Because I don't know, but I don't think so?

[billmc2]

I have an Arsenal Mold 454424, 230 gr Keith bullet. I've been loading this into 45 Colt and it works just fine. After several rounds of this most paper plates have had enough.

I guess a more traditional weight for 45 Colt is 250 or 255 gr. What I'm wondering is would the 20 - 25 gr difference in weight make much of a difference when applied to wild critters? Off the top of my head, the two I think about are hogs and black bears. I'm thinking that its not really going to make any big difference but because I don't know, I figured I'd ask.

[Winger Ed.]

It's real easy to split hairs, and over think this stuff.
Speaking just for myself--I make a real effort not to.

The difference between them is about 10%.

For those critters, I'd gas 'em on up to around the max. and be real careful and well practiced on shot placement.
For 10%,,,, I'd figure the critter wouldn't be able to tell the difference in how much deader one made it than the other.


And good luck on your hunt. Dinner always tastes better when you kill it yourself.

[poppy42]

Don’t know we’re you’re located ( makes a difference as to the size of the bear). When I lived in upstate New York in the early 80’s I hunted black bear with a 357 magnum and it was considered more than adequate. I do believe the black bears get a lot bigger over Towards the left coast and I am certainly not talking about brown bears or grizzlies. As far as hogs, from 1990 till 2015 I lived in Florida and I killed a lot of hogs for the barbecue grill. I never used any thing bigger than a 22 lr. Contrary to what seems to be popular opinion, hogs just ain’t that tough to kill! So ya can take my experience for what it’s worth and apply the information accordingly. I hope it was of some help.

[GhostHawk]

Seems to me there are a very large number of 230 gr cast boolits and molds for .45 colt. A few go heavier with 250 or 255, but if your going heavier why not go 300 or over? 20 grains in a .223 is a lot, in a .45acp or .45colt, not so much. Don't sweat the small stuff.

And on wild stuff, shot placement is the real key. Putting it where you need to put it, every time. That is important. If you can't, carry a rifle.

[fredj338]

A 45cal solid is just that, regardless of weight. It will reduce penetration some but just depends on how fast you drive it & how much penetration you need.

[billmc2]

OK guys, thanks. I didn't think it would make much difference but figured it couldn't hurt to ask. Ask far as location goes, its the FL panhandle a couple of miles south of AL.

[dverna]

The alloy you use will have a greater effect on performance than a 10% difference in bullet weight.

[Land Owner]

From the bear hunt videos I have seen (and that has not been exhaustive), bruins don't take getting shot with handgun, bow, or rifle very well, fight the pain, run away (or charge the hunter), and none (iirc) have been DRT shot placements. Bears, I conclude, are tough.

Hogs I have harvested number in the 100's, are easy to kill (DRT) when the shot placement is good (22LR, 30-30, 270, 308, 45 Colt), and do not take it well in the high front shoulder, neck, or head, especially head-on in the "X" between ears and eyes. I took one (1) once, stalking, off-hand, high front shoulder, through and through, DRT, from 22 yards, with a 45 Colt Ruger BH, and 255 gr., Lyman #454190, FN, 49-49-2 percent, Pb-WW-Sn, lead-alloy boolit. THAT was fun!

[dverna]

I have come to know the local bear hunting family and have been on a few hunts with them. They hunt over bait and/or with dogs so take that into consideration.

In most cases, when using dogs, the bear is treed, therefore the shot is close. No one uses a pistol for the first shot. Most are shot with typical deer rifles and 12 ga. The guys who control the hunt will come up to a bear that is shot out of tree and put two rounds from a 10mm into the head of the bear even if it seems the bear is dead.

We have had a number of people hurt by bears. That normally happens when trying to pull dogs off a bear that has not treed. But wounded bears have caused problems too. Four hunters have gone to emergency in the last 10 years.

IMO, for the majority of people, hunting a bear with a pistol is foolish. I say that from experience, as most people are pathetic pistol shots. If you are a competitive shooter who performs well under stress and can shoot well you are the exception. Tracking a wounded bear alone is stupid. But you cannot leave a wounded bear in the woods so think about that.