.45 colt efficiency

[tdoug]

I have a 4.2" Ruger Redhawk, in .45 Colt, as well as a S&W 629  8 3/8" and a Super Redhawk 71/2" 454 Casull. I guess I have all anybody would need, but the question I can't find a definitive answer to is : can the 45 Colt Ruger be used as a short range(50 - 75 yd) whitetail round?
The internet is in this case a hindrance because I mostly find varied opinions as opposed to facts.

[Bigeasy]

FACT- Put a 250 or so grain .45 cal. slug thru a deers ribs at 900 fps or so = Dead deer.

Larry

[tdoug]

Thanks larry

I guess I can't see the ballistics out of my short 4" barrel. I have a drawer full of 250 gr. xtps, but I wondered if it was worth it.

[stimpylu32]

tdoug

Even a good old cast 250g from that 4" will drop a WT , its all I have used for over 10 years now , granted , mine is from a 6" barrel ( state mandate = 5" or more ) but it still gets the job done .

I just never saw the reason for the recoil of a 44 mag or 454 when the 45 LC will do just fine .

stimpy

[Mohawk]

.45 is great through both lungs. But then so are most things (:

[ducati]

That is what I have been carrying this year. 255 gr with 9 grains of Unique.

[StrawHat]

I've used the Lyman 454424 (260 grain SWC) with a full case of blackpowder as my deer load for almost 20 years.  It works.  Uberti, Model P clone 5 1/2" barrel.

[Ken ONeill]

I prefer to handload my .45 Colts with 250 gr. XTP's and 2400 to 1100-1200 fps., but the standard factory .45 Colt will work assuming proper shot placement @ 50 yds. or so.

[AtlLaw]

can the 45 Colt Ruger be used as a short range(50 - 75 yd) whitetail round?

Does a former drill sergeant make a lousy therapist!?   

[Mohawk]

Our old neighbor has used the standard Rem 225 gr. SWC religiously on deer. Seen him use it. Worked fine.

[TommyD]

If you put it through both lungs, the deer will go down fairly quickly.

My very first deer was taken with a Ruger Super Redhawk. I loaded a 45 Colt case with Lil'Gun (Staying within Hodgdon's published loads) and a 300 grain Hornady XTP hollowpoint. Over my chrono it goes 1150 fps.

The 300 grain bullet is a bit more than you need for whitetails, but in my particular gun it shot tighter groups than the 250.

It was a 120 pound doe at 45 yards. I hit her behind the left shoulder and she didn't go more than 20 yards before she lay down and gave up the ghost.

Tom

[Glanceblamm]

My very first deer was taken with a load straight out of the Hornady third edition manual. It was deemed a safe load (even for the Colt buntline Special which was the test gun, 4-3/4"bbl) using that 250 gr XTP over 21.6 gr of 296 and the Fed 150 primer. The claimed velocity was 1000 fps and again, out of that 4-3/4" barrel.

I duplicated this load (mainly because I had a lot of the Fed 150 primers that I inherited) But I would be shooting it out of a Ruger with a 7-1/2" barrel.

The doe went an honest 110 lbs and was facing me at just a little under 40 yds when I squeezed the shot off. I dont know if she had spied a bit of graze or what but bobbed her head the same instance that the gun went off!

She hit the ground hard as that 250 gr XTP struck her exactly where the right antler would be if this had been a buck. Incredibly, that bullet stayed within the inner confines of the neck not disturbing the outer hide at all. The exit wound was almost between her rear legs and was a full half dollar size. I figured that this was 36" of penetration not counting the head and neck area.

Three more deer have been taken with that same fixed sight but I beefed up the load some to the 1100-1200 fps range using the same bullet and powder but with the CCI 350 primer to set it off. I did this because the group size said I could and I also wanted a little more insurance if your 75yd deer would happen to show. Pass throughs happened with these latter three with two being broadside and one quartering. Exit wounds range around 3/4" in size and the maximum range to date is 42 yards.






 

[Mohawk]

Wow Glance.... That's penetration! Bet that bullet is still going.... should be in China by now (:

[BIG Dog454]

230 gr, or 255 gr at 1000fps in one side out the other, mush in between.
BD

[Ak.Hiker]

Check out the hunting loads put out by CorBon, Buffalo Bore, and Double Tap. Lots of choices if you do not handload or like to try out different bullets. Double Tap even loads Keith style bullets.

