Best home protection .45 LC ammo?

[Greg D]

I have a lever action .45 LC rifle that I bought for plinking and home protection. I reload for plinking but want factory ammo for home protection, does anyone have any suggestions?

 

[Dnovo1]

Buffalo Bore Heavy loads. Dave

 

[off road]

At home, Glasers are the only sane choice! They will break up on wallboard, so you don't kill your kid sleeping in the next room! On flesh, they create a devistating wound, much like a shotgun. Glaser Safety Slug at Dakota Ammo - COR®BON/Glaser Self Defense and Tactical Gear

If you ever venture out on the street, I would load Hornaday Critical Defense.
Hornady Manufacturing Company :: Ammunition :: Handgun :: Choose by Caliber :: 45 Colt :: 45 Colt 185 GR Critical Defense®

 

[sheriffoconee]

At my house, 255 grn lead RNFP over 8 grains of Unique...

 

[Nick B]

Speer loads the .45 Colt with a 250 grain Gold Dot at 900 fps .
Sold in 20 rd boxes .

 

[jambie]

Speer loads the .45 Colt with a 250 grain Gold Dot at 900 fps .
Sold in 20 rd boxes .

I'd like to know which round that is, product #, etc., because their website lists the 250 gr. GDHP at 750 fps. Not trying to be critical, I'd just really like to buy such a load if it's available...

Speer Ammo - Ballistics Tables

Cheers,
Tom

 

[cp1969]

750 or 900 fps isn't going to make any difference.

 

[jambie]

750 or 900 fps isn't going to make any difference.

A 20% difference in muzzle velocity? That seems pretty significant to me...

Cheers,
Tom

 

[1950Target]

Federal SWCHP

Been around for years 225 gr soft lead

Only thing I've ever killed with it is phone books all of them left a fist sized hole on the way out, none of the phone books got to run more than 15 or so inches......

 

[ctom3]

A 20% difference in muzzle velocity? That seems pretty significant to me...

Cheers,
Tom

Yeah, 20% is a lot since energy is derived from velocity squared as opposed to being a straight line function on bullet weight.

BTW, I am fond of .44 special with 8 gn. of Unique behind a 210 gn. hpswc.

 

[cp1969]

Yeah, 20% is a lot since energy is derived from velocity squared as opposed to being a straight line function on bullet weight.

BTW, I am fond of .44 special with 8 gn. of Unique behind a 210 gn. hpswc.

I guarantee any home intruder shot with a 750 fps .45 Colt load will be just as sick and in need of medical attention as one shot with a 900 fps load.

 

[duckloads]

A 255 gr slug? He'll, throw it

 

[ArchAngelCD]

There are good suggestions already but most of them are very expansive, and for no good reason. If you don't want to use your reloads for HD I suggest buying some Winchester 225gr Silvertip ammo. Silvertip bullets are proven technoligy and they are hollow points. Best part is, even though it's good ammo it won't cost you a ton of cash to buy.

Buffalo Bore is over $37/20 rounds. The Winchester ammo will cost you less than $20/20.

 

[Skeptic 9c]

Remember folks, this is RIFLE ammo, not pistol ammo.

Geoff
Who has NO experience or secondary knowledge of .45 LC Rifle rounds.

 

[Greg D]

How is the Glaser ammo at longer ranges, 50-75 yards? Is it only a short range proposition?

 

[jambie]

I guarantee any home intruder shot with a 750 fps .45 Colt load will be just as sick and in need of medical attention as one shot with a 900 fps load.

Not disagreeing with anyone here at all on the effectiveness of 750 fps vs. 900 fps, just wondering if Speer really does make such a factory load...I've seen it mentioned in other posts, and would love to find some for back-country defense against other than two-legged threats.

Okay, enough thread hijacking for now...I'm right up there with Geoff on my knowledge of .45 Colt rifle rounds
Cheers,
Tom

 

[Navy96]

Good Reference for Home Defense

Greg,
I had a similar question, although for my handgun.
Found this article which provides some very good insight on all types of ammo for most weapons.

Ammunition For The Self-Defense Firearm

My preference for home defense is a 12 guage, with #4 shot. probably the most intimidating weapon, and the most effective in stopping power. Just my 2 cents.

 

[bmcgilvray]

At my house, 255 grn lead RNFP over 8 grains of Unique...

I don't generally keep my .45 Colt revolver out for home defense duty but this load would be my choice.

The 255 grain .45 caliber lead slug seems hugely more significant to me than the 20% velocity difference does.

 

[WILDPIG]

This is a weak answer but, I think any .45 round that functions flawlessly is going to be very effective at room distance or across the driveway distance.

WILDPIG

 

[Grog]

100% functioning first, which is important in a long gun firing a handgun round. I also believe just about anything would work well enough, once you have that size and weight heading downrange (or across the room). A round designed for a handgun might not gain too much speed out of a much longer barrel.

There is a Blazer 200gr JHP at 1000fps.
LE: Ballistics Detail

How about a 200gr Gold Dot at 1100fps? (out of stock)
"NEW" .45 Long Colt 200gr Speer Bonded Unicore Hollow Point 50pk