45 Colt Blackhawk for Deer

hikingman · July 18, 2007, 06:53 PM

I've been practicing for a closer range deer shot w/ 45 Colt Blackhawk and 5 1/2 in. barrel. What load do you recommend. I'm reloading most of the rounds for this revolver. Thanks for any suggestions!

stinger · July 18, 2007, 07:27 PM

Essentially any non-cowboy load will be sufficient. Heck, even most of those will plow right through bambi's daddy. Just limit yourself to whatever distance you can keep your rounds on a paper plate, half it for in the field jitters, and you are good to go.

Sarge · July 18, 2007, 07:34 PM

My first "case history" with the hot .45 Colt occurred when my younger son and I were watching a wheat field from the woods, and four deer walked right up, about forty yards in front of us. Then they just stood there.

It was Mark's first hunt, but he could not get a clear shot through the brush where he was sitting, four feet away. Moving the deer ten yards either way would put him in business, so I picked a fat doe and held on the center of her shoulder with the five and a half inch Blackhawk. The load was Sierra's 240 grain .45 JHP, over a healthy dose of Hogdon's H-110 powder. She crashed on her chin at the shot, and then fell again as she jumped the little creek bordering the stretch of woods we were hiding in.

I knew she was hit hard, so I held my fire while Mark shot a button buck out of the herd, which by then had meandered a few feet into his line of fire. After tagging his deer, we went back into the timber after mine. It was the easiest tracking job I've had in years; she left a blood trail you could have followed with dark glasses on. We found her about 30 yards from where I had hit her.

http://www.thesixgunjournal.net/handgunning.html

You can kill all the deer you'll ever want to butcher with that .45 and a good 250-300 grain SWC trundling along at 850 fps- and you'll be amazed at how much meat & bone such a load will shoot through. If however you intend to 'give her some throttle' and warm things up a tad, do yourself a favor & read what John Linebaugh has to say on this subject:

http://www.customsixguns.com/writing...g_the_myth.htm

Ross Seyfried & Brian Pearce have also written quite a bit on on hunting loads for the Rugers. All three of these gents know their topic, and nothing I discovered in loading this round ever did anything except confirm their work. My only other advice is to get yourself a copy of Hodgdon Manual #26 and ease into it.

Good luck, stay safe and enjoy that .45 Colt.

jrothWA · July 19, 2007, 10:46 PM

using the Sierra 250gr HP over 15+ grs of Blue dot and a good crimp.

About 80 yds was maximum range,before a cylinder full would creep outside the edges of a picnic plate.

treg · July 20, 2007, 03:28 PM

I'd use 300 gr. LSWC bullets and experiment with my current fave powder, Universal Clays.

BTW - nice gun.

Mannlicher · July 26, 2007, 05:16 PM

When hunting with a Ruger SA, I carry Hornady XTP/HP 250 grain bullets over 15 grains of Blue Dot powder.
This is a great load for hogs and deer.

July 18, 2007, 06:53 PM	#1
hikingman Senior Member Join Date: August 8, 2004 Location: Alabama Posts: 301	45 Colt Blackhawk for Deer I've been practicing for a closer range deer shot w/ 45 Colt Blackhawk and 5 1/2 in. barrel. What load do you recommend. I'm reloading most of the rounds for this revolver. Thanks for any suggestions!

July 18, 2007, 07:34 PM	#3
Sarge Senior Member Join Date: May 12, 2002 Location: MO Posts: 5,457	My first "case history" with the hot .45 Colt occurred when my younger son and I were watching a wheat field from the woods, and four deer walked right up, about forty yards in front of us. Then they just stood there. It was Mark's first hunt, but he could not get a clear shot through the brush where he was sitting, four feet away. Moving the deer ten yards either way would put him in business, so I picked a fat doe and held on the center of her shoulder with the five and a half inch Blackhawk. The load was Sierra's 240 grain .45 JHP, over a healthy dose of Hogdon's H-110 powder. She crashed on her chin at the shot, and then fell again as she jumped the little creek bordering the stretch of woods we were hiding in. I knew she was hit hard, so I held my fire while Mark shot a button buck out of the herd, which by then had meandered a few feet into his line of fire. After tagging his deer, we went back into the timber after mine. It was the easiest tracking job I've had in years; she left a blood trail you could have followed with dark glasses on. We found her about 30 yards from where I had hit her. http://www.thesixgunjournal.net/handgunning.html You can kill all the deer you'll ever want to butcher with that .45 and a good 250-300 grain SWC trundling along at 850 fps- and you'll be amazed at how much meat & bone such a load will shoot through. If however you intend to 'give her some throttle' and warm things up a tad, do yourself a favor & read what John Linebaugh has to say on this subject: http://www.customsixguns.com/writing...g_the_myth.htm Ross Seyfried & Brian Pearce have also written quite a bit on on hunting loads for the Rugers. All three of these gents know their topic, and nothing I discovered in loading this round ever did anything except confirm their work. My only other advice is to get yourself a copy of Hodgdon Manual #26 and ease into it. Good luck, stay safe and enjoy that .45 Colt. __________________ People were smarter before the Internet, or imbeciles were harder to notice.

July 19, 2007, 10:46 PM	#4
jrothWA Senior Member Join Date: November 11, 2006 Posts: 2,519	Use to use a 7.5" Blackhawk.... using the Sierra 250gr HP over 15+ grs of Blue dot and a good crimp. About 80 yds was maximum range,before a cylinder full would creep outside the edges of a picnic plate.

July 20, 2007, 03:28 PM	#5
treg Senior Member Join Date: November 26, 2006 Posts: 1,102	I'd use 300 gr. LSWC bullets and experiment with my current fave powder, Universal Clays. BTW - nice gun. __________________ .44 Special: For those who get it, no explanation is necessary. For those who don't, no explanation is possible.

July 26, 2007, 05:16 PM	#6
Mannlicher Senior Member Join Date: July 8, 2001 Location: North Central Florida & Miami Posts: 3,209	When hunting with a Ruger SA, I carry Hornady XTP/HP 250 grain bullets over 15 grains of Blue Dot powder. This is a great load for hogs and deer. __________________ Nemo Me Impune Lacesset "The trouble with our liberal friends is not that they're ignorant; it's just that they know so much that isn't so.".........Ronald Reagan

July 18, 2007, 07:27 PM	#2
stinger Senior Member Join Date: November 6, 2001 Location: west texas Posts: 772	Essentially any non-cowboy load will be sufficient. Heck, even most of those will plow right through bambi's daddy. Just limit yourself to whatever distance you can keep your rounds on a paper plate, half it for in the field jitters, and you are good to go.