Which bullet for 45 Colt?

[daddywpb]

Do you think a 300 grain bullet at about 1100 fps out of a 7 1/2" 45 Colt Bisley is good enough for deer and hogs? I have Cast Performance 300 grain WFN's and Hornady 300 grain XTP's. Both shoot great - which one would choose? Thanks.

[Questor]

Can a Colt handle those kinds of pressures?

[Blackhawk44]

Out of a Colt, I think not.  At least not for long.  Down about 900fps will make for a much longer relationship.  In the long run, I think you will come to enjoy the cast bullet overall.  You get equal velocity at somewhat lower pressure and much less wear on the gun.  Even at 1100fps, jacketed bullet expansion will be a sometimes thing so why push the gun.  Also, inside 60-70 yards, even at 900fps, a 300gr bullet will make any game shooting more a question of possible pilot error rather than equipment failure.

[carolcann]

I think (hope) the "7 1/2" indicates a Ruger Bisley, in which case the 300gr/1100fps is not a frame-stretcher. I'd start with the XTP, it should hold together just fine on deer.

If there is someone out there who has a Colt Bisley and is pushing the limits of the design and vintage with loads like those, he/she won't be for long!

[daddywpb]

I didn't make it up on my own guys - the load is listed in the latest Speer manual. Recoil is quite manageable, accuracy is excellent, and there are no signs of excess pressure in my gun. Primers are still nice and rounded, and with the barrel up, cases fall out of the chambers when the cylinder is turned. I've been using XTP's for years but not on game. I was wondering if someone who has used them would know if the jackets will hold togeather on deer sized animals.

[daddywpb]

Sorry for leaving out vital info - it's a Ruger Bisley in 45 LC caliber, not a Colt Bisley.

[MS Hitman]

I've been using them on game for years and they hold up just fine on deer and hogs.  You won't go wrong with the 300 grain cast bullet either.  When you start off with a bullet using a diameter of nearly one half inch, further expansion isn't really needed.  Penetration and getting an exit wound is what you need to achieve.

[Lloyd Smale]

with a hard cast bullet that load will kill almost anything that walks!

Do you think a 300 grain bullet at about 1100 fps out of a 7 1/2" 45 Colt Bisley is good enough for deer and hogs? I have Cast Performance 300 grain WFN's and Hornady 300 grain XTP's. Both shoot great - which one would choose? Thanks.

[Blackhawk44]

If its a Ruger, full speed ahead.  What I said about cast vs. jacketed still holds true.  I load for a number of Colts and their limits are not to be played with.  When they reach their limit, they will start showing you beaten cylinder pins and bushings pretty quickly.

[Hawkeye]

My pistol really likes the 300 grn cast Elmer style w/gas check and H110 pwder. My loads are hitting 1050fps and shoot great groups at 50yds.
I will be using it for deer this season.

Mike

[Hcliff]

It does depend on what your style of shooting is.  If you like to take behind the shoulder shots the XTP does it best work because it expands.  A shoot through the should shot the cast works better.  The WFN is an great bullet.  In fact I just got off the phone ordering some Cast Pro from Kelly for my 480 for hunting.  We were talking and he actually like the heavy weights in the 45 caliber  I like exit wounds which cast will give you.  I would like the cast for sure for hogs.  (another alternative if you like jacketed bullets is the Speer plated soft point 300 grainer))  In wet news print the cast bullet will penertrate the XTP by over 1/3 more.  Both are good bullets pick the one that you would like or the one that is more accurate

Have fun

Hcliff

[Camel 23]

On deer do you feel the xtp's will give you a complete pass through with a hit behind the shoulder?  I was thinking of using this bullet too.

[Hcliff]

For peneratration and expanding use the 300 grain XTP.  It won't mushroom as much as the lighter weight ones XTP.  Remember that the bigger the mushroom the more surface area it has to push through.  A  castr bullet will make a big wpound channel through anything.  Think of the wound channel as a top shape for the expanding bullets, a cast bullet wound have as wide of a channel but it will penerate.  Remember that a handgun bullet starts out with a surface are as wide as a rifle bullet expanded.  This is why you don't need lots of expansion.  The reason you need peneration is that the hand gun starts out slower so it doesn't have the speed to loose

Hcliff

[512]

have you thought of the cast soft nose styles? these have worked well for me in the past. kinda have the best of both worlds. call or email mount baldy bullets in cody wy. jeff

[supermag 445]

You got some great info.  I would just like to add that if you want to try another bullet try speer JSP in either 240 gr or the 270 grain.  These will do double duty on deer and hogs.  They penetrate like no tomorrow for an expanding bullet.   :grin:


Good luck

Brian