Hunting with .45 LC

[Aion]

Kind of an off the wall question, maybe:

I have both pistols and a Marlin levergun in .45 Colt. What's the largest game you'd consider using this caliber on? Yes, I know that there are other factors such as range, accuracy, etc., but still, I'm sure there are some opinions out there...

- Aion

[Hawkman]

Whitetail deer, if handloaded to .44 mag specs.

[444]

I wouldn't hesitate to hunt anything with them other than maybe the largest and most dangerous African game.
As you say, we are taking for granted that you know what your effective range is, you are a proficient shot, and you are using the right load including the right bullet.

If you want to do some reading on the .45 Colt cartridge, go to http://www.sixgunner.com . Also be sure to click on the "back issues" icon. You will find tons of stuff about hunting with the .45 Colt, loading for the .45 Colt, .45 Colt out of rifles etc.

[Long Path]

With factory loads with good bullets, I'd say whitetail at 50 yds should be okay, for standing broadside shots with good light, good sights (not those dang open buckhorn factory sights!), a good rest, and a calm shooter. Basically, think of it as a handgun with easily-acheivable accuracy.

Better to handload, though. You can handload your loads right up to or beyond factory .44 magnum, as Hawkman says, and this will HUGELY improve your knockdown power. With a decent bullet, a carbine firing up-loaded .45 Colt loads will give you more knock-down power (up close) then a .30-30! (Well, I'm extrapolating this from remarks from Barnes' Cartridges Of The World, in which he notes that some factory .44 Mag loads out of a carbine surpass .30-30 in muzzle energy. Since you can actually handload .45 Colt to the same energies, and since the .45 Colt is actually a bigger bullet [.451" vs .429"], I would have to assume that you can outdo the .30-30 in both ME and knockdown power.)

If you can get hardcast semi-wadcutters to feed through your carbine, check out Black Hills' offering. Good stuff, with nice knockdown.

[H&H,hunter]

I have killed 1 Mountain lion 1 Black bear 1 feral Hog 1 Skunk 1 Badger (Took me 4 shots but thats not the guns fault) and a whole buch of Jack rabbits with my Balckhawk in 45 LC. I love the round and I love the pistol nice and light and compact and it looks cool. I carry it about as often as I carry my .44 mountian pistol I like them equally as well. I'd like to shoot an Elk with the .45 while I do not carry it as a primary Elk gun I carry it on my side quite often and if'n the oportunity ever arises at close enough range I'll sure give her a try.
I've just loaded some 325Gr cast cores up at about 1100 FPS just for that occasion.