# .45 acp and .44 loads?



## olchevy (Sep 28, 2010)

Just looking to hear if you know of any good .45 acp loads for deer...it will be coming out of a 5'' barrel.....
I am looking for hand load data mainly.

And also some .44 loads but they will be for a marlin 1894, but figured I would put it here since it is a pistol round.

Thanks in advance.


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## chuckdog (Sep 29, 2010)

There are too many better calibers to deer hunt with. I just wouldn't recommend the 45ACP for hunting. It's a great defense round, my favorite, but it was designed to stop a man at defensive ranges. If you see a trophy deer @ 50yds, you're under gunned. For your sake, and the deers' sake, I'd want something that I could confidently make a clean kill with @ that range. I just don't think the ACP is what you're looking for to hunt with.


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## olchevy (Sep 29, 2010)

It would just be to try out if I got within say 10 yards or less. It would be in the holster otherwise and I would be carrying a rifle, more than likely the 1894 in .44 mentioned above, or my rem 700 .308 or my new favorite my 8mm Mauser......I know it can do it, I was just looking for some load data.


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## chuckdog (Sep 29, 2010)

I'd probably look at some Hard Cast bullets. Something in the 200 grain range. The .45 will cut a big enough path on it's on. The cast bullets will give you the penetration you're looking for. I've used them in .44 mag rounds with great results. As for powder, I've not loaded the ACP for hunting, but Accurate #5 has always delivered good velocity and great accuracy from my .45s'.


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## olchevy (Sep 29, 2010)

Great! I already have Accurate #5....


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## markland (Oct 11, 2010)

My load for the 45ACP was 10.6grs of Blue Dot pushing a 200gr Hornady XTP bullet at about 1100fps out of a 7in barrelled, modified Colt with a heavy spring.  I had a Red Dot on it and could shoot 1in groups at 25yds with that gun/load and shot well, but you knew you pulled the trigger.  Was not impressed with the only deer I shot with it, hit her right behind the shoulder blade at about 15yds and no pass thru, she only went 30yds but no blood at all.  Would probably use a SWC or hard bullet the next time if I tried it.


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## JWarren (Oct 11, 2010)

markland said:


> Would probably use a SWC or hard bullet the next time if I tried it.



Good advice, you want complete penetration and about the only bullet that you can depend on to reliably do that from a .45acp will be a cast bullet or ball. This will most assuredly be a handload, as I do not know of a factory load that will attain 1000-1100fps in either of these bullets, which is about what you will need. I would go with the SWC as it will do more damage having a slight meplat that the ball does not.


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## markland (Oct 12, 2010)

Yes to add I did some more loading and shooting after that with a FMC 200gr SWC and it definitely makes a big difference in penetration, but not sure how pronounced the wound channel would be with that jacketed bullet thru the chest cavity or if even the load would be legal to hunt with as I believe you cannot use fully jacketed ammo for hunting, but for hogs they worked well with very proper placement.


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## blackbear (Oct 12, 2010)

http://data.hodgdon.com/main_menu.asp

The bullets want bounce off for sure... just load for max and use at bow range/try for a heart shot/....lots of poachers use 22magnum....I shot a buck with a 50.cal muzzleloader and a 350gr. maxie ball at 35 yrds. one year,perfect shot thru the heart/lung area,complete penetration,,,buck ran 200 yards with no blood trail for the first 100yrds. also showed no sign of being hit,i just tracked it for 1 hour and got lucky found him.......same stuff happened with a 44 magnum rifle...both were perfect shot placement...just no blood trail or immediate responce....shots on biggame do not allways work like we want in the real world......good luck & post pics of your hunt!


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## benafrye (Oct 13, 2010)

200 gr hardcast


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## Nastytater (Nov 30, 2010)

Here,try this one website....http://data.hodgdon.com/main_menu.asp


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## Michael F. Gray (Nov 30, 2010)

I've used a .45 on one deer which walked under the tree stand I was perched in. Total distance, ...less than 10 feet. I was holding a 12 gauge Ithaca Model 37 Featherweight, but moving it would have spooked him. Can't reccomend it as a hunting choice. I own a .44 Magnum Model 1894 Marlin. I find Buffalo Bore  Heavy loads work well. I've also used Cor-Bon , but favor the heavier weight projectiles. I've acquired a Marlin 1895 in .450 Marlin, as it seems Bear were all over the woods where I hunt. Much more energy than the 1894.


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## Richard P (Nov 30, 2010)

In the 44m, if you have access to a 240/250 cast SWC you could use most any load that produces 1200fps or up. If using a Jacketed, the loads can be identical.  You can go up in velocity within the pressure limits. If there is any chance you'd use them in a revolver I would load what the revolver likes and try that in the rifle.  22gr of imr4227 will produce about 1450fps in the rifle.  Any load around that with 2400 should work well.  Other powders would include Blue Dot and Accurate 9.


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## ticeman (Nov 30, 2010)

My .45 loads are as follows:

Hornady XTP JHP 230 gr bullets
5.5 gr. Unique powder

It'll slay the deer without issue.


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## 10gaugemeow (Nov 30, 2010)

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=248742

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=860256


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