RE: 45 acp s and w revolver
First I admit to LOVING the 1911, I think if God had a pistol in mind this is what it looked like. But as for the stopping power of the ol warhorse 45, I think ALOT is left on the table. An old 'nam vet buddy of mine has an old bolt action pushbolt in 45acp and asked me to take it deer hunting last season. It has a 3x9x40 on it and he busts beer bottles at 100yds with it all day long, it is a great shooting little rifle. I bought a box of Corbon 245 +P hollow points for it and with about a 16"-18" barrel (can't remember now which it was) it should've yielded the most the hot Corbons had to offer. I setup in a bowstand and soon a little doe stood perfectly broadside at 15 yds and I easily put a big slug into her lungs.
She stumbled quickly to get her front gear back under her and then bounded away through the woods. I gave her awhile to wait and then proceeded to track her. The blood trail wasn't much to begin with and soon stopped, had the leaves not been ruffled and I am very familiar with that woodlot, I doubt I would've found her. She ran 250yds through the woods! I examined her and found a perfect shot, right through the lungs (no shoulder shot) but the bullet only went through her right lung and didn't go any farther. That is why she barely bled and was able to make it that far.
That right then told me that it is NOT a deer caliber. Sure I am sure it might stop a black bear and possibly even a grizz if you had to. Shooting animals behind the shoulder is far different than shooting them face on in the head! But personally I would rather have a .357 for such work than a .45acp. But for sure, the big slug would be better than nothing and better than a .38, 9mm or a 40 for a "stopping gun".
I wonder now if perhaps ball ammo wouldn't have done better? Perhaps more penetration and a hole completely through both lungs wouldn't have turned out better in my situation?
RA