.45 cal deer loads

[hanshi]

Some 80 grains of 3F is the most I've ever used in a .45. But it was murder on whitetails. I later decided that was unnecessary and dropped down to 60-70 grains. I killed deer with 65 grains in a .45 and liked the way it dropped them.

 

[Machino]

In all honesty, i went to 90gr of FFFG because of the bear. I rebuilt my gun and was ready to hunt, but hemmed and hawed last year because everything I read said a .45 was to light for bear. This year I bumped the charge up for good measure for bear and I haven't argued with the results. He went 60yds down a steep hill. Lung shot. Ball lodged on underside of opposite side hide

 

[NorthFork]

Beautiful! How Long before your wife (assuming you are married) wants her table back?
I also have a 45 Caliber rifle made in 1980 and I believe a Douglas Barrel as well. It’s a sweet shooter. Douglas Barrels must have been the barrel of the day in the early 80s. Lots of happy shooting!

Not wife's table. It is the sellers photo's from their site.

 

[Jay Templin]

Both of these deer were taken with a .45 calibre Hawken. I got the buck at about 20 yards with a linen patched .445 ball over 75gr 2Fg, and the doe at almost 50 with an R.E.A.L. conical on 90 gr 2Fg. In both cases the ball passed completely through the deer. My first deer was a buck taken with the same gun at about 20 yards with a linen patched .440 over 75gr 2Fg, and I still have that ball- it passed most of the way through and fetched up under the skin on the off side.

.45 is definitely enough gun for whitetails. At least here in Tidewater Virginia.

Jay