Cast bullet ? for hunting w/45 Colt

[silly goose]

I've always used bullets in the 250-255gr weight range in my Blackhawk for deer hunting.  I've taken two with complete pass through's.  Both were through the rib cage so its not that difficult.  I've been pondering getting a mold for a heavier bullet, maybe up to 300gr.  What has been your experience, is the heavier bullet necessary?  I don't need to spend more money or have more gear laying around.  I'm just wondering if I'm missing out on something.  Generally shots are less than 50 yards. 

[Tom W.]

You can try it, I have fired some, but used the 300 gr bullets for the .454 that I used to have. I haven't killed anything with them, and found that my Blackhawk shoots best with an RCBS 45-270 SAA bullet.

[Ranch13]

A 250 gr bullet wound up a little tight in the 45 colt will blow clear thru most any deer sized animal out to 50 yds or more. I'm really not sure what a 300 gr bullet would do any better?

[Lonegun1894]

For deer-size game, there will be no advantage between a 250gr and a 300gr.  The only possible advantage would be if your specific gun just prefers one over the other accuracy-wise.  But the only way to find that out is to just try several and see which is most accurate, as different guns will just prefer different bullets.  Now this is based on my small local Texas deer.  If you're up north and your deer are the size of our cattle, this may not hold true. 
 
As far as just the aspect of cast vs. jacketed, both work well, but based on personal experience, I prefer cast due to cheaper cost (allowing more practice), increased penetration, and the nice flat noses on my cast bullets.

[cwlongshot]

I have used both, I prefer the heavy cast slugs.

Good luck,
 CW

[Darrell Davis]

Well right up front, I am holstering a .44 RUGER Redhawk, but feel that my info will make an easy cross to the .45.

     #1, I have seen issues with the Blackhawk when I was working with the 300+ grain bullets, in damage to the cylindar pin and the spring loaded cross pin.  NEVER saw this happen with the 240 - 260gr slugs.

      So first off if I were again to go to a blackhawk and the heavier slugs, I'd look into buying the aftermarket pins to hopefully prevent such damage.

      Then, let me address bullet profile.  I have yet to take a critter with my Redhawk or even the Blackhawks so I will address profile as it applies to cast bullets in my 45/70.

     The WFN or LFN (Wide Flat Nose or Long Flat Nose) bullets are totally awesome in their game taking ability.  Do a search for in the field results with these bullets and you will find account after account of just how well these bullets proform on game animals.

    The mold I currently use for almost all of my .44 shooting is an LBT/LFN, 310gr bullet.

     Not to bad mouth the Blackhawk, they are what they are, a good solid gun, and have been there and done that 2 or 3 times including one scoped "Hunter" model.

     But the .44 Redhawk simply handles a steady diet of the 310s at about 1300fps from a 5.5" barrel, with zero issues.  No slouch load here.

     If I were to look for a new mold, I'd do the need research to assure that stability is possible from a shorter/lighter WFN bullet  then the 310gr and hopefully come in somewhere about 270 - 280grs. if possible.

    I am just so impressed with the WFN bullet profile that if at all possible I'd hope to stay with that.

    But considering the biggest and heaviest critter I am likely to face with my handgun is a Moose, the 310gr .44 while doing a great job is in truth a bit more then will ever be needed.

     So as this pertains to the .45, frankly for day to day use on about anything you are likely to ever face, the much heavier bullets are simply not needed and use up lots more lead per shot with no noticable improvement in game taking ability.

     They do however, with any powder charge worthy of such a heavy bullet, cause a lot more recoil!!!!!!!!
 
Keep em coming!
 
Crusty Deary Ol'Coot
       
 

[gr8ful]

I have been loading 300gr WFN/LBT over a near max charge of H4227 and it has performed very well on deer and hogs and is very accurate in my Ruger Bisley and H&R BCC.

[Darrell Davis]

Gr8ful.
 
I'd think 300gr might be just about right for a .45.  Plenty but not over the top.
 
Your results sound promising.
 
CDOC

[kynardsj]

I agree with what Lonegun1894 said. Clean pass thru is going to happen with either one. Shoot the one that you and your gun likes the best. I have three Rugers in 45 LC. All three like something a little bit different. Vaquero likes a 250 gr RNFP running at factory levels. Redhawk likes the 255 gr SWC's running a little bit hotter. My SuperBlackhawk Hunter really will shoot anything I put in it but right now is trued in with 320 gr Lymans with a WFP. It's my hog hunting pistol. Then to top it all off my 20 inch 45LC Encore won't shoot lead but loves hot Hornady 240 and 250 gr XTP's.