[MePlat]

I chronoed a good load yesterday in 44 degree weather from my 4 5/8th's Ruger New Vaquero with the 270 SAA bullet that went 1093 fps ave velocity.
Now what does that equal too compared to a 250 gr bullet from a 44 Magnum?
Well lets see what momemtum ratios are.  The 270 SAA bullet is actually 275 gr as I cast them.
1093X275=300,575/7000=42.94 pounds feet for the 45 Colt load.
A 44 Mag 250 gr bullet would have to travel 1202 fps to equal that momemtum.  Not much less than what many loads will muster from a 4 inch 44 Mag when one considers the original Keith 44 Mag load ran around 1400 fps from a solid breech test barrel of 6 1/2 inches which was the standard used at that time in velocity testing of the 44 mag.
Lets see now.  A 4 inch 44 Mag Smith plus cylinder is 5.875 inches in length.  Which is .625 inches less than the test barrel (remember the test barrel is chamber included)  Average velocity loss in a inch of barrel with most 2400 loads is 40 fps.
Now 40X.625=25fps vel. loss which equal 1375 fps. test barrel figure now.
Now with a 8 to 10 (9 percent ave) percent velocity loss due to the flash gap we come up with 1251 fps for the Keith load in a 4 inch Smith.  1375X.91=1251fps
1251-1202 is 49 fps less velocity
I believe the 45 Colt is worthy myself.

[cwlongshot]

I have a 4.2" Ruger Redhawk, in .45 Colt, the question I can't find a definitive answer to is: Can the 45 Colt Ruger be used as a short range(50 - 75 yd) whitetail round?

The short answer is YES and with great efficiency!!!  It's been doing that since before most of us where alive...

CW

[kynardsj]

+1 on what cwlongshot said. I personally have 45's for short range and for long range. 250 grain cast plinking loads over a pile of Unique for 875 fps and other styles of bullets over a bunch of Lilgun for when I'm serious. The fastest being a 240 grain Hornady XTP mag running 1450 fps. The answer to your question is a definate yes.

[Redhawk1]

Whom ever told you that it won't work is WRONG.. Even a 900 fps 250 gr. cast bullet will kill a deer. I reload my 45 Colt to equal a 44 mag, but that is for black bear.

[Cheesehead]

Fact. I have taken one deer with the 45 Long Colt. A standard cowboy cast round nose flat point 250 grain bullet over a max charge of unique out of a 4 3/8 inch ruger. It did not take one step.

Cheese

[Mohawk]

The load I have seen used more than once on deer was plain Rem 225 gr SWC. I think it does maybe 950 fps? What Redhawk said was correct. Makes a fine close deer load. But heck, I use a .38 Spl and that works fine too.

[Sverre A.]

My load for my Bisley and Winchester is.
H110/21 grain - Lyman 325.

From the 5.5 Bisley - 1050 fps.
Winchester : 1375 fps
 
Perfect for the most 

[TommyD]

I chronoed a good load yesterday in 44 degree weather from my 4 5/8th's Ruger New Vaquero with the 270 SAA bullet that went 1093 fps ave velocity.

Be careful with your loadings of the New Vaquero. There are warnings all over the place that it is not as strong as the Blackhawk or the Old Vaquero and we don't want you losing a hand, or an eye. or your life it it can't handle the higher pressure. I have been told by engineers that the problem with metal fatique that it is very hard to see any changes until it is just about to go.

It may look fine for hundreds of shots, and then one day it just blows.

The good news is that even standard pressure loadings are more than adequate in 45 Colt if you put it through the boiler room.

Tom

[Mohawk]

Agree with Tom. The standard .45 Colt SWC is brutal on deer.

[frontloader1]

My very first deer was taken with a load straight out of the Hornady third edition manual. It was deemed a safe load (even for the Colt buntline Special which was the test gun, 4-3/4"bbl) using that 250 gr XTP over 21.6 gr of 296 and the Fed 150 primer. The claimed velocity was 1000 fps and again, out of that 4-3/4" barrel.

I duplicated this load (mainly because I had a lot of the Fed 150 primers that I inherited) But I would be shooting it out of a Ruger with a 7-1/2" barrel.

The doe went an honest 110 lbs and was facing me at just a little under 40 yds when I squeezed the shot off. I dont know if she had spied a bit of graze or what but bobbed her head the same instance that the gun went off!

