Author Topic: Your favorite 45 Colt Hunting Loads (Read 5024 times)

Lawful Larry · « **Reply #30 on:** July 29, 2005, 11:07:22 AM »

Quote from: jakes10mm

Finally got out to the range with my BH and the 250gr 777-powered loads. Compared to teh H110 300gr and 250gr loads I was firing prior to pulling out the 777 loads.....they were pussycats. The smoke was so thick that I couldn't see the impacts at 25yards. I did get a good visual validation of hitting targets when I switched from paper to clay pigeons.

Hate to say it, but I think I will remain with Smokeless powder for this season. I'm really liking heavy bullets at the 300+ range. So is my hunting buddy with his 44 magnum.

Don't know why you even considered going with 777 in a case for hunting. I would never think of using that kind of load for hunting deer. Glad you are going back to smokeless. Good choice, but if you think you can get a good kill shot with a .44 mag at 300+ yards -- think again. I would never try such a long and careless shot at an animal. A target, yeah! :wink:

Lone Star · « **Reply #31 on:** July 29, 2005, 01:24:41 PM »

Quote

...if you think you can get a good kill shot with a .44 mag at 300+ yards -- think again. I would never try such a long and careless shot at an animal...

He appears to be talking about his experience at the range shooting out to 300+ yards. I don't believe he's talking about hunting at that distance.

oso45-70 · « **Reply #32 on:** July 29, 2005, 03:41:58 PM »

Mannlicher.

Looks like you and I are the only ones that use Unique powder. I load 10 grs. of unique for the 250gr hard cast bullets for hunting and have had great luck. I use 8 1/2 grs for plinking, With the300gr hard cast i use 9 grs.
My only complaint with the unique powder is, Its kinda messy, But it gets the job done.............Joe..........

WD45 · « **Reply #33 on:** July 30, 2005, 04:15:09 AM »

Yer not alone... I use unique for most of my loads and 10 grains under a 250 grn keith is my standard deer load.. Even in my rossi 92 its all I need for pass thru shots .. Not bad on the ears either and doesnt beat you to death. I find the new formula for unique is much cleaner than the old stuff and not all as bad as people put on. I also use 700X and 800X which people dont like cause its a little dirty. I found 700X to be very accurate out of my guns and the rossi will shoot one ragged hole with it out to 50 yards .. its not what I would use for deer but is excellet for smaller vermine

Greeenriver · « **Reply #34 on:** July 30, 2005, 04:52:40 PM »

Lawful Larry, for the last few years I have been using APP under a 200 or 250 grn hard cast slug for deer and have has good performance from this load. I used to load realy hot 45lc loads and the deer I have shot with the APP loads couldn't tell the diference between my APP oads and the realy hot loads I used to use. I have hunted from the same blind for close to 10 years now, and the shots range from about 10ft to, at the most, 50yds. I am a firm believer in using enough gun for the job, but see no reason to use more than I need to humainly kill the game I'm hunting. And I got tired of beating up my hands and my pistols with the realy hot loads.

However, earlier today, I did shoot a gopher in the back yard and I think I used more gun than I needed for that. I shot it with my Winchester model 86, made in 1891, in 45-70 caliber, loaded with 65grns of APP under a hardcast 405grn RNFP slug.

It was a one shot kill.

Greeenriver(Shoot what you enjoy, shooting is suposed to be fun.)

Sverre A. · « **Reply #35 on:** August 04, 2005, 01:31:36 PM »

My .45 load is: 325 gr. Lyman/H110-21 gr.. From my Bisley, 5,5" I clock it to 1050 fps, and my Winchester mod. 94 at 1350 fps.

jakes10mm · « **Reply #36 on:** August 18, 2005, 04:48:07 AM »

Guess my "300+" was confusing. The "range" I was talking about was bullet weight...not yardage. I was talking about convincing my hunting buddy to choice a 300gr + bullet for his hunting load. We did some testing of "HOT" loads comparing the 240gr vs. 300gr bullets. At Max Load per the powder manufacturer, they both had a good kick, but the 300gr load was easier to handle than the 240gr load. The 240 had more snap than the 300.

Regarding my "engagement range".....I'm placing my max at 100yards. Realistically, I'll be hunting in the 50-75 yard range based on the terrain and vegetation in our normal hunting area. 300 yards...heck, I've only practiced out to 200yards (max distance at my club) with my 308 rifle. If history repeats itself, I'll spend all my time practicing at 50yds and 100yds, then have a Buck step under my tree stand for a 15yard shot.

