Deer Hunting with a .45 Colt Ruger Blackhawk

[stew71]

I'm guessing the 200gr JHPs from Corbon would do nicely in my Ruger Blackhawk for these smallish California blacktails. The areas I'm considering are heavy timber and brush so the shots would be inside 50 yards with iron sights.

I've never capped one off in a handgun before but I understand they can bite at both ends.

Of course, I might just go pick up a used Blackhawk Hunter in .44 Mag and put a 2x scope on it. That stainless steel model is absolutely lovely.

[Chuck 100 yd]

The standard 250 grain cast bullet at 800-850 fps. in the .45 Colt is all that is needed for Deer at that distance. The standard factory 240 gr. .44 mag. Load is more than enough for any Deer. IMHO

[stew71]

The standard 250 grain cast bullet at 800-850 fps. in the .45 Colt is all that is needed for Deer at that distance. The standard factory 240 gr. .44 mag. Load is more than enough for any Deer. IMHO

Good to know, Chuck. Thanks. I'll do some more research on this.

[FLINT]

I have a .45 Bisley blackhawk that I plan to use this year. I plan to load for it, but in the mean time, I bought two boxes of HSM+P ammo that push a 325 gr wide lead bullet quite smartly, though I've read that its not as hot as the buffalo bore stuff.
Before someone yells at me, I know that loads this stout aren't required for deer, but at $40 per 50 rounds, they are the cheapest non cowboy action stuff out there, and they are loaded with nice starline brass that I can reload. Plus, they should anchor deer with authority. I'm looking forward to trying it out.

However, I have killed two deer with a ruger blackhawk in .41 mag (that I sold to buy the .45). I killed one deer with a 210 grain rem. flat nose that I loaded over H110 to around maybe 1300 fps? The second deer was with the winchester platnum hollow points which are 240 grain at around 1250fps.

The ruger .45 is way more than enough for deer, though the load you mentioned seems like a light bullet weight for the .45 colt. Maybe that is a personal protection round? Usually jacketed .45s are 250-300 gr. and then lead stuff up to 335 gr. or maybe more.

[7.62 Precision]

Killed a caribou with my Vaquero and a 300 gr. something or other, maybe HSM. No need fora .44 mag if you have the .45 Colt in a Ruger, unless you really want the scope. I'm not into scopes on a pistol, so my leaning is always toward the more traditional pistols.

Oh, and on the HSM ammo:
https://762precision.wordpress.com/2012 ... m-ammo-14/

After that I did some research and found records of several police department ARs that had catastrophic failures firing HSM ammo, plus reports of some other firearms.

[Paladin]

.45 Colt or ACP tend to turn off deer rather well if you can place them. I prefer the .45 Colt Blackhawk, either of these, for anything in the woods.

[BrianSH]

Also, read your Linebaugh, and act accordingly. There is quite a lot of pistol work in the article section. - Brian

[Grizz]

My favorite meat gun in Alaska was a 44 mag SBH. I loaded a plain base 325gr cast bullet over W296 and killed lots of deer with it. It was chronoed by someone who poo-pooed the 1100+ velocity and assured me that it wouldn't work unless I upped it to 1400 fps, which would likely be an overpressure round.

I never lost a deer with that load, and I only ever recovered one bullet. That one penetrated the skull and then toboganed along the spine until it stopped. It was an absolutely reliable meat maker.

Your 45 can easily duplicate this kind of performance.

I don't care for scopes on pistols, they magnify the waving and interfere with good eye-hand coordination, imo. My pistol had a rifle bead front sight and an omega peep in the rear sight holder.

You can build confidence and consistency if you shoot rocks or seashells or those orange roll-around targets at all distances while walking around. That kind of muscle memory makes for memorable shots on game. I imagine cowboy action builds the same kind of skills. Give it a whirl.

Regards

[stew71]

Well dang....Good thing I checked in first before going with the Corbon stuff. It's freaking pricey around here.
Thanks again, fellas..

[octagon]

The SBH IN .44 mag is fun to shoot and accurate for me. Only one deer so far came in range worth shooting, a nice doe, and nicely medium rare was the result.
Had one small yearling came within six feet of the Ruger, I don't shoot those. But gonna try it this year again.

[.45colt]

For deer inside of 50 yards I would be looking at a load like this.http://www.midwayusa.com/product/154030 ... uctFinding
As others have said a standard load is all that is needed. I don't know if You reload or not but what we need to handgun hunt is lot's of practice. the first time I shot My friends .45 Blackhawk long ago I was able to keep five shots on a paper plate at 45 yards, I bought that gun.

[BigSky56]

In a pistol a HC WFN, stable out to 100 yds ,if further run a LFN. I run a 45 255 WFN at 1000 fps, use to run them at 900 but AA brought out new data for 5744 that still keeps them at 14K psi. The difference in a HC wfn compared to a jacketed HP or SP it out performs and penetrates. danny

[JerryB]

Danny do you like the 5744 powder .45 load over the Unique load? I like 5744 for my old 32wcf, 38-55 and 45-70. I would like to try it in my Colt.

[BigSky56]

Jerry, I like it cause I can go from a reg 45 to a 32K load in it works with 357 same way and 30-30 plus its not temp sensitive and fires with reg primers . danny

[piller]

I have one of the 4 5/8ths inch barrelled Blackhawks with the conversion cylinder for .45 ACP. I have some 340 grain Wife Flat Nose bullets from Tennessee Valley Bullets that I purchased a while back at a gun show. I use them in Starline brass over 21 grains of H110. I have not chronographed that load, but it is one that lets you know when it goes off. It is not a painful load, but it is not a .22lr either. Based on what I have read in articles and books written by those who know way more than I do, that load should be just fine for anything I would do here in the States. It is a brinell hardness of 21 according to the person whom I purchased them from. That load will group a 3 inch circle at 25 yards with me shooting it off hand (No rest at all). I am pretty sure that it would group a lot smaller if someone who was really good with a gun were shooting it.

I purchased 200 bullets at the time, and still have about 75 left. I don't shoot them much, and am trying to get a chance to use them on something other than paper.

[wvfarrier]

Check out the Buffalo bore or double tap stuff. They have a lot to choose from. I find a 250 grain xtp will shoot clean through one from end to end