Took this muley doe today with my Ruger Bisley 45 & the grand old 260 gr Keith with 18.5 grs of 2400. This load has been a long time favorite for decades, not only for me but for many lovers of the fine 45 caliber six guns.
Again, this was a depredation hunt, only today the deer were really jumpy, it was easy to see that they had been hunted pretty hard since I had been here last. Every deer I spotted was up & running, this wasn't going to be easy. Plus there weren't as many deer as before, somebody had pressured them pretty good & many of the brushy draws were empty, the heavy cockle burr patches where I had hunted before only held 2-3 deer & they were up & running as soon as I got close.
I got off the 4 wheeler & walked some new areas & did jump some deer but again they were up & running as soon as they sensed danger (me) & they never stopped to look back. AS mentioned my belt gun today was my Bisley 45, a gun & caliber that I dearly love. I've taken lots of game with the 45 including 4 elk, the 45 is a proven game getter, with correct loads it takes a back seat to nothing.
My second gun as usual was my scoped 357 Maximum 10.5" gun, it's been with me on every trip & not once has it been out of the Barranti shoulder rig. I thought today I might have to use it the way things started out, this was turning into another sweaty, dirty, smoky (fires) in your face grind.
I made a 4-5 mile swing & the only thing I spotted was 7-8 antelope going top speed across a section of short Alfalfa. Watching antelope is one of my favorite things to do but you have to do it quick, these 80-90 lb Ballistic Missles can change zip codes in 90 seconds so you can't take your eyes off them or they are out of sight in a hurry.
I decided to leave the area I had been hunting & go into some border line cover that was close by & I had seen deer there in past years. There is a place where they have used a bull dozer to push up a long dirt bank, probably to stop erosion. This spot has a bunch of rock & Sagebrush grown in & is about 10-15 yds wide with CRP on one side & a harvested grain field on the other. You will see a photo of the end of it about the 4th photo. It's wider further back.
As I ease along going slow I have my walking stick in my left hand & the bottom resting on my left foot board. You will see a couple of photo's of it also. After about 200 yds I spot a deer sneaking through the very tall (4-5 feet) Sagebrush moving away from me but not running. I stop & run my left wrist through the leather loop on my walking stick as I draw the Bisley 45 from my strong side Barranti rig, the same rig I wore when I shot the antelope. With my left wrist through the loop I had to twist it 3-4 times to get my wrist high enough & then I could get both hands on the gun. This is a very steady hold, one I've used many times but never while sitting on the 4 wheeler.
I finally spot the deer & it's partially hidden by some Sagebrush but not enough that I can't get a bullet in there. The doe is facing to my left as I settle the "Sixshot" fiber optic sight on the rib cage & start my squeeze. At the shot the deer drops & 3 other deer take off to my left out into the CRP on a hard run. I wait 3-4 seconds & see my deer get up & take 8-10 steps out into the stubble & drop.
The big Keith slug had broke the left front leg, hit the heart & one lung & exited, it never gets old with a six gun, ever, doing it with the grand old 45 brings back a lot of memories, all of them good. I ranged the shot after I pulled the trigger which is how it works out many times. Sometimes I can range an animal before the shot but many times it just doesn't work out that way, like on the antelope, I misjudged it bad but the flat shooting gun bailed me out. The shot was 58 yds using my walking stick as a rest. You see the gun in my left hand but that's just for the photo. I almost always shoot right handed.











Dick

Dick, this is outstanding! Congrats. You're having one heckuva season so far.

Nice hunt!

Very impressive.

Congrats Dick! As always, good story, good photos, good looking revolver.

Ditto what Mark said.

Good Hunt. Enjoyed the story and pics.

Great story and great shot.

ANOTHER GREAT HANDGUN HUNT, WTG.

MAYBE IN MY EARLY 45 COLT YEARS (THE EARLY 70's) I MAY HAVE TRIED 2400 BUT I HAVE NEVER RELIED ON IT, BUT I GUESS IT WORKS AND WORKS WELL.

Another job well done. Congratulations.

Congrats!

It doesn't get any better!!!!

Well Done Dick, looks like your having a lot of fun. 1

Rey, that means you must use Unique & H110/296. The latter are the same but they were different several years back, like in the 70's you mention.
My summer time load is 9 grs of Unique for Badgers, Rock Chucks, plinking, etc. For deer it's almost always been 18.5 grs of 2400 & always with the Keith bullet & then when elk are on the menu I think all 4 were taken using H110 with either the 260 gr Keith or a 325 gr LBT. All were complete penetration.

Dick

DICK: I USE 8.5 - 8.8 grs OF TRAIL BOSS WITH FED 155M PRIMERS FOR THE 250 - 270 gr BULLETS, VVN-110, ALSO WITH FED 155M PRIMERS, FOR FASTER LOADS, AND, IF I WANT 454 BALLISTICS WITH 45 COLT CASES IN MY FA REVOLVERS, OR IF I WANT TO USE HEAVIER BULLETS, I USE 296. WHAT THEY ALL HAVE IN COMMON IS BULK, i.e. THEY DON'T LEAVE MUCH, IF ANY, UNUSED SPACE IN THE CASE. I BOUGHT SOME HS-6 AND LONGSHOT BUT AT MAX LOLADS THEY ARE VERY LOW VOLUME, JUST NOT WHAT I AM LOOKING FOR.

Well Rey I don't think anyone could argue with your experience using the grand old 45, I know I won't. Burned some Longshot today but it was in a heavy barrel Smith & Wesson model 10 I just bought from Buds. Fun gun & I'll keep it in the truck.

Dick

Dick, you've had a great starts this year! Congrats and look forward to see how the rest of your season goes.

Congrats dick. Nicely done!

Thanks Mark, thought I was going to have to call you for knee replacement after that stalk from hell on the antelope. Looking forward to hearing about your Safari.

Dick

Another nice one. Filling the freezer with good eats!

Dick, great report, and so glad you still have the fire in your belly!