Sorry about the confusion with my numbers in the earlier post.

By the way, I talked with Bob at Penn Bullets and will be using his 270gr Thunderheads this season. Very interested in how that .443 meplat will perform on PA deer. Based on his load data; I'll be launching it in the 1250-1350 fps velocity range.

Rmouleart · « **Reply #37 on:** September 28, 2005, 04:22:15 PM »

I worked up another nice load using 45lc's to hunt southern area's of nh purpose, hunting thin skinned animals, like deer at fairly close range. I selected Speers 250gr GDHP Golddot .452 dia, looked like it would fit the bill, found 21gr H110, CCI Mag primers, win brass, shooting out of my 454 Caull, shot really tight groups from 25 to fifty yards using a scope on the SRH, I was surprised how truly accurate the 45lc really can be. GDHP's run about 1200 fps, not bad at all. Recoil moderate to say the least, well thats comparing the 454 Casulls recoil. Aim small hit small. RAMbo.

poncaguy · « **Reply #38 on:** September 29, 2005, 01:51:53 PM »

Corbon 300 grain +P JHP..... :grin:

MattC · « **Reply #39 on:** September 29, 2005, 03:13:17 PM »

These are tried and true in my 5.5-inch stainless bisley

lee 300 fp mold gas check lbt blue lube 18.5 grains 2400 about 1120 fps

LBT 325 WFN gas check mold blue lube 22.0 grains h4227 gives 1150 fps.

Have killed deer and pigs with both.

SingleFan · « **Reply #40 on:** October 03, 2005, 09:02:28 AM »

12.5 grains of AA #5 under a .451 Beartooth Custom Bullets WFNGC. Winchester brass and large pistol primer. 1050 fps and terminal on deer. Shot two in the 60-70 yard range.

The wide meplat and excellent accuracy of those rounds (and relatively mild recoil) make a great combo for deer.

riddleofsteel · « **Reply #41 on:** October 25, 2005, 03:46:02 PM »

My favorite small game and plinking load for the .45 Colt is a soft lead 255 grain SWC over 8.5 grains of new formula Unique. It gives me around 850 FPS with great accuracy and will kill almost anything it hits given a respect for animal size and distance. I would not hesitate to use it on a broad side deer shot although I have never used it for that purpose. I do know it will roll a groundhog like a cannon ball. Its recoil is very mild and my 12 year old son loves to shoot it.

My favorite big game hunting load for the .45 Colt is a hardcast .45 270 grain Keith style SWC by Leadhead Bullets over 10 grains of new formula Unique.
This load is bulls eye accurate and gives me a little under 1100 FPS out of my 7.5" Blackhawk and just under 950 FPS out of my 4 5/8" Blackhawk. Recoil is just enough to know you have fired a big bore handgun. Muzzle blast and muzzle flash are very tolerable. I shoot stag grips on both guns so I do not want .454 ballistics or recoil.
With this load, either gun will push the Keith style wad cutter completely through a white deer at any angle you care to chose and break bones if needed in the process. Smaller hogs in the 80 to 175 lb range give similar results. The only bullet from this load I have ever recovered from a game animal broke the neck of a LARGE South Carolina feral hog in an almost head on shot. It was fired from my 7.5" gun and was trucking along just under 1100 FPS when it met Mr. Hog. After smashing his spine just behind the head it continued 3/4 the length his body before coming to rest against his left rear hip. We found it when we were cutting off the rear leg. The front was a little dented but the bullet was mostly undamaged. The penetration and performance of a hard cast .45 has to be seen to be believed and it does not have to loaded incredibly hot to make it happen.

http://yerfrockethellhound.com/stagblackhawks.BMP

jro45 · « **Reply #42 on:** October 27, 2005, 01:31:14 AM »

With my New Model Blackhawk 45 I shoot the 240gr bullet at 1450 fps to a hundred yds and its group is 1.5". I think it a good load for deer hunting. 2400 powder.

