.45 Caliber: Deer?

[Johnny Too-Tall]

Shot placement is number 1 period. Number 2 is knowing your choice of calibers limitations. Number 3 is for me the most important when to shoot and not too.
Lousy shot placement doesn't matter know matter what cannon your using. JMHO

Can I get an AMENNNN!!
Also lets add Number 4. Knowing your own shooting limitations and ability - but this could fall under Number 3 as well.

 

[Horizontal Hunter]

Irrelevant.
A roundball from a .45 through the lungs will kill a 300 pound deer just as dead as a 100 pound deer.
Range and velocity/energy loss at distance might be more of a factor than the size of the deer. Especially given so many people's obsessed with how far they can shoot and animal.

At the end of the day shot placement is king.

 

[Jay Templin]

Every deer I’ve killed on purpose has been taken with a .45 Hawken. (The others were mostly taken with a V6.) Some with .440s, some with .445s, and one with a REAL bullet. Every one has been taken with one shot, and I’ve never shot one at more than 50 yards - I owe it to them to keep within my own best range, and with my eyes and these woods, I can’t hardly see a deer at 100. I’ve never had to track one more than a couple hundred yards, and the last one literally dropped where he stood.
Put the ball where it needs to go, and a .45 will do the job.
Jay

 

[flconch53]

Maybe try putting the round in the lungs instead of the boney, sinewy, tough shoulder?

So people that are not very good shots shouldn't go hunting

 

[Jay Templin]

So people that are not very good shots shouldn't go hunting

I mean, if you can’t kill an animal quickly and cleanly, I don’t believe you should go hunting. I use a muzzleloader instead of a bow for deer because I have not put in the time to improve my archery, and won’t take the chance of injuring one and losing it. We owe it to the animals we take to do so as humanely as possible.
Jay

 

[Brokennock]

So people that are not very good shots shouldn't go hunting

That might possibly be the case, yes.
Shooting at a living creature with an ethical responsibility to end its life quickly and humanely,,, is not a participation trophy activity. It's why I argue so much against the crowd that believes a good minimum standard of accuracy is being able to shoot a "group" the size of the kill zone of their intended quarry.

 

[flconch53]

That might possibly be the case, yes.
Shooting at a living creature with an ethical responsibility to end its life quickly and humanely,,, is not a participation trophy activity. It's why I argue so much against the crowd that believes a good minimum standard of accuracy is being able to shoot a "group" the size of the kill zone of their intended quarry.

Hence the reason to use a caliber of ball to increase your personal odds of a clean kill. By the way I hunt with a smoothbore 56 cal primarily and limit my shots to 40 yds or less as best as I can tell. People being able to judge distance is another topic altogether

 

[Rebel bull]

I cannot believe how many normally sane people are convinced that the only proper shot is to try and drive a projectile through the shoulder of a animal ! I don't care which wiz-bang your shooting no projectile is made that will repeatedly put a hole through the shoulder blade I have personally witnessed a 300 win mag fail to penetrate on more then 1 occasion and more then one of the larger calibers also. but every year its the same thing "I wanted to knock it down so it couldn't go anywhere" in other words I'm to lazy to practice shot placement and can't track worth a damn . If you put it right next to the point of the elbow and don't chase it right away it won't go far! Don't take your eyes off of it until it drops or you can't see it any longer . Reload and wait a half hour minimum your deer will be laying there.

 

[Johnny Too-Tall]

Hence the reason to use a caliber of ball to increase your personal odds of a clean kill. By the way I hunt with a smoothbore 56 cal primarily and limit my shots to 40 yds or less as best as I can tell. People being able to judge distance is another topic altogether

**Not sure why it quoted you and won't let me get rid of it***

I personally have never selected a caliber or broadhead when hunting to give me the best chance to kill an animal with a poor shot. I plan to take only ethical shots knowing my weapons ability and that of my own. I choose the most accurate weapon I have available that's suitable for the job. Yes, poor shot placement happens but its not something I use a large weapon than needed to make up for. Unfortunately, some hunters do and make lower percentage shots on game thinking their magnum or big bore weapon will make up for shot choice, they quickly no longer become a hunting buddy of mine. In my opinion a bigger hole never makes up for shot placement.
I dislike the statement people make that if you can hit a paper plate with the weapon of your choice you are good enough to hunt deer. Lets see that's saying you can have a 9" margin of error or 9" shot group at say 25-50 yards and that's "good enough" no wayyyy. I wouldn't let my son hunt until he could hit a clay pigeon on backstop 4 out of 5 times and that became the max distance I'd allow him to shoot at a deer. I have personally only lost one deer the past 10 years and that was with a recurve bow that hit the shoulder. The same buck was taken 2 weeks later with same bow.

