.45 ACP: What is it good for? Absolutely nothing?

kingrj · Jul 21, 2019

It has been my experience that in the taking of about 40 or so white tailed deer with a handgun that the larger the bore with hard cast SWC bullets the faster the incapacitation. I also have noted that using HP jacketed bullets that a .44 mag seems to incapacitate quicker than a 158 gr JHP from a .357 Herrett even though the Herrett has substantially more kinetic energy. It is because of this admittedly limited "testing" that has caused me to hunt deer with a .45 acp (actually a .45 Super) rather than a 9mm. Big holes all the way through the body cavity seem to produce more reliable results than small holes.

rich5674 · Jul 21, 2019

Thanks for sharing your experience

No, Really. So would you think a 45 Super with heavy SWC or controlled expansion bullet would be enough for wild boar to 25yds?

kingrj said:
It has been my experience that in the taking of about 40 or so white tailed deer with a handgun that the larger the bore with hard cast SWC bullets the faster the incapacitation. I also have noted that using HP jacketed bullets that a .44 mag seems to incapacitate quicker than a 158 gr JHP from a .357 Herrett even though the Herrett has substantially more kinetic energy. It is because of this admittedly limited "testing" that has caused me to hunt deer with a .45 acp (actually a .45 Super) rather than a 9mm. Big holes all the way through the body cavity seem to produce more reliable results than small holes.

kingrj · Jul 22, 2019

rich5674 said:
No, Really. So would you think a 45 Super with heavy SWC or controlled expansion bullet would be enough for wild boar to 25yds?

Uhhh..Yeah! LOL! I know a fellow that killed a wild hog with a multi-tool knife and I truly believe that a .45 caliber hole through the hog would have been much easier and quicker! Seriously...there is no pig on earth that can survive a 250 grain hard cast SWC through the boiler room from a .45 acp or .45 super.

AJ · Jul 22, 2019

kingrj said:
Uhhh..Yeah! LOL! I know a fellow that killed a wild hog with a multi-tool knife and I truly believe that a .45 caliber hole through the hog would have been much easier and quicker! Seriously...there is no pig on earth that can survive a 250 grain hard cast SWC through the boiler room from a .45 acp or .45 super.

Don't get me wrong because I am a .45 ACP fan. However, here in this area of Florida we run into so pretty fair sized hogs. Most here like to use a.223 rifle. Some of the old timers use .44 Mag. A .45 ACP will do the job, but more folks want more power and a quicker kill. Have seen hogs in the area go as much as 400 pounds.

kingrj · Jul 22, 2019

AJ said:
Don't get me wrong because I am a .45 ACP fan. However, here in this area of Florida we run into so pretty fair sized hogs. Most here like to use a.223 rifle. Some of the old timers use .44 Mag. A .45 ACP will do the job, but more folks want more power and a quicker kill. Have seen hogs in the area go as much as 400 pounds.

I have no disagreement! I deer hunt with .45 super with 250 grain hard cast swc at 1030 fps when I know the same bullet at 850 from a .45acp would work. Do I need the extra power? Probably not. Do I WANT the extra power? Oh yeah!

flintsghost · Jul 26, 2019

The FBI publishes the results of their ballistic tests each year. The comparison I used to use in my LEO classes is, Would you rather be hit by a baseball traveling at 100 mph or a Bowling ball traveling at 90 mph. The choice is pretty easy for me.

Because the FBI has chosen the 9mm a lot of people are now writing that the 40 caliber is dead. Yet when looking at the people who have to carry the weapons and the departments that issue them...more LEO's are armed with 40 caliber pistols than 9mm as the department issue weapon nationally. The 40 caliber is still alive and well, thanks to people who have smart departments and administrators. I'm sure there are a lot of former officers on this forum who carry a 9mm once upon a time. I remember that everyone felt underguned and we were all glad of the shotgun in our patrol car. When we moved to a 40 caliber everyone was happier. The results of the departmental shootings over those years hasn't made anyone unhappy, overall.

Steve71 · Aug 2, 2019

In order to the topic, what's good on .45 ACP: My wife and a female colleague of mine shoot very well and with a lot of pleasure their Glocks 21 with Geco 230grs. Ammo.

Indeed, the .45 is here in Germany two times more expensive than a 9mm Luger but from time to time it's a nice experience to shoot that great American cartridge. For me, it's even more pleasant to shoot .45 out of a Glock than to shoot the 9mm. The .45 seems more to push the gun backwards with good power. The 9mm out of a Glock seems to flip more upwards for me.

I shoot it rarely but it's the classic 'big ol' bullet'. Any questions?

V0OBWxZS16 · Aug 2, 2019

flintsghost said:
The comparison I used to use in my LEO classes is, Would you rather be hit by a baseball traveling at 100 mph or a Bowling ball traveling at 90 mph. The choice is pretty easy for me.
...
I remember that everyone felt underguned and we were all glad of the shotgun in our patrol car. When we moved to a 40 caliber everyone was happier. The results of the departmental shootings over those years hasn't made anyone unhappy, overall.

