45 for deer

[62flint]

What do yall think of a 45 cal with 75 grains fff pushing it fo a deer load? ok or should I get more horse power? What kind of penetration should I expect?
Thanks

 

[Dave Poss]

Hi..my son got a 125lb. buck last Sat. with his .45 with 70grs. of blackpowder .445 patched ball. one neck shot and it dropped right where it stood! I too, have taken my share with a .45 with 68 grs. So, for what it's worth; your load is about right. Let me point out though, that here in Georgia, all my shots have been less than 60yds. and my son's was about 50 yds.....woods are pretty thick so long shots are rare. I would consider the loads used to be good up to about 65-70 yds. max.

:imo: :results:

 

[shmrck1]

62flint,
i to have taken several deer with .45 with 70grns
3fff. although i have both .50 and .54 cal i use the .45 almost exclusively for deer these days the main reason being that i feel very confident that i can place the ball where i want it at 75 yds and under :results:
snake-eyes :m2c: eace: :thumbsup:

 

[roundball]

What do yall think of a 45 cal with 75 grains fff pushing it fo a deer load? ok or should I get more horse power? What kind of penetration should I expect?
Thanks

I happen to like stout hunting loads for a little extra insurance for distance and settled on 90grns Goex FFFg for deer hunting.
Never tried 75 but as the others said, it should work if you manage distance...shot placement for either charge is always high priority with the light weight .45 ball.

I shot a 6 pointer last year at 60yds, the .440 broke a rib going in, flattened out one side like an igloo, went through the heart, and stopped bulging under the hide on the far side.

 

IMHO you need to find the most accurate load for your rifle that is between 60 and 80 grs, which will give you enough 'power'. My .45 likes 50-70 grs and I shoot 65 grs fffg. With 75 grs fffg you are getting well over 2000 fps with a round ball and that is plenty! I get about 1900 fps with 65 grs ffg. Again, IMHO, 90 grs is a waste of powder in a .45, but each to his own. I would bck off the 75 grs in 5 gr increments, then go forward from 75 in 5 gr increments, see which load is the most accurate, and go with that. A ML is a short range weapon. If you want modern cartridge range and 'power', you need to shoot modern guns. :m2c:

 

[Plains99]

I hunted for many seasons with a Don Weyer custom Ohio rifle with 36" barrel using a load of 70 grains of propellant (RS and FFFg) with a patched round ball. If shot placement is precise it is a credible load out to 100 yards... but it won't put them right down like many heavier loads. This is one of those cases where you have to choose the load that groups best rather than being concerned with raw power. But it is a nice whitetail rig for the woods.

 

[GobblerKnob]

Iuse 75 grains of 3F in my .45 cal and find that is the load my rifle likes the best. It's a Blueridge Rifle by Pedersoli. The only shot that didn't pass completely through was one that ranged the entire length of the body before coming to rest under the skin in a hind quarter. My shots range from 30 yards to 100 yards ina variety of terrain from open fields to selective cut areas to open hardwoods. Rick

 

[jfraymond]

I've taken deer with my 45 Hatfield using a .440 ball patched with .15 linen lubed with Leigh Valley Lube and 60 grains of 3f. The last one I got was a neck shot and it just dropped like a sack of cement.
-- John

 

[roundball]

Again, IMHO, 90 grs is a waste of powder in a .45, but each to his own.
If you want modern cartridge range and 'power', you need to shoot modern guns.

I'm sorry to see such a comment from you Mike...it's not necessary for you to belittle what other chose to use...the forum is a place to respond to questions asked, not take shots at other's responses and opinions.

90grns happens to be a legitimate load in a .45, and I prefer to lean towards the side of power when after game.

If you don't like using that much powder, that's your decision...but it's not a license.

 

[Rebel]

Roundball, :relax: i don't think that Mike was belittleing your comment, only stating his view on the subject. I don't think there is any call for anyone to get riled. Like you said this is a place to express your opinions, and i think that is all he was doing. :m2c:

 

[tg]

Hey! none of you guys know squat! 70 gr is the only good load for a .45 and the shots cannot be over 67.5 yds, I have used this load for many years so many in fact that when I started there were no modern high powered centerfires and I had to walk 20 miles in the snow to hunt...uphill...both ways! we had to have deer meat cause we was so poor I could not even aford to pay attention...

 

[roundball]

...and don't forget barefoot too !!!!!!!! :crackup:

 

[62flint]

I was just curious what others thoughts were on my 45 load for deer. As for accuracy that load happens to be my 100yd target load.
I was kind of disharted last night I shot a nice buck with that load at about 70 yards. Knocked him right down but he got up and made it out of sight. Since it was the edge of dark I lost the trail. He did not bleed. I had no blood trail what so ever. I went back at day break this mourning and found him. A real nice 8 pointer. He went about 200 yards and rolled up in a little wash out on a hillside. I walked with in 20 yards of him last night and didn't see him.
My shot was right thru the shoulder but high. had it been 3 inches lower I don't think he would have went any where.
I think I am going to stick with my 62 rifle. They bleed better with that one.

 

[kentucky bucky]

...and don't forget barefoot too !!!!!!!! :crackup:

You had FEET!?

 

[riarcher]

.45 for deer is fine. :imo:
Then again I'm a swamp hunter and can rarely see over 50 yds.
70 gr. with .445 or Maxi print close at 50 yds. and really prefer the Maxi. Back when the state allowed .45 for small game, 30/35 gr. 3F and a .440 was blistful on squirrels and rabbits. But alast,, no more for the stare of Rhode Island :cry:

 

[Slamfire]

Hey! none of you guys know squat! 70 gr is the only good load for a .45 and the shots cannot be over 67.5 yds, I have used this load for many years so many in fact that when I started there were no modern high powered centerfires and I had to walk 20 miles in the snow to hunt...uphill...both ways! we had to have deer meat cause we was so poor I could not even aford to pay attention...

So how come you had a .45? We only had a .36. Who could afford a deer rifle and a squirrel rifle at the same time?
Danged diletants anyhow. :blah: