.45 Colt for SD: JHP, FMJ, LFN, JSP

[aaaaa]

I might try carrying my Charter Arms Bulldog .45 Colt snubby.

In general, what is the best self defense ammo for this gun:
--Jacketed Hollow Point?
--Full Metal Jacket?
--Lead Flat Nose?
--Jacketed Soft Point?

More specifically, here is what I have in my ammo stash:
--Hornady Critical Defense .54 Colt 185 grain FTX, which looks like a JHP with a filled hollow.
--Federal American Eagle 225 grain Jacketed soft point.
--Cavalry Ammunition 180 grain lead flat point polymer coated cowboy loads, rated 820 FPS.

 

[Corpral_Agarn]

For a snub nose I'd probably just go for the soft point

 

[UncleEd]

The one you can shoot best.

Beyond that, it won't matter.

 

[Obturation]

Depends , as always.

If I were you , I might find a swc or soft point and maybe a hp that expands reliably and call it good.

No need to reinvent the wheel on this one, use what's always been used . avoid light for caliber bullets and you'll do fine.

Good luck

 

[Dave DeLaurant]

Since it's in a lightweight Charter, I'd personally want to stay at the lighter end of the recoil spectrum.

I'd look for lighter, full wadcutter or blunt-nosed SWC bullets at modest velocities. Here's a couple possibilities:

https://www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=268

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1021100432

 

[aaaaa]

Since it's in a lightweight Charter, I'd personally want to stay at the lighter end of the recoil spectrum.

I'd look for lighter, full wadcutter or blunt-nosed SWC bullets at modest velocities. Here's a couple possibilities:

https://www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=268

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1021100432

Those are impressive, especially the description at Buffalo Bore. "Hit like a truck" sounds like some pretty awesome stopping power:

This load is designed to cause disabling terminal effect, combined with the penetration required to cause fast incapacitation on human sized targets from any angle. The big flat wad cutter nose crushes living tissue as it passes through, unlike mushroomed bullets that are slightly rounded on the nose and tend to slip and slide through living material. The crushing action of the flat nose keeps penetration straight and thus deep. The hard cast construction will not deform on flesh and bone at these velocities so the nose profile remains constant along with bullet path and terminal damage. Full wad cutter profiles in large calibers (like .45 and .44) hit like a truck and do massive permanent damage. Renowned NYPD "Stake Out Officer" and Gun Fighter Jim Cirillo used full wad cutters in his 38 SPL revolvers because they incapacitated his targets with certainty

 

[aaaaa]

I will start out with the Federal American Eagle 225 grain Jacketed soft point, which are flat nosed,

and if this gun is a good carry and I decide to make it my primary carry, then I should definitely look into the Buffalo Bore offering, or other wad cutter.

The Calvary rounds also are flat nosed

but that is not the same as full wad cutter and the Buffalo Bore is hard cast.

 

[Dave T]

Those are impressive, especially the description at Buffalo Bore. "Hit like a truck" sounds like some pretty awesome stopping power:

That "pretty awesome stopping power" does not come free. Particularly in that light revolver. Having made the mistake of looking for power in a Bulldog 44 Special when they first came out I can promise you that Buffalo Bore load will hurt your hand. And recovery for a second shot will be difficult to manage quickly.

None of those hollow points or soft points are going to expand out of a short barrel. Depend on the ol' 45s diameter and penetration for stopping. The 45 Colt earned its reputation as a 'man stopper' without expanding bullets. You do your part it will probably do as well.

YMMV,
Dave

 

[aaaaa]

That "pretty awesome stopping power" does not come free. Particularly in that light revolver. Having made the mistake of looking for power in a Bulldog 44 Special when they first came out I can promise you that Buffalo Bore load will hurt your hand. And recovery for a second shot will be difficult to manage quickly.

None of those hollow points or soft points are going to expand out of a short barrel. Depend on the ol' 45s diameter and penetration for stopping. The 45 Colt earned its reputation as a 'man stopper' without expanding bullets. You do your part it will probably do as well.

YMMV,
Dave

Given the massive recoil, I may be better off with the lighter loads, especially since I am removing the 3-finger grip and installing a 2-finger grip for better concealability. The JHP are probably something to trade to someone who has a longer barrel.

 

[Oninotaki]

Given the massive recoil, I may be better off with the lighter loads, especially since I am removing the 3-finger grip and installing a 2-finger grip for better concealability. The JHP are probably something to trade to someone who has a longer barrel.

If you do a 2 finger grip you should use a bk grip adaptor. They have worked wonders for me and keeping the smaller grips undercontrol.

 

[Milt1]

Wadcutter!

 

[eddiememphis]

Keith style semi wadcutter. 255gr sitting on 6 grains of titegroup will get you around 825 fps and 385 ft/lbs of energy.

More energy than a standard load 124gr 9mm with a bullet 20% larger.

Elmer believed these were the best style bullets since they are less likely to deflect off bone like a round nose. They tend to cut clean holes through tissue instead of pushing it aside. Whether true or not, who knows but he tested his different bullets on a lot of different animals.

Hornady rates the 185gr XTP for 750-1450 fps. I don't see a listing for an FTX that weight. A 225gr FTX is rated for 600-1800fps so it likely would expand at snub nose speed.

The Critical Defense round on the Hornady website shows 920fps out of a 3" barrel.

 

[aaaaa]

If you do a 2 finger grip you should use a bk grip adaptor. They have worked wonders for me and keeping the smaller grips undercontrol.

Here is how the new grip will change things. I used the pink version for the illustration. I would have liked if they had kept the extra meat behind the back strap, but they don't have one like that. It basically makes it like a J-frame stock grip. Of course I may have the sizing off a bit.

