Anyone ever hunt with a 45ACP?

[SaintofKillers]

Guy asked me at the range if I hunted with my 45, I said no why would I want to. I think that he was interested in deer hunting with his, so I wasnt really sure how to answer such a question. I figure a 357 or 44mag would be better. I have heard of a fella shooting a deer with a 38 super, I dont know what do you guys think??

 

[bernie]

They will kill a deer but you have to be fairly picky. I killed a buck a few years back with one, 7 yard broadside shot. .357 or .44 would be a much better hunting cartridge for deer Iwould think. I carry one sometimes as a backup to my rifle. If I am handgun hunting I use a .44 mag.

 

[444]

I have hunted coyotes with the .45 ACP.
I wouldn't choose one as my first choice for deer, but it would work fine if you limited your shots to fairly short range.

 

[ARperson]

Indiana prohibits the use of .45 ACP because of performance issues. While the round could be used effectively, shot placement and distance to target would be fairly important in that effectiveness and apparently "they" don't think we can properly decide the proper distance and placement for the .45.

Actually, I'm not that upset over that regulation, especially since there are better rounds for the purpose. And knowing that half of the people calling themselves hunters on opening day aren't really hunters but idiots with guns. Wise choices aren't always their forte.

 

[Dave McCracken]

I've finished off a few cripples and one road kill taking a long time to die with a GM. Loads included a hard cast 200 gr SWC with a stiffish amount of Unique behind it and the 185 Gr Silvertip, my present GM's round of choice.

It'll do the job at close range but it's far from the best choice.

It's also not legal here. 1200 ft/bs of ME and a 6 1/2" barrel minimum.

 

[sm]

Yep

 

[Smoke]

Does a nice job on smaller feral hogs. Haven't tried it on anything else.

 

[Matt G]

Yep. I've killed a javelina with my current duty pistol, a Kimber Stainless Classic 1911 with 230g Gold Dots (my duty load).

Years and years ago, I blew a shot at a doe one evening with my Gold Cup shooting XTP's. She came up behind me, and I couldn't turn around in the dry leaves to shoot correctly. So, I attempt a 15 yd shot, one-handed, weak-handed, on my knees, at a doe at my 7 o'clock. This did not turn out well. After 4 shots (all using the same pathetic technique), the doe began to run hard. At that point, I picked up my rifle, and dropped her. The only shot that cut hair was the rifle shot to her head. This was NOT a case of the pistol or the round being ineffective, but of the hunter being plumb stoooopid.

To my thinking, why would I carry a duty load to try to stop a man, that I wouldn't consider appropriate for a 100 lb deer?

 

[444]

"To my thinking, why would I carry a duty load to try to stop a man, that I wouldn't consider appropriate for a 100 lb deer? "

That is exactly what I was thinking. And you are trying to stop a man that is trying to KILL you.

 

[priv8ter]

Hmmm

I believe that Mr. Stephan Camp has posted pictures on here before of deer that he has killed with a .45.

As with everyone else he stressed that shot choice and placement were the keys to a successfull, ethical hunt.

greg

 

[gulogulo1970]

I have a couple of friends who hunt together, and they hunt hogs with 45's and dogs. I don't know if I'm brave enough to do that. They said they haven't had any close calls.

 

[Sven]

Stephen A. Camp even took a doe with a 38:

Hello. Managed to shoot a small doe today with my STI Trojan 5" in .38 Super. The round used was a handload pushing a Remington 147-gr Golden Saber 9mm hollow point bullet to an average velocity of 1188 ft/sec.

Shot placement...

 

[JShirley]

SUPER, that is!

Byron's taken a deer with his Glock 29. Ballistics of a good +P .45 load from a full-size GM or other full length barrel should be similar.

 

[Sven]

38 is Super unless your name was Bambi...

 

[Johnny Guest]

Yup - - -

Several deer, using 1911 & variants. Usually 185 handloads; one with the old 190 gr. Super Vel truncated cone HP. One with a S&W 1955 Target revolver (pre-Model 25.)

I've also taken a few more with .45 Colt revolvers. That load is outside this topic, but, then, so are the smaller-bore types.

The "secret" is to practice long and hard. Determine the distance at which YOU can keep hits on a nine-inch paper plate, from a field position, and this is the absolute maximum range at which YOU shouild take a shot at a game animal.

Let's don't discuss the range at which you can usually hit a deer silhouette SOMEWHERE - - Just that nine-inch circle. Forget how much paper energy the bullet has at 100 yards. Can YOU hit the paper plate at that range, five out of five shots? With the pistol you're gonna take hunting? I can't, either.

I agree with all said above about the 100-pound deer/200-pound man comparison. The thing is, every sportsman owes the game animal the respect of a clean kill. Frankly, I don't greatly CARE about a clean kill on a felon, as long as he stops whatever he was doing when I shot.

Best,
Johnny