I have taken 1 Deer with a 1911 in 45 ACP many years ago. The loads and bullet availbele today make the 45 in a 1911 even more viable than ever.

Buffalo Bore loads a 255 grain flat point hard cast at 925 FPS. They also load the same bullet at 1090 FPS for the 45 Super. Those loads would be adequate for all but the largest of Black Bears, Deer would be a piece of cake

I haven't but I would -- hell, I'll use a .38 special on deer. Those loads you list should be more than adequate on any deer you may encounter.

I have shot a lot of small game with a 1911 in 45 ACP.

Some with bullets some with CCI shotshells, and some with the Remington shotshells.

I have shot turkey with one as well as 2 deer.

When I carry one in bear country I use the Buffalo Bore 230gr FP. I have not tried the 255gr lead bullet yet.

Still it "ain"t no 44 Magnum.

Not legal for big game in Wyoming, Colorado, South Dakota....
With a little creativity you could make a 10mm in 1911 legal in Colorado, but you would probably have to argue with the Game Warden about it.

Fun pistol to hunt javelina with.....it has been years since I did so, and as I recall I loaded using a 185 grain Nosler HP.

I've carried it on deer hunts but for self-protection.

Obviously you can get your deer with it. Not the slightest question on that. But, I see two problems with it.

One problem is accuracy with most traditional 1911s at normal deer hunting ranges. That leads to the second problem, meaning follow-up after the wrong weapon gets used.

I've gotten down out of my stand several times and effectively ended my hunting day real early in order to help others find their cripples...that's just not my idea of fun at all.

I killed a bull bison (3 years old) a couple of years ago at 35 yards with a frontal brain shot. Load was a standard hardball round with a berry's 230 ar 850 fps. My buddy backing me up with his .458 Winchester helped my confidence. Brain them and it will work.



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I have used it for hogs close up, when cornered by dogs. Head shots make for instant kills.

I believe Geedubya dispatched a charging wounded feral hog with several rounds of hardball.

I have killed stray dogs and a pig or two with a Sig P220 45acp 230gr hardball. It was not my first choice but what I had in my hands at the time.......worked very effectively though!

Andy

I took a number of deer with the 45 ACP....200 grain Speer Hollow point....pushed to the max....heavy springs...recoil buffer, etc. The longest shot was 45 yards or so, and the closest about 15 feet....That was many (many) years ago. Have also taken deer with the 44 Special using a 250 Keith in a Blackhawk....at "normal" handgun ranges both work well.

I shot the biggest Jack Rabbit that has ever walked the face of the earth with a Kimber 1911 on a cat hunt once! Was so proud of him I had intended on having him mounted! Put him in the back of the truck that morning, and somehow the damn dogs got to him and chewed all his damn legs off!!!!!! Talk about pissed off, I was! Now a big jack with no legs?

Did shoot a cougar with that same 1911 a couple of days later however!

I killed a charging warthog in RSA with a Kimber Ultra too, almost forgot about that one.

Michael

I shot my first Black Bear with my 1911 many years ago (1974?). A spot and stalk one shot kill at 15-20 yds with a 220gr cast SWC bullet over 7 gr of Unique.

That's been my standard plinking/whatever load with that 1911 for 40 years.

Have taken one hog with my 1911. Was only about 85 lbs and took one in the chest and a finisher to the head shooting factory 230 JHPs. Plan on taking it with me on my next trip to Alpine in hopes of using it on a javelina.

I have recently worked up a 45 ACP hunting load with a 230 grain Beartooth flat nose (.270 meplat) hard cast bullet. Using the maximum published standard pressure powder charge of Accurate #5, this bullet is moving out at an average of 940fps from my 5" Colt/Wilson 1911. This is approximately the same velocity the LE +P WW Ranger 230 JHP runs in the same barrel.

Will see how this works out this year.

I've been tempted to try a 1911 with a .460 Rowland . That one seems to have enough punch to make the 1911 a nice hunting gun. Might be made to order for feral hogs.

Mostly feral dogs cats and chucks .Then the coyotes came and took my job ! Various bullets especially the various Speer 200 gr.I even took a feral cat at 40yds .The bullet hit the back over the spine just shaving of a strip of fir never penetrating the hide !! I should add that my 1911 I had accurized and it's done target, carry and hunting !
Never tried a deer , had a M29 for that.

never specificaly carried one for whitetail hunting but have shot a couple deer because the oportunity presented itself and its what i had and it did just fine. Both times it was with a 200 cast swc using a mid range load that pushed it about 700 fps

quote:

Originally posted by RMc:
I have recently worked up a 45 ACP hunting load with a 230 grain Beartooth flat nose (.270 meplat) hard cast bullet. Using the maximum published standard pressure powder charge of Accurate #5, this bullet is moving out at an average of 940fps from my 5" Colt/Wilson 1911. This is approximately the same velocity the LE +P WW Ranger 230 JHP runs in the same barrel.

Will see how this works out this year.

I usually run an 18.5 lb. recoil spring for all loads in my 1911 and am looking at an alternative to even heavier springs to slow the slide down in recoil.

If I recall correctly, JMB designed the 1911 with a square edged firing pin stop to slow the unlocking process. The Army requeted a rounded edge on the firing pin stop make manual slide retraction easier.

Have any members here tried a square bottom firing pin stop for this reason?

I have quite extensive expeience with them. I run them on my 9x23s and 10mms. EGW makes them.

I have shot at least 15 South Carolina whitetails with both. 10 is great for shoulder breaking shots and 9x23 does better in soft tissue. .45 works both ways good.

All mine were under 30 yds.

Shot my first handgun Kill in 85 with a Bren Ten.

The ten was my favorite for pigs.

Did I need to mention they were all 1911s?
(except the Bren)