 

[dickydalton]

All I can say is I bought a CA Boomer 44 Special. Even switching to a Hogue grip I still can't shoot really warm 44 Specials without a lot of pain and I've been a hot 44 mag shooter for decades.

 

[aaaaa]

All I can say is I bought a CA Boomer 44 Special. Even switching to a Hogue grip I still can't shoot really warm 44 Specials without a lot of pain and I've been a hot 44 mag shooter for decades.

Well, I shot 250 grain .45 Colts out of a Bond Derringer with the stock tiny grip, 50 rounds. My hand and arm were sore the rest of the day and then some. The Federal American Eagles ought to pack quite a punch, at least their .357 Magnums sure did. The grip that comes with this Bulldog .45 is a lot like the Hogue Tamer.

 

[aaaaa]

Keith style semi wadcutter. 255gr sitting on 6 grains of titegroup will get you around 825 fps and 385 ft/lbs of energy.

More energy than a standard load 124gr 9mm with a bullet 20% larger.

Elmer believed these were the best style bullets since they are less likely to deflect off bone like a round nose. They tend to cut clean holes through tissue instead of pushing it aside. Whether true or not, who knows but he tested his different bullets on a lot of different animals.

Hornady rates the 185gr XTP for 750-1450 fps. I don't see a listing for an FTX that weight. A 225gr FTX is rated for 600-1800fps so it likely would expand at snub nose speed.

The Critical Defense round on the Hornady website shows 920fps out of a 3" barrel.

Well i guess we might be borderline for expansion of a JHP. Seems the sweet spot for expanding bullets in in the 9mm/.38 caliber range. Drop to .32 ACP and forget about hollow points, and perhaps the same in the .40s and up.

The flat nose are basically semi wad cutter?

Anyway, I am fixin to carry the Federal American Eagles.

Now, if only Black Hills made the Honeybadger in .45 Colt. Oh wait, Underwood Extreme Defender has a similar bullet to the Black Hills Honeybadger, though more expensive:
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1020448311?pid=611723

 

[dickydalton]

I've got a box of Federal 225 grain lead hollow point 45 Colt here somewhere that will expand and probaby not hurt a lot!

 

[Tallinar]

I have enough difficulty taming the recoil of 250 gr 800ish fps loads from my 4 5/8” New Vaquero. I could barely imagine trying to shoot those with the Charter — let alone anything stronger. I’m a huge fan of .45 Colt, but you must be a true a glutton for punishment.

I would totally keep bullet weight on the lighter side, even if that does mean your POA ends up a little off given front sight height. And I wouldn’t overthink the bullet shape in this particular case.

 

[Oninotaki]

Here is how the new grip will change things. I used the pink version for the illustration. I would have liked if they had kept the extra meat behind the back strap, but they don't have one like that. It basically makes it like a J-frame stock grip. Of course I may have the sizing off a bit.
View attachment 1147085

Thanks for the comparison overlay. I gotta admit I didn’t even think of those when you said you were switching to the 2 finger grip. My brain read .45 colt and I just assumed you mean these https://charterfirearms.com/products/rosewood-checkered-small-grip?_pos=9&_sid=ab57cc1de&_ss=r

 

[Oninotaki]

Well, I shot 250 grain .45 Colts out of a Bond Derringer with the stock tiny grip, 50 rounds. My hand and arm were sore the rest of the day and then some. The Federal American Eagles ought to pack quite a punch, at least their .357 Magnums sure did. The grip that comes with this Bulldog .45 is a lot like the Hogue Tamer.

I do this a fair amount myself and I was really surprised at how much of a difference the bond arms extended grips made after I switched to them. https://www.bondarms.com/shop/grips/star-on-star-rosewood-grip/

 

[jstert]

Well, I shot 250 grain .45 Colts out of a Bond Derringer with the stock tiny grip, 50 rounds. My hand and arm were sore the rest of the day and then some. The Federal American Eagles ought to pack quite a punch, at least their .357 Magnums sure did. The grip that comes with this Bulldog .45 is a lot like the Hogue Tamer.

bond arms derringers in “4” or magnum calibers need extended grips for sure. i learned the hard way too.

i have a ruger blackhawk 45lc/acp and b.a. 45lc derringers. honestly speaking i buy the cheapest 45lc ammo, which is generally some kind of softer cowboy commercial reload, or hornady ftx round. as others wrote i just want to put rounds on target, don’t care about expansion versus penetration with 45lc. that said, awhile ago i lucked into some inexpensive 45schofield ammo, which is what goes with my b.a. derringer ccw.

 

[Mannlicher]

I like a LSWC as a self defense load with my 625 Mountain Gun

 

[Gordon]

I have shot the Underwood Wadcutter in a 4 5/8" Ruger .45 Colt and it is about like a full load factory std 250 grain . However this review seems germain to your intend aplication and Mideay has the ammo reasonable

"I shoot this out of a Charter Arms Bulldog .45 Colt. I needed an EFFECTIVE round for such a light carry revolver without too much recoil. This fits the bill for hog country. Shoots to point of aim in the Charter without breaking my hand. Still powerful enough to get the job done. This is the best serious ammo you can get for a lightweight .45 Colt. "
Verified buyer

 

[halfmoonclip]

We use expanding bullets, to create a bigger hole.
With a .45, you already have a big hole....
Go with what you shoot well, and what your hand will tolerate.
Gotta say I love the caliber, and shoot it in everything from a Schofield to carbines; the same punkin-roller loads in everything.
Maybe it's time to look for something small.
Moon

 

[aaaaa]

I was sure I had purchased a set of speed strips for this .45 but cannot find them anywhere. Guess I will order some.