45 colt ?s

BerdanSS · November 17, 2012, 09:20 PM

Anyone hunt deer with a 4 3/4 model P in 45 colt? I have a bunch (1000 or so) 250 grain hornady xtp lev. moving at about 870 fps I've been practicing with all year. Never hunted deer with a handgun before...this has mostly been a target puncher and carry pistol for varmint control at my folks place when out and around/in the barns. While very accurate with it out to 30 yards..not sure if it has the balls for the job. I'm not one of "those guys" that will take ANY shot just to hit something and then track it for an hour, clean kills only for me, so I'd like some input.

<EDIT> also...from what I understand the property we will be hunting is pretty dense woods, not much scrub and undergrowth...just trees. Most if not all deer my buddy has taken there over the years have been well within 40 yards. his last one was right at 20.

jmortimer · November 17, 2012, 09:27 PM

It probably will not expand greatly but will shoot through the deer on a broadside. It is enough gun. A 255 grain SWC at the velocity you cite will do just about anything a hand gun can do. Don't under estimate it.

big al hunter · November 17, 2012, 10:04 PM

That practice will pay off. That sounds like a good choice to me as well. Stick to broadside only and you will be eating venison.

liberty1 · November 17, 2012, 10:18 PM

I used a 4" .45 Colt and 250gr XTP bullets at similar velocity 15 years ago to kill a mountain lion. Penetration was sufficient and killed it quickly but the bullet was under the skin on the far side. No expansion at all and looked like I could load it back up and use it again.

BerdanSS · November 18, 2012, 11:47 AM

Missed out on a 25 yard shot at a big doe this morning with the Uberti. Stopped broadside coming up a hill at the trail head, got from half to full cock without startling the deer....just as the black lab belonging to the neighbor next to the land we were hunting ...came charging up the hill barking

alex0535 · November 18, 2012, 12:38 PM

Would have been tempted to let off a shot in the general direction of the dog.

It might make it realize that it is somewhere that it shouldn't be.

BerdanSS · November 18, 2012, 02:46 PM

Thought about it, and boy did I want to. Two things kept me from it...My buddy was about 3/4s of a mile up hill from me in his ground blind at the edge of a clearing. And I could just see him with a trophy buck in his sights and my blasting off a round and scaring the pellets out of it, ruining the shot

Secondly even though the dog was trespassing, I could see my accidentally blowing it in half and causing a problem with myself as a guest hunter, and maybe even my problems between my buddy and the land owner that gave him rights. I was pretty flamed though as you can imagine. I had sat there on the cold ground held up in wet logs since about 20 minuets before sunrise till 8:30'ish waiting on that shot.

At least I got some positive feed back on the loads and pistol, Thanks all

alex0535 · November 19, 2012, 03:51 PM

I also just had a neighbors dog pretty much kill any chance of seeing any deer today. German shorthair pointer saw me walking in, at the sight of camo and a gun the dog went wild, started taking off into the woods tearing through them at a full run. Kept following me all the way to the stand.

Once at the stand the dog took off in circles running into the woods and back over and over again. It didn't leave until I climbed down, hit it with a stick, and started chasing it away throwing sticks at it about 4 times until it finally got the point.

It even found a sawzaled deer leg bone from the deer I shot last friday and brought it back to me. Probably carried away by a coyote or something.

I got discouraged and went home because the dog made sure to chase anything in the area far away.

Daggitt · November 19, 2012, 08:30 PM

I have had that happen. After sitting in the cold several hours , it is very aggravating. However if that legbone was from a deer you shot , why does the dog have it? That is only going to attract critters who may spoil your hunt. We don't leave deer parts where we hunt. I reccomend packing them out or far away from your stand. Then at least Fido may be over by the dead deer and not under your stand. If you left deer parts around there , it is no surprise the dog is there. Good Luck and I hope you can avoid the dog next time.

BerdanSS · November 19, 2012, 08:52 PM

I do the same, we do any other skinning and cutting back home. My grand dad used to dig a two foot pit next to the dressing site and put everything right in the hole as it came out and buried it. We don't even do that, always take the guts out in a bag and dispose of them in a hole in the back field at home.

alex0535 · November 19, 2012, 09:19 PM

^The leg was originally about a quarter mile away from the stand behind our house where we did the butchering...

Coyote found it near where we did leave the carcass, and carried it all the way back into the woods.

Any bones back there were not left there by me.

Win73 · November 22, 2012, 11:11 PM

I hunt on a friend's land that is 4.5 miles from my house. I went hunting this past Thursday (not Thanksgiving day). I parked my truck at his workshop. I hadn't made ten steps through the gate in the fence by the workshop when I saw a deer dart into the woods not 50 yards from the workshop (and the owner was working in the shop building a trailer). If I had stopped at the gate and scanned the area I would probably have had an easy shot. Anyway I started the walk back to my shooting house on the far back side of the property, about a 400 yard walk. I have a ladder stand set up that is about 100 yards closer than the shooting house. When I got to it I decided that if deer were already moving I would probably be better off to stop there. I tied my .30-06 to the rope I leave hanging from the ladder stand and climbed up. I no sooner had sat down and buckled myself in when I heard a deer running. I look up and see this nice eight point buck running straight toward my stand. You guessed it, my rifle is still hanging unloaded on the rope at the bottom of the ladder stand!

He gets about 10 yards from my stand and and makes a right turn into some thicker brush. I can see him for about 50 yards before the brush conceals him from me. I wondered what spooked him. If it had been me he would have run away from me, not toward me. About one or two minutes later I found out what spooked him. Two dogs came into view obviously chasing him. They had their noses to the ground following his exact trail. I never saw another deer that day.

bamaranger · November 30, 2012, 02:39 AM

I've got a .44 mag Mtn Revolver set up for 250 LSWC at around 900 fps or so and would not hesitate to shoot a whitetail with it.

Cept when I carry any handgun to the stand, the deer don't show up.

publius · December 15, 2012, 09:58 PM

It will take a deer just fine. Broadside shots and let it get close. I pretty much treat my pistol like a bow.

November 17, 2012, 09:20 PM	#1
BerdanSS Senior Member Join Date: April 3, 2011 Location: to close to other houses Posts: 1,176	45 colt ?s Anyone hunt deer with a 4 3/4 model P in 45 colt? I have a bunch (1000 or so) 250 grain hornady xtp lev. moving at about 870 fps I've been practicing with all year. Never hunted deer with a handgun before...this has mostly been a target puncher and carry pistol for varmint control at my folks place when out and around/in the barns. While very accurate with it out to 30 yards..not sure if it has the balls for the job. I'm not one of "those guys" that will take ANY shot just to hit something and then track it for an hour, clean kills only for me, so I'd like some input. <EDIT> also...from what I understand the property we will be hunting is pretty dense woods, not much scrub and undergrowth...just trees. Most if not all deer my buddy has taken there over the years have been well within 40 yards. his last one was right at 20. Last edited by BerdanSS; November 17, 2012 at 09:31 PM.

November 17, 2012, 10:04 PM	#3
big al hunter Senior Member Join Date: March 12, 2011 Location: Washington state Posts: 1,558	That practice will pay off. That sounds like a good choice to me as well. Stick to broadside only and you will be eating venison. __________________ You can't fix stupid....however ignorance can be cured through education!

November 22, 2012, 11:11 PM	#12
Win73 Senior Member Join Date: March 1, 2009 Location: Alabama Posts: 401	I hunt on a friend's land that is 4.5 miles from my house. I went hunting this past Thursday (not Thanksgiving day). I parked my truck at his workshop. I hadn't made ten steps through the gate in the fence by the workshop when I saw a deer dart into the woods not 50 yards from the workshop (and the owner was working in the shop building a trailer). If I had stopped at the gate and scanned the area I would probably have had an easy shot. Anyway I started the walk back to my shooting house on the far back side of the property, about a 400 yard walk. I have a ladder stand set up that is about 100 yards closer than the shooting house. When I got to it I decided that if deer were already moving I would probably be better off to stop there. I tied my .30-06 to the rope I leave hanging from the ladder stand and climbed up. I no sooner had sat down and buckled myself in when I heard a deer running. I look up and see this nice eight point buck running straight toward my stand. You guessed it, my rifle is still hanging unloaded on the rope at the bottom of the ladder stand! He gets about 10 yards from my stand and and makes a right turn into some thicker brush. I can see him for about 50 yards before the brush conceals him from me. I wondered what spooked him. If it had been me he would have run away from me, not toward me. About one or two minutes later I found out what spooked him. Two dogs came into view obviously chasing him. They had their noses to the ground following his exact trail. I never saw another deer that day. __________________ (Luke 11:21 KJV) When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace: (Luke 22:36 KJV) Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one.

November 30, 2012, 02:39 AM	#13
bamaranger Senior Member Join Date: October 9, 2009 Location: North Alabama Posts: 8,300	.44 mag mtn I've got a .44 mag Mtn Revolver set up for 250 LSWC at around 900 fps or so and would not hesitate to shoot a whitetail with it. Cept when I carry any handgun to the stand, the deer don't show up.

