1911 for deer?

[Bowhunter57]

I did a search on "45acp" and "1911" and came up empty.

Has anyone used a 1911 45acp for deer hunting?
If so, what was your preference in bullet type and loads?
Approximate shooting distance that you consider a lethal hunting limit?

Thank you, Bowhunter57

 

[winmag]

first off make sure the state you plan to hunt doesnt have a law prohibbiting the use of a firearm with a magazine capacity greater than 5.
Then you can get down to business
I smoked a deer (at relitively close range) with my old Kimber 1911 in 10mm. with Buffalo Bore bullets. Hard cast lead. Worked great. Look into Buffalo Bore, or a semi jacketed lead tip bullet of some kind. The max range is completely up to you as a shooter to decide, but its good to keep in mind the minimum speed required to reasonably expand your bullet and get good penetration. I would not recomend Hollow points. But thats my opinion. Good luck.

 

[MN Hunter]

+1 on checking state regs. The 45 acp is not legal for deer in Minnesota. My 1911 sees lots of bowling pin action.

 

[Miller Outdoors]

Approximate shooting distance that you consider a lethal hunting limit?

For deer, about 5 yards. Not a whole lot of energy.

Hitting what you're aiming at with a 1911 in hunting conditions could be difficult. I killed a deer once at about 15 yards with a .357 mag. snubnose revolver backup gun, but a handgun with poor sights isn't a very high percentage endeavor even at close yardage.

 

[dk17hmr]

There are lots of good jacketed hollow points on the market today. I carry 200gr Gold Dots in my 1911 for personal protection. If I were to hunt with it I would step up to the 230gr and push it hard.

When I lived in Michigan I used a 260gr cast bullet for back up while bear hunting with my bow. They chronographed at 875fps and hit like a freight train....never did kill anything with it though.

 

[ICANHITHIMMAN]

I shot one in NY about 25 yards this year 215lb doe droped in her tracks.

1991 Colt A1
MAGTEC 230g JHP

Just kind of wanted to see what would happen 45ACP good to go for deer hunting. I have no issues with using it again the MAGTEC round dumped all its energy in the target just as it was designed to.

Jon

 

[hammertyme]

45 ACP was and is a great cartridge. I carried a couple every day for a couple decades. I guess I would not use a round nose bullet as the range is limiting and it doesn't create much of a bullet path. Plus P type loads with 185's and 200's are lethal on deer to whatever human range you can hit them at.
Though mine have been converted to the 460 Rowland they still carry the Smith and Wesson sights I put on them many, many years ago.
Personally I would not hesitate to take one at 50-60-yards.

Neal