She hit the ground hard as that 250 gr XTP struck her exactly where the right antler would be if this had been a buck. Incredibly, that bullet stayed within the inner confines of the neck not disturbing the outer hide at all. The exit wound was almost between her rear legs and was a full half dollar size. I figured that this was 36" of penetration not counting the head and neck area.

Three more deer have been taken with that same fixed sight but I beefed up the load some to the 1100-1200 fps range using the same bullet and powder but with the CCI 350 primer to set it off. I did this because the group size said I could and I also wanted a little more insurance if your 75yd deer would happen to show. Pass throughs happened with these latter three with two being broadside and one quartering. Exit wounds range around 3/4" in size and the maximum range to date is 42 yards.


might ought to check that Hornady Handbook again!!! Im setting here looking at Hornady Handbook of Cartridge Reloading ....Fourth Edition..45 long colt....250 grain hp/XTP....no listing of 296......for listing of 296, I have to go to the Ruger-T/C only....250 grain hp/XTP  no listing of 296.........300 grain hp/XTP..Starts Win296....18.3 gr@1100 fps......THE MAX..21.3 GR@1300 FPS  ......
 none of my loading books list w296 for standard pressure 45 long colt  but....In the Complete Handloading Manual For The 45lc.......it list..250 gr XTP  ...START,13.9 GR  W296  750FPS....MAX..16.1..900 FPS....


 

[MePlat]

"might ought to check that Hornady Handbook again!!! Im setting here looking at Hornady Handbook of Cartridge Reloading ....Fourth Edition..45 long colt....250 grain hp/XTP....no listing of 296......for listing of 296, I have to go to the Ruger-T/C only....250 grain hp/XTP  no listing of 296.........300 grain hp/XTP..Starts Win296....18.3 gr@1100 fps......THE MAX..21.3 GR@1300 FPS  ......"

Just because a load is not in a newer book doesn't mean it isn't/wasn't a good load.  What rips me are the shooters that have been using a load they got from an older book and have been using that load for years with different lots of powder,  primers and cases and in some situations many different guns and when they see a newer book with greatly reduced loads for their powder and bullet weight start to quake,  swoon, shake and grab their chest screaming "oh lordy I have a lit stick of dynamite in my hand."
If one has been using a good load for years and getting good case life, been using different lots of primers and different cases and the guns are still sound then that load is okay.  Period.

Now if you are experiecing pressure problems than look at the load with a critical eye.  There will be tell tell signs. 44 mag below
Speer # 9 240 gr bullet 2400 powder cci 350 19.0 gr max
Speer # 10 240 gr bullet 2400 cci 350  22.2 max
Speer # 13  240 gr bullet 2400 cci 300 21.0 max
Speer # 14 same as #13

45 Colt speer data #14
Ruger data
260 JHP  H110 20.0 gr max
300 UCSP  H110 23.5 gr  both cci 350
Explain these two loads.

Okay go.

[Mohawk]

Why does it have to be so complicated to put down a deer? Heavier game I can't see, but a deer? A Tic-tac to a brick works just fine. I understand custom loads for certain game but a deer? I would even trust a cowboy load in .45 Colt to take a deer.

[MePlat]

To the best of my knowlege no one said it was complicated to put down a deer.  Some like to use different things.
Let me give a very good example.  If everyone still used the same load that came out for the 45 Colt we would all be using BP even now.  Granted the BP load had plenty of penetration for most in the lower 48 .
If Elmer Keith and his buddies were only using factory equivelent loads in the 44 special we would still be getting aound 650 to 700 with a 246 gr bullet.
Now most of us won't make a "hill of beans" worth of difference to the shooting world in reality but does that mean we need to be locked into low velocity loads and standard bullet shapes like the 454190 in the 45 Colt?
What is wrong with maybe medium?  What is wrong with being out of the standard box by just a little?
Does that mean that Skeeter Skelton with his 7.5 gr Unique and 250 Keith was being complicated?  Keith with 17.5 gr 2400 and the 250 was way over complicated I guess?  If that was over complicated what about the 44 Mag?  
How complicated is the 500 S&W with a 440 at 1600?  
Simple is okay but whay be locked into simple?
I sure am not going to walk or ride a horse to work tomorrow.  Daniel Boone walked where he went.  Maybe rode a horse some times.  I prefer to drive a motor vehicle.
Complicated?  

[Mohawk]

MePlat, I was agreeing with you.

[MePlat]

Thank you.  I guess I pulled  the same stunt that the guy on the 40 S&W thread did.  Missunderstood.