 

[flconch53]

**Not sure why it quoted you and won't let me get rid of it***

I personally have never selected a caliber or broadhead when hunting to give me the best chance to kill an animal with a poor shot. I plan to take only ethical shots knowing my weapons ability and that of my own. I choose the most accurate weapon I have available that's suitable for the job. Yes, poor shot placement happens but its not something I use a large weapon than needed to make up for. Unfortunately, some hunters do and make lower percentage shots on game thinking their magnum or big bore weapon will make up for shot choice, they quickly no longer become a hunting buddy of mine. In my opinion a bigger hole never makes up for shot placement.
I dislike the statement people make that if you can hit a paper plate with the weapon of your choice you are good enough to hunt deer. Lets see that's saying you can have a 9" margin of error or 9" shot group at say 25-50 yards and that's "good enough" no wayyyy. I wouldn't let my son hunt until he could hit a clay pigeon on backstop 4 out of 5 times and that became the max distance I'd allow him to shoot at a deer. I have personally only lost one deer the past 10 years and that was with a recurve bow that hit the shoulder. The same buck was taken 2 weeks later with same bow.

My point is and I guess I am not getting it across is I think a gun should be used that if you miss slightly or more than slightly you will still have a blood trail you can follow. I used to hunt with a 45 hawken and have removed more than 1 ball from under the far side skin. Also remember a blood trail in the snow is much different than one in a cypress head.

 

[Rodd Boyer]

Yes.
.440 ball
50gr. 3f Swiss

 

[Johnny Too-Tall]

Yes.
.440 ball
50gr. 3f SwissView attachment 296975

There you go. Nice buck and rifle both are impressive.

 

[gunpa]

Just to be clear, not stirring the pot but a 45 caliber round ball is no 45-70. You need a little more weight behind it.

 

[Adam in WI]

Just to be clear, not stirring the pot but a 45 caliber round ball is no 45-70. You need a little more weight behind it.

Exactly. That'd be like saying a .30 carbine will hang with a .30-06

 

[ZUG]

.45, .50, .54 caliber will ALL take deer under the right conditions and the right shot placement . Being the best shot that you can be is a product of practice, staking skills, and patience.

 

[Greenjoytj]

Look at the ballistic tables that show the KE at the farthest range you might take a shot.
The 45 cal 128 gr PRB in a 28” 1:48 twist barrel 100 yds using 40 grs. 3fg GOEX KE is 242 ft/lb. With 120 grs the KE goes up to 396 ft/lb. thats only a little more that 38 special power.
So keep the range to deer short to keep your KE up.

 

[Crew Chief]

If legal in your state, do you consider the .45 caliber round ball suitable for taking a deer?

Thanks,

-Smokey

I built a .45 cal. TC Hawken in 1982 amd took a buck at about 50 yds. It is adequate for TX deer at reasonable distances. Work up your load and practice, practice, practice.

 

[Sparkplug]

I recently took a small deer with my .44 revolver. So yes, the rifle can do it! However, you have to know the limitations of your gun, your load, and yourself. Then stay well within those limits!

 

[smokepolehall]

Shot placement & keeping your shots where you have enough energy to get good penetration. I have used my Pa's old 32-20 killing deer, kept my shot yardage with common sense

 

[stikshooter]

Shot placement is number 1 period. Number 2 is knowing your choice of calibers limitations. Number 3 is for me the most important when to shoot and not too.
Lousy shot placement doesn't matter know matter what cannon your using. JMHO

Sure it does with a 54 and conicals over 80-90 gr of OE 2/3 F you can't ask the herd I've shot as the deer aren't talking then or now !!! And I do know limitations and that gun (one of 4) had way less limitations than your RB 45 versus my RB 54 distance or penetration or blood trails . Applies to shotguns too , 10 ga compared to a 28ga on ducks . I can shoot them with the 28 but prefer the 10 if I want to eat duck at what yardage (un known) . If you want to be sporty with a 45 ,why not a 40 cal or a 32 , I guess in my case few deer and a regular supply required is why I sold my Kiblers and go with what works for me so if your over run with deer or like store bought meat be sporty but accurate( see #1 ) /Ed