Factory 45 colt loads for deer hunting

[Rdm_01]

Hi to all! This is my first post so I'll try to keep it short. I have just purchase a Rossi M92 with a 20" octogon barrel and chambered in 45 Colt. I want to use it for some deer hunting and just general shooting. I did a search and tried to find an answer before I posted this, but didn't find anything that pretty much spelled it out for me. The maximum yardage will be about 75 yards, as I hunt in heavely wooded area. I do not reload as of yet, so this option is out. Any and all suggestions would be appreciated.

As for the Rossi, it is far above what I expected! Beautiful rifle!

Thanks again for any input.

[Blackjack]

The 45 colt is suited well for your hunting conditions. The factory loads are generally on the mild side due to a lot of older guns around. In general the factory ammo is good for whitetails but if you"d like more performance there are options. I reload but have used some Buffalo Bore ammo not really a bargan but good stuff. Phil


http://www.buffalobore.com/index.php

[deerwhacker444]

Howdy and Welcome.

Ammo can get kinda scarce this time of year. Midway is almost completely out of everything.

I reload mine, but something like this from Ammo To Go will work for just about anything you're going to need to kill.

[stew71]

Try Speer's Lawman 45 Colt ammo. I've used that in my Rossi. With it's 24" barrel, it extends my deer killin' range to about 100 yards. Pretty darn accurate, too. 250gr hollowpoints if I remember correctly.

Even though Speer says its for personal protection, I put a couple of rounds straight through a 4" fir at about 45 yards. I doubt a deer is tougher than a tree.

[BigSky56]

Welcome, Double tap makes some good ammo if you dont load in standard and +P. danny
http://www.doubletapammo.com/php/catalog/index.php

[piller]

I have a .45 Colt revolver, but not the rifle. However, the pistol has taken 1 deer at about 30 yards using factory silvertip loads. It was a good clean kill with only 1 shot needed. The doe made 2 jumps and piled up. The leveraction should only be better.

[Ben_Rumson]

I dropped one with a Colt New Service 45 Colt 250 gr lead Winchesters 1 shot 20 feet... Dropped on the spot!..

[vancelw]

I use PMC 45HA loaded with 300 gr Hornady JSP bullets. I shoots about 1400 fps out of my 24" barrel.I've killed two mule deer DRT with one shot each between 80 to 100 yards. Both fell in their own shadow. It's marked +P+ on the headstamp and the box warns not to shoot in weaker guns.

Problem is I haven't seen it for sale lately-not in stores or in catalogs. Grab some if you see it at a gun show. Price was 25 to 28 dollars for 50 before the price gouging of late.
I wasn't able to recover either bullet to see what it looked like after impact. Both were clean pass throughs.

45HA PMC 2.jpg

[olyinaz]

Hornady LeverEvolution .45 Colt is designed for deer hunting but it's pretty mild standard pressure stuff.

Cheers,
Oly

[Rdm_01]

Thanks for all the info. Hopefully soon I will be able to reload and I won't have to worry about this.

[Griff]

and Welcome to the Forum.

I have the "Short Rifle" version, also in .45 Colt. Although I haven't got a shot at one yet, I carry mine for havelina loaded with Winchester's 225gr. Silvertips. As long as you stay away from the "cowboy" stuff, I wouldn't worry about factory loads for the .45Colt, especially any jacketed rounds.

[Paladin]

Welcome, I have had great luck with Georgia Arms ammo out of both my rifle and revolvers.
Good luck
http://georgia-arms.com/45longcolt.aspx

[chadbr]

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[Hobie]

In my carbine the CCI Blazer 200 gr. JHP load gave the highest velocity.

[86er]

Grizzly Cartridge Co. (505) 556-3006

265 Grain Hawk or 300 grain Cast. I've used it many times on deer out to 100 yds and they both work great.

[Blaine]

I can't imagine any .45 Colt round not being enough for deer.

[O.S.O.K.]

Thanks for all the info. Hopefully soon I will be able to reload and I won't have to worry about this.

Don't know how much time you have before your hunt, but a Lee Loader will do a fine job on 45 Colt... $25.

A standard load with 250 grain bullet going 800 fps out of a revolver will clock 1000 fps in your carbine and do a fine job out to 75 yards. A little faster doesn't hurt. A good hard cast bullet will do just as well as a hollow point at this speed. A 45 caliber hole through and through will bring it down within 50 yards of the shot hitting the buck.

[Marlin32]

Except maybe for the Grizzly cartridge and maybe Buffalo Bore has a few, most factory ammo would be illegal to use on deer in Nebraska.

I am still mulling over getting a Marlin in 45 colt with long barrel. I like the Grizz cartridge and a couple of the buffalo bore rounds. Would do just fine out of my tree. All shots would be under 50yards. My 357mag marlin is what I used 20 some years ago when I was a kid and before the Game Commission told me I couldn't kill deer with it. Wish they would have told me sooner, be alot more deer alive down there. It was a killer, used 180 gr Federals.

The 45 colt in above cartridges,( and I am sure there are more and not even talking about reloading yet) would be very efficient deer killer in my situation.

Next year. I may be able to make that happen next year.

[brno602]

Like many have said your velocity will step up in the rifle so I don't think you will have a problem out to 75/100 yrds, with most of the standard .45 loads I Use real warm handloads but my shooting load is just 9.5gr of unique with a 255gr cast lee bullet I would trust my 9.5 gr load for the biggest deer at 1070fps out of my 16'' Rossi.