45 caliber opinions

[duckd]

In my reading, I increasingly see writers saying a 45 caliber muzzleloader is a poor option for deer. These same writers think the 45-70 is a great option for almost all North American game. I understand that rate of twist and bullet weight have a significant impact on the outcome. But how can a 45 caliber muzzleloader be seen as a poor choice and the 45-70 be so great? It seems like most the writers either what loads used to kill Bison (350+ grain lead bullet) or saboted bullet. Does this seem irrational to anyone else? Thanks in advance for your opinions.

JD

 

[hanshi]

The .45 is my favorite deer caliber and I have both a flinter and a caplock in that caliber. A .45 ball will sail completely through a large deer just as surely as a .50 and I've used both. I've been a .45 fan for 45 years and consider it probably the best all around caliber. Larger calibers pack more punch at longer ranges but the round ball is not a long range projectile to start with. Though my farthest deer kill with the .45 was only 75 yards, I'd not hesitate to use it at 100 or a little more. A rifle in .45 caliber will do fine with prb for any deer size game.

 

[pulaskius]

I'm a big fan of the .45 PRB ... we have small whitetails in my area and I would take a 75-80 yard shot with confidence maybe further depending on the conditions.

Now a Mulie at 100 yards is another story so I guess it depends on where you are and what you are shooting at

The .45 makes a great target shooter and will put the big hammer on a coyote my 2 favorite things to do.

 

[pulaskius]

I see we've had the same experiences :grin:

I'm not a big fan of the .50 because I like the .45 so much. Glad to see others enthusiastic about the .45 !

 

[cowpoke1955]

I have a .45 Pedersoli Blue Ridge flinter that I just love. I've used it in competition and in the hunting field. On a good day it will give me a one ragged hole group at 50 yards with round balls. Since my rifle has a 1 in 48" twist barrel, I thought it would be fun to try some 220 grain T/C Maxi Balls. I was really pleased with the 1" group I got at 50 yards. That .45 is really sweet to shoot! They are hard to beat :thumbsup: By the way, welcome :hatsoff:

 

[vern faulkner]

:2 Got a handful of flinters. In that mess are from .32 to .50 cals. I hunt game from tree rats to Penna. white tails ( the .50 cal is in case I ever decide to go for black bear. I haven't yet ). I've shot good size deer with my .45 and never had to go looking for them after the smoke cleared. If I could only own one rifle, it would be my .45 cal. It will kill anything from deer on down if you do your part. I always remind myself that there ain't no degrees to dead, their either dead or not. :hmm: vern

 

[Zonie]

If the rifle doesn't kick the manure out of your shoulder when you fire it it cannot possible be any good for taking anything larger than a chipmunk.

That is the modern thinking that is drilled into our heads from the time we start shooting.

It is the unscientific way of using and believing in muzzle energy as the gage by which all killing power is measured.

In reality, a .440 or .445 diameter roundball pokes a hole that is only a few hairs smaller than the .458 diameter .45-70 bullet and at ranges under 75 yards will be just as lethal.
It has the added advantage or light recoil so the hunter can concentrate on aiming and firing his shots rather than thinking about heavy recoil.

 

[hogslayer]

It's not the size of the Hole,it's where you put it that counts,(.45 will do it for me) :thumbsup:

 

[tg]

I would go with a .45 anytime for Deer, one must just understand and respect the range limitations of the prb/open sights.

 

[roundball]

I understand........bullet weight have a significant impact on the outcome. But how can a 45 caliber muzzleloader be seen as a poor choice and the 45-70 be so great?
Does this seem irrational to anyone else? Thanks in advance for your opinions.

No, it makes perfect sense...the issue is not "caliber" its projectile weight...the weight of a round lead sphere is fixed by its caliber limitations (size).

The .45cal PRB has a lot of positive things going for it and has been a favorite caliber of mine for years using it for target practice, small game, and close to moderate distance deer hunting.
But I don't view a somewhat small-ish relatively lightweight .440"/128grn PRB as an "ideal" all around deer caliber at all. IMO it's fine for a clean heart or double lung shot to 50-75 yards area, but you get out to 100yds with very little velocity & energy left in that small lightweight ball...AND hit bones at that distance...the situation is not ideal at all. A heavier .45cal projectile in your .45-70 example holds much higher energy to longer distances that the little ball in the same .45cal.

