Deer Hunting with a .45 ACP

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jrop11

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I have a Beretta Cx4 Storm .45 ACP and it's extremely accurate at 100 yards with the standard iron sights. I was thinking of using it for deer hunting this fall for 25-50 yard shots. I load my own 230 grain LRN as well as some .45 XTP's and think they would be fairly sufficient stopping power wise. I've seen this posted 100's of times about the 1911 and the .45, but no one has ever asked about a rifle (chambered in a pistol round) .45.

I don't have any doubt about the shot placement. I was just wondering if anyone else had done this. It can't be too uncommon. I wouldn't do it with the CX4 .9mm, but the .45 is just insanely accurate.

Any recommendations on load, bullet etc would be appreciated.
 
If you state allows it then fine. It isn't what anybody else thinks, but you and what your state laws are. We in AR have to have a 4" barrel centerfire caliber.
 
I believe Ga is "Any center fire cartridge" which the Beretta would meet that criteria. I'll have to check for sure, but don't think it's a legal issue.

Thanks BTW!
 
Despite the writings of the late Jeff Cooper, .45ACP is a wimpy cartridge and I'd keep it under 25 yards for deer. Go to a magnum revolver or perhaps the .45 Colt in a Ruger if you get serious about handgun hunting. Personally, I prefer my .30-30 Contender, 1000 ft lbs at 200 yards and 3" accurate at that range.
 
I shot a nice doe several years back using a 230Gr. Golden Saber on my handload. The deer died. :)
 
It'll kill a deer, yes, it is wimpy, though. +P gets up to 500 ft lbs, but standard pressure is under 400. I still kinda go by the 1000 ft lb rule, though the .357 mag is only about 800 at the muzzle and I've killed a couple out around 30 yards with my Blackhawk in that caliber. Even with the much more powerful .357, I keep it under 50 yards. The 1000 ft lb rule really doesn't explain .44 mag kills at beyond 50 yards, either, but a .44 load is putting up 700 or over ft lbs even at 100 yards.. Yeah, it can be done, but JMB didn't invent the .45ACP for deer hunters. I'd listen to Elmer Kieth over Jeff Cooper when it comes to sporting kills of game. JMHO, though. I've never swooned over the .45ACP. I own one, but I don't think it's a light saber or something, not the end all of firearms, knock a man off his feet, all that garbage. There is no such thing as "knock down" with a defensive handgun caliber. As they say, it's for fighting your way back to your rifle. The big magnums do approach a rifle's power, though.
 
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I killed 120+ pound whitetail with my PM45 last season. It was pretty close, probably less than 20 yards. It left the heaviest blood trail I have ever seen, deer ran probably 30-40 yards and was found dead. With said I'd recommend something...........well, I'll just say something more suitable for hunting.


Be sure to make certain you can use the LRN, here in AL you must use "expanding" ammunition, wouldn't think the LRN would qualify.
 
Do it right and use a SWC if you can by rules. SWCs are the best hunting bullets. A hollow point in this caliber is not apt to have a lot of penetration and you need an exit hole because you're likely going to be blood trailing the animal. A round nose is NOT going to give as much wounding as a SWC.
 
No way! You need a 300 win mag to kill a deer, didn't you know that?
Click to expand...

There is a thread here about shooting hogs with a .22. You can get ridiculous with this light caliber on big game crap. :rolleyes: If you have a little too much, it ain't gonna hinder your chances. 400 ft lbs does not give me the warm fuzzies, why I've never bothered trying to hunt with such a pop gun. And, hell, I prefer single action revolvers in the outdoors, anyway. I've never had the desire to hunt with my Kel Tec P11, though our governor shot a coyote with his Ruger LCP a while back. Ruger is even making a limited "coyote special", now. :D

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I’ve heard of many ppl kill deer w a 9mm pistol they said the deer didn’t go far. For that matter there is no telling how many deer have fell to the lowly 22. If your state allows it go for it. I plan on hunting w a .40 carbine this year keeping all shots 40 yards and under.
 