[sixshot]

Any 45 cast slug with the correct nose profile (flat) will get the job done on deer from any angle. It comes down to what you & your gun shoot the best. If you can handle the really heavy loads there is a slight advantage over the lighter 250-260 gr slugs but not as much as some might think. The heavier bullets hold up better at distance but there's a trade off in additional recoil as mentioned. Also, you don't have to be able to handle 50-60 shots of heavy loads, you are most likely going to only shoot 2-3 shots all season
  If you are shooting great with 1100 fps loads & just OK with 1300 fps loads...... some will argue the faster load shoots flatter, & it does but at sixgun range the difference is very slight. The key has always been (with cast) that big, wide nose bullet placed in the vitals. Lightweight, fast bullets in sixguns are usually miserable failures on big game, there are some exceptions but very few.
  The 45 can be handloaded to some very impressive power levels, many are beyond what some of us can handle. I use to run thousands of them down various barrels, now in my late 60's my wrists & elbows beg for a little relief.
 
Dick

[Darrell Davis]

Sixshot,
 
Well Said.
 
CDOC

[silly goose]

Thank you all for the advice.  I guess I found my answer, cause I'm not looking to invent a new magnum, I just wondered if I was missing something by not shooting heavier bullets.  So far I've been shooting Hornady 250gr XTP's w/20gr of 2400.  Recoil is nothing, but still feels like a stout load out of my Hunter.  I really like the BOOM, and then the THWACK, as it hits the target at 100 yards.  Thanks for the help fella's.  I think I'll stick with this weight range for now, and with careful shot placement, may even stay here. 

[Ranch13]

If you get a chance to get ahold of some 250 gr Keith type cast bullets try those with 12 grs of bludot. Plenty of velocity and accuracy to take care of most anything a handgun is capable of taking care of.

[Mike in Virginia]

For deer, I use nothing but a hardcast 300 grain flatpoint by LBT.  I've been using it for so long and have so many rounds of ammo stockpiled for my Blackhawk, that I can't even remember the dose of 2400 I used under the bullet.  I do remember checkin several loads to see which was more accurate, and this particular load of 2400 and said bullet is way more than I need for deer, but superbly accurate. I've made so many boxes with that load I'll never have to make any more.  It has always shot through every deer I've killed with it.  I suspect it might be overkill, but I'm sticking with it for now an evermore.  A reloader would be hard pressed to develop a load that strong ina .44. 
Darrel Davis, I suspect there was something inherently wrong with the Blackhawk damaged by too many 300 grain loads.  Lots of people are quick to believe the .44M is a stronger weapon in any configuration.  It just ain't so.  A .44Magnum Blackhawk is no stronger than a .45 Blackhawk.  In fact, I suggest the .45 is stronger, in that in generates less pressure with a 300 grain bullet than that same bullet in a .44.   

[Darrell Davis]

Mike, you could be correct, but there must be some reason that after market base pins are make with the locking feature.
 
I suspect I am not the only one who has seen this problem.
 
Maybe the Hunter was defective, but it sure did shoot!  I wish every rifle I've had would shoot as well as some 100yd cast bullet groups - 2X Leupold - that gun put down range.
 
later,
 
CDOC

[Lloyd Smale]

It wont make a pinch of differnce on deer sized game. Step up to something that weights 500lbs or more then the heavier bullet shows its stuff. That said i do probably shoot more 300 grain and up bullets in my 45 colts for hunting then i do 255s. But the reason is that just about all of my ruger 45s shoot much better with heavier bullets.

[Redhawk1]

It wont make a pinch of differnce on deer sized game. Step up to something that weights 500lbs or more then the heavier bullet shows its stuff. That said i do probably shoot more 300 grain and up bullets in my 45 colts for hunting then i do 255s. But the reason is that just about all of my ruger 45s shoot much better with heavier bullets.

I find the same thing with my 45 Colt.

[crash87]

Complete agreement with the above 2 posts. I shoot 3 different weights, 250, 300, and a bruiser 320. Save your money, and space on your bench, for deer, stay with 250-55 and dont look back, there is no need too.
Crash87

[RevJim]

 I had a Freedom Arms 97 in .45 Colt and the 270 Keith at 1050 fps was manageable and very accurate. Now that I have replaced joint in my gunhand, I only use autos, its why my favorite trail gun now is a G29/10mm. I put a LW bbl in it and a 21# spring and it is very manageable, but my point is it shoots the 230gr DoubleTap hard cast very well. Hard cast are awesome!
 The guide on my pig hunt up on the UP last spring had a hog leg (get it?)  Taurus Raging Bull in .454....my goodness, what truck axle! But he said he loved how it put pigs down...well I guess! ha. I shot two rounds of 310gr +P bear loads out of that Mod 97...not my cup of tea!