December 15, 2012, 09:58 PM	#14
publius Senior Member Join Date: January 25, 2005 Location: Mississippi/Texas Posts: 2,505	It will take a deer just fine. Broadside shots and let it get close. I pretty much treat my pistol like a bow. __________________ "Suppose you were an idiot, and suppose you were a member of Congress, but I repeat myself." Mark Twain

November 17, 2012, 09:27 PM	#2
jmortimer Junior member Join Date: January 24, 2010 Location: South West Riverside County California Posts: 2,763	It probably will not expand greatly but will shoot through the deer on a broadside. It is enough gun. A 255 grain SWC at the velocity you cite will do just about anything a hand gun can do. Don't under estimate it.

November 17, 2012, 10:18 PM	#4
liberty1 Senior Member Join Date: May 14, 2009 Location: colorado Posts: 281	I used a 4" .45 Colt and 250gr XTP bullets at similar velocity 15 years ago to kill a mountain lion. Penetration was sufficient and killed it quickly but the bullet was under the skin on the far side. No expansion at all and looked like I could load it back up and use it again.

November 18, 2012, 11:47 AM	#5
BerdanSS Senior Member Join Date: April 3, 2011 Location: to close to other houses Posts: 1,176	Missed out on a 25 yard shot at a big doe this morning with the Uberti. Stopped broadside coming up a hill at the trail head, got from half to full cock without startling the deer....just as the black lab belonging to the neighbor next to the land we were hunting ...came charging up the hill barking

November 18, 2012, 12:38 PM	#6
alex0535 Senior Member Join Date: November 4, 2012 Location: Georgia Posts: 908	Would have been tempted to let off a shot in the general direction of the dog. It might make it realize that it is somewhere that it shouldn't be.

November 18, 2012, 02:46 PM	#7
BerdanSS Senior Member Join Date: April 3, 2011 Location: to close to other houses Posts: 1,176	Thought about it, and boy did I want to. Two things kept me from it...My buddy was about 3/4s of a mile up hill from me in his ground blind at the edge of a clearing. And I could just see him with a trophy buck in his sights and my blasting off a round and scaring the pellets out of it, ruining the shot Secondly even though the dog was trespassing, I could see my accidentally blowing it in half and causing a problem with myself as a guest hunter, and maybe even my problems between my buddy and the land owner that gave him rights. I was pretty flamed though as you can imagine. I had sat there on the cold ground held up in wet logs since about 20 minuets before sunrise till 8:30'ish waiting on that shot. At least I got some positive feed back on the loads and pistol, Thanks all

November 19, 2012, 03:51 PM	#8
alex0535 Senior Member Join Date: November 4, 2012 Location: Georgia Posts: 908	I also just had a neighbors dog pretty much kill any chance of seeing any deer today. German shorthair pointer saw me walking in, at the sight of camo and a gun the dog went wild, started taking off into the woods tearing through them at a full run. Kept following me all the way to the stand. Once at the stand the dog took off in circles running into the woods and back over and over again. It didn't leave until I climbed down, hit it with a stick, and started chasing it away throwing sticks at it about 4 times until it finally got the point. It even found a sawzaled deer leg bone from the deer I shot last friday and brought it back to me. Probably carried away by a coyote or something. I got discouraged and went home because the dog made sure to chase anything in the area far away.

November 19, 2012, 08:30 PM	#9
Daggitt Senior Member Join Date: March 11, 2011 Posts: 321	I have had that happen. After sitting in the cold several hours , it is very aggravating. However if that legbone was from a deer you shot , why does the dog have it? That is only going to attract critters who may spoil your hunt. We don't leave deer parts where we hunt. I reccomend packing them out or far away from your stand. Then at least Fido may be over by the dead deer and not under your stand. If you left deer parts around there , it is no surprise the dog is there. Good Luck and I hope you can avoid the dog next time.

November 19, 2012, 08:52 PM	#10
BerdanSS Senior Member Join Date: April 3, 2011 Location: to close to other houses Posts: 1,176	I do the same, we do any other skinning and cutting back home. My grand dad used to dig a two foot pit next to the dressing site and put everything right in the hole as it came out and buried it. We don't even do that, always take the guts out in a bag and dispose of them in a hole in the back field at home.

November 19, 2012, 09:19 PM	#11
alex0535 Senior Member Join Date: November 4, 2012 Location: Georgia Posts: 908	^The leg was originally about a quarter mile away from the stand behind our house where we did the butchering... Coyote found it near where we did leave the carcass, and carried it all the way back into the woods. Any bones back there were not left there by me.