who hunts small game with a 1911?

[greywolf45]

i have using my 1911 for small game hunting for serveral years.  squirrels to 40 yds ,rabbits wherever.  i use 200 swc for everything in a tuned SA.  head shots mostly, but body shots don't ruin much meat.  just drills a hole thru and they go limp.  is anyone else using the grand old 1911 this way?

[Mikey]

greywolf45:  you're not alone here pal, join the crowd (lololol).  I think many more of us hunt casually with our 1911s than really admit, or at least it is with us when we are out either hunting or taking one of our other guns for a walk in the woods.

Sometimes I use my 1911 in 45 caliber, sometimes I use my 38 Super conversion.  I'm thinking of getting a 10mm upper (complete slide, barrel, etc) just for the fun of shooting it. 

I prefer loads that approximate mil-spec with the 45 - fmj at around 850-875'/sec.  I have used 200 gn fmj-swc target slugs and they work very well on small game and predators.  My preferences in the 38 Super are for either the 115 gn hp at about 1450'/sec (an old Charles Askins load) or the 125 gn hp at 1425'/sec - these two loads work very well on coyote and the like.  Mikey.

[Questor]

I've tried it. 22LR seems to be a better killer for small game, so I quit using the 45.

[greywolf45]

hey mikey-glad to hear that i'm not the only one.  i use both .45 and a ciener conversion.  the 1911 has become my all-the-time gun, handles any chores i might ask a pistol to do.  with the .45 the squirrels just go limp and fall out without excessive damage.  i admit it may be overkill ,but,it keeps me sharp. ( it is getting tougher to do with these aging eyes).  BTW  glad to be here and a part of your community.  thank for a great site.

[Mikey]

greywolf45:  Welcome to Greybeards and to the 45 ACP/1911 forum.  Many of our members here fight the same battle with aging eyes that you do and we are always going around on one point or another so c'mon on in and see what everyone else is up to. 

Questor:  you actually stopped using the 45 on small game?  You are now using leetle boolets for leetle critters - for shame.  Maybe if we can get that Rock Island longslide bullseye setup of yours working right you can go back to using that bullseye gun for some good field work.  Just a thought.  Mikey.

[myronman3]

i do when i can. 1 day i shot 3 pine squirrels with 3 shots!  i was really on that day.

[44 Man]

I do also, but usually because I always have a 1911 on me at the time and it is a 'target of opportunity'.  When I want to just go for a walk in the woods, I usually strap on a single action revolver.  But at all other times, I have a .45 on my hip during all waking hours.  When in the woods, I silp in a magazine of 200 lead swc's or flat nose bullets over a stout load of Unique.  That load works good!  44 Man