Would it be my first choice? no
Would I hesitate to pull the trigger if I had the shot? no

Know your limitations and the limitations of the gun/cartridge you are using.
 
That Ruger is horrific. I actually own one and the trigger travel is about 37 minutes. By the time the pin hit's the shell the animal will had died of old age....
 
Hey ONLY are you using the Cx4 storm .40? That was my original post at the top that the .45 I am using is a "Rifle" chambered in a pistol caliber. I could go with a lighter bullet to get over 1000 FPS.

Thanks
 
I think I'll try hunting deer with my NAA super companion this year. It's legal since it's not a rimfire. :rolleyes: I have killed one doe at 80 yards with a rifle in a handgun caliber, a Rossi 92 in .357 magnum. It pushes a 165 grain bullet at 1900 fps. They also offer that gun in .454 Casull. I'd like to have one of those.
 
That would be perfect for smaller hogs if you can get it right behind the ear. Maybe just a tad too weak for deer, but if you're confident take the shot. You've gotta find it :) I'm just sayin...
 
Yeah, I figure the little super companion is the deal. I just need to get inside 10 feet and I'm golden. But that's "hunting" and you have to be a "hunter", right? :D Hey, I've killed hogs with a .22......in the trap.

The .357 will do anything a 170 grain bullet at 2000 fps from a .30-30 will do to 100 yards. I mainly like the .454 because it uses a screw in plunger in the magazine making it much easier to unload when I get back to the truck. I like the little carbine for just bopping around on my place, but usually carry a little heavier SKS because it's easier to unload. But, it does have .30-30 power, too, with Wolf 154 soft point and is pretty accurate. You guys can play with your toys. I'll shoot game with a real gun.
 
What I carry usually depends on what I am after and where I am. If I am in middle GA swamps and I know there are a lot of Hogs I'll carry my .44 on my hip and a 30.06. That's stalking. If I am in a stand on my land I'll usually have my Kimber .45 in a holster and use either the 30-30 Marlin or my 30-06. This year I wanted to mix it up and try the .45. I would even attempt that on a hog. I've perforated a 185 pound sow with a 320 grain .44 and she still came after me! They're not unstoppable they just have a very small DRT zone. This went right through her shoulders and she was madder then hell.
 
I'm going slightly (not completely, it's an inline with a scope) retro this season. .50 caliber thumper. :D I never carry a handgun on the stand unless it's my primary, just gets in the way. I am thinkin' about packin' my Ruger Old Army, though, while hunting with the smoke pole. That Ruger is ACCURATE and I've thought of just using it, may try sometime. It pushes a 220 grain Lee conical to 1300+ fps with a full charge of 777, pretty good approximation of a light .44 mag load. I do have my CCW in a pocket 24/7, but that's not for hunting. Comes in handy when I trap a hog, though. I've shot 'em in the trap with everything from an NAA .22 to a .45 Colt. They all died....eventually. Head shots are lethal even with a .22.
 
Do you guys have actual boars or javelina? We get some monsters in South GA. They get even bigger in North Fla around Jacksonville. The smallest I would go on those would be a .22 magnum :) I don't like having to run up trees anymore.
 
I don't have Javelina on my place, but they are south and west of here. Lots of 'em down at Aransas NWR along with the wild hogs. On my place, they're almost pure European stock boar, I've found out by googling and reading, come from stock that was put here on the Powderhorn ranch in the 30s. They're mean, lean, and fugly, but don't get THAT big. I've never seen one much over 300 lbs and 98 percent of 'em don't get a lot over 250. These aren't feral, though. These are the real deal. I never really realized that, just thought they'd been in the wild a long time, until I read that about the hogs from the Powderhorn. I'd heard the story, but figured it was just legend.

The pic is a little big.... http://www.thehighroad.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=108125&d=1256782257
 
Shot placement!
Put an expanding HP through the heart, spine, neck = done deal.
Put a LRN low in a lung or something, you might have an archery-type tracking job ahead of you...
 
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