I just rolled my eyes and ignored this comparison when I first read it, but if you actually think about it is completely absurd and a disservice to your students.

A bowling ball is nearly 50 times the weight (max 16lbs vs. 5.25 ounces) and 3 times the diameter (3 vs. 8.5 inches) of a baseball. The matching values applied relative to a 9mm 147grain would be a 1 inch projectile weighing a pound! It would also have well over 1,800 times the recoil energy making it a very obvious choice for anybody actually paying attention.

If their instructor is telling them such tall tales it is no surprise they felt under-gunned with a 9mm.

IAM Rand · Apr 24, 2020

Just bough a couple of boxes of Corbon 185gr .45 going over 1000fps. Don't think the bad guy will be complaining that I didn't use the right caliber.

jerrydm60 · Apr 24, 2020

45acp

Carried one for two tours in Nam saw what they can do! Been carrying one since getting out in 68, been my duty weapon for the past 14 years. I love the caliber along with all the others I shoot.

10mm_Shooter · Apr 24, 2020

I prefer my Delta in 10mm

of course, followed closely by my 1006

Trooper224 · Apr 24, 2020

I wonder if you've actually read the FBI data, or you simply have a big bore burr under your saddle. I suspect the latter.

The FBI has never stated the .45acp is useless or good for nothing. That's a simplistic, misleading and, quite frankly ignorant statement. The only conclusion reached is this: with improvements in modern service ammo, the various common service rounds are performing about the same. Any difference is merely academic at this point. With that in mind, the one that's easiest to shoot, has the highest ammunition capacity, is cheaper and results in longer durability for the guns in which it's chambered, is the logical choice. This conclusion has been reached by a entity that conducts more ballistic testing than any other organization in the world when it comes to handgun ammunition. This conclusion has been reached through scientific testing that's controlled, consistent, repeatable and will stand up to peer review in any academic community.

That conclusion is absolutely correct.

If you like your .45, by all means carry it, but stop with the hurt feelings over it.

Sgt 45 · Apr 24, 2020

Carried a 1911 for over 40 years, love that platform, BUT, getting old puts a real crimp in my shooting autoloaders. The recoil tends to torque my wrist is such a way that it just plain HURTS, so I’m back to a wheel gun and all of its problems; limited capacity, slow to reload, bit gun but I do love my 629 V-Comp and now I have 625JM. Soft shooting, accurate, fast to reload, easy to reload for and a caliber that people that don’t know any better (liberal judges) don’t consider as excessive. I know that it shouldn’t make any difference what caliber is used in a good shooting, but there are some folks out there that will send you to prison because they don’t like your gun.

Echo40 · Apr 24, 2020

Wow, now here's a little blast from the past. It doesn't feel like it was that long ago that I posted this thread.

Amusingly enough, I commented in a post in this very thread about how I couldn't find any cheap .40s in my area, then some 3 months later I found a SW40VE at my LGS for $199.

@Trooper, I know that you may have missunderstood this, what with me being "Mr. Thesaurus" and all, but the brightly-colored, bold, and underlinded portion of the OP clearly states that this thread isn't about Caliber Wars, so please try to keep that in mind if you intend to continue posting in this thread.

dbell54 · Apr 25, 2020

My EDC is a Kimber Micro 9 carried OWB with 2 spare mags. I would prefer to carry my Combat Commander, as I can shoot it more accurately and it has the bigger punch. But I only have one bone and anything bigger that the Micro 9 is hard to conceal and makes me list to one side. As they say, the one you can carry is worth much more than the one left at home. I hardly notice the Kimber under an untucked shirt. That said, if I knew I was going to a gunfight, I'd definitely take the 1911. But even more, I'd want a long gun.

brucev · Apr 25, 2020

First centerfire pistol I ever bought was a Colt Commander in (of course) .45 ACP. I'd got shot at the previous Saturday while at work (unarmed security in a ship yard). So, I bought the Colt, stuck it in my pocket and went back to work. Never had anyone else take a potshot at me. Cool. Would have hated to have had to call down a fire strike on whoever was so foolish! Of course I'd also have been hunting a job the next day. Sincerely. bruce.

6GUNSONLY · Apr 25, 2020

I like it because it's as close to a "decisive" cartridge as there is that can be carried conveniently, it's an easy and friendly caliber to reload, and I like the typical handgun platform in which it is chambered (1911-style pistols). And that I've been shooting/loading it for over 40 years now.

Autonomous · Apr 25, 2020

As a combat round it is not as modern as more modern rounds!
For pure satisfaction in a full size 1911 it is timeless.

Injunbro · Apr 26, 2020

.45 ACP/modernized smokeless powder version of black powder .45 colt is an excellent round, as was it's predecessor. However shot placement is what wins, .093 wider won't turn a bad hit into a good one. I know a couple of people who killed black bears w/ .22's* just as quickly as a bazooka would but given a choice would have jumped @ the chance for a .45, .357, .30-06, etc.
*bullet down ear canal, long story for another thread.

Neversink n Klapperthal · Apr 26, 2020

"War" is good for absolutely nothing

.45 ACP: What is it good for? Absolutely nothing?

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