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Post by BRASF0311 on Sept 9, 2017 21:45:34 GMT -5
I was shooting Goldiloks, my Blackhawk 45 Convertible, with the 45 acp cylinder at 50 yards and hitting the steel gong with it. I was using plain 230gr. FMJ ball ammo, and even with the loss in velocity due to the B/C gap, it was still hitting the gong with enough force to knock it off the rack and throw it back a couple feet. When I was pulling targets, I found these laying in front of the rack. You can see the original base size on the bottom of the middle bullet. This has me wondering, if they were used on shoulder bone, could they mushroom to this degree? These would leave quite a wound channel, I believe. _________________________
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Sept 9, 2017 22:27:28 GMT -5
I wouldn't count on expansion from an 800 fps FMJ at any distance. There's a major difference between a shoulder shot, and shooting at a steel gong at any distance.
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Post by bradshaw on Sept 9, 2017 23:32:15 GMT -5
"I was shooting my Blackhawk 45 Convertible, with the 45 acp cylinder at 50 yards and hitting the steel gong with it. I was using plain 230gr. FMJ ball ammo... When I was pulling targets, I found these laying in front of the rack. ... if they were used on shoulder bone, could they mushroom to this degree?” ----brasf0311 ***** Reckon you’re asking whether the 230 FMJ is suitable for whitetails and pigs. Answer: NO. Unless you are in a survival situation, and it doesn’t sound like it, your best best for putting meat on the table with that sixgun is with the .45 Colt cylinder on it, and loaded with a lead bullet with an appreciable flat meplat or a good jacketed hollow point. With marksmanship at the top of the list. As 358156hp warns, the ball round cannot be expected to expand on bone. Round nose FMJ’s ricochet of bone and tumble rather easily. My experience on livestock is that the .45 hardball is no great shakes on penetration. The 9mm Luger FMJ is much better on penetration, and far weaker than the .45 ball on punch, with all or more ricochet potential. In other words, FMJ ball rounds are a setup for wounded and lost game. Killing livestock is execution, not hunting. The moment you are beyond contact distance the equation for predictability crumbles. Now back to marksmanship for a moment. The joint of the shoulder bones is a shifting, asymmetrical target. It is a small target. Save the .45 ACP cylinder for smaller game. Put the top down on your Convertible and take the .45 Colt for a ride. David Bradshaw
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Post by BRASF0311 on Sept 10, 2017 7:44:44 GMT -5
Reckon you’re asking whether the 230 FMJ is suitable for whitetails and pigs. Answer: NO. Unless you are in a survival situation, and it doesn’t sound like it, your best best for putting meat on the table with that sixgun is with the .45 Colt cylinder on it, and loaded with a lead bullet with an appreciable flat meplat or a good jacketed hollow point. With marksmanship at the top of the list. As 358156hp warns, the ball round cannot be expected to expand on bone. Round nose FMJ’s ricochet of bone and tumble rather easily. My experience on livestock is that the .45 hardball is no great shakes on penetration. The 9mm Luger FMJ is much better on penetration, and far weaker than the .45 ball on punch, with all or more ricochet potential. In other words, FMJ ball rounds are a setup for wounded and lost game. Killing livestock is execution, not hunting. The moment you are beyond contact distance the equation for predictability crumbles. Now back to marksmanship for a moment. The joint of the shoulder bones is a shifting, asymmetrical target. It is a small target. Save the .45 ACP cylinder for smaller game. Put the top down on your Convertible and take the .45 Colt for a ride. David Bradshaw I agree with you Mr. Bradshaw. My heavy hard cast 45 Colt ammo will be used for hunting (soon) for sure, but I had to wonder about the possibilities when I picked those bullets up. Thanks for the input with the real world experience on livestock. When the world ends and I get to go "survival mode", I'll post pics of the 45acp ball ammo performance. Ha, LOL
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Post by Stump Buster on Sept 10, 2017 8:31:41 GMT -5
But, But... "knockdown power", "they all fall to ball", "hit 'em in the earlobe with a 45ACP and he's going down." All gunshow "facts" I've heard over the years about the magical terminal performance of the ACP. I've always had a hard time swallowing these "truths" when the debate over hunting cartridges came up and the same folks would say handguns are too weak for even the smallest deer and turn right back around and say one of the above quotes when it came to a thinking/fighting/determined adversary. Real world experience and information about bullet performance is easier to find these days, but some of these wives tales still get passed on to new shooters. Mr. Bradshaw speaks from practical, personal and real world experience. I'm glad he posts here.
