Hunting with a .454 Casull

Big Yac · April 27, 2005, 11:13 PM

does anyone have any recomendations on what ammo to use for white tail deer? I just got my .454 Casull a few weeks ago and have only shot the Winchester 250gr hollow points and the 300gr flat point bullets. I've heard good things about the 260gr bullets but nobody around here carries them. I also reload my own ammo.

Greybeard · April 28, 2005, 12:06 AM

Ya post did not mention what pistola ya plan to use, but a buddy and I shoot handloads out of 7 1/2" SBHs. While neither of us have had 'em long enough to get real serious about using on deer, our "hunting" loads (for hog) are XTPs. Initially, we loaded up several varieties, including some pretty hot .45 Colts in flat point, but settled predominatly on 300 grain XTPs doing only about 1525 fps out of the .454 brass.

I won't go so far as to say the type of bullet does not matter, but think that if shot placment is right, just about any of 'em 240 grains and up with a velocity of 1000 fps or better will suffice for most deer.

FirstFreedom · April 28, 2005, 09:14 AM

On a related tangent, I plan on hunting whitetails this fall with a 5" .454, but using .45 colt loads, not .454 (I don't need that punishment). My question is, what .45 colt factory loads are pretty hot and good for deer out to about 100-125 yards? Thanks Graybeard; that give me a start.

Big Yac · April 28, 2005, 02:10 PM

I guess I did forget to mention what I got. The gun is a Ruger Super Redhawk with a 9.5" barrel. I'm going to pick up some Hornady XTP's in 300gr and 260gr. The recoil of the full power loads doesnt bother me so its cool if they are alittle hot

....now Buffalo Bore has some 360gr bullets hmm....

Greybeard · April 28, 2005, 02:18 PM

FWIW, a semi-related thread working over at THR: http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=136508

100 to 125 yards is a purty fur piece of real estate to cleanly punch a deer with a pistol ... if a good guesser on the distance, one can rather easily compensate for the drop in path of the bullet, but there's this thing they call "shooter dispersion" that's often much greater than the drop ...

Buddy and I been waiting on the new 200-grainer to become available for some handload testing ... Same pill the rag writers were using to get 2300 fps out of the new S&W .460. Someone tell me to re-read the paragraph above.

April 27, 2005, 11:13 PM	#1
Big Yac Senior Member Join Date: April 23, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 422	Hunting with a .454 Casull does anyone have any recomendations on what ammo to use for white tail deer? I just got my .454 Casull a few weeks ago and have only shot the Winchester 250gr hollow points and the 300gr flat point bullets. I've heard good things about the 260gr bullets but nobody around here carries them. I also reload my own ammo. __________________ "...and that's the bottom line, because Big Yac said so."

April 28, 2005, 12:06 AM	#2
Greybeard Senior Member Join Date: April 7, 2002 Location: Denton County Texas Posts: 686	Ya post did not mention what pistola ya plan to use, but a buddy and I shoot handloads out of 7 1/2" SBHs. While neither of us have had 'em long enough to get real serious about using on deer, our "hunting" loads (for hog) are XTPs. Initially, we loaded up several varieties, including some pretty hot .45 Colts in flat point, but settled predominatly on 300 grain XTPs doing only about 1525 fps out of the .454 brass. I won't go so far as to say the type of bullet does not matter, but think that if shot placment is right, just about any of 'em 240 grains and up with a velocity of 1000 fps or better will suffice for most deer. __________________ www.dentoncountysports.com A Private Palace for Pistol Proficiency

April 28, 2005, 02:10 PM	#4
Big Yac Senior Member Join Date: April 23, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 422	I guess I did forget to mention what I got. The gun is a Ruger Super Redhawk with a 9.5" barrel. I'm going to pick up some Hornady XTP's in 300gr and 260gr. The recoil of the full power loads doesnt bother me so its cool if they are alittle hot ....now Buffalo Bore has some 360gr bullets hmm.... __________________ "...and that's the bottom line, because Big Yac said so."

April 28, 2005, 02:18 PM	#5
Greybeard Senior Member Join Date: April 7, 2002 Location: Denton County Texas Posts: 686	FWIW, a semi-related thread working over at THR: http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=136508 100 to 125 yards is a purty fur piece of real estate to cleanly punch a deer with a pistol ... if a good guesser on the distance, one can rather easily compensate for the drop in path of the bullet, but there's this thing they call "shooter dispersion" that's often much greater than the drop ... Buddy and I been waiting on the new 200-grainer to become available for some handload testing ... Same pill the rag writers were using to get 2300 fps out of the new S&W .460. Someone tell me to re-read the paragraph above. __________________ www.dentoncountysports.com A Private Palace for Pistol Proficiency

April 28, 2005, 09:14 AM	#3
FirstFreedom Junior member Join Date: May 31, 2004 Location: The Toll Road State, U.S.A. Posts: 12,451	On a related tangent, I plan on hunting whitetails this fall with a 5" .454, but using .45 colt loads, not .454 (I don't need that punishment). My question is, what .45 colt factory loads are pretty hot and good for deer out to about 100-125 yards? Thanks Graybeard; that give me a start.