Anyone currently using a .45 Colt rifle for hogs?

What have been the results?

What factory ammo or handloads did you use?

What bullets worked well at about what speeds?

Thanks!

I put this one together last summer, haven't yet used on hogs, due to a shortage of volunteers. With handloaded Berry's 250 gr plated bullets its dead on at 100; gas checked 300 grain cast bullets run about 4" left of that. I never load anything to "max", but both these are "warm."

What 300 grain bullets are you using? Which mold made them?

nice set up

Rick,
They're out of the LEE C452-300-RF mold.

What speed are you running those Berry's? Do you think the copper plating is stripping off in the bore? I was thinking these bullets were just intended for handgun velocities. I wonder about copper fouling at the higher speeds.

I once recovered a fired plated bullet and it appeared that the lands had cut through the plating, but I guess that was expected, since it was only a plating and not a jacket.

I’ve had really good luck with a 300 grain FPGC out of a 44 mag rifle at about 1600fps. I would figure the same out of a 45 would work just as well.

I've read that plated bullets ought to be loaded at/kept to cast bullet velocities. I don't have a chrono, but Lyman's rifle data for a cast 250 slug shows 9.0 as max for Unique, velocity of 1157. Ya DO need to flare the case mouth with those plated bullets or they will shave a bit when seating. Those that I have dug out of the berm have been deformed with the plating split, but not due to the rifling cutting too deeply. Frankly, I'm inclined to just go with the 300 grain gas checked FPs once the Berry's are used up, simply because I've got plenty of lead and gas checks.

Am I right those Berry's are flat point with no cannelure? So... no concern for crimping these for use in the levergun?

You are correct--FP, no cannelure. I used a Lee FCD to give a firm crimp and loaded ten of 'em into the Marlin, shot all without any pushing back into the case.

My truck gun all last year was a Rossi 16 inch barreled model 92 clone with a scout scope set up. I shot a couple of raccoons but no hogs yet. Using 13 grains of Blue dot under a Keith style 270 grain cast bullet. Shoots great and penetrates awesome just not a lucky rifle so far, other than I did shoot a deer with it.

I occasionally take out a Rossi I have in .45 Colt. I don't worry as much as some people about having hard, heavy bullets with a maximum velocity. Placement of the bullet is a lot more important than having a pile driver. I normally load something like these were shot with.....250 gr. Hornady HP XTP's with 14.5 gr. of 2400 powder.

255 SWC over Unique works great for me.

Good word. And Stony, looks like the Lyman says you can go to 17.5 on that 2400. Have you gone there? But it looks like the 14.5 punched a hole anyway.

I really don't try to push a lot of my loads to the max listed. In fact a lot of them I load to mid range specs or just about half way between mid range and max.
I'm not one to push the limits on stuff like this and it has worked for me and my guns for a lot of years.

And the hogs do look deflated.

That's some sandy soil. What county?

I'm in Van Zandt county. We do have some sandy soil, but lots of trees and foliage where I hunt.

Whats the range distance on these 45's?

I don't really use long range loads mostly because the areas I hunt are pretty dense and long range shots just aren't an option. I would think a reasonable load should drop a hog at 100 yds. though...if placed where it should be.

I was just about to ask that same range question. 100 yards seems like a good limit, but maybe a little more if taking that load up a little closer to the max published load. No hog experience yet with 45LC, but probably will have some at some point soon.

My load is certainly 125 yard capable.

I shoot a .44 levergun but basically the same setup. A 200 gr RNFP moving 1400 fps absolutely flattens pigs. I have bumped the load up to around 1800 fps (23 gr 2400, need to chrono it). I can ring an 8" plate at 100 yds and it pings it with authority.