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Post by bullseye on Sept 10, 2017 9:44:20 GMT -5
I'm fairly certain hunting big game with FMJ bullets is illegal in most if not all States... I know it is in Indiana.
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Post by clintsfolly on Sept 10, 2017 10:43:33 GMT -5
The only time I would use a FMJ on game is IF it was down and need one to the base of the skull to finish it off!! IMHO
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Post by jfs on Sept 10, 2017 13:42:04 GMT -5
The joint of the shoulder bones is a shifting, asymmetrical target. It is a small target. Save the .45 ACP cylinder for smaller game. Put the top down on your Convertible and take the .45 Colt for a ride. David Bradshaw There`s not much more to add to what D.B. has said.... Only that I wish I was going along on your hunt........
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Post by sixshot on Sept 10, 2017 13:49:59 GMT -5
There's a reason it's illegal in most states, round ball FMJ is for practice only, or as mentioned perhaps a finishing shot. Don't take chances when a big game animal is on the line. Good jacketed soft points or HP's or a good cast bullet with a wide meplat will always work better if shot placement is correct & velocity is up to the task. The deer & antelope I shot last week could have easily been taken with jacketed ammo, the deer might have went down a bit quicker with jacketed because of a double lung shot but not by much. The antelope never took a step so pretty hard to improve on that, the cast bullet broke both front shoulders.
Dick
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Post by bushog on Sept 10, 2017 14:15:45 GMT -5
In NM it's considered hunting when you kill the animal so finishing shots can't be performed with anything that's not allowed to hunt with...including FMJ or rimfire for big game.
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Post by coldtriggerfinger on Sept 11, 2017 2:50:38 GMT -5
I'm fairly certain hunting big game with FMJ bullets is illegal in most if not all States... I know it is in Indiana. Totally legal in Alaska. Not all hardball 45 ACP ammo is round nose. I have some with the 230 gr flat nose truncated cone shape. At 900 fps, which they go out of my 5 1/2" Bisley convertible . they would kill a deer or caribou just fine.
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Post by BRASF0311 on Sept 11, 2017 5:49:54 GMT -5
I'm fairly certain hunting big game with FMJ bullets is illegal in most if not all States... I know it is in Indiana. Totally legal in Alaska. Not all hardball 45 ACP ammo is round nose. I have some with the 230 gr flat nose truncated cone shape. At 900 fps, which they go out of my 5 1/2" Bisley convertible . they would kill a deer or caribou just fine. I would like to know if anyone has any experience on game animals with them? Something like this- underwoodammo.com/shop/45-colt-long-colt-250-grain-full-metal-jacket/ (Didn't find that round in 45acp though) I would predict that a hardcast bullet with a wide meplat and sharp edges would do better though.
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Post by cherokeetracker on Sept 11, 2017 6:40:15 GMT -5
Goats and Kangeroos with 45ACP
Mostly Hollows Points. Did some with old 185 Silver Tips in 45acp on Kangaroos about 30 yards
Also handloads of 185 Powerjackets sierra about 1000fps
Didn't look at the link
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Post by coldtriggerfinger on Sept 11, 2017 10:31:16 GMT -5
The old 45 Colt 250 or255 gr bullet killed ALOT of game even tho it was no great shakes as a bullet. I definitely would prefer a good cast bullet or jacketed . But, a bullet traveling at 800 fps will kill things.
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tomc
.30 Stingray
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Post by tomc on Sept 11, 2017 21:47:06 GMT -5
FMJ illegal in Missouri.
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