of got the Tim the Toolman Taylor "more power" thing stuck in my head with my Glock 21. I run into a lot of hogs in the woods and was thinking about pushing something a little heavier around 1200fps.

I wouldn't do the Hornady on hogs. A good ol' H&G 200 gr. SWC would be the berries. More penetration and speed.

If you want a little more oomph, it's my understanding you can run .45 Super loads in that 625 with no worries whatsoever.

I'm going to add a 625 to my inventory one of these days and the ability to readily use Super loads is part of the reason why.

In the ACP, using Power Pistol it's very easy to run a 230gr XTP to 1050+ fps, so yes that should work just fine.

How is that for case wear and does it require a full supported barrel?

Thanks for all the input guys!

l killed a doe once with a 38spcl midrange wadcutter from a S&W

Chief Special. Shot her from 15yds.. First shot broke her Back.

Second in the ear. D R T. l was moving a ladder stand on a path.

She stepped out and started pawing the ground.. l actually felt a

bit threatened. l set the stand down and she still would not

move. lt was Doe Day in Edgefield County SC. So l took the shot.

At the time l was shooting IHMSA matches twice a month and

practicing three times a week. l was almost 30 years younger.

Processer thought l was crazy and said it was a stunt. l was all

legal tho.. South Carolina laws on handguns for deer read. ''Any

Center fire Ctg''.. l think she weighed 60 pounds... Ate good

too :-)

YES..l think 45ACP is more than adequate for Whitetail

With the 625 (45acp) you can have the cylinder bored deeper for the 460 Rowland. Brass is available from Starline. The 460 Rowland is capable of putting your 625 past Full House Hunting 10mm ballistics. And you cannot get the ammunition to chamber in a gun not designed to take the pressure. The 460 Rowland is Slightly longer than 45acp/45 Super. Something that you can do hot rodding the 45acp and 45 Super. I had my cylinder bored 20 years ago. No idea what it would cost today, but I can not imagine it being much over $125.
You can seat bullets longer in a Rowland 625 than in a G21 or 1911 conversion leaving more powder space. The 625 will handle bullets with a huge meplat that will not feed in a semi auto. Another good point.
I have not worked with my 460 Rowland Conversion in several years. Today we have Power Pistol powder which should be a great choice. I believe I may have been using Blue Dot years ago.
The 460 Rowland is something to think about.

Bob

The old Winchester 230 gr. JHP is death on big porkers.

Just for reference sake these are pics of actual loads I run in my Rowland. The 265gr feeds perfectly when seated to the correct depth. At first glance it looks funny but runs like a well oiled sewing machine.

What kind of expansion and penetration do you get out of the 185 Barnes? I have some Barnes 185+p from Buffalo Bore (~1150fps) that shoot very well out of my 1911. Was debating using it on a doe this year in Idaho. Shots would be very close, 25 yards max.


Eric.

I've done some killing of critters in the last couple of years with factory 230+p Hornady and have no complaints.

They expand and penetrate very good.