I hear about a little .45cal ball blowing completely through deer at 100yds but I'll remain from Missouri on that...range estimation is probably off or something. Real world, my longest .45cal PRB whitetail was a perfect heart shot, standing broadside at 55-60 steps...a stout load in a 32" barrel of 90grns Goex 3F, an Oxyoke OP wad, an .018" patch, and a Hornady .440/128grn ball.
It hit a rib going in, went through the heart, and stopped bulging under the hide on the far side...no confidence at all that I'd have gotten that deer at twice that distance...and if it didn't make a complete pass-through at 55yds, it sure wouldn't have done so at 100yds.

IMO, a .45cal PRB is a good one used within its limitations...if I know I'm going to be sitting over a trail crossing a ditch at 40-50yds with no more visibility than that, I have and will take a .45cal...but if longer ranges will be involved...and I know I'm not willing to let a B&C buck walk at 100 yards...I'd take anything else as long as it was bigger and heavier.

 

[Mike Brooks]

The last deer I shot was with a .45. Broke it's back from about 25 yards. No massive laod either, probably about 60gr 3fff. All the other deer I have killed was with a .62 smooth bore. Ideal deer caliber, usually puts them off their feet and dead on the spot.
If I were going to build a dedicated deer gun I'd probably go with a relatively fast twist .62 rifle. Faster twist so I don't have to load so much powder as shots here in Iowa are usually 50 yards or less

 

[rabjr]

:hmm: Oh really??

 

[PGTMG]

In my reading, I increasingly see writers saying a 45 caliber muzzleloader is a poor option for deer. These same writers think the 45-70 is a great option for almost all North American game. I understand that rate of twist and bullet weight have a significant impact on the outcome. But how can a 45 caliber muzzleloader be seen as a poor choice and the 45-70 be so great? It seems like most the writers either what loads used to kill Bison (350+ grain lead bullet) or saboted bullet. Does this seem irrational to anyone else? Thanks in advance for your opinions.

JD

Look sometimes WRITERS of publications write stuff just to be contrary. I agree with Roundball that projectile weight is important. In my opinion the 45 prb or conical is a fine deer caliber.

 

[duckd]

Thanks for all the info. I agree that the bullets weight has a significant effect on performance at greater distances. I hear/read people blaming the rifle/caliber/bullet. Too many hunters do not put enough effort in looking for a deer, or are impatient. I am not proud of it, but I have found quite a few deer "the next morning".

 

[Mike Brooks]

:hmm: Oh really??

Yup. :thumbsup: Not a big fan of massive recoil of slow twist barrels in large calibers when I only have to shoot 50 yards..

 

[rabjr]

:wink:

 

[rabjr]

Thanks for all the info. I agree that the bullets weight has a significant effect on performance at greater distances. I hear/read people blaming the rifle/caliber/bullet. Too many hunters do not put enough effort in looking for a deer, or are impatient. I am not proud of it, but I have found quite a few deer "the next morning".

My father worked for Fish and Wildlife for over 30 years and I spend a lot time in checking stations when I was young. One thing I realized eary on is most people, or should I say far to many just aim at the deer. Knowing very little about a deers Anatomy, which I find very sad. A .45 would work just fine if more people knew exactly how to use it.

 

[R.M.]

Isn't that the truth! :wink:

 

[BrownBear]

In my reading, I increasingly see writers saying a 45 caliber muzzleloader is a poor option for deer. These same writers think the 45-70 is a great option for almost all North American game. I understand that rate of twist and bullet weight have a significant impact on the outcome. But how can a 45 caliber muzzleloader be seen as a poor choice and the 45-70 be so great? It seems like most the writers either what loads used to kill Bison (350+ grain lead bullet) or saboted bullet. Does this seem irrational to anyone else? Thanks in advance for your opinions.

JD

The bottom line is that magazines make their living selling ads, and they pay their writers very little. The average writer is barely making a living at it, and really dependent on the good graces of those same advertisers for free stuff.

No one, neither the magazines nor the writers want to pizz off the advertisers. Kind of like when the NRA picked the CVA electronic ignition muzzleloader as their gun of the year, even threatening to sue Colorado when it was banned from traditional hunts. Is it a coincidence that CVA is one of NRA's biggest advertisers?

The manufacturers have to have something new to sell, and in order to justify it, something old has to be outdated, ineffective and irresponsible. Kind of like round balls are ineffective to the folks that sell conicals.

Heck, when I started shooting the 375 H&H was the cats meow for heavy game, and now it's barely sufficient for jackrabbits. And the 7mm Rem Mag back then was the best thing that ever hit an elk. Now it's just not good enough.

Something to sell? Hire a magazine and writer to help make the old stuff obsolete.

Old story.

 

[miked35]

I don't hunt but .45 is the minimum cal in Pennsylvania.

Mike