45acp Question
 

Could I use my 45acp for deer and small feral hogs (150 pounds or less)? Have any of you ever hunted with this round? Any load recommendations? I feel confident that it has the power and it DEFINATELY has the accuracy. I assume lead bullets would be best. I have heard of people using a .45 to hunt deer and small hogs at close range (25-30yards or less) but I can' t find any info on it. Thanks in advance for your help.

RE: 45acp Question
 

It' s not a cartridge I' d use, but properly used it would probably work.

Keep in mind that it was replaced by the M-1 Carbine in WWII because it didn' t do a good job of stopping the enemy.

RE: 45acp Question
 

The only reason it did not stop the enemy was that the soldiers couldn' t hit anything with it. It was NOT LACK OF STOPPING power. The carbine was more shootable. The 45 Auto however is not a deer round. It is not legal in most states. What it is is the number one defense pistol in the one shot stop department. This from the Marshall - Evans reports.

RE: 45acp Question
 

Actually Vapodog, I think you may be confused as to the weapon and cartridge I am talking about. The M-1 was introduced to provide certain troops with a lighter easier to carry weapon than the Garand. The M-1 .30 carbine had miserable stopping power and not much better accuracy. That' s why it has been relegated to plinking duties, whereas other military weapons are either still in service, or have found second lives as hunting rifles. I am talking about the .45acp in a 1911 auto. This round was in service for nearly 50 years, from WWII until the 1980' s when it was replaced by the Baretta 92 in 9mm. Even though it is not the official issue, it is still carried by some SF units and other law enforcement units. Some use their own money to purchase them because of the reknowned stopping power of the .45acp. The stopping power of the .45 in a 1911 type pistol has never been in question. At least not on the 2 legged prey. I feel pretty confident that within certain situations it will be effective on game of the 4 legged kind too.

RE: 45acp Question
 

In South Dakota where I hunt the 45 auto is not a legal weapon. For deer the cartridge must develop 1000 lbs of muzzle energy. I think some other states have simular laws. The 357 magnum and 1mm are the smallest pistol rounds allowed. Even those are questionable to as if they can develop 1000 lbs of Energy.

RE: 45acp Question
 

The 45 acp was designed to take down a horse. The main criteria the army was interested in. It is an awesome round but it is a close combat round very limited range. Not well suited for hunting.

RE: 45acp Question
 

Appearantly you didn' t read the question. I am not interested in a long range round. I specifically said " close range" . We' re talking bow range or less. There is specifically an article in a recent major hunting mag on hunting hogs with a .45acp so I know it can be done. I can' t find the article now. I know it is not the ideal pistol round for deer and hogs. It wouldn' t be the first " less than ideal" cartridge to take game. Some have become classic favorite deer rounds.

As far as the legallity, it is legal here in TX. The regs mention nothing of a minimum power limit.

RE: 45acp Question
 

I wouldn' t have a problem using it for shots inside 30 yards for deer with good jacketed hollowpoints. However, I don' t think I' d want to use it for hogs. My dad told me some stories when he was growing up about using a .45 for killing hogs to butcher. It took a between the eyes head shot to put them down, at about 10 feet. Hogs are tough critters.

They aren' t legal in Oklahoma due to the restriction that handgun cartridges have to have a case length of 1 1/2" , which virtually eliminates all semi-auto calibers.

RE: 45acp Question
 

Close as in 25' and closer go for it. But nothing farther than that. I' ve seen 2X2 studed trailer house walls stop 45 acp slugs.

RE: 45acp Question
 

In Colorado you must generate 1,000 ft/lbs. of energy. I have heard of people taking deer with a .17 HMR. I would not recommend it, but to each his own. If you are sold on a 45 caliber hunting rig, try the .450 Marlin or the 45/70 :D

RE: 45acp Question
 

I personally would NOT use a 45 ACP for deer. If it' s close range like you said it would probably do okay. I can' t see chancing wounding the animal.There are so many cartridges much better suited for Whitetails. I put the 41 Mag as a minium deer cartridge.The main thing we all need to remember is make the most humane kills possible.
Ruger Redhawk

RE: 45acp Question
 

I agree Ruger. I usually consider the 41mag as a minimum for deer. Sometimes my ambition and enthusiasm gets the better of me. The only time I would use the .45acp for deer is if I could get a reliable neck shot. I mentioned using lead bullets because those are the only ones I would think would retain enough energy to make a heart shot. It would take some testing though. Season starts in 2 weeks here though and that' s not enough time to work up a good load and test it for penetration. I mentioned a magazine article on hunting hogs with the 45acp. If it will take a hog I would be confident it would take a deer. Now if I can just find that article.

RE: 45acp Question
 

I' m with Ruger on this one also.

Now if you wanted to pump that .45 up a little and use the .45super express with a 6" barrel or use a 10mm with a 6" barrel I would say go for it.

RE: 45acp Question
 

One of buddies took a deer with a 45 1911. It was a head on shot in the chest. The whitetail dropped dead in it' s tracks. The range was less then 20 yards. That is the only one that I know of. Hope this helps.

RE: 45acp Question
 

If you' re hitting well with it, go for it, I' d use an all lead bullet like a keith or round nose, but if you' re hitting well with it, and understand the range capabilities of it, then there' s no reason you shouldn' t be able to...I' ve used .45acp in a thompson ondeer, great results, no, it' s not the same thing, but the bullets perfromed really well, I' d have faith in an accurate 1911 out to 20-30yrds with a good bullet and fairly heavy loads (nothing over pressured, but close to max), which I' ve used on coyotes to 75yrds and to put down sick cattle and buffalo, I don' t see any reason you shouldn' t be successful as long as you can insure ahead of time you' re going to hit what you' re aiming at.

RE: 45acp Question
 

If you plan on using a .45 pistol carry it with you if it is legal in you area and if you get a close enough shot I would say take it if you are sure in your shooting skills. But for deer a good rifle never hurts to have with you.

RE: 45acp Question
 

I did forget to mention, check out your state laws first, here in KS, the .45acp is legal for deer in a rifle only, not in handguns (we have a cartridge case length minimum law for handguns, but no such law for rifles/carbines, so a 16" carbine in 9mm built around the same action that the company puts out in it' s handguns is legal, while the handguns aren' t.

The .45acp doesn' t have a lot of muzzle energy, but at close ranges and on accurate shots, it doesn' t take a lot of energy to get the job done on a whitetailed deer...I' ve known lots of PH' s that take .45acp' s for boar back up, along with tactical shotguns usually, the hunter/client gets to carry the rifle or bow. They always affirm that the .45acp has plenty stopping power.