.45 Caliber: Deer?

[Smokey Plainsman]

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

Thanks,

-Smokey

 

[Gtrubicon]

Absolutely a 45 for deer, of course at an appropriate distance. That distance varies with ability, I’d have no dilemma up to 75 yards. Unless the deer where you live are big mulies, then I’d prolly re think my opinion.

 

[snakebit]

Of the three states I hunt on a regular basis, 45 is the minimum. Not sure on other states. Sever members on here killed deer cleanly with last season with a 45.

 

[oldwood]

In the open , and broken woods of Pa. late season winter deer hunt , shots can vary from short distance , to 125 yds. . I wouldn't be confident with .440 ball weighing 135 gr. Vs a .50 cal ball weighing 175 gr.. I shot competition with a .50 cal. longrifle , that shot flat out to 125 yds.. Also , this is another non judgemental note from experience. I was using my .50 longrifle shooting knock down steel targets , out to 200 yds. The .50 would knock the 200 yd. cub bear over , every time. I built a lighter .45 cal. rifle to use on the knock downs , and the .45 wouldn't knock the bear over , unless the hit was in the top of the head. Moral......The .50 has just a small amount more power , and distance for my hunting purposes. While I still could see the sights , , my overall favorite cal. was the .62..w/ 37 In. barrel length , St. 1 " oct , the 90 gr. ffg powder charge finally got too much for me. Trajectory , I think , at 100 yds. , sighted in 1" high , was 3" low at 200 yds. . Very manageable for deer hunting , for a young guy.

 

[Duk]

. 45 will do the job just watch your distance

 

[Brokennock]

This question gets asked on a regular basis..... And interestingly enough, as often as it is asked it keeps getting asked,,,,,,, and the answers don't seem to change.

https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/yes-a-45-caliber-will-kill-a-15-point-buck….172117/

https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/45-cal-vincent-ohio-rifle-for-deer.173032/

https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/45-prb-load.173006/

https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/the-old-45-flinter-did-it-again.173172/

And these are just from the past few months, and only from the hunting section, never mind similar topics listed under Flintlock Rifle and Percussion Rifle,,,,, and older topic threads on the same subject in all three sections over the past years.

 

[Johnny Too-Tall]

A wise man once said there's dead, but you can't get deader than dead.

 

[flconch53]

The one element that is left out of this discussion is the variable size and body mass of deer around the country. You can't really pigeon hole a caliber size on deer that may range from 125 lbs. In the deep south to 300 lbs in the upper mid west and north east.

 

[Rifleman1776]

All the deer I have taken have been with a .45 prb. All but one were one shot quick kills. The exception was a high hold shooting down hill that broke bucks back and required a cou de gras.

 

[Brokennock]

The one element that is left out of this discussion is the variable size and body mass of deer around the country. You can't really pigeon hole a caliber size on deer that may range from 125 lbs. In the deep south to 300 lbs in the upper mid west and north east.

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.

 

[flconch53]

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.

That logic would indicate there should be no minimum caliber. I don't think so.

 

[TreeMan]

My dad has killed at least a 100 deer with his 45 TC. The 45 is easy to get some high velocity out of without crazy high powder charges. A 45 hole is a 45 hole. That roundball will pass through a deer out to 100 yards. A lead 45 roundball will poke the same size hole as a 45-70. As a matter of fact over a chrono I’ve measured 45 roundballs (80 grains 3F) that are way faster than my BP 45-70 military loads. No one will argue that a 45-70 isn’t equipped to kill a deer regardless of size. That’s why I used the comparison even though it’s probably a no-no. Yes the roundball is 127 grain and the 45-70 is 405 grain but negating the difference between a soft lead roundball and a hard cast 45-70 the soft roundball will thump harder and expand better, where the hard cast just pokes a hole.

 

[Brokennock]

That logic would indicate there should be no minimum caliber. I don't think so.

Not really.

 

[sheriff john]

.45 is good medicine for our fat, corn-fed northeastern Missouri deer, year in and year out - depending on the hunter. Some people don't have any business in the deer woods with a sack full of rocks.

 

[Ohio Rusty]

I had a friend that used a .45 on a large Ohio Whitetail. After letting the deer lie for an hour, the tracking began. We saw the deer was only wounded in the shoulder (70 grains of 3F and .440 roundball). We tracked the big antlered deer to the Scioto river where the deer ran into the river and was never seen again. It was then I knew the .45 was not an adequate caliber for big bodied Ohio Deer. Losing that deer proved that. I shoot a .54 now. .45 caliber for large northern deer .... just say NO.
Ohio Rusty ><>

 

[marsh trapper]

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

Thanks,

-Smokey

Maryland sika deer, 40-45 yards , 60 grains ,.440prb . Deer ran about 10-15 yards with not hardly any blood. Good thing i watched her and could easily see her drop!

 

[SDSmlf]

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

Thanks,

-Smokey

Have taken many deer with 45 caliber muzzleloaders, both with round balls and conicals. First started hunting with a 06. Quickly learned that a shot from any angle or distance worked. With the 06.

Early on, hit a quartering towards me buck at a little over 100 yards and discovered limitations of a 45 caliber round ball. Perfectly ‘placed’ shot, bounced around shoulder/upper leg bones but never penetrated chest cavity. After a a long tracking session, aided by fresh snow, finished the deal. Lesson learned, shot placement can be critical depending on caliber. Same shot placement location with a 45 conical or 58 caliber roundball for example, little or no tracking. Had a 54 caliber TC ready to go before the following season and never looked back. And just as a side note, hunting regulations where I hunted at the time limited muzzleloaders to using roundballs only.

I have no problem using 45 caliber round balls for deer, but keep shots well under 75 yards, and make careful shot placement, much like when archery hunting. You need to wait for the right shot. It will not penetrate the chest cavity from any angle like larger balls or conicals will. As my high school football coach told me, ‘boy, you are just to light in the a$$ to play this game’.

 

[flconch53]

Have taken many deer with 45 caliber muzzleloaders, both with round balls and conicals. First started hunting with a 06. Quickly learned that a shot from any angle or distance worked. With the 06.

Early on, hit a quartering towards me buck at a little over 100 yards and discovered limitations of a 45 caliber round ball. Perfectly ‘placed’ shot, bounced around shoulder/upper leg bones but never penetrated chest cavity. After a a long tracking session, aided by fresh snow, finished the deal. Lesson learned, shot placement can be critical depending on caliber. Same shot placement location with a 45 conical or 58 caliber roundball for example, little or no tracking. Had a 54 caliber TC ready to go before the following season and never looked back. And just as a side note, hunting regulations where I hunted at the time limited muzzleloaders to using roundballs only.

I have no problem using 45 caliber round balls for deer, but keep shots well under 75 yards, and make careful shot placement, much like when archery hunting. You need to wait for the right shot. It will not penetrate the chest cavity from any angle like larger balls or conicals will. As my high school football coach told me, ‘boy, you are just to light in the a$$ to play this game’.

And I rest my case

 

[Brokennock]

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

 

[mikesto44]

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