John R. · « **Reply #43 on:** October 27, 2005, 03:23:59 AM »

If it will shoot 1.5" @ 100 yds, you better hang on to that pistol!!! :grin:

riddleofsteel · « **Reply #44 on:** October 27, 2005, 08:47:33 AM »

I have had several handguns that would shoot that well. I find that I am the weak link.
Several years ago I discovered that a friend of mine had access to a Ransom Rest. I tested two long barrel handguns that we could locate adapters for. The results told me a lot about my handguns and my hand loads. I had a S&W 629 Classic that was shooting 2 MOA with a 200 grain Nolser SJHP over Blue Dot. I also found that my 7.5" Blackhawk in .45 Colt was printing 1.75 MOA with my plinking load of 8.5 grains of Unique with a National Bullet Company 255 grain SWC. All this was at 100 yards.
Strange.....they do not seem to shoot that well when I shoot off of the sand bags.

HUMMMM

:wink:

Rmouleart · « **Reply #45 on:** October 27, 2005, 03:49:00 PM »

Give me a shooting stick and at a 75 yards using a scoped handgun. I can shoot just as good as a rifle, well cloverleaf, not one hole like my savage. A good rest will play in to be your best advantage when handgun hunting or shooting, I proved that to my father today at the range, when put a three shot group between the eye's of a deer target we set up at 75 yards, He was a instant believer, Let my father try the fandangled shooting stick as he called it, He shot a two inch group in the vitals, not bad for 69 years of age

Like I said a rest makes a world of difference, try one and you will see what Im talking about. Aim small hit small. RAMbo.

John R. · « **Reply #46 on:** October 28, 2005, 08:05:04 AM »

He didn't say anything about a Ransom rest or a scope. I'm talking about sandbags or any other improvised rest. A stock Blackhawk that will shoot honest to god 1.5" groups @ 100 yds with iron sights is something to behold. The gun may be capable with the ransom rest but most shooters won't be up to the task, at least not with iron sights. :grin:

Lloyd Smale · « **Reply #47 on:** October 28, 2005, 11:20:57 PM »

tell ya what boys a out of the box sixgun that will shoot 1.5moa even out of a ransom rest with a scope is a treasure that i wouldnt let go of!!!! Aint one in my safe!

riddleofsteel · « **Reply #48 on:** October 30, 2005, 03:08:24 AM »

My 7.5" Blackhawk is actually the product of a warranty problem that almost made me tear out my hair. I bought a .44 Mag 6" S&W 629 Classic DX and a .45 Colt 7.5" Ruger Blackhawk at the same time after selling off all my T/C Contender barrels and frames. The 629 shot perfect and was a joy. The Blackhawk would split the cases on factory .45 Colt loads in 3 out of six chambers!
I called Ruger they seem to yawn and told me to ship it back. Three months latter I called. They told me we need to replace the cylinder and we don't run .45 Colt BH cylinders all the time...be patient. 12 months latter I was talking to the warranty shop supervisor. He gave me a load of horse manure about the .45 Colt being a 100 year old cartridge ect. and how there were a lot of different specs out there on it. I asked him if he ever heard on SAMMI specs. I also asked him what the cartridge manufacturers used as specs to make cartridges. He finally agreed that they had screwed up and predicted a cylinder run in .45 Colt in a "couple of months." I sent a registered letter to William B. Ruger the next day with a detailed list of all my problems, a split case from his revolver and a plea for help.
Two weeks latter I got a call from the vice president of Quality Control. He told me my revolver was on the way back with a hand fitted cylinder. He told me he was sorry for my problems.

Bottom line...the tightest, most accurate Ruger Blawkhawk I have ever seen. Matter of fact the most accurate factory revolver I have ever fired.

Lawful Larry · « **Reply #49 on:** October 31, 2005, 03:33:35 AM »

Quote from: John R.

He didn't say anything about a Ransom rest or a scope. I'm talking about sandbags or any other improvised rest. A stock Blackhawk that will shoot honest to god 1.5" groups @ 100 yds with iron sights is something to behold. The gun may be capable with the ransom rest but most shooters won't be up to the task, at least not with iron sights. :grin:

If this can be done as you say, I would be the first to pat you on the back. I would also tell you to try out for the US Olympic team.

The best I can do with a 2x7 scope on my handgun is about a 2" group at a 100 yards. With open sights it would be impossible for me to get a 1.5" group at a 100 yards. That is close to an umpossible feat. Too many variables involved I would think.

riddleofsteel · « **Reply #50 on:** October 31, 2005, 10:36:51 AM »

I used to shoot MOA groups from a Super 14 Contender in 7-30 Waters out to 150 yards. This was with a 4x Leupold scope. I have never fired a